Real, Random & Relevant

Google+: my two cents and more than a dollar’s worth of links

It’s been just over a week since creating my Google+ account and I’ve been able to dabble into various parts of this new “channel”. 

(Side note: that’s what I call all social media sites. Goes back to my media buying days. Sort of the old, who is the audience, use, etc. for that TV channel and why would I buy it. Does it meet my goals?)

There has been no shortage of opinions, advice and insights on the new channel. So in the spirit of sharing, here are my brief thoughts on a few of the features of G+.

General

• Overwhelming.  Not open to all yet but somehow a few are able to have tens of thousands of followers already. These same individuals took years to grow a similar following on Twitter. Is this rapid (but closed) growth good or bad?
• A lot of content. Not a lot of organization. And with no limit on characters, there is no consistency among information being shared.
• Too much chatter. However, I love LOVE the “mute this post” option, which allows you to end notifications when others comment on a post you have commented on.
• Lots of possibilities. Can’t wait to see how it evolves (or doesn’t).

Hangouts

• Limited to 10 people max. (Still better than Facebook’s version, which is limited to two people.)
• Originator of the Hangout does not have to be present for the hangout to continue.
• No time limit.
• “View Only” mode offers some potential.
• Users without access to webcam, can still participate but by voice only.

iPhone App

• Why isn’t it an integrated function of the Google app similar to Reader?
• Overall, good. Wish it had landscape mode and Hangout function.

Circles

• How are people using these? Are you organizing your circles like you would a Twitter list?

Interested to see what others are saying? Me too.

• INFOGRAPHIC: Comparing Twitter to Google+ and Facebook
• Google will not run circles around Facebook but it does get a +1
• 3 Reasons to use Google+ during your next Twitter chat
• How to hold a press conference using Google+
• What we’ve learned from Google+ (so far)
• Is it better to share on Google+, Facebook or Twitter
• Learn Google+
• Google+ is a very different sharing environment
• Top 100 people on Google+
• How to increase your Google+ followers
• How to make a Google+ desktop app
• Conversations matter in Google+
• Insights into Google+

Book Review: 3of26. Today We Are Rich.

If you’ve had more than one conversation with me, more than likely I’ve mentioned the book “Love is the Killer App” by Tim Sanders and his lovecat theory. I’m such a fan of this theory it became the subject of my master’s thesis.

Tim Sanders has a new book “Today We Are Rich. Harnessing the Power of Total Confidence.”

Let me tell you, this is another book that will be getting many mentions, recommendations and will likely be gifted as well (which is a very lovecat thing to do). As with “Love is the Killer App”, Sanders writes in a way that laces common sense with writings, research and teachings of the past. This is an easy read and is full of valuable information for anyone.

At first I wondered if there would be many takeaways for me in my life right now. I feel blessed rich every day when I think about my life. That said, Tim reassures this book can be applied by those who feel rich and those who do not. Little did I realize that I would find so many applicable tools for my life in this moment. A few of the tools I found most valuable:

• I’m currently aware I need to get my body in shape healthy. Tim reminds, “You should be as careful about what you put into your mind as you are about what you put into your mouth.” Point taken. On to be careful about my mouth and mind…
• In past posts, I’ve talked about how I am spending my 10,000 hours. I’ve felt like I may have been closer to my purpose than I have in this past year. I’m getting better but using Tim’s (well, Billye’s) question “What are you not doing today that you were doing then?” really hit home. 
• Social media - love it and the potential it can have personally and professionally. But where do you draw the line with who you connect with thereby adding to your information stream? I really appreciated the advice about filtering down your intake - reading, television, people, etc. - to only positive. Consider the old addage ‘You are what you eat’. I’m not one to equate the number of my Facebook friends as my value and have recently considered cutting back the number of people I “friend”. I’ve struggled with my motivation for this and then the perceptions others may have of this action. Tim reassures talking about Billye’s method, “Her positive-intake plan wasn’t selfish - it was purposeful. The filter she put on what or whom she listened to wasn’t prudish - it was prudent.”
• Finally, his advice to move s-l-o-w-l-y in the morning. What an excellent piece of advice and what a real struggle this will be for me. (But needed!) Each morning, I wake up, grab my iPhone from the nightstand and check what has happened online overnight. This is my ‘gentle’ entry into each day. More than likely, I can improve on what is my first intake for the day. More than likely this change will yield big results.

Personally, the icing on the cake is a few random parts of the book that resonate with me and my experiences.

• The inflection Tim portrays in Billye’s speech when she says “confident”. It’s exactly the way my Pawpaw spoke. He added emphasis to a syllable when he wanted to add purpose or even humor.
• Much of Tim’s story with Billye takes place in Texas and bits of New Mexico are woven throughout. My grandparents lived in Albuquerque for 30 years and so many of the descriptions of the geography took me right back to Indian School Road.

Maybe you’ll find some similar items (and maybe not), but it seems like this book really was matched the title of this blog…real, random and relevant.

When it all boils down, this is the relevance it has for me personally and professionally.

“And because we were able to share, we’re worth something. By being able and willing to give, we are rich.”

Tim Sanders, Today We Are Rich, pg. 8

I’ve taken so many notes in this book and flagged as many pages that I could go on and on. I’d rather let you go on and get your own copy. Can’t wait, download an excerpt here. No matter where you are in life, this book provides wonderful examples of ways you can improve and begin to live richly, generously. It’s something I talk about every day at work and something I’m more excited about to live every day in my life.

Book Review: 2of26.

A Rider and an Elephant walk down a path…

“Switch” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

I read this book for our Leadership Book Club at work, which had its first meeting of the year today. The books selected for this club are chosen by one of our senior leaders and they cover a broad variety of topics. What I always enjoy is that they are not industry (healthcare) specific and so far I’ve been able to apply them well.

This book was no exception.

Chip and Dan Heath are wonderful, well-researched authors and I’ve enjoyed their previous book “Made to Stick” as well as articles in FastCompany. This book is a must read for anyone who has encountered or will encounter change. Essentially everyone. It has personal and professional applications. It offers great insights like this,

“Change is hard because people wear themselves out. And that’s the second surprise about change: What looks like laziness is often exhaustion.” (pg 12)

Of course, as I was reading this I was putting it through my work filter. But I was also using my mom filter. And somewhat more so, my Vision 2020 filter. A little bit about each.

Work. Change is all around us. Frankly, my team of coworkers thrive in a change environment. This book challenges to make sure the change is thought out and addresses the Rider, Elephant and Path. Specifically, I was thinking about my annual leadership goals. Are my 2011 goals SMART? (Specific. Measurable. Actionable. Relevant. Timely.) And not just SMART, but is it big and compelling does it “hit you in the gut”? Am I working to communicate the right information to the right people in the way that will inspire them the most? Are we using our native ideas? Am I developing my growth mindset?

Personal. Bright spots. It might be easier to see the bright spots at work, where I’m not as close to the 7,500 coworkers across our health system as I am to the three other members of Team Schoegler at home. Could this closeness cloud the bright spots? If I want to inspire better behavior or initiate growth in the skills of my four year old, why not focus on what she does really well. Instead of using my words to talk about what she’s doing wrong, why not use those words moments to praise her in order to inspire change? They say it best here,

“How can you make your change a matter of identity rather than a matter of consequences?” (pg 154)

Vision 2020. We’re talking about real change here. Cultural, societal, whatever you might call it, a shift needs to occur if we’re going to redirect our per capita income. If you’re involved at all in Vision 2020, get your hands on this book. Now. (Really. Stop reading and order it online or drive to your local bookstore. Seriously.) The authors almost directly address the issue of our Region’s “death by a thousand cuts” and why we don’t feel the decline in our per capita income,

“In other words, if necessary, we need to create a crisis to convince people they’re facing a catastrophe and have no choice but to move.” (pg 119)

Overall, there are so many take-aways in this book. From recommended reading, to “clinics” for hands-on practice, to a great one-sheet reference on how to make a switch. This book deserves a spot on your reference shelf. If it’s anything like mine, it will get a lot of use.

How are you progressing with your reading this year?

Book Review: 1of26.

“The Lost City of Z” by David Grann

I received this book in our office’s White Elephant gift exchange. The rules of the exchange were to bring one of your favorite things that good be enjoyed by a male or female. I must say, this female enjoyed this book.

I usually go for Fiction or business related books. This was a stretch for my normal reads but I’m glad I stretched. I learned so much from this paperback. I learned about history from around the world. I learned about injustice. I learned about progress and innovation. I learned about tradition. Mostly I learned that it’s so good to learn.

If you’re looking for a bit of adventure or to learn more about periods of time and areas of the world you may have never considered before, do yourself a favor and give this book a read.  I’ve already decided who to pass it on to next.

Isn’t that one of the best parts of reading learning? Gaining something and sharing it with others.

Did you take the 26 book challenge as well? How are you doing with it? What is your first book and will share a quick review?