Move Forward, America!
November 7, 2012
Proud of all of the Americans who were so involved and passionate in this presidential election. So many enthusiastically exercised their privilege to vote and proudly conveyed their voice online and offline. A great way to take action on your beliefs! I have a profound respect for this.
A nail biting presidential race to be sure. For approximately half of the Americans, this race did not bring the results they wanted. How many times in life do things turn out not as we hoped ? The truth is that many times in life this happens. It builds character. For the other approximate half of the Americans, it did bring the results they wanted. Either way, our work as a result of our voting does not stop due to a candidate being elected. The work is just beginning. The outcome of one of the closest presidential races in history has given all us character building opportunities. Here’s a link to the top 10 closest presidential races in history: http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/06/presidential-nail-biters-top-10-closest-presidential-elections-in-history-slideshow/garfield-hancock/
In fact, we are all called upon to be leaders, more so than ever before. We have the opportunity to show graciousness and great sportsmanship like conduct, just as Governor Romney exhibited.
Moving forward will be a challenge for all involved because America faces great difficulties.
We must do all we can to have government stop spending and put our fiscal house in order. Ways we can do this are by letting Washington know our expectations through calling, emailing, signing petitions using social media, voting in small elections and looking for more suggestions here. We have already seen the writing on the wall as to what has happened in fiscal irresponsibity to Greece and Italy. Be not in denial that this will happen to America, too, unless measures are taken NOW.
Continue to communicate to government regarding the importance of policies for small businesses that will allow them to grow. Support think tanks and education for entrepreneurs.
Economics and social issues will not matter if our country is not kept secure. Four heroes died in Libya. Be educated on what transpired. Persist and demand that the unanswered questions on Libya are answered directly by the President. Our commanding chief must be held accountable for actions and inactions.
Time must be taken to keep abreast of what is going on in our country and the world around us. In four years the world has changed so greatly, if we don’t stay involved the America we love will disappear. Yes, we are all busy. The result of our having our heads buried in the sand, will give us a negative outcome in seeing our future generations lost. We have to act NOW.
Bipartisanship by all constituents needs to occur. We have no choice but to pull together. If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. Helping America begins with each one of us. Our fight to keep the America we love must continue. How will you lead? Your leadership establishes your legacy and that of your children and our future generation. How will u make a difference in America?
Your respectful comments, feedback and suggestions are welcome.
Politics, a Taboo Subject?…. I Beg to Differ!
October 17, 2012
Do you have strong feelings about the elections? Do you care about politics? Many do. They are talking about both politics and the elections using the social media platforms and this includes me. Facebook & Twitter are set to go, especially when the debates are on.
Programmed to conform, many of us are fearful to bring up topics we do not have total agreement with others on. We do not want to offend – we’ve been told it is not polite to talk about politics or it is not considered appropriate to discuss politics if you are in business. Well, going against what we have been warned against – there go the social media rebels. See ‘em loud…See ‘em proud!
Why do we discuss politics publicly?… you may ask. This is an extremely important election which will extraordinarily influence the direction of our country. We are at a perilous crossroad. And, guess what, not everyone shares my political beliefs. (Can you believe it?) And, it does NOT matter. Why? Because these people are passionate about their beliefs, they value their ideals, they give evidence as to why they believe what they do and they are involved in making a difference. In fact, they are willing to stand up for what they believe in. . . “Stand for something rather than fall for anything”! If we are the result of those we surround ourselves with, I VOTE for passionate people who care about the issues of the day. I‘m proud to connect with people who are constantly growing and feeling their way through the world because I am, too. Further clarifying why you believe what you do and challenging yourself to dig deeper is a WIN! These actions allow you to gain increased perspective on yourself as well as others and their value system. I like people who take an active role in their destiny and are interested in creating a legacy. I like people going for it and who are in the constant pursuit of the truth. And, finding more about what makes others tick, as well as myself, beats reading posts about what people are eating for dinner or how bored they are. YOUR POWER EMPOWERS OTHERS!
The above is the paradigm I Found when discussing politics on Facebook. This blog post is dedicated to my Facebook friends.
A few pointers that will enable even more invigorating political discussions or at least maintain and/ or enhance your Facebook friends.
* State the facts and why you believe what you do. Insults do not reflect the educated person you are.
* Think before you write. Write. Reread. Are you writing a polarizing post or is it written in the spirit of
who you are? Are you honoring yourself without degrading others? Reread what you wrote again
before you post.
* You are your brand even when discussing politics.
“Live large. One day your life will pass before your eyes, make sure it is worth watching.”
“See” you Monday night in “real-time”!
Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
Who else feels like I do? Why? Who else feels differently than me? Why? Or feel free to leave a comment.
Authentic Networking Builds Relationships…Relationships Build Businesses and Careers
August 25, 2012
Authentic Networking Builds Relationships…Relationships Build Businesses & Careers
This is true offline and online….wouldn’t you agree? There is an art to building relationships and it starts with the basics.
Scenario 1: You are at a social event & you are introduced to someone who just received a promotion.
Scenario 2: You are reading your feed, your stream, your home page (hopefully) and it’s posted online someone in your network received a promotion.
What do you do?
You congratulate this individual whether you are online or offline. Once you meet someone offline or online, this person has an impression of you which already can create word of mouth. Word of mouth starts to spread your brand. Is your impression favorable or unfavorable? Every interaction can lead to a relationship and it’s up to you to determine that relationship. Simple things, like congratulating someone, make people proud to know you and glad they are part of your network. It is your business to know what your network is doing. Why? It’s your business because it is your responsibilty to strengthen relationships with them, continue learning from them which will eventually lead you to helping them in some way or another. In this way, you will have received business from them or helped them. If you have helped them, it will come back to you. Mind you, many times it does not come back from the actual person you helped.
There are many easy ways to help a relationship flourish. One way is to acknowledge individual’s strengths, such as, their intelligence, their work ethic and/or other strengths you see in them. Let them know you took the time to learn about them. It’s so easy to do by googling them, asking someone about them and/or reading their various profiles. Appreciate what these people teach you by way of conversation or their posted content.
What is a basic human need? To be recognized and to be valued are basic human needs. In giving in the above simple ways, it pays back tenfold. It feels good and just do it. Why? It takes a second and that multiplied over time when you develop a relationship with that person is well worth it. Additionally, guess what it says to other people who notice you recognize others? It says “wow”, they take time out for others; they value people. I would like to work with this type of individual as a client, a partner or as an employee. See how this all transfers to what your goals are?
Who do people do business with? People do business with hose they like, know and trust. Building a relationship takes time and requires repeated interaction. For those of you who are thinking, uh oh, relationships….. Yeah, you have to go through some of the soft skills to get to the bottom line. Your bottom line is determined by the NET of authentic relationships as that is what builds your business, career and life. Attitude determines altitude (Zig Ziglar) in relationships as well!
Happy building!
Expand YOUR Reach: Applying the Power of Social Media Connection
Many people and businesses know how to use the tools and technology but still are not maximizing social media. Why? Social media engagement, preparing for opportunities, seizing opportunities, appropriate content and delivery method have not been refined or identified. These key elements are paramount for success. Many don’t know where their target audience is online and how their social media strategy is an extension of the inner workings of their business or career goals.
Many don’t know the all the tools or functionality available on their social media platforms or how to use them. Once you know the tools, as well as their functionality, this is the easy part. The art and science of delivering content and engagement is what requires SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY!
We’re passionate about everyone wrapping their arms around social media. Why? Without it, businesses, as well as individuals wanting to advance their careers, can’t survive & thrive!
If you would like to EXPAND your KNOWLEDGE, we request your attendance at our Atlanta workshop! See details below.
Expand YOUR Reach: Applying the Power of Social Media Connection
REAL TIME LEARNING with REAL TIME APPLICATION
It’s NO LONGER an OPTION to NOT have a SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE or SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTION!
You are RESEARCHED before people contact you….if they can’t find anything or don’t like what they find, the initial contact never happens.
- Create & maximize your social media brand and presence
- Use social media to achieve professional goals
- Build your social media success foundation
- Utilize LinkedIn and all of its tools to market yourself and/or your company
- Initiate and create strong connections
- Brief overview of Twitter, Facebook, & Pinterest
- Measurements for success
- Achieve your goals through social media
- Create your social media plan to get results
- Gain social media confidence
Date: Thursday, April 12th 2012
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Georgian Club 100 Galleria Pkwy SE # 1700 Atlanta, GA 30339
Investment: $497 includes Beverages throughout the day, LUNCH BUFFET, YOUR PERSONALIZED SOCIAL
MEDIA PLAN* and great, new CONNECTIONS! Bring a FRIEND, receive a 10% discount.
*SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. If you come prepared , are fully engaged , participate in the entire workshop, do the activities, complete your activity plan, and if you feel you received NO value, we will give you a complimentary private coaching session to address your needs.
678.689.7859 www.centerforsocialconnections.com marie@centerforsocialconnections.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mariepijanowski http://www.twitter.com/mariepijanowski
Unsuspected Opportunities Presented by Social Media
March 1, 2012
You are asked questions
You are presented points of views regarding ranges of topics
You wonder what to post
You are asked to put WHO YOU ARE on your PROFILES
You are asked How are you unique from others
With the above, you have been given the opportunity to further define who you are.
Many times you are limited to characters and the nano second it takes to grab attention, this causes you to work on your CONCISENESS which is a factor in VALUING PEOPLE’s TIME. (VPT). This is also a FACTOR in POWERFUL COMMUNICATION.
SOCIAL MEDIA represents the opportunity for HUGE GROWTH!
Go ahead, take the SOCIAL MEDIA challenge and let it work for you!
If you need assistance, this is what I’m a specialist in doing! Private and Corporate Consulting, Facilitating Social Media Workshops marie@centerforsocialconnections.com.
I Felt Like a Dum Dum….
March 1, 2012
I felt like a dum dum. Even though I know I’m not (it’s all in your perception, right?! ) I allowed myself to feel that way. I know better. You can’t be made to feel that way, you choose it. So, in taking accountability for my feelings, I went back to review why I felt this way. I reviewed my foundation and thoughts. In my review, clarity was reiterated and the confidence once again bolstered.
We all have times when our intelligence or motives are questioned. What I have found to be true in these times is you have received an opportunity to further clarify & strengthen your foundation. The more you reflect and define your foundation, the STRONGER that foundation becomes. This FOUNDATION relates to your personal leadership. Becoming a GREAT LEADER which we all have the POTENTIAL to become, starts with your personal foundation. I challenge you to define yours today & to continually build upon that foundation.
Have YOU ever feel like a dum dum ? What’s your story? How did you handle it?
I Felt Like a Dum Dum….
March 1, 2012
I felt like a dum dum. Even though I know I’m not (it’s all in your perception, right?! ) I allowed myself to feel that way. I know better. You can’t be made to feel that way, you choose it. So, in taking accountability for my feelings, I went back to review why I felt this way. I reviewed my foundation and thoughts. In my review, clarity was reiterated and the confidence once again bolstered.
We all have times when our intelligence or motives are questioned. What I have found to be true in these times is you have received an opportunity to further clarify & strengthen your foundation. The more you reflect and define your foundation, the STRONGER that foundation becomes. This FOUNDATION relates to your personal leadership. Becoming a GREAT LEADER which we all have the POTENTIAL to become, starts with your personal foundation. I challenge you to define yours today & to continually build upon that foundation.
Have YOU ever feel like a dum dum ? What’s your story? How did you handle it?
Success Pointer – Social Networking
November 8, 2011
What is social networking?
Social networking is connecting and creating relationships with others. It’s meeting new people and beginning or enhancing a relationship with them. Relationships do require some effort; however, they pay forward big dividends. Relationships require learning, listening, give and take, nurturing, helping, receiving and asking.
How can you be most successful at social networking? Here are some simple steps.
Introductions (I)
Introduce yourself with a polished introduction.
Create your polished introduction by making it memorable and interesting. You want others to remember you, so give them something to connect with you by giving them a lead-in.
Write some introductions down. Practice them when you are out and about. Test which introductions feel most comfortable to you and give you good results.
Don’t forget to ask the other people for their introduction, “And you are?”
Ask an open-ended question (keep the flow of conversation) (O)
An open-ended question requires the other person respond with more than a yes or no answer.
By asking this question, you find more information out about this person in order to continue the conversation.
When you ask the person about themselves, you have given them license to talk about their favorite subject, which is themselves.
Some examples of open-ended questions/statements: Tell me about your day. Tell me about some of your favorite things
you do in your spare time. What do you enjoy most about what you do in your career?
Uncovering (U)
Uncover interest and commonalities. Actively Listen. Comment. Look for that common ground, how you can help that person & create a connection. (Treasure)
Close/Collect
Positive close. Let them know you will follow up with them by sending them an email. Exchange information/cards. (Collect)
To more easily remember: Introduce-Open Ended Question-Uncover-Find the Treasure & Collect it. I.O.U Treasure & Collect
In summary, by practicing the above steps, you will be more effective in conversation, connecting with others and
creating relationships. The quality of your relationships is what life is all about.
My pleasure to connect with you,
Marie
The above can be adapted online as well. In future posts, will talk more about online connecting.
Networking Resources:
Dig Your WellBefore You’re Thirsty by Harvey MacKay
How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Accepting your imperfections allows you to accept others and form satisfying business and personal relationships with them. This feat of total self-acceptance is hard for many. This task of imperfection acceptance, however, poses exceptional challenge for perfectionists and results in perfectionism causing negative impact on relationships when this acceptance is not in existence.
By their very nature, perfectionists can be quite judgmental. They tend to constantly critically evaluate what is going on, noticing every detail and how it can be improved. They, of course, have the magnifying mirror on themselves and they see the reflection as never quite good enough. Perfectionists are hard on themself and thus, tend to cast these judgments on everyone else as well. Here’s where the pain or the butt, can come into play.
An interchangeable word for a perfectionist is overachiever. As with anything else, awareness and balance of behaviors are elements in channeling optimal results. With channeled behavior, the glass of the perfectionist can be half full rather than the more likely of half filled. While serious intensity can be a characteristic of the perfectionist (overachiever), the upside or half full side of this channeled behavior is illustrated through the makings of Olympic athletes, entrepreneurs challenging status quo, science breakthroughs and so much more.
In my recent radio show with Dr. Liisa Kyle, we discussed some of the above, as well as a detailed list of patterns of behavior of perfectionists and the underlying factors in perfectionism. We discussed ways to overcome perfectionism and shift from perfect to good enough. Dr. Kyle used a quote by John Lassiter of Pixar to sums up perfect to good enough: “Films are never done, they are released.” (Ahhhh, after many rereads and tweaks of this blog, I am releasing it!)
Dr. Liisa and I have a wonderful connection. One of my business and professional acumens is the importance of relationships and collaboration – Nobody does business or life by themselves! Through our connecting and collaboration, Liisa created a great offer for my radio show listeners, did some further research & will now be embarking on writing another book. Woohoo….discussion and inspiration create great things!
So, if you are stymied on what to blog about, do some of the following: Engage in stimulating conversation with an individual and really listen (you can’t get new ideas if you are doing the majority of the talking – learn from others), read something stimulating, seek out new experiences, write about insights obtained from a speaker or a forum, think about a past significant conversation that created insights, and start writing. You will be amazed to see how your blog will develop. Blog, blog, blog.
To learn more about perfectionism and to get Dr. Liisa’s enhanced value offer – a PDF on perfectionism, listen to “Embracing an Imperfect World”. This show was done on 5/24/11.
As an aside, Dr. Liisa Kyle and I are both recovering perfectionists! So, from one recovering perfectionist to others:
You know you are a recovering perfectionist when you can
Read your to do list without anxiety – you understand you are an “overachiever” and hone your time prioritization skills;
Have people over for dinner without the house passing the white glove test (A couple of years ago, we had people over last minute for Easter without the floors being done or the yard).
Do social media updates and blogs knowing this is a work in progress (knowing you have pressed the wrong link before or had a typo and can move forward)
Participate in a hobby or passion without having the element of competition (When I discovered ballroom dancing, it was such a joy & then I thought, oh, I should compete – I made the conscious decision NOT to compete so I could just experience the joy!)
You accept underachievers as they are (but you do not become business partners with them!)
You are confident expressing your opinion because it is yours (you don’t have to be an expert in the field, you can just be an expert on what your thoughts are)
Knowing that you are great just as you are & so are others!
Do you have something to add to this list? Love to have your thoughts!
Magic Formula for Relationships?
May 20, 2011
So a+b=c, right? Is this true in relationships? In business: Boss (a) + Employee (b) = Success. In personal: Male (a) + Female (b) = fulfilling long term marriage. Yes! a+b=c; however, it is not a simple, straight forward process. “A” and “B” must seek to understand relationship foundation and practice the skills that it takes to form successful, great relationships. Relationship skills are not inherent.
Relationships create a powerful impact on businesses and lives. To understand the deeper layer of what affects those relationships, one must examine the foundation of which these relationships begin. Your foundation (your personal leadership) includes your values, your mission, your growth opportunities, and your beliefs, limiting and otherwise. How people feel about themselves and their self-acceptance has far reaching effects on all of their relationships. A direct correlation exists between creating quality relationships in your organization and its effect on your bottom line. Quality relationships power the company, as well as the individual’s lives, and keep all balanced.
Building relationships offline and online is something I’m very passionate about and is a vital component of my mission. David Fraser, is also fascinated about the study of relationships and has realized this to be part of his deeper mission. David is the Company Director and Chartered Engineer holding a PHD & MBA. He’s also a Qualified Commercial Mediator and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner. In reading his recent book, Relationships Made Easy, David shares his experiences and insights that fueled him in becoming a relationship expert.
David Fraser is a highly intelligent man who has struck me as a man of integrity. He has dedicated himself to teaching about creating quality relationships. In his book, David discusses in depth the 12 step formula for relationships.
1: Attention to others.
2: Attitude – using the presuppositions of NLP.
3: Self-control – with peripheral vision and meditation.
4: Wavelength – VAK or A-D.
5: Filters – noticing their effects.
6: Connection – managing rapport.
7: Values – using the levels model and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
8: Language – unpacking deletions, distortions and generalisations.
9: Self-awareness – working with perceptions.
10: Attention to ourselves – choosing what we want, being peaceful.
11: Balance – resolving conflict inside and outside.
12: Love – adding the final ingredient
David shares a great Dale Carnegie quotation in his book: “The world is full of people who are grabbing and self-seeking. So the rare individual who unselfishly tries to serve others has an enormous advantage. He has little competition.” This is so true. Creating your distinction and being memorable are important elements in standing out on the playing field. So, maybe you are not the best engineer or the world’s richest entrepreneur, but we all have the same level playing field when it comes to being memorable in creating our relationships. Those who have great relationship skills WIN in business and in life!
It’s refreshing to hear the study of relationships from a male’s point of view, as well as from a left brain perspective. David discusses how relationships overlap all business and life. Mr. Fraser took a thorough approach to this book and is intense in his discussion. He provides lots of examples for you to relate to. Also, based on his engineer profile, personality & learning style, he presents lots of visuals and diagrams breaking down the various aspects to creating quality relationships. He and I both agree that interpersonal skills are the distinction between success and reaching goals. He has done a great job in capturing an intangible concept of relationships to showing it as tangibly as he could with charts, exercises and the like. David’s book has a great layout, is easy to read and provides checklists and summaries.
Ahhh, is there a Magic Formula for Relationships?….You decide! In summary, magic takes work – the best magicians practice to make it look seamless. Magical relationships in your business and in your personal life create bottom line results and fulfillment. There is magic in companies and individuals who invest in relationship building, online and offline, as they will be the forerunners in successful business and life skills including global leadership, collaboration, and work/life balance which are the current names in the game!
To hear more on how relationships impact business and life, listen to David Fraser’s April 12th radio show, “Transforming Your Results with the Relationship Formula” on his book for more detailed information. He will tell us about having the right blend of integrating the people skills disciplines with the norms of major programmes and corporate organizations; how a behavior change in organizations can be created and how complexity can be made simplified and made manageable.
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