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Critical Skill 10: The 4 Keeper Traits of Productivity — Are YOU the New Killer App?

Filed Under Inside-Out Thinking, Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog | 7 Comments

Think and DO!!

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Are you guilty of having too many ideas?
Do people run when you get a brilliant thought?
Been there. The Internet and the innovative offline world are bursting with what ifs and how abouts.

BUT . . .
ideas vaporize when all we do is think about them.

We need to DO something with ideas to make something happen.

The 4 Keeper Traits of Productivity

In this series, I’ve laid out critical thinking skills important to success in a world of thinkers. Each is a way of using our minds to work with information and ideas to solve problems and move actions forward. The first nine skills aren’t much without the ability to manage and to apply them.

Productivity gets noticed because it produces results.

Various Language Products Written or Managed by Liz Strauss

Self-sustaining productivity gets noticed.

Whether it’s millions of books made especially for kids or it’s millions of kids who learned to read, because teachers cared that they did.

Results are the point. What good is all of this critical thinking without something to show for it?

Self-sustaining productivity has four keeper traits.

They all begin with C.

  • Commitment. Keep believing in your goal. Self-sustaining productivity demands that we stick to plan even when something shiny looks attractive right now. Commitment brings our priorities into focus when we’re distracted.
  • Competence. Keep training to achieve it. Without high-end abilities, skills, and experience, it’s hard to produce high-end results. Things move more quickly and with fewer problems when we’re geared for the challenge. It’s hard to be productive, if we don’t know what we’re doing.
  • Consistency. Keep your standard high. Self-sustainining productivity relies on effective and efficient performance.
  • Credibility. Keep your promises. We’re most productive when do what we say we will. Credibility is the trust and confidence that inspires people to help.

Self-sustaining productivity is confidence in relationships on the street, in the workshop, and in the boardroom. It’s confidence in ourselves and confidence that others invest in us.

I wrote this paragraph in the introduction to this series.

Intellectual property–content–is an asset that not only gets produced, but reproduced, reconfigured, and repurposed for variety of media. Those who produce intellectual property are builders of wealth. An original idea that solves a problem or presents an opportunity is worth more now than it ever has been. Those who develop and mold original ideas are the new “killer app.”

Be social. Network all you can. But don’t neglect the time to stretch your mind.

What are you doing to think ideas, solve problems, and make new realities?

Yeah, you. Can you be. . . will you be . . . are you the new killer app?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future
Finding Ideas Outside the Box
Personal Branding: Strengths Assessment Tool
Brand YOU–What’s the BIG IDEA?

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Personal Identity: Trust

Filed Under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog | 42 Comments

Can we talk about . . .

trust.

My father used to say, “Trust nobody.”

I would answer, “Daddy, that would mean I couldn’t trust you.”

His reply would be. “Yes, I know.”

I knew that wasn’t true. Still I could trust him, and I could trust what he said too.

playing-with-daddy

The irony of the conversation of my dad with his little girl is that trust isn’t found in words. Trust is a way of living. It’s written in who we are.

My father was right. He taught me that no one can tell of trust. One has to live it, give it, and aspire to be trustworthy. Trust is character.

I hear us talking about trust. I heard you say it just this week. trust We talk about who we trust, whether we can trust, the need for transparency to trust each other.

When the world got crowded did our trust get crowded out of it?

Every small child is trustworthy. I trust in humanity.

Trust. I have plenty.

I have plenty because without it . . .

I can’t smile or write. I can’t be brave or vulnerable.

Take my trust. Take all you need.

Because without it . . . I can’t breathe.

How do you find the trust you need?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Related
Change the World: Truth and Humility
Personal Identity: What Is Humility?

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Blog Post Fatigue? Please Take the Keys . . . Again!

Filed Under Community, Successful Blog | 51 Comments

The Day I Learned What I Know

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A turning point in my blogging history was called “An Open Thought: Please Take the Keys.” I knew when I wrote that piece that something was wrong; I even had a feeling what it might be. I had been looking for a way to bring it up. . . .

When I did, you were there. You stepped up and told me what I was doing wrong. It was the coolest thing. That was the day this blog became a community.

I’ve always been grateful for the day that you took the keys.

Relationships grow and change.

Last week at BlogHer I overheard someone say something. It’s something I’ve heard in passing on this blog. I’ve also heard the same thing inside the compliments that you give me and in the apologies that come when we talk.

The person at BlogHer said, “If they post more than once a day, they’re banned from my feeds.”

You’ve been more tactful than that, but you’ve been sort of saying the same thing.

Blog Post Fatigue? Please Take the Keys

Not to worry, it’s no longer about me being brave. This time it’s me asking you what you think, what you need, and what you like to read. I can tell from your comments a few things. I’m also perceptive enough to read a bit of what you’re not saying.

On the other hand, I’m as blind as every other human. No one knows that better than this human being.

You’re the people I trust and the people I serve. So, you’re the ones I’m coming to. I’ll lay out the problem, and I hope that you’ll tell me what you know.

The problem: I’m about head and heart, business and life, information and relationships, so I post twice a day at least. When I add in the projects I want to keep up with, references lists and resources, 200 outstanding blogs, and the questions/photos things I like to throw in for discussion, I’m feeling like I post way too frequently.

It’s not like anyone’s advice is going to change who I am, how I write, or maybe even what I do. I’m still the one who has trouble walking in a straight line. . . .

But you took the keys one time and you didn’t steer me wrong then. I’d be downright stupid not to listen now.

I’m many things, but stupid ain’t one of them.

Please take the keys.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Is your business stuck?Work with Liz!!

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Bloggy Question 56: Get Your Own Network!

Filed Under Bloggy Questions, Successful Blog | 14 Comments

Leave the Computer!

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . . .


A few months ago a blogger named, Evan, showed up on your radar. He’s a guy who went to your high school. You didn’t know him then. You figured that you know more about him — where he lives, what he looks like, who he used to hang out with — than you did when you met the blogger friends that you know now. So you befriended him.

You’ve been showing Evan around, helping him with his HTML, introducing him to people. When he’s asked for help, you’ve been there. That’s what bloggers do.

Lately, though, your friends have started complaining about him. They say Evan’s been trying to use them to milk their networks. He keeps asking Your friends to introduce him. Your friends hardly know Evan and don’t want to recommend someone they don’t know.

You heard yesterday that Evan lobbied to have you not invited to a party given by good friend of yours — one you introduced him to.

It’s a touchy situation. The friend throwing the party doesn’t know that you you’ve heard. His girlfriend told you about Evan’s duplicity. BUT the girlfriend is possessive, doesn’t like Evan, and has made up stories about you.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Bloggy Question 55: It’s My Vacation!
Bloggy Question 54: This Conversation Is NOT Bloggable
Bloggy Question 53: What Kind of Home Is One Blog You Read?
Bloggy Question 52: They Read My Diary!
Bloggy Question 51: I Gave Him that Idea

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Bloggy Question 55: It’s My Vacation!

Filed Under Bloggy Questions, Successful Blog | 30 Comments

Leave the Computer!

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . . .


You’re about to go on a road trip with three non-blogging buddies. It’s a same sex group of friends that you’ve known since college. You’re headed up to a small hotel in wine country. The hotel has all of the amenenties — nice restaurant that seats about 20, television, wireless, gorgeous views, horseback riding, hiking, canoeing. At times you and your friends probably won’t leave the property for days.

Your friends are bringing the trappings of their hobbies. One is a musician and will be bringing a guitar and a harmonica. Another is a runner and is bringing all of that gear. You just watched your closest friend pack a sketchpad, charcoals, an easel, and a complete store of oils and canvas into the car. Just as you are about to put your laptop and accessories in next to the rest. Someone stops you.

You hear, “You can’t take that. We agreed no work on these trips.” You explain that blogging is your passion just as they have theirs. Neither your argument nor the idea seems to convince them.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Bloggy Question 54: This Conversation Is NOT Bloggable
Bloggy Question 53: What Kind of Home Is One Blog You Read?
Bloggy Question 52: They Read My Diary!
loggy Question 51: I Gave Him that Idea
Bloggy Question 50: The Safety of the Human Race Is Up to YOU!

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