Here are some resources that I came across or used to help business owners and leaders over the past week:
1. Blogging for business- Click here for the ebook on this subject we used to kick off our TAB Social Media workshop series earlier this year. It covers why blogging is essential for business leaders as well as steps for getting started. It all starts with following and reading blogs (there is still time to add that KINDLE to your Christmas list- great way to keep up with blogs!) Please subscribe to our blog for a steady stream of resources for business leaders building their organizations for the future. Here are some of my favorite blogs on business from other great authors:
Small Business Marketing
Seth Godin
Small Biz Trends
Small Business Owner Blog
Awake at 2oclock
Still want more? Check out Inc.'s list of business bloggers you should follow now.
2. Standard Policies and Documents: Ben, one of our business advisory board members recommended "Business in a box" for off the shelf resources, including an employee policy for internet use. I took a brief look at it, seems like a broad resource for all sorts of business domains.
Along related lines, here is a copy of the standard employee manual that I provide to my customers. You can compare it to your own policy and adopt individual policies or, adopt the whole thing as your own by using "find and replace" with your name in word. Remember, best practice is to have your manual reviewed by your employment lawyer - this serves as a good foundation.
3. Dragon Dictation is a GREAT new app for the Iphone that was released this week. Among other things it allows you to speak your emails and text messages into the phone. The response time and accuracy of the conversion is amazing. One touch converts the message into an email or text.
Related posts:
Why-Apps-are-Essential-for-Biz-Leaders
the-blogging-three-step
Carpe Manana- Seize Tomorrow!
I am celebrating my 1st anniversary with my iPhone. Sound a little quirky? I promise you it is not the norm for me to celebrate relationships with inanimate objects, but this is different. My iPhone has changed the way I work and live, including how I relate to people. I have grown and changed more personal practices this year as a result of having an iPhone than any other I period that can remember.
Experts say the explosion of apps and smart phones in this past year are the mark of us moving into a truly mobile age. Apps are a disruptive technology - a breakthrough innovation that improves our lives in a way that the market didn't anticipate. Like the advent of the automobile or the internet.
Over the past year I have downloaded and evaluated at least 100 apps. Many are free, and now I've even gotten my son and husband addicted. Here are some of the apps that have changed how I work and live:
- Linked-In, FaceBook and Twitter
- TED
- Mint
- Math flash cards for Jr.
- Voice recorder
- NJ transit
- Google Maps
- Kindle reader
- idial u drive
- Urban spoon
- My Christmas Lists
At this point, there is so much productivity to be gained from smart phones, if you are a business leader you can't afford not to use one. Your customers, competition and employees are getting more adept at using them every day. In addition, you need to be involved with this trend to truly understand and be able to use the technology in the future. If you don't have a smart phone, go get one. NOW! If you have one, and haven't explored and adopted some killer apps that are relevant for you... now is the time- check out the Fast Company list below. Contact me if you need some guidance.
I would love to hear your comments, as well as how smart phones and your favorite apps have changed the way you do work.
More resources:
CBS News Story on Apps
Fast Company Slide Show: 25 Must Have iPhone Apps
I was invited to join a team today, and was surprised by the statement of the leader that we would not be leveraging any collaboration tools, but rather just the "reply all" function in email. Ugggggghhhh!!! I had an immediate visceral reaction... "Not me! I don't want an onslaught of unconnected messages in my email! I work hard to be effective and efficient in all aspects of life and work, and don't want this to muck it up. I've got too much to do already!"
As with many of the teams we all get asked to participate on, this team is a great opportunity to contribute to work that is important to me, and get exposure to peers and a leader I respect and could learn from. So I should just get over it right?
What I noticed about myself in this situation is that only working with teams that are open to using modern technology for effective collaboration is now a stand for me. For years I have worked to help the teams I am on adopt new technology, and certainly this is one of the core aspects of creating high performing team that I work on with business leaders. I have quit teams and organizations before because they were ineffective and frustrating (including how they collaborated online.) But this is the first time I have the clarity to say, when I have a choice, I will only participate with groups, organizations and teams that are willing to go to the effort to adopt and use discussion groups, wikis, and other tools outside of email.
I am a self admitted change junky- I thrive on finding and adopting new ways to work. So, I am not the norm here. As a leader, you probably don't have to worry too much about people like me deserting your organizations in mass. BUT, if you are leading a virtual team, and you are not leveraging these tools, there probably are people on your team who are feeling this frustration.
More importantly.... you are missing a fantastic opportunity as a leader! Great teams not only accomplish their mission effectively, but connect people and provide insights on new tools and practices. Yes, it is change; and as a leader, you will have to put some effort into helping people learn and let go of old habits. I don't understimate or dismiss that. The good news, is once you get people going on it, the amount of effort will lessen the next time you charter a team.
It is inevitable that effective virtual collaboration will be required for leaders of the future. Last night I came across an Executive Summary for anew book about it: Leadershift: Reinventing Leadership for the Age of Mass Collaboration. Check it out!
If you are a member of a team or group that needs to collaborate effectively consider these actions:
- Be open and willing to try new practices: it may take a little more effort upfront but you will get exposure to new tools you WILL need for future effectiveness.
- If you are comfortable with online tools, identify someone on the team that is not and set up a 1-1 session and share your insights.
- Make an offer to help the leader institute these practices.
- Speak up, take a stand if you are frustrated. Make a difference!
Need some help identifying how to effectively use collaboration tools for your virtual teams? Contact us, we would be glad to help you identify the right toolset for your team and help you create a plan for engaging everyone on the team in effective new practices.
J. Jantsch Free Twitter GuideI have been using Twitter for several months now. I continue to find it valuable in building and sustaining relationships with peers, customers, friends and experts in my chosen fields. Here are some of the tools that I have found useful as I incorporate tweeting into my ongoing practices. There are a plethera of tools out there, and more surfacing every day. I am not an expert in twitter, but I am known for adopting new technology so that I can improve my business and enjoy life!
Twellow http://www.twello.com - online directory of all twitter users. It is a good place to manage who you are following and who is following you. It will create a streamlined list with profiles so you can immediately see relevance without hunting or pecking through your follower list. Great search tool for finding the people that you would get value out of following. I also like the "non" mutual feature. I check it once a week: catch up on my new followers and follow back as appropriate.
Hoot Suite www.hootsuite.com- Overall management, I like best being able to rapid fire in a bunch of ideas I have for tweets and schedule them in the future. Also the shorten URL feature is very useful, as well as search. I actually do my tweeting from here...much easier to manage the RT, repiles, DMs, etc.
Tweetdeck http://tweetdeck.com/beta/ - Has lots of features, I like it most for FILTERING my listening through categories. I have all my customers in one category so that I can easily see what they have been upto without the noise of the people twittering all day long.
Virtual Assistant (VA) - a virtual assistant is invaluable in managing the logistics of social media and all sorts of other activities. If you don't have one yet, this is a great time to start. Click here to learn more: http://yourextrahand.com/what-is-a-virtual-assistant/
For more see free mini guide from John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing: twitter for business