Saturday, October 24, 2009

Which personality are you?

How do you communicate your message best to your audience whether in business or in your personal life? That is the focus of th book Publishing 2.0 Workshop I am attending this weekend. Today we are looking at personality types as a way to help us understand how to reach people we may not be naturally prone to reach through our common style of sommunication.
Use this simple personality test to determine which Meyer's Briggs type personality you are. It will appear in a four letter sytle. For example, ENFP which is my type.
Then check out your profile to find out more about yourself. It begins with getting to know yourself better. The next step is get to know the other types. This will help relay your message to others in a heated debate, a friendly conversation, a written exam, or getting know someone new.

Have fun! :-)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Do you see what I see?

It has always amazed me how two people can experience the same event but each has a completely unique perspective on it. Now I finally GET it! I have heard many theories over the years about this and I have recently come to a conclusion...
There are many people who believe that our experience of a situation is mirroring information back to us. Basically, whatever we see in other people is a reflection of something we can repair in ourselves.

To practice this, sit in a public space. Watch the people walking by. What is the first thing you notice about them? Are they shy, quiet, loud, angry, happy, frustrated, etc.? Make a list of the things you notice in other people. Now take this list and look at yourself. These are the aspects of yourself that are asking to be seen. Basically, you reflect back on to yourself that which you are wanting to repair, even if it is subconscious.

What do you think about this? What was your experience?

Monday, October 19, 2009

Are you a Millennial?

I know the name keeps switching. Gen Y, Generation Next, Millennial Generation and Net Generation are a few named in Wiki.
My favourite that I have heard is Millennial. Not only because it makes us sound very important...ushering in the new millennium...but also because I think this is how different we really are. We are growing up in a different millennium than any other generation.

This may not sound important as you think back to New Year's Eve 1999 when seemingly nothing happened... Let me take you back to that night for a second. What did you think was going to happen? Catastrophe? A new beginning? Nothing? I remember watching all day and night as coverage of every New Year's Eve celebration could be found on national TV. I had never felt a connection like that with the entire planet and everyone in it. Even thinking about it now, almost ten years later, I feel choked up about the experience. To me, this is what changed. For the first time in my known history, the world was coming together in something amazing. Sure, this had happened before say at then end of the world wars, the great depression, the first computer, any many more. The difference was the accessibility. It was live and in living colour!
We were all in it together whether is was catastrophe, a new beginning or nothing. We were all the same. With our anticipation and fears in tow, we ushered in the new millennium.

Now, before everyone who watched the moon landing, Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, or the assasination of JFK chimes in, I will address this. I did not experience these events and I understand they were incredibly powerful and life altering events. This is my reason for including people born before 1982 within the term Millennial. I don't think it has as much to do with our age, as our mentality. The hippies for instance had some of the qualities that we need to bring through the changes we are to make in this world. So, I would ask anyone with that Hippie Heart inside them, to come forward and help the younger generation with compassion and understanding. Just like I experienced on December 31st, 1999 - we are all in this together.

There are a lot of positions to fill. What would you like yours to be? I'm not here to hand out the parts to the play of life. I'm here to get you moving in your own direction. We need everyone. We need you to figure out what you are passionate about and for you to start on your own discovery and mastery.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Lack of Interest in Twitter?

Me Too!

I have never really understood the purpose of Twitter. I get why people use it and how it is used as a marketing tool. But, for my time I think there are much more productive social media to use both personally and in business.
In conversations with other people my age and younger, I have found that most do not use Twitter and I realized why today.

It is so clearly laid out in a post by Scott McAndrew.
"High on the list of Millennials core values are authenticity and transparency. And, what do Millennials use social networks for? To build and nurture relationships. Stopping right there the preference toward Facebook over Twitter seems obvious."

I could not have expressed my feelings more succinctly than that! That's why I have an issue with it. I do however have a Twitter account...with 1 tweet.

Check out the full post andresearch.

Also, I would like to know how you feel about Twitter...

I have set up a survey, let me know if you are a Twitterer.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Social Entrepreneurship

For the past week I have been thinking about what Social Entrepreneurship really means.
Today I realized that it is a shift of paradigms.
Business is not what it used to be. When I say business, I mean all aspects and everyone involved with it. That means YOU! There may be a few exceptions to this, but if you think you are one of those exceptions, keeping reading...

As a business owner, it is up to you to stay current about and implement the best ways to create ideal working environments. Help your managers and employees see why their actions are important. Allow them to see how their contributions add to the whole company. If it were not for them... Be honest and transparent with how the company operates. Everyone can find out this information anyways, why don't you tell them? Have you ever been in a relationship without honesty? How well did that work? If you begin to think about your employees as the other person in a relationship with you, you will make mutually beneficial decisions together. I know it sounds kind of lovey dovey, but see it in action. Zappos.com, Mind Valley and of course Virgin are great examples of this kind of business. See how it is working for them!

As a manager of a business, it is up to you to stay current about and implement the best ways to creat an ideal working evironment for your team. Happy team = productive work. I know it sounds simple, but if you can master this art, wow! It's time to allow your team to let their creative juices flow. Encourage the people in your team to come up with ideas about a project, the work environment, the business, etc. You have to mean it. Even if you are unable to implement some of their ideas, hear them. People need to be heard.
"The reason history must repeat itself is because we pay so little attention to it the first time." ~ Blackie Sherrod
My question to you is, are you paying attention the first time? If not, are you always coming up against the same issues at work?....

As an employee of a business, it is up to you to take charge of your own job. It is YOUR job after all. If you have a manager that uses tactics that don't work to motivate you, tell them that...nicely. Don't look outside of yourself for motivation or answers. You already know what you have to do. Think one step ahead and no one will be hounding you all the time. Be innovative. Don't be afraid to speak up about changes that could improve the company environment. Do this constructively and tell the right people. It doesn't take long to know who the decision makers are in a department. Find them and discuss your ideas with them. If they are innovative and fresh, they might just go for them. It's your life at the end of the day. Make it count, regardless of what you are doing.
Try to leave everything a little better than when you found it, whether it is your mess or not. This can apply to any situation from interactions with others to cleaning up to doing something nice without being asked. Try not to fall into the "that's not my job" mentality, whether in daily life or work.

Basically, what I realized is that this shift we want to make to a more socially based business model is up to every one of us. Don't wait around for your company, managers or employees to change. YOU begin the change. It's not all up to you, but some of it is. If no one starts, nothing changes.

Tomorrow I will discuss the non-profit sector and how it fits into this model. I haven't forgotten about you...you are in a business as well. Businesses don't have to be profitable, in fact many are not! I have run a few of those myself!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is Candian Thanksgiving!
I am grateful for every shift that has happened in me within the past couple of weeks. These shifts have made me more aware of the gratitude I have for the people and opportunities in my life. Thank you to everyone who has made a difference in my life. I would take too long to name all of you, but I hope that you know who you are.
I started a Gratitude Log at: http://www.gratitudelog.com/sarahwalder/home today.
Check it out and start one of your own. It's a free community of grateful people sharing their gratitude! :-)
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Messages from the Masters...

Throughout the past couple of weeks, I have been trying to figure out how I can convey and implement the information I learned at Engage Today 2009.
In an attempt to convey this download of information, I have decided to put together an interactive presentation in order to explore and evolve the content from the conference. Not only will it be a great way for me to learn, but also helps get YOU engaged too! :-)

Check it out for more information.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

The ongoing inspiration of Sean Stephenson

Today I have been going over many of my notes from the conference. It's amazing how quickly the energy from the conference comes flooding back!

While going through my notes from Sean Stephenson's speech, I feel inspired by his words and stories, even a week later. Sean, in his funny and enlightened way, teaches us to "Get Off Our 'But'" (also the name of his book) and take a stand.

After a quick search, I found one of my favourite stories he told. I had to share it with you. Here's the YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Seanclinch#p/u/26/_mlcP17jLhk
Enjoy!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The mask is off...

I found this today as I was looking into notes for the book. Thought I would share it since reading it today helped to invigorate my excitement.

I wrote this on March 14th 2009 during a moment of clarity after watching the film Watchmen.

“As of this moment, my mask comes off. I am spirit and I am here to help humanity shift into another level of consciousness. It has come; the time when we are all ready to stand up and be here for humans...No more packaging, no more masks, no more trying to make everyone happy and everyone pleased. There is no more time for niceties. It is time for honesty. It does not matter what happens to bring the world together only that it is brought together. We must continue to see the underlying plot beneath the dismal over-plot. The underlying plot is evolution of humankind and evolution of you. Are you ready to evolve?

It is your time. Your power is in your hands again. Take it, accept it. It may feel strange at first as your power has not been yours for millennia. With this new found empowerment comes responsibility. I’m sure you have seen a superhero movie where ‘good’ and ‘evil’ have a very thin wall between them. Just as you will be uncomfortable within your power, you will be uncomfortable with the responsibility that you carry. There has already been a period of adjustment where we have all been playing with the idea of reality not being as tangible as we once thought. We have played, now it is time to work. This will be work for awhile.

Maintaining the type of focus this requires will take work. Focus is your work now. Practice maintaining your focus. Stare at a tree for an hour. You use those same eyes to watch TV for an hour. This is more important right now. This is of the essence. The ability of intense focus is what we are all capable of.

Now is the time to support one another. Get your groups together. Connection with other people is our lesson in this world. We have become too separate and it is time to come together as one people – the world people. It may take some catastrophic events to bring some people together. But, how do you want to change YOUR life? Knock on your neighbour’s door and introduce yourself. Talk to the person behind you in line. Call/see your family. Contact your greatest friends. Reconnect."

The Dalai Lama's message last week was "Compassion is the radicalism of our time."
Get radical and bring the compassion back into your life so it can return around the world.

Removing my mask has been a process and the last piece was removed at the Engage Today conference last week.

Hello world, I'm finally here.

I look forward to meeting you without your mask!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Today's glow

I am compelled to believe that the amazing day I had today is a reflection of the focus I have decided to pursue.

The past few days, I have been starting with a power hour consisting of:
20minutes of each Exercise, Education & Enlightenment
(Thanks to inspiration from Garrett Gunderson, a great speaker from the conference)
I have dabbled with morning rituals in the past, but this one seems to be a good balance for me. Education was a piece I was missing in the past that seems to be important. It helps inspire me and get me excited about changing the world, one day at a time.
Once you have been 'selfish' for the first hour of your day you are better equiped to help others.
This ritual is allowing me to take care of myself and be more focused throughout the rest of the day.

Some close friends noticed a glow coming from me today. That is the best way I can describe what happened to me during Engage Today, I lit up. Something inside of me came alive!

Due to this morning's time spent on myself, I was able to share my vision of the conference which some great friends today who are, like myself, creating positive change in the world.

I feel filled with duty to relay messages I received at the conference. One of my fellow delegates said it best, "Today we are the fortunate ones, in a few days we will be the responsible ones". (Joy Gilmour) She was referring to the valuable information being relayed to us. I am starting to truly feel this as I have so many friends and family wanting to know more specifics. I am formulating a group of people to share the changes in business. The Dalai Lama pointed out that the best way to learn is through teaching. I would like to teach you the information I learned at the conference so that we can discuss how to move forward individually or as a group.
If you are interested in being part of this group, please let me know.


For more information about Garrett Gunderson: http://www.garrettbgunderson.com/

Monday, October 5, 2009

Welcome to my life

Hi,

Thanks for stopping by. This is my first blog. Yes, I'm a little behind the times but I'm ready to make up for it.

Last week, I attended possibly the most amazing conference ever. It's called Engage Today 2009 (www.EngageToday2009.com). Incredible speakers such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Sir Richard Branson were among the awe-inspiring line-up. Every speaker made the learning extremely valuable and FUN! After four days of astonishing information, I was left speechless. I look forward to sharing some information and my thoughts from the conference in the following days and weeks.

This conference name speaks for itself, I feel completely engaged and ready to take on my role in the world. This morning I was inspired to dust off my book I was working on last year and start writing again. It has been such a rewarding day of inspired thought and creativity.
This life-changing experience has finally inspired me to carry this through the rest of my life.

I hope you enjoy reading some content from my book and ideas from the conference.

Feel free to connect with me and allow me to get to know you as well.

~Warmest wishes for your life~