Successful Blog

The Building Blocks of Successful Interaction

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I just wanted to share this with you:

Charlie Grantham and Jim Ware, writing at The Future of Work, share some thought on the building blocks of interpersonal interaction:

In our experience effective communication is made up of three basic qualities: trust, connectedness; and relatedness.

Trust is the most basic quality.

Trust is an emotional thing. It comes when we share values with others and we can therefore expect them to behave in predictable ways. We trust people when we believe they will act in our best interests even though we aren’t there. And without trust true interaction and communication just isn’t possible. Trusting relationships are not based on power, or on status or one-up-manship.

Connectedness and Relatedness

Connectedness is a necessary but not sufficient condition of interaction. Simply put, it means there is a common basis for communication. Both parties are concerned about, interested in, or attracted to a similar issue, which then provides a basis for communicating. However, they must also relate to that issue. That is, they share a common belief, or a value around that issue. Note the difference. Take politics for example (or not take it, whatever). You can be connected with someone because you are both interested in the outcome of an election—but at the same time not be emotionally related (or even opposed to each other) because you have different philosophical positions. You can take that to the bank. If you are connected with someone, but not related, your communication isn’t going to go very far! Test that perspective with Uncle Barney.

The Effect of the Internet as a Watercooler

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Bob Krumm wrote this week: The water cooler is spreading a virus

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, two events have leapt into America’s consciousness this week. The first was the Tea Party protests involving hundreds of thousands of ordinary Americans in hundreds of cities all around the country.

Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle

The second was the sudden and stunning success of previously unknown church choir singer, Susan Boyle, who wowed judges and the audience in an audition for Britain’s Got Talent, the Anglican version of American Idol. Since Saturday night when her first song was broadcast to a British audience, Ms. Boyle’s televised appearance has been viewed by no less than 40 million people, a population eight times that of her native Scotland.

In just the last 24 hours she has been mentioned, complete with a color picture, on the front page of the Washington Post, was interviewed live on the CBS Early Show, and has been booked for an appearance on Oprah.

What these two seemingly unrelated events have in common is the internet.

To riff off of one of the comments, the revolution will not be televised – it will be on YouTube!

In a more serious vein, however, the example of Susan Boyle reveals two important things:

  1. Regular people can now become as famous as any celebrity. The video of Boyle’s performance contained the perfect combination of a stereotypical set-up, a surprising twist, and a heart-warming response. I have a feeling that we are going to be hearing from Ms. Boyle again.
  2. Succumbing to cynicism and “judging a book by its cover” just might put one into a very uncomfortable position. If Simon Cowell were not known for his disdain for most performers on these talent shows he would have looked like a real jerk.

Geoff Livingston Will Be Outlining an Optimum Integrated PR / Marketing Plan

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We’re pleased and delighted that Geoff Livingston, top blogger in the communications space and author of the popular 2007 social media book, “Now Is Gone” has agreed to lead the Saturday afternoon Models and Masterminds session on “An Integrated Offline / Online Marketing Customer Outreach Program.” He’ll be answering the question: What are the parts and proportions of an integrated overall online and offline marketing and pr plan?

Geoff will be drawing from his experience as CEO of Livingston Communications, where he has provided innovative solutions for a diverse group of clients, including General Dynamics, United Way, the Consumer Electronics Show, Save Darfur, Goodwill, rock band Godsmack Lead Singer Sull Erna’s book and many more.

With the recent acquisition of Livingston Communications, Geoff Livingston will be coming to SOBCon as the Senior VP of CRT/tanaka. We’re delighted to be the first to welcome him in his new role!

Geoff will be taking over for his “Now Is Gone” co-author Brian Solis who could no longer attend.

The Possibilities at SOBCon 2009

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This is a guest post from one of our attendees, Gail Lynne Goodwin, Ambassador of Inspiration:

Gail Goodwin
Gail Goodwin

Just a few short months ago, my husband and I had a visioning session together where we dreamed BIG dreams without limitation. We asked ourselves one simple question- “What would I do if I knew I could do anything, and knew that I couldn’t fail?”

That one simple question has opened doors and knocked down walls. Imaginary walls that only we saw- until we eliminated them with an easy change of our thoughts. What if there were no barriers? If you knew you were going to be successful, what would you choose to do? What’s the biggest contribution you could make?

In just 3 weeks we’ll be together at SOBCon09. In the meantime, I invite you to answer that question for yourself. What would you do if you could do anything and you knew that you couldn’t fail? Anything!

At SOBCon, we have the opportunity to get together with mentors and peers to brainstorm ideas, look at the possibilities and make life-enhancing decisions. I believe now is the perfect time to really look at what we choose in the world, rather than what has shown up by default.

Many of the masses lead as Thoreau said, “quiet lives of desperation”. As entrepreneurs, I’d like to think that our lives are more intentional and that we are all following our dream. Even so, when my husband and I asked ourselves this question, things expanded and our lives grew exponentially. Our Global Hug Tour launching this fall came from this exercise.

But hold onto your hat, for when you ask this simple question, your world will shift. Don’t believe me? Just try it.

When you ask this question out loud with another person you’ll be surprised at the result. You might have to remind each other- there are no limitations- you can’t fail.

Share your dreams. Vision together the “what if’s” of life. Pretend that you are ten years old and have that amazing, unlimited imagination where you still believe in unlimited possibility.

I don’t believe it’s possible to sincerely and intently ask this question without all kinds of possibilities coming up for you. It might be scary, but just remember the guidelines of the exercise. You can have anything. You can do anything. You can be anything. Anything! No limits. No restrictions. Just wide open space to fill to your heart’s content. How cool is that?!

The Universe will never give you a dream without the ability to make it happen. Therefore, if you have the dream, you already have the resources to make it happen- even if you may not be able to see it just yet.

This is so much easier than you think. You get to say “WHAT” and the Universe gets to say “HOW”. The most important step is in asking the question, “What would I do if I knew I could do anything, and knew that I couldn’t fail?” and all else flows from that.

Today, take the first step. Act and the Universe will follow. Take one baby step closer to your dream and watch what happens. It’s like the floodgates of the heavens open up and shower blessings down upon you just for taking action. One baby step turns into another until you’re jogging through life with a huge smile on your face, living your dream. Woohoo!

Above all, don’t let your fears stand in the way of your dreams. Your dreams are yours and yours alone. No one else can bring forth the dream or the light inside of you, so go ahead, and let it shine! The world needs your dream so feel the fear and do it anyway!

Please bring your dream to SOBCon and share it with me. I’m looking forward to not only meeting you, but supporting you to help make your dream your reality.

With gratitude and hugs,

Gail

May 1st at the Summit! An Out of the World Space!

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See Where It Happens

Join social media and business mavens, pr and interactive agencies, big brands and ecommerce specialists working together on building the business of the Interwebs.

Speakers speak for 40 minutes. Then you work with your team applying what they said to your business.

Calum MacLean, of the Summit Executive Center, has made a videocast of the space where we meet. Click through to see what makes the working environment of SOBCon so special and enticing.

Click through and check it out!

More Stars to Shine at SOBCon09!!

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I’m over the top excited about SOBCon09!

SOBCon09

32 Days Away!

 Can’t wait to see you again!

Look Who Else Is Bringing Their Brains to SOBCon09!!

We’ve added a keynote panel on Saturday. Wow!

 
 

and the spectacular news that
 
 
Rajesh Setty will launch
his book "Upbeat Now!" at SOBCon09!!
 
 

AND even more is happening behind the scenes. 
I’m SOBCon serious about that.