Dealing with Stress – What do you do?

It is the beginning of the week….Monday morning.  You are fresh and ready to kick-off the week due to the weekend relaxation you had.  Oh, wait, you worked over the weekend?  Well, it wasn’t a FULL 8 hours, right?  So. you will be fine.

As you open your email – you realize that you are staring at a full calendar, and over 300 emails to answer from the weekend.  You say to yourself “I KNEW I should have done this over the weekend”.  Now, with back to back meetings and conference calls, how will you ever meet anyone’s expectations?

It begins…..that little fire in your tummy that is telling you there is too much on your plate.  Well, you can work late right?  You will get this done after hours.

After hours = you are up until late working.

You awake the next day only to find that you are in the same boat as yesterday.

What happened to the days where when we drove, we had no phones, no conference calls?

What happened to the days when we could really relax after work and let it go?

When can any of us remember last where we would not be writing a blog-post at midnight? 🙂

My house is quiet right now – and I am enjoying my time writing to you – with my resolution for tomorrow.

So, I have these great people I work with.  They just rock.  All of them. They support and assist any time I ask.  They are busy too.

My goal is to make sure that they know how important that they are.

No more cranky Beth!  She, is going to live elsewhere….as life, is way too short.

Twitter, Tweet, Tweeps….Twaddicted

Well, we all started somewhere — we all had some reason, angle, thought, purpose and use for Twitter.  We started for one reason – and ended up using it for another.  Here, in short, is how I, am addressing my addition to Twitter. Here is my story:

1)  I heard about Twitter being the “next best new thing”

2)  Being trendy – I signed up.

3)  I was “on” “Twitter” – I didn’t really use it – nor did I “get it”.

4)  I used the terms “Twitter”, “Tweet”, “Tweeps” and used them incorrectly at first.

5)  Those I spoke about Twitter – thought I was nuts.

6)  I saw others had more followers than I – and they were RT’d.  Why was this?  How could I get someone to follow and RT me?  I was singularly focused on myself – not others. Not a great equation for success.

7)  I started “tweeting” –  thinking I knew what to do.  I did not.  I posted links – and just sent them out.

8)  I thought I was cool.

9)  I sent out “Tweets” on Social Media Technology, Teamwork, Branding – I still did not “get” Twitter.

10)  I started following celebreties

11)  They never talked with me – or anyone else – hmmmm.

12)  I wondered why they tweeted.  Are they so self involved that they must tweet?  OMG!!! Does that mean that person is ME?  Hmmmmmm.  Food for thought.  Make mental note.

13)  I started to actually watch the stream.  I started to read the stream.  I saw so many conversations.  Started to “engage”.  Realized that no one cared that I sent out links.  They did not know me. 

14)  Now – FINALLY – I got it.  It only took me MONTHS to figure it out.  Ugh!

15)  I unfollowed all the celebs.  No offense – I needed to start following ppl that have the same interests in me. 

16)  I followed “tweeps” that were mentioned often, trended under Social Media, Twitter, Facebook and the like.

17)  I realzied I had so much in common with these folks (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!!)

18)  I tweeted all of the time!

19)  I would come home from work…and log on to Twitter.

20)  I started taking my home PC to work to “Tweet”.  I realized this was not a good idea.

21)  I started having “real”  conversations with the “Tweet” world.

22)  I realized how “real” , how “friendly”, how “kind” and “supportive” my Tweeps are!

23)  I realized I was tweeting until 3 in the morning!  EVERY NIGHT!

24)  I realized that I was not getting much sleep.

25)  I thought about Twitter all of the time.  I had to tweet!

26)  Reading my @ replies – Did someone mention me? Did someone RT? 

27)  Why do people RT things that you never think they will RT? 

28)  Why is it that something I think is so funny…is not funny to the stream?

29)  I think my Tweeting is out of control!

30)  I think I need to head to Twitter Re-Hab.  Yep — cold turkey. 

31)  I can not do it – I will just “Slow Down” and back off a little on my tweeting

30)  De-Tox – in 24 hours I realized I was becoming agitated when I did not “Tweet”

31)  What has happened to me?  And that person who never tweeted before?

32)  I can not imagine my life without Twitter – strange, hmm? 

33)  I will head to my Blog instead.  Yes, my Blog.  This will work!

34)  I will just write down all of these feelings I have about Twitter.  It will work!  It must work!

35)  Oh Wait!  I MUST tweet the link to my blog.

36)  I mean – just a simple tweet about my Blog.  It is for helping others that have this problem.  I can not be the only one, right?

37)  Hmmm… if I “Tweet” this, I wonder if I will get a RT of my blog?

38)  Will this get a mention?  Will someone forward and Tweet about this?

39)  OK I will just check my “mentions” and “@replies” – – checking, checking, checking….

40)  Yes, this will CERTAINLY cure my “Twitaddiction” – right?

TWEET!  I AM TWADDICTED!  ARE YOU?

Teamwork – Working Together for the Greater Good

Henry Ford said:  “Coming Together is a Beginning.  Keeping Together is Progress.  Working Together is Success”

How true this statement is.  A team needs to work together in order to bring you to the finish line.  Although, some times, if feels as if:

1)  There is no finish line

2)  There is no team

3)  There is no possibility for success

It is as these moments, that you must come together.  When you do, and it starts with respect, you will succeed.

THE FINISH LINE:  Define it, describe what you believe this to be, detail exactly when you want to – and WILL cross it.  This allows your team to have clear deadlines in mind.  There is nothing worse than a team with no rules or specifics.  The “natives will get wrestless” (as they say) and no one will be working towards a succesful end game.

THE TEAM:  With respect – team happens. Make sure that you take the time to work with your team members to help them grow and recognize the strengths of others on the team.  Alwaus make sure they respect one another – and their talents.  Some times, you get people with egos, that are not capable to see that other people have different visions.  It is your job to help them know how to recognize this.

THERE IS NO WAY TO SUCCEED:  If you are feeling like this, your TEAM certainly is.  It is always important to never cast a negative tone with the team.  Your team needs to be excited, thrilled and have a sense of purpose.  Make sure that each team member knows what their respective role is – and commend them for their efforts – while providing support and guidance on the success that is possible for all!

Finally, always be positive.  It is important that you feel as if you can get there.  What ever the goal – whether it is business, personal, directional, spiritual – we all question ourselves from time to time.  “How can we get this done?” is a question that  I have thought many times!

Continue to push through saying “WE CAN DO IT!”

Attack of the DM Spammers – Monty Pythonesque, don’t you think?

Well, enough is enough. Twitter needs to work a little harder on their spam situation. There are so many people that have been affected by this – and not all of them are just getting DM spam. I know a number of people that have no way to get back in to their accounts, their accounts have been hacked, and even worse, someone who was just mortified that their account was sending spam and lost tons of followers.

It also seems that Twitter does not have the bandwidth to support all of the folks that are honest Twitter users that have been impacted. The DM Spammers are continuing to move through the Twitterverse –with no signs of stopping. Frustrated Twitter fans are tired of scrolling through tons of DM spam and have missed many a DM from their Tweeps!

So, in the true nature of Beth – let’s laugh a bit.

Here is a partial list of some of the DM Spam I have seen in my stream:

 Try this test I have a higher IQ! Hey is this You? OMG! My score is higher than yours! See if you are smarter than I am! I bet you can’t answer this question right! Hey…..tell me if that’s you….. ROFL is this you? OMG is this you? HEY – Is that you? Why are you on this? Hey! I would like for you to do this for me! Haha You should see this Haha are you on this? Hey got some cool ringtones here! Hey I got free ringtones from here!

WAIT!!!    Now THIS is perfect.  When you see another DM spammer…just think of this…and laugh.  Laughter is the best medicine!

A little “peek” in to the “peeps” in my Tweetdeck – #140conf LA

This is a personal blog for this week !

To tweet or not to tweet is no longer a question.  Well, at least not for me and many others that attended the #140conf in LA last week.  I had the immense pleasure of hanging out with a group of individuals that are as enthusiastic about Twitter as I am.  I was humbled and honored to be around some very influential folks – and it was nice to put faces with names, connect, laugh, share and learn from everyone there.

Everyone I met accepted me for who I am – avatar and all! (LOL)!  I am ALWAYS laughing, joking, making fun of myself and all of my idiosyncrasies, so it was great to know that although they may have questioned my mental stability; my peeps would never leave me behind.  As an FYI, I have had at least 40 DM’s telling me to change my avatar – which I am sure will be a topic of discussion for years to come. 

Initially, I think our Twitter Posse that formed (consisting most of the time of: @MayhemStudios @CiaoBella50, @JeffRago, @BigAsianHead, @earthXplorer and @LoriMoreno) were a bit surprised at my outgoing and comedic personality.  During our escapades (most of them while eating), I am sure that  my #140conf friends  – and others that ate with us (@aaswartz @vegasbill @24K) may have questioned why they were sitting with me and “is anyone else watching what is going on here?”  LOL!  I should have been in stand up.

As a testament of what I love to do – make people laugh – I have decided to list below some of the most laughable moments (in no particular order) that I recall from this event.  I hope I remember all – and feel free to tweet me if I left anything out.  The great thing about this conference is whether there were personal, professional or unexpected connections – it is the relationships I will never forget. 

• Sharing the “Zen” Moment with @TomJolly – ROFL!!!
• Fun with chopsticks and @earthXplorer catching me on film as a walrus…nice!
• @LoriMoreno @CiaoBella50 and myself trying to take a picture the first night– and LOL the whole time.
• @CaioBella50 and I running – and well, Bella, I hope you remember why we were laughing!!!
• Heading down to the twist party and giving @MayhemStudios 2 Great Big Hugs!
• At breaktime, having fun with @CiaoBella50 while @Mayhemstudios took pictures – we were on to him now!
• Realizing that “the mob” rules when you are sitting alone on the other side of the theater
• Having my sneaks tweeted by @MayHemStudios
• The first night at the VIP party – with @LoriMoreno and @CiaoBella50 – standing like geeks in front of the screen watching ourselves tweet to each other! LOSERS!!! LOL!!!!
• Mr. Fry takes a vacation to the nudist colony with @CiaoBella50, @earthXplorer @aaswartz @mayhemstudios @JeffRago
• Knowing that @BigAsianHead, @LoriMoreno and @Mayhemstudios were oh, laughing at Sushi lunch (HEY! Calvin you owe me some Sushi)
• Mr. Fry’s untimely death (Boo Hoo!)
• Meeting @3Lunches – another #Babealert winner!
• Learning that @MayhemStudios is VERY good at taking pics and vids and you don’t know it!
• Making sure that I gave my card to @OhDoctah so @JeffRago would not get beat up and keep his gorgeous face!
• Ordering Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup with @CiaoBella50 and saying “is this really a sandwich?”
• Discussing with @MayhemStudios how to “better communicate his thoughts” (LOL!)
• Taking pictures of the Casting Couch with @CiaoBella50, @JeffRago, @BigAsianHead @AnythingAnthony (wowza!)
• Knowing that I got @Mayhemstudios with a #thatswhatshesaid he will never live down
• Picking up an extra peep – who was that dude anyway?

 Twitter is something different for everyone that uses it –Some use it to communicate what might be hard for them to say, others use it for business, many for personal use but everyone uses it to connect.

I connected with people at the #140conf I would have never met otherwise.

 Whatever your reason, purpose or use, I have these parting thoughts:

• People that are engaged with Twitter…..LOVE Twitter
• Twitter is addicting to those that “get it”
• Not everyone gets it – and some never will (enough said)

 

“Mad Men” vs. #Twitter – An Opinion on the Fortune 10

“Mad Men” vs. Twitter

An Opinion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                           

When I meet people IRL (in real life) – new acquaintances, peeps that I know well, friends, co-workers, and even family, there are only a handful of people who “get it” when I talk ‘Twitter’.

 I speak so often to companies that I work with – as well as new corporations I am strategizing with – to talk about the value that their brand can receive through the right use of Twitter.  So, why is it when I ask a standard response is, “Yeah, we’re on Twitter”… I then ask them, “what does that mean?”.

DO LARGE CORPORATIONS REALLY GET IT?

Many large corporations do not.  They are struggling with the change from a world with ‘Mad Men’ media – to a world where messaging is cluttered, media is fast paced, multiple channels are available, and ‘Social Media’ is perceived to surpass other forms of media in short order.  So, what does this mean to your brand? 

HOW DOES A BRAND BECOME EFFECTIVE IN 140 CHAR?   

They don’t.  A large corporation must understand that Twitter is not just here for them to promote themselves – PLEASE do not just promote.  People today want to have a personal relationship with your brand.  Twitter can help you to engage with your customers, potential customers and lapsed customers.  Just setting up a Twitter account is not enough.  Fortune companies that engage – are those that will make this change with ease.   The days of just “being there” are over.  ENGAGE!

 TALK TO YOUR FOLLOWERS – DO NOT JUST PROMOTE YOUR COMPANY!

We do not care, nor really want to continual tweets about your product, service, offering or anything else.  We want to know YOU – the person behind the brand.  It does not matter if you have folks that support you in the US or other countries although, you need to engage and speak with those that follow you.  Realize that I am an extension of your brand – with the ability to promote you negatively or positively.

LOOK AT THE STATS BELOW OF THE FORTUNE 10 – AND THEIR FOLLOWINGS

Please note:  Some of these companies have more than one blog – if anyone has information on how to figure out WalMart – do let me know – I got tired of trying to find them – and what they did on Twitter!

Enjoy!!

The Fortune 10 on Twitter:

Rank	Company	Twitter Name	Following/Followers		Tweet Stats / Engagement
1	Exxon Mobil	@exxon_mobil	0 / 483		3 sinceNov, ‘08/Not Engaged
2	WalMart	9 separate names	too confusing		???
3	Chevron	@Chevron_JustinH	73 / 1,137		Daily / Engaged
4	Conoco Phillips	@conocophillips	0 / 274		Weekly / Not Engaged
5	General Electric	@GE_Reports	2.314 / 3,398		Daily/Somewhat Engaged
6	General Motors	@GMBlogs	2.658 / 10.337		Daily/Very Engaged
7	Ford Motor	@Ford	13,846 / 14,500		Daily/Very Engaged
8	AT&T	@ATTNews + More	39 / 15,296		Daily / Not Engaged
9	Hewlett-Packard	@HPNews + More	280 / 6.999		Daily / Very Engaged
10	Valero Energy		If you can find them – let me know! :o)

If you look above, you can see that most of the companies that engagement and involvement is extremely important to the number of people that are following a specific brand.

It would suffice to note that – those companies that are not engaged….or are just on Twitter to promote….will never have a following that will impact their brand.

It is time to realize that how consumers interact with your brand has definitely changed – specifically via Twitter.  In my humble opionion, Twitter is a media in which you engage, communicate, assist and as the individual behind the brand – you promote without being intrusive.  I would love your thoughts my followers!

Please feel free to comment!

Building a Team that Trusts – Are you a team without Trust?

Building a Team that Trusts – Can you call yourself a team without it?

I’ve recently worked on a project where there was a lot of effort required to build trust within our team.  Working with different people and personalities is a continual learning process for me and I thought that I would focus my blog this week on how important that trust is within and outside of a team.  Conversely, it can be detrimental if you do not have this. 

Just because you manage a team, coordinate a team or are the Subject Matter Expert on a team – does not mean that everyone else on the team is familiar with your work ethic.  Thus, they may not necessarily trust you to get the job done.  It is important to approach every new project, client, and internal team with the thought inside of, “I have to build trust within each team member in order for this team to effective – so how do I do this?”  You must build internal team trust – leaders, peers, SME’s –  all team members.

Bottom Line:   You don’t build a team – you build trust.  With trust – team happens.

Frankly, trust in a team is something that you earn:  Co-Workers do not always trust their teammates because they are afraid that a team failure will reflect on them – and they do not want to be part of a failing team.  A team member needs to finish their tasks on time – and if you drop a ball – admit this to the team!  This can be done with a trusted team openly and freely without criticism.  All of us have dropped a ball here or there although; admitting that you have done so can be a different story.

You must communicate with the team to build trust:  In most cases, there is a “point” and/or an “SME” – although a customer does not always follow the rules when contacting or engaging with your team.  Therefore, it is important to inform/update your team members if a client calls you and engages you in a conversation.  Remember that the customer comes first!  We often forget this and let our own internal political worries get in the way.  A customer does not want you to say “Hold on while I get the team on the phone”.  Many times, they just want to give you some information.  This can be shared via team email and/or weekly team calls.

Until there is trust in your team, there is no team:   No amount of conference calls, emails, hand-holding, or face to face meetings with your team will fix this.  If you cannot trust someone, you really cannot call yourself a team.  Trust is earned, and lost, every day.   Make sure you build trust so that you can call yourself a team!

The team lead needs to set clear, concise, strategic goals:  When you are clear with your team about the end-game, assign specific tasks, deliverables and hold people accountable for these, you now have deliverables in which you can celebrate successes! (Great job! Good Team Work! Job Well Done!) These types of accolades within a team – provide that extra special incentive for all to perform and exceed expectations to provide superior results.

Remember:  Trust takes time to build – and is easily eroded.  Know if there are issues early on and avoid dissention on the ranks!  Trust is built early in team development – first impressions are everything!

Now that you have trust – go out and celebrate your teams’ success! I am up for it – are you?

Four Easy Steps to Time Management at Work

Time Management in the Workplace – Do you effectively manage your time?

From time to time, we all get overwhelmed.  Multiple projects, multiple deadlines, multiple teams you are working on and multiple customers to tend to.  With all of these things to do, how do you prioritize and get everything accomplished?  When I find myself in this situation – I try to recognize, evaluate, act and accomplish what needs to be done. 

This means I must take a step back – evaluate and re-prioritize my “to do” list.  I love to be busy – and find great pleasure working on multiple tasks at work, although, if taken too far – it becomes a detriment to my business.  Without time management, I become my own worst enemy.

Try these steps to help:

1)      Recognize that there is an issue  –  How?  Well, are you feeling completely overwhelmed?  Are you complaining to others about your workload?  Do you feel that you just can’t get ahead to finish all you have to do?  Are you dropping the ball on deliverables?  If you have answered “yes” to any of the above – it is time to take some action to give yourself some relief!

 2)      Evaluate what you need to do – I write out a handwritten list.  Yes, old fashioned writing on a college ruled sheet of paper.  This allows me to get away from technology, shut down my email and focus.  I bet you will be surprised with how much you are actually doing. 

3)      Action your list and prioritize – Find the time in the day that you are most productive to action your list.  Do not procrastinate and be realistic on how long things will take.  Take one item on the list at a time and delegate what you are not able to finish.  You can NOT do everything on your own.  Make a part of your list checking on those that you have delegated things to.

 4)      Accomplish your list and schedule communications – Tackle each item, and start and stop without interruptions.  Make sure that you finish each item on your list fully before moving on to the next one.  Schedule your communications – decide when you will answer phone calls and emails.  People can wait a couple of hours while you get through that list hanging over your head. 

Finally – schedule some time for you.  When I do this – I reealize how much I have missed reading my favorite book, twittering my tweeps, savoring a cup of coffee on the deck and doing absolutely nothing. 

Keeping busy and staying on task is often a challenge – but if you manage your time right – you will have more time for yourself!

Being a Great Leader – Do You Have It?

Do you have what it takes to be a Great Leader?

In my life, I have been fortunate. I have had the opportunity to work for some Great Leaders. I have been impacted by, learned from and aspire to the characteristics below. The Leaders in my life have taught me to:

• Think Strategically
• Always say “Thank You”
• Listen to Others
• Use Knowledge with Humility
• Find my Passion – and guide it
• Give to others – always

Perhaps you don’t consider yourself a leader – but I believe everyone has leadership qualities within them. It just takes a mentor to demonstrate how powerful each of these qualities can be. So, whether or not you consider yourself a leader, read on…reflect, share and learn! You will more than likely find that you have many, if not all of these characteristics.

There are certain traits that I always seek out in a mentor. I tell them they have these qualities and I want to learn from them. Some of the most successful people that I know carry these with them all of the time.

Vision – A great leader has a clear direction on where he or she wants things to be going. Not only do they have this Vision – they have the ability to see what their end goal will look like and will be.

Passion – Have you ever wondered why Bobby Jones was one of the greatest golfers to ever live? (Sorry Tiger). An amateur to the end, he was one of the best at the game. He played because of his PASSION. This created a following that still exists today – and his legacy – will never die. Do you take the road less traveled because it is what you love to do? Do you create passion within those around you?

Integrity –Be honest, predictable, approachable and trusted. If I know where I stand, that I can approach you and trust you, I will stand BY you as my leader when the going gets tough. Believe me – the going ALWAYS gets tough. Great Leaders keep their people during these times due to the loyalty of the team.

Humility – Be humble in all that you do. No one knows everything and hard as it is to admit it – we will never be an expert in everything. If you have a Leader that says, “I told this team where we should be headed. Then, I made sure I followed through on everything and because of this, we increased revenue by 10%”. ?? What? I think that would cause tension in a team…so, how about this: “Honestly, I did not have much to do with the increase in revenue, I have surrounded myself with a team, working towards a common goal – and they executed flawlessly!” I know which leader I would want to follow!

Fairness – A great leader always gives credit where credit is due. This creates a following of individuals that know you have their back. Great leaders acknowledge those that have done the work, set up the meeting, put together the presentation, assisted with the strategy, etc. I often forget how important that this is. When someone has worked hard – don’t forget to let everyone know about it. It will instill a sense of self-esteem in that person that they will only receive from you.

Openness – Good leaders are able to suspend judgment while listening to others’ ideas, as well as accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought of. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.

Dedication – Show your team that you are dedicated to the effort! Your passion, drive and dedication to the work, team elevates your level of respect. There is nothing more frustrating than a leader that cannot dedicate them self to the cause that they portray!

Creativity – Ah Yes! The ability to think differently and to get outside of the walls that constrain complete solutions is imperative in a great leader. This instills in your followers and team the ability to know that they can generate new ideas – thus, creating a larger value proposition to your customer as well as a little healthy competition.

Sense of Humor – Above all, Lighten Up! A sense of humor is a vital component to release any tension within your team and energize the entire team! A sense of humor fosters good teamwork – and will defuse a hostile environment.

“Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion.”

….and you thought great leaders were just born this way!

So I ask you – how many of these traits do you have?  Want to have?  Just think what your team can accomplish if you have them all!

In Remembrance – Memorial Day – re-post for 2010

Memorial Day – In Remembrance
A day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service

Memorial Day Weekend – A three day weekend, a day off of work, a day off of school, a trip to the lake, a picnic with friends and family, a visit to…..the cemetery? YES! Visiting those who have fallen for us is what this weekend is all about folks.

My blog today is to give you a “nudge” to remember, reflect and come together.

Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years – and many Americans have forgotten the meaning – as well as the traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly forgotten and neglected. In fact, many Americans no longer remember the flag etiquette we should show on Memorial Day.

When was the last time that you flew your flag? Do you even own a flag? You can easily purchase a flag at any hardware or grocery store for 25 cents. Get up right now – and go get one! Proudly fly your flag! Stick one in your lawn at your curbside – buy 20 of them and stick them in random lawns by the curb!

Some Americans think that this day is to honor any and all deceased, not just those that have fallen in service to our country.

As Americans, we are so thankful and proud of the freedom we have. Although, the three day weekend, the additional day of rest, the picnic, barbeque, friends and family distract us from truly remembering those that have fallen in service while defending the freedom we so love!

I choose this weekend to ask you to look above, to think of the son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother of those that have fallen and silently recall why today….this weekend…has come to be.

Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Feel free to post a comment remembering someone you love.