Make a Better Day or Make a Day Better?

We have the ability to make one another feel better - each and every day. The number of people who offer that gift to me - the worthiest of human traits - is far too long a list to compose here. Sometimes the people are strangers never to be seen again. Other times, they are friends and family. More and more it happens virtually over this new fangled internet thing :). Every time it happens, lives are touched.

This reflection on humanity began a couple Fridays ago. I was standing in line at a fast food joint located in a food court. Normally, I carry a lunch but Friday is my day to eat out. A perfect stranger approached me:

Perfect Stranger: which of these restaurants is better?
Me: They are both equally good - it depends on what you're hungry for.
Perfect Stranger: We're visiting from Edmonton, Alberta, and attending a basketball camp. I have four 16 year olds. They are hungry.
Me: This one offers a little bigger portions. That one has a shorter line.
Perfect Stranger: The one you are going to looks good. What line of work are you in?
Me: I work at the newspaper and am in marketing. Are you in town for Hoopfest? Does the camp form a couple teams to play?
Perfect Stranger: No, it's a coincidence. The kids wanted to attend the Gonzaga camp. We had no idea there was this much activity this weekend in your town. I read your paper this morning. It's good.

I liked him right away :) And so it went as the line got shorter. We shared conversation. I felt like an ambassador for Spokane. He felt welcomed. I learned about Edmonton and how the economy is exploding. Plus a little about his work. He said "thanks" and we were on our separate ways. We made a better day. Or did we make the day better?

Episode Two: On Independence Day, I went for a bike ride - training, you know - and stopped for a Starbucks. (side note: notice how its not coffee anymore, its Starbucks - HA!). It was a gorgeous mid week morning where most workers in the US have the day off - except for the baristas. I'm sipping my coffee at an outside table, guarding my bike and watching people come and go. Some are happier than others.

Perfect Stranger: How's your ride this morning?
Me: It was great! This is my favorite part - sitting and thinking how beautiful the world is from the saddle of a bicycle (Admittedly, I was philosophizing a bit ;)
Perfect Stranger: What line of work are you in?
Me: Newspapers - and you?
Perfect Stranger: Retired - when I was 59.
Me: I have a few more years until then. You better get some coffee. (some say I'm too bossy - LOL)

He came back, sat down and thus began 45 minutes of face to face conversation. I thought I could talk?!?!? Seems he has a son at Fort Lewis (other side of the state) who is Green Beret and a daughter nearby. His pride for both of them shone bright. He's spent the better part of 15 years traveling about after selling his ranch in Texas. Really liked Oregon but was fascinated with the country just north of here and south of Canada. Again, I felt like an ambassador saying things like "This is a hard place to leave once you settle in".

Once again days are made better through communication, sharing and opening ourselves.

Here are links to the postings - and influencers - for this entry:

Jackie Cameron - if you haven't checked Jackie's blog you really should. The link points to her entry on "How do you make people feel"?
Phil Gerbyshak - the make it great guy. Phil posted a question on LinkedIn (not sure if you can get there without membership but try - let me know). He got 43 answers (and counting) on how to make a bad day better.
Mack Collier - About the same time Phil posted his question, Mack put this post up. It's a question on the value of two social networks - MyBlogLog and LinkedIn. At least part of the value is in how we make each other feel.

Jackie closes her post with this quote attributed to Maya Angelou. I close with it, too:

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel.

Find out Who likes to Hide

At risk of being part of the echo chamber that Andrew Keen talks about, the Whats Next blog is one of my favorites. B. L. Ochman also sends out a wonderfully scripted newsletter for which you can sign up. This video link is pilfered directly from Salon and features two rabbits - Chou Chou and Buns (one of them likes to hide :), Andrew Keen and Robert Scoble. Its fun to watch though difficult to hear in places. Who comes off as the more credible conversationalist?

Mr. Keen made a guest blogger appearance at sfgate - found here. Plus a live blog with the Globe and Mail in Toronto. Much as I love One Reader and blogging, some of what he says makes a great deal of sense. At the same time, I'm not so much an intellectual thinker to understand all of it. One point where I definitely agree is this bizarre belief among many - some of the dear readers here - that blogs and bloggers can take the place of traditional media. And particularly newspapers <------- I've stated previously and will again - my livelihood depends on newspaper readers. I am one of them.

I plan to read his book - The Cult of the Amateur - if for nothing else than to find out what so many bloggers are so rankled about. What I've read is excerpts of what Keen writes and I'm guessing taken out of context. I hope it comes out in soft cover soon.

Listen to his NPR interview from a couple weeks ago.

We're all about conversation and community here so jump right in. The water is fine :)

What is it you care about?

Dr. Margaret Wheatley is on tour - not quite the same as Dylan, the Rolling Stones, CSNY or Iggy and the Stooges. Much as I'd pay to see BobbyD (within reason, of course) its better for my ears to listen to her. Her dreams and vision of community and organizations are part of a new story we can share. I think and write a lot about the journey we're on. Its a journey with many paths. If she's in your town, check it out!

I was privileged to hear Meg speak Friday afternoon. President Emerita of The Berkana Institute, I was introduced to her work 5-6 years ago through the book "Leadership and the New Science". If I were to review this book in one sentence - "We live in a world of chaos becoming connected". She's an extremely readable author especially for the non-scientist - me. Dr. Wheatley has newer books that taking her beliefs deeper and broader - so dig in. You should dig somewhere else if you prefer technical business, economic, leadership or marketing reading though. If your looking for answers all I can say is expect questions.

Her current slide talk begins with this quote:

"There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about".

As I sat in the law building lecture hall (she was the first to point out the irony of the set up as all good conversation happens in a circle), it struck me that discovery is constantly evolving. A community (insert organization anywhere you feel like it) no sooner gets what it wants then its on to the next thing. Its through this action where we engage each other. The relationships we develop during this evolution are what allow us to discover our true humanity. It is the people and the connections who make the community powerful. And the community is not a flow chart but a mish-mash of interconnections. I kept thinking of all the directions blogging and linking can take us. The image in the upper left reminding me of spheres of influence conversation in August and January. Its part of the story.

Wheatley talked about leadership principles that are found in healthy communities. Think about these as you build conversation and community on your blog. Think more critically about the principles as they impact your organizations.

• People only support what they create. We have a strong desire to belong to anything we had a part of building. It begins with relationship. We are creative by nature but deny it too often for any number of reasons. Let it flourish.
• People only act responsibly when they care about the community. When people care about the success of the organization they act as if what they do really matters. How they act, what they say and how they think. When a community is lead by loving and caring it is healthy.
• Depend on diversity. The greater number of eyes, ears and voices - the better. Who is missing? Widen the circle by learning more stories. You can't dislike someone once you know their story. Its loud, its messy, it works!
• Listen - listening is healing. Try to listen and not preach. Who fights that one? I know I do. Remember we are weaving and reweaving relationships of success and influence one comment at a time.
• Everybody is an expert in something. You never know who will be critical to success.
• The solutions to the problems are already here. They just haven't been re-discovered
• Expect leadership to emerge from anywhere. Expect to be surprised when you see it.
• Learning must be the primary value. We never stop learning from our experience. Problem is we forget what we learn too often. Ever do the same thing expecting something other than the same result?
• Recall people to purpose. Why do we do the things we do? Why is it worth it to pour your heart into the work? Remind each other the reasons. I'm going out on a limb here. At least one purpose you blog is so your readers find occasional value in your thoughts and ideas. You have many others - what are they?

Remember that whatever the problem might be - community is the answer. We have the chance to make community the norm in our organization. Speak out on the issues you care about.

Psssst - Shhhh - its a secret

Absolutely cannot resist. I first saw it at Logic + Emotion during my Friday afternoon runthrough. Opening my big yap and leaving a comment only made me wonder more. Then it pops up on my feed reader at Mike's Converstations. Then Chris puts the same graphic up. When DA called me a perceptive SOB...well, that's all it took. Add persistent, too! And whether I'm right or wrong - it doesn't matter because at this moment - this very moment - I am having too much fun! My body is reacting to my emotions and they are running at a fever pitch. It's a blog high! The feeling you get that can't be described. I'd go so far as to say - and I KNOW Midwest winters...they are cold - I wish I was gonna be in Chicago on Sunday Feb. 18.

You can take the boy out of Iowa but you can't take Iowa out of the boy. The curious gene grows deep. So I wander over to Liz's place. And there it is! Eureka! Imagine this - a few bloggers show up somewhere and a celebration of sorts takes place. Its a not-so-secret bunch that thrives and flourishes on blogging - and more to the point - they thrive on conversation and the resultant success. Who's calling who an SOB? :)

I'm guessing that many - if not most - of you reading this post already recognize the value of community and conversation. I see many of the same names and faces in all kinds of places. What kind of crowd did I stumble into? What is fascinating to me is the conversation takes place across vast distances. This little path I've been on has taken me to Alabama, Australia, Des Moines (I been there), NY, Rhode Island, Russia, Texas...and those are the places just off the top of my head. The community ain't so small, but its pretty tight!

What does this mean for organizations? The organizations that we are part of and that are part of us? The communities we live in and SHOULD be making stronger? Here's what I think. Some see communication via pixels on a screen (blogging) as impersonal. The reasoning goes something like this - its a solitary activity consisting of ego driven ideas. How can it be of any help? Here's the reality - it might be solitary but it touches many - one at a time. It's an intimate connection. Its about sharing and giving to each other. Its about helping one another grow into our human potential. And its fun!

The buzz around Pssssst is hive worthy. I'll know this time tomorrow. And soon will find out whether David is right about me being an SOB! Great fun and happiness!

Connections in this small world

The original intent of this post is not how its going to turn out. I had intended to talk about my plans to ride in RAGBRAI this summer. But reality set in. I'll write more about this ride as winter turns to spring and then to summer. There is plenty of time.

My reflection turns to the communities we build through blogging. The people we meet and how our lives intersect. I trace my blog beginnings - and woderment - to one particular August post and 3 particular bloggers - David Armano, Mack Collier, and Gavin Heaton. They write at MarketingProfs, too. Their writings have influenced the way I approach communicating via this little blogspot. They continually remind me that sharing is the key to fulfillment - and to successful living/blogging. I've never met any of these fine fellows - nor any of you reading this - but somehow feel a kinship. And gratitude. After my August WOW moment, I drifted away from One Reader. Life happens!

Out of the blue, Gavin sends me an email - wonders where I've been and how come no posts? I mess around a little more - make a few posts - and then hear about mybloglog. Lo and behold - among the many I have begun building relationships with there - I bump into Gavin. We exchange links and join each others community. Imagine my shock when only tonight, I discover his father-in-law was in a terrible cycling accident in December. Gavin has created a site to monitor his progress. My thoughts are with his family. I hope for a swift and solid recovery.

Here's my point - this rock in space keeps moving. Each of us has our own lives. Those lives collide, intersect, and interconnect in the most fascinating ways. All of this has happened in a mere 6 months - thats a blink in time. Amidst all the madness we are given a gift to share with one another - our selves. It's a bit altruistic to believe the world becomes a better place through building relationships...but I believe it does. It is a thrill to experience.

What about relationships and community have surprised you through blogging?

Hunka Hunka Burnin' Ads

Like Char at Essential Keystrokes I watch the Super Bowl for the ads! Its for darn sure the game is anti-climactic. Ever since Joe Namath predicted the Jets would beat Johnny U and the Colts its been a non-sports event for me. And I'm a little compulsive about the ads - blogging anyone? - I write 'em down with a general first impression. No need to leave just yet - I won't be giving comments on each of them :). I will tell you the link to all of this year's commercials is at the bottom of this post. They have them listed by quarters - but they are decidedly NOT in the order that I saw them. Maybe they aren't intended to be...told you I was a little obsessive. But I think the sequence of the ads gives them greater weight. There were 71 ads by my count (that's without the CBS promos of there own shows - next year I count those). It includes the post game ads. Cars come out on top with 17 individual ads. Beverage (soda/beer) is next with 15. Food follows with 9 unique advertisers. Online business ties food but only because 2 outfits played the same ad twice. Now THAT is a lack of creativity - or a mocking of the viewer - I haven't yet decided.

All day long I've heard how bad they were this year. Super Bowl 2007 was not the strongest line up of ads but time usually plays a part in great commercials. I'm glad slapstick is making a comeback. Can anybody name a year that was clearly better than any other? Where's the beef? Here are my highlights - excuse the ties:

Best Use of Music - tie - Chevy's People who Love cars Love Chevy's and Honda's CR-V with Elvis. Great music overlaying excellent graphics!

Oddest juxtaposition of 3 ads - Sprints connectile dysfunction sandwiched between Coke (and its bottles) tribute to Black History and Frito-Lays "What getting here represents". Poor production choice and don't tell me the producers don't have a choice. If I was Coke, Sprint or Frito-Lay I'd be flat upset.

Oddest juxtaposition of 2 ads - eTrades "things you can do with one finger" following a Flomax ad.

Most puzzling ad or what do they do? - Garvin.com - GPS?, MP3?, make paper dinosaurs?

Most graphically appealing - Coke's Rube Goldberg cartoon and Fords EDGE

ASPCA potential protest - Blockbuster's mouse - poor mouse

Best punchline - Whats the ax for? Its a bottle opener.

Here's all of them.

Added 2.08.2007 - a history of Super Bowl ads by the numbers from Media Research

Seven Lessons in Seven months

This post inspired by MarketingProfs Ann Handley Seven Lessons post. Lewis Green calls her "the Muse" at MP.

Its seven months in the world of blogging for me - to the day - exactly...20 posts...43 comments...a move in Technorati rank 24, 368 with one reader making me a favorite. Note to self - one reader at a time is absolutely OK. I got into this to join in the conversation and - as CK's collage points out to learn. Anything else is frosting.

Lessons I've Learned that have been reinforced since June12, 2006 -

• You get when you give - its not necessarily about posting but about commenting. I had left a few comments on a few blogs prior to o6.12.2006 and had received a response. It felt like sound in a soundproof room. And no padded walls - yikes! I set about to compose a blog. Suddenly on day 2 of my journey, I left a comment and linked to Mack Collier at the Viral Garden - he said thanks for linking and the fun began.
  
• Bloggers care about other bloggers - when I hadn't posted for a while Gavin, THE Servant of Chaos, sent me an email and asked where I'd been? He's got plenty to do. Taking time to ask me was beyond the expected. That email got me back to posting and commenting.
  
• Ripples in the water continue to grow - influence in this huge pool comes from many sources. David Armano at Logic and Emotion is one of the very best at dropping the pebbles. The magic is there it only depends on how much you want to make of it.
• The technology has made it simple - But not easy. Me create a blog? Use XML? Understand a tag? Link to another spot on the web? Yep, simple. Whats not easy is keeping up with all of it. Plus you can do it on the cheap - all it costs is time and we've all got 24 hours.
  
• Its easy to get distracted - there are a ton of places to get lost. See Google search :) - adopting some sort of discipline and becoming more selective is a worthy goal. And it all becomes part of the journey.
  
• Bloggers are good writers and critical thinkers - just a statement based on observation.
  
• We are, as a blogger culture, only now just beginning. Its a culture within a range of cultures. The activity of communicating great distances over topics of common interest can only add to our humanity. Its huge, its vast, and yet only a drop of the potential is evident. We can effect the common good and make the world a better place. Yes, we can change the world.

There's my lessons! There will be many more along this path.