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A Tale, Sister Marlene, Stephen Covey, Mike Sigers, & Power Linking

March 31, 2006 by Liz Leave a Comment

The Princess Engineer of the Kingdom

King Mike Sigers had lost 13 of his Knights of the Blog. They were being held in the dungeons of the kingdom of Technorati. (add melodramatic music here) Chained to the wall, they were allowed no visitors. No messages were getting out. None were getting in. It was cold, damp, dark and forgotten . . .

In fact that was the problem. When warrior King Mike spoke to the elegant King David, offering a ransom to retrieve his noble Knights of the Blog, King David promised to look into it. But unbeknownst (add other old words here to beef up the drama) to King Mike the castle was so large that no one could find where the dungeon was in which the guards had stashed 13 Knights of the Blog. No one knew where they were being held. The Knights, alas, were lost.

No matter what King Mike had tried, he received the same promise, yet no relief. He had appealed to King David for a reprieve. Yet his Knights of the Blog seemed destined to languish in the dungeons of Technorati for eternity or longer. (add awful music by Yanni to make it sound as if milleniums have gone by).

Enter the lovely engineer-princess, Janice, her light shines so brightly that everyone lays down their swords.

She asked, “What is the problem?” Then she took up her engineering degree and lit the hallways with her charm. Our lovely princess made short shrift of the task. She found those Knights of the Blog in no time and set them free. Meanwhile, King David seeing the problem, rolled up his royal sleeves, and started checking other dungeons for other missing Knights of the Blog and found some too.

King Mike was reunited with his Knights and sang the praises of the Beautiful Princess Engineer and Royal Head of the Team of Customer Service in the Kingdom of Technorati.

A fabulous ball was held, and everyone wanted to dance with Princess Janice. They realized now that she is even more valuable than at first she seemed to be.

Me? I took home my ailing Knight Blog, who’d lost 80 links in her chainmail from 7 months in the dungeon, and broke the sad news that she now would have to be a squire. We drank bad wine and retired.

Sister Marlene, Stephen Covey, and Mike Sigers

Sister Marlene would like that story. She’s an 80-something, brlliant woman who has the life experience and wisdom of at least six people. She’d like Janice who just did without asking for anything. The first time that I met Marlene she said

There is no act of kindness or mercy that does not benefit both parties.

I knew immediately that what she said was true. When I am unconditionally generous, I make myself a little better.

Stephen Covey explains what you need for Sister Marlene’s statement to be true

The third character trait essential to Win/Win is the Abundance Mentality, the paradigm that there is plenty out there for everybody. –Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Fireside Books)

Mike Sigers in his Simply Good post this morning brings that challenge to our front door.

Now, do me a favor and do a post, Trackback or whatever and let the world know that there is, in fact, an individual [Janice Myint] at Technorati who cares and who can get it done.

Power Linking

I awoke this morning wondering why we’re quick to criticize Technorati, yet we are slow to reward the one who works the hardest for us. It just doesn’t seem smart, right, or good business.

We complain about A Listers getting favor, having power. But we horde our power undercover. We don’t use power we have–the power to give links to each other. The more linked we are together, the more we show what we want and don’t want to happen in the blogosphere. The more we become one giant A Lister on our own.

Links don’t cost money. They don’t take things. I give away more than I get each week, and it doesn’t hurt me or my blog. Are we too short sighted to see how linking to another blog can promote our own blogs and give them value–especially if we link to someone who is dedicated to providing us with a tool that brings us readers?

Link to What You Value

I’m with Mike. If you have asked Janice to help you, or you plan on doing so, what’s wrong with giving her link love and letting her know you value what she does?

You can link to Janice at: http://janicetechnorati.blogspot.com or http://janicemyint.blogspot.com/2006/03/good-linky-linky.html

Remember there is no act of link love that doesn’t benefit both parties.

Or, for the cynics in the crowd, my mom would say

Reinforce behaviors that you value;
what will follow is human nature;
you will get more of the behavior that you reinforced.

Janice, the Beautiful Engineer Princess of the Kingdom of Technorati has proven beyond a doubt that she will do what she can to help us succeed. A link in her direction, just might get her more power to hire more like her . . . Then she can do more in the castle to get more Knights of the Blog freed from the dungeon and out working for us again–promoting our brands and our businesses.

It’s a happily ever after kind of ending that could be.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Technorati Without Janice–We Won’t Have to Know
Put Your 2Cents In–What’s Technorati Worth–Without Janice?

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Filed Under: Community, Successful Blog, Tech/Stats Tagged With: abundance_mentality, bc, David_Sifry, Janice_Myint, Mike_Sigers, stephen_covey, Technorati, Technorati_brand, Technorati_Customer_Service

Comments

  1. Dorion Carroll says

    March 31, 2006 at 2:03 PM

    I work with Janice and I can assure you that all the things you say of her are true. She does a fantastic job with Techhnorati Support and we are doing all we can to help her help blogggers like you.

    Thank you for the kind words and praise for our ‘Princess Janice’.

    Dorion

    Reply
  2. ME Strauss says

    March 31, 2006 at 2:48 PM

    Hi Dorion,
    It’s nice to know that you think as highly of her as we do. I’m glad to think that you’re behind her and helping. We know that the job is enormous.

    The other side ot that coin is that the impact of not being indexed is also enormous–especially to those who have multiple of their businesses blogs lost for days on end–they never get that business back. Customers go elsewhere. Those customers could decide to find a new source if the blog is gone too long from view.

    It’s not fair to the guy who didn’t do anything to lose that customer.

    Reply
  3. Mike says

    March 31, 2006 at 5:49 PM

    I’m almost ashamed to read something that good with my tired old brain and knowing that the worthless words of wisdom that pour forth from my blog will never be that good.

    That, my friend, was worth a cup-o-joe. We need to get you a ” Buy Liz A Cup Of Coffee ” link setup so people can send you some coffee thru PayPal when you do that. I’ll work on that.

    You will do it again…..won’t you ?

    Reply
  4. ME Strauss says

    March 31, 2006 at 5:52 PM

    Hi Mike,
    Do what? Make up a fairy tale about folks I like? I do all of the time at my personal blog . . . sure I can do it if you like it. 🙂

    Liz will write to order, just tell me what you want.

    I’m the nice one remember?

    Don’t ever be ashamed, though–be delighted!

    I’d be pleased to share a cup of coffee with the king.
    Liz

    Reply
  5. Derek Gordon says

    March 31, 2006 at 6:54 PM

    We just read your “Princess Janyce” blog post out loud for a company gathering here at Technorati and everyone cheered and clapped. We loved it (and were chagrined at your your tale of woe.) Thank you!

    Reply
  6. ME Strauss says

    March 31, 2006 at 7:06 PM

    Derek,

    THANK YOU! Thank you for coming out here to tell me about that. I’m amazed and thrilled that you guys liked it. It was such fun to write it. Come out and see me more often.

    This is fun!

    Liz

    Reply
  7. Dan says

    October 15, 2006 at 12:06 AM

    I met sister marlene by total chance at the dog park today, first impressions go along way he appearance was startling and somewhat saddened me but again i learnt that you should never judge a book by its cover, talking with her i discovered what a vast, interesting and exciting life she led, but saddened me more at the fact she lives her life like this, so enamoured by her warmth, my girlfriend and I walked her home and carried her bags

    Reply
  8. ME Strauss says

    October 15, 2006 at 12:13 AM

    Hi Dan,
    You are a lucky man, if you met Sister Marlene. She is indeed 1 in a million.

    Reply
  9. ann michael says

    October 15, 2006 at 12:10 PM

    Janice is awesome. I’m a little nobody and she ALWAYS fixes any problems I have quickly and offers me ideas on what I can do to avoid problems. She is the poster child of great customer service – and more importantly or the same – great relationships!

    Reply
  10. ME Strauss says

    October 15, 2006 at 12:21 PM

    Janice surely is the best. She makes that place sing. She makes me sing too. 🙂

    Reply

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