Successful Blog

Social Media Book List: #SPORTStweet and The Power of Less

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors to help manage their online book promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting I book that I am working with the author and football legend, Ronnie Lott, co-author of ‘#SPORTStweet’ and the other book I have had on my reading list, ‘The Power of Less’ Leo Babauta.

The books I discuss in the Social Media Book List Series will cover a range of topics such as social media, marketing, blogging, business, organization, career building, finance, networking, writing, self development and inspiration.

‘#SPORTStweet: What I learned from Coaches about Sports and Life’

by Ronnie Lott and Keith Potter

#SPORTStweet: book from Ronnie Lott and Keith Potter

“Ronnie is a winner in life. You will learn, as I have, about what it means to be a role model, proud parent, and the hardest working person to better your team. Winning is his life and he embodies greatness.”
Baron Davis, Star NBA Point Guard

“This book is a fun read and Ronnie touches on great points!”
Marcus Allen, Heisman Trophy Winner and NFL Hall of Fame Member

Here are a few inspirational and motivational tweets from ‘#SPORTStweet’I would like to share with you:

#6: Racial diversity always means something. Think about your teammates; really appreciate each other, and even your difference

#19 You want assistants who own your basic values; but dare to hire people who are strong where you are weak.

#47 It’s possible to be the toughest guy on the field and the nicest guy off the field. If you need evidence, look at Merlin Olsen.

#59 When we lost, Coach Robinson always said that it was his fault, not ours. “I didn’t do enough to get you ready.” That’s leadership.

About the Book:
In ‘#SPORTStweet: What I Learned from Coaches About Sports and Life’, football legend Ronnie Lott has thrown open the doors to the secrets that made him the toughest defensive back of all time and unearths his driving motivations in short, readable profiles from his days before, during, and after the NFL.

Get behind the scenes to see the synergy between Lott, Montana, and Rice, and sneak a taste of the coaching geniuses that made the 49ers and the USC Trojans iconic sports dynasties. Get personal with Ronnie as he reflects on life and relationships and get pumped up by his inspirational words.

“If you can just get in the periphery of greatness,” writes Lott, “some of it is bound to rub off on you.” This book gets you close to a champion. It shows you the heart of greatness—the heart behind the hit!

#SPORTStweet is a treasure-trove for every athlete, coach, student, teacher, and parent. After reading this book, sport-lovers of every age will be inspired, informed, entertained, and even changed by the influence of Ronnie’s brief but power-packed words. Like a hit from Ronnie Lott, this book will get your attention.

#SPORTStweet is part of the THINKaha series whose 100-page books contain 140 well-thought-out quotes (tweets/ahas).

About the Authors:

The name Ronnie Lott screams toughness and excellence. As a ten-time Pro Bowl selection and a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Ronnie is one of the most respected figures in professional sports. Add his four Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers to what was arguably his best season, leading the NFL in interceptions with the Oakland Raiders, and you’ve heard only part of the story.

Off the field, Lott is known as a tireless advocate for children. His nonprofit, All Stars Helping Kids, has raised millions of dollars to improve the lives of at-risk young people. Even more, Ronnie is a coach and catalyst for other athletes who have a heart for making their communities a better place.

Keith Potter is an author, faith-coach and inspirational speaker, committed to empowering champions, rejuvenating marriages and revitalizing organizations. After leading and launching non-profit enterprises for twenty-five years, Potter understands the passions, principles and priorities that mobilize people for both goodness and greatness. As the creative force behind the nonprofit The Champion Project, Keith Potter coaches leadership teams and emerging leaders internationally. He is the consummate teacher, catalyst, and friend to influencers in numerous fields.

You can purchase a copy of ‘#SPORTStweet’ online at ThinkAha Books.

*I have received a complimentary copy of #SPORTStweet by the author as this book mention is part of a virtual book tour I am conducting.

A book on my reading list that I have had the pleasure to read is ‘The Power of Less’ .

The Power of Less by Leo Babauta

With being someone whose life does revolve around the internet, I know all to well, the influence the web has on my life and the lives around me. And that is one of the reason why this book interested me. With being so able to connect with people so easily, it is good to find the balance (or at least our own definition of balance) in our lives with living more simple the way it works for us.

About the Book:
With the arrival of the 21st century we have encountered a mental and material explosion in the Western world: we have near-unlimited information at our fingertips, we can have children who are healthy and safe, and we have wealth and possessions beyond what most of the world can dream of. Yet we are more stressed than we have ever been: the majority of us are profoundly unhappy. Though we are surrounded by what we want, our desire to keep and still get more creates a pressure that we cannot tolerate. But the flipside of our society is that we can choose what to accept, and what not to accept: what to keep, and what to lose, joyfully and consciously. With this handbook of simplicity, Leo Babauta shows us why less is powerful, the difference between what you want and what you need, and how to clear out what you don’t.

About the Author:

Leo Babauta is the author of several motivational books and the creator and blogger at Zen Habits, a Top 100 blog with 130,000 subscribers — one of the top productivity and simplicity blogs on the Internet. It was recently named one of the Top 25 blogs by TIME magazine.

Babauta is considered by many to be one of the leading experts on productivity and simplicity, and has also written the top-selling productivity e-book in history: Zen To Done: The Ultimate Simple Productivity System. It has sold thousands of copies and has reached tens of thousands of readers.

Babauta is a former journalist and freelance writer of 18 years, a husband and father of six children, and lives on the island of Guam where he leads a very simple life.

He started Zen Habits to chronicle and share what he’s learned in his life transformation that started in 2005.

*this information was provided by Amazon
*I also received a complimentary copy of this book to offer a book mention/review on Successful Blog. However, my —> (my comments) are mine solely and I was not compensated for these.

You can purchase a copy of ‘The Power of Less’ on Amazon.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

Social Media Book List: Competing for Global Dominance and The New Social Learning

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors to help manage their online book promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting I book that I am working with the author, Jack Katz, author of ‘Competing for Global Dominance’ and the other book I have had on my reading list, ‘The New Social Learning’ by Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner.

The books I discuss in the Social Media Book List Series will cover a range of topics such as social media, marketing, blogging, business, organization, career building, finance, networking, writing, self development and inspiration.

‘Competing for Global Dominance: Survival in a Changing World’

by Jack Katz

competing4globaldomimance-mid

“Jack Katz has the rare ability to look out over the horizon and see the future that is bearing down on all of us. His vision of globalization and the survival of corporations and individuals is startling and compelling
—another outlook for those wishing to compete in global markets.”
Aviad Kamara, President, Israel Operations: Sagent Management
and Founder of HiTechCare

“Jack Katz presents a comprehensive guide for businesses that are either contemplating entering the U.S. market or have already begun the process. In his book he lays out the foundational legal, cultural, and financial strategies for success. Too often foreign businesses do not appreciate how much time and money can be lost without a comprehensive guide like this showing them the way. I highly recommend this book to my clients—both domestic and international.”
Michael Moradzadeh Esq., Rimon Law Group

Here are a few more powerful experts from ‘Competing for Global Dominance’ I would like to share with you:

Page 9 – “Today, thanks tomodern technology, for the first time in human history the world marketplace is open 24/7. The “sun never sets” on the world market. For the entrepreneur, the entire world is now
within reach in ways that weren’t possible a few years ago.”
—> (Teresa Thoughts)So true, the opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, and gain new clients from any part of the world is well within reach in today’s society and being able to be communicate and “compete” is a great skill to have in this market.

Page 11 – “For companies to become successful in their target markets they will need to identify and appreciate the differences of their diverse consumers.”
—>(Teresa Thoughts) Ideal point to make. Knowing your target market and what they need and want is another key ingredient to be successful to all businesses.

Page 43 -To compete with the world’s best companies requires foreign manufacturers to design and produce quality products incorporating the latest in technology with the leanest supply chain and
manufacturing principles. It also means promoting the uniqueness of your product. Vying for recognition against numerous competitors, you need to differentiate yourself by your country or history.
—>(Teresa Thoughts) No matter whether your company is based in the US or in another country, staying on top of the trend, new products and latest technology is key in staying competitive in most industries.

Page 57 – Products become exceptional when a consumer is impressed but they don’t expect to be.
—>(Teresa Thoughts) Perfect point to emphasis—-create a product or service that is not expected. See what is out there and find a way to make it new, updated and/ or better.

About the Book:
‘Competing for Global Dominance’ sets the stage for a new paradigm required for growth of the globalized market in the 21st century and outlines the issues that entrepreneurs and businesses will face as they compete for survival in a world marketplace no longer hindered by time and distance.

As the Silicon Valley success model moves into its adolescence and transforms its methodology more into using social and business networking as demonstrated on web sites of Facebook, YouTube, LinkIn, LinkSV, Twitter, Ecademy where groups of individuals and businesses from around the world can meet, communicate and collaborate together to expand their influence and market share by developing new ways of doing business. But before this can be effectively accomplished, a new approach needs to be established for how to compete, grow and survive in this new globalized environment. Many governments, educational and private organizations have tried to duplicate the success of Silicon Valley with limited degrees of success, most without really understanding the new dynamics of global competition and how to enter new markets.

This book shows the thought leadership from a practitioners viewpoint who works with entrepreneurs and companies from around the world to position them for survival and expansion in the new world of globalization.

About the Author:

Jack S. Katz, is identified as one of the ten top people to know by Technology Decisions Magazine, Jack is noted for his knowledge and delivery of accurate high technology and business solutions that have had a dramatic impact on the bottom line of global companies.

With over three decades of Information Systems Management, Marketing and Business Development experience in such diverse industries as Retail, Healthcare, Financial Services, and Information Technology, Jack is an internationally recognized author, speaker and business technology expert.

Jack co-founded Red Hill Partners International, LLC a premier market-entry company which works with emerging companies to define, develop and expand their products and services worldwide. He has previously held senior level management positions with Cisco Systems, Sun Microsystems, Providian Financial Services, Blue Shield of California, and Safeway, Inc.

You can purchase a copy of ‘#Competing for Global Dominance’ online at ThinkAha Books.
*I have received a complimentary copy of Competing for Global Dominance by the author as this book mention is part of a virtual book tour I am conducting. However, my comments (highlighted by —>) are my own solely and I have not gotten compensated for those.

A book on my reading list that I have had the pleasure to read (a little bit and eager to read more), ‘The New Social Learning’ by Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner.

The New Social Learning

by Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner

Here are a few gems I found within this insightful book on social media:

This book starts off with The New Social Learning Playground Rules (here are just a few rules):

1) No loitering in the playground areas. The value is in participation and engagement.
—> SO TRUE! Value comes in with social media with two areas—participation (you must be a part of the networks you are a part of or be sure you are adding value to the conversations)

2) The playground is for people of all ages.
–>Yes, within the social network you can be 20 or 80..and you can enjoy the wonderful benefits of being a part of the conversations and connections.

3) Only people interested in having influence are allowed on the premises.
—> It is good to remember when you are involved in social media, to remember you are there to engage, inspire and support others.

Another gem (page 38)—
“Because online communities are not constrained by the need for anyone’s physical presence, we have greater flexibility with our ability to join, learn, and congregate with people who have similar interests no matter their location.”
—>To me this is the great GLORY of social media!

Another helpful nugget (page 81)
“For busy people who need to find ways to manage their attention stream, micro sharing seems just little enough to not seem like a burden. It’s akin to writing a paper or a blog without the time commitment. It’s sufficiently lightweight to fit into the spaces between the critical work people do.”
—>Yes, I agree that micro blogging, such as Twitter, allows people to share their expertise with people in small bits, however, I do feel that it is a piece in between where blogging and marketing goes.

Additional tidbit (page 110)
“To support keeping information current, create systems that support updates and contributions from many people who are affected or who have additional perspectives–where the group can capture, organize, share and use it’s emerging and dynamic knowledge.”
—> Share, share and share—-offer tips, ideas and support to others by using social media tools that can help you get the message out there. (i.e. I use HootSuite to organize my social media accounts).

About the Book:
Most business books on social media have focused exclusively on using it as a marketing tool. Many employers see it as simply a workplace distraction. But social media has the potential to revolutionize workplace learning. People have always learned best from one another—social media enables this to happen unrestricted by physical location and in all kinds of extraordinarily creative ways. The New Social Learning is the most authoritative guide available to leveraging these powerful new technologies.

Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner explain why social media is the ideal solution to some of the most pressing educational challenges organizations face today, such as a widely dispersed workforce and striking differences in learning styles, particularly across genera-tions. They definitively answer common objections to using social media as a training tool and show how to win over even the most resistant employees. Then, using examples from a wide range of organizations—including Deloitte & Touche, IBM, TELUS, and even the CIA—Bingham and Conner help readers sort through the dizzying array of technological options available and decide when and how to use each one to achieve key strategic goals.

Social media technologies—everything from 140-character “microsharing” messages to media-rich online communities to complete virtual environments and more—enable people to connect, collaborate, and innovate on levels never before dreamed of. They make learning dramatically more dynamic, stimulating, enjoyable, and effective. This greatly anticipated book helps organizations create a contemporary learning strategy that is as timely as it is transformative.

About the Author(s):

Tony Bingham is President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), the world’s largest professional association dedicated to the training and development field. ASTD is focused on helping members lead talent management, build their business skills, understand the impact of social media on informal learning, close skills gaps, and connect their work to the strategic priorities of business.

Marcia Conner Partner with Altimeter Group, works with leaders every day to bridge the gap between the promise of collaborative technologies and the practice of putting them into action. She aligns digital strategy with corporate culture, engaging people and invigorating the value chain across an organization. Former Vice President and Information Futurist at PeopleSoft and Worldwide Manager at Microsoft, she now advises corporations, writes the popular Fast Company column “Learn at All Levels,” and is a Fellow at the Darden School of Business. Follow her on Twitter @marciamarcia.
*this information was provided by Amazon
*I also received a complimentary copy of this book to offer a book mention/review on Successful Blog. However, my —> (my comments) are mine solely and I was not compensated for these.

You can purchase a copy of ‘The New Social Learning’on Amazon.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

Social Media Book List: #COACHINGtweet and Twitter for Dummies

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors to help manage their online book promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting one book written by an author I am working with “#COACHINGtweet’ by Sterling Lanier and the other book I have on my reading list, ‘Twitter for Dummies’ by Laura Fitton, Michael Gruen and Leslie Poston. The books I discuss in the Social Media Book List Series will cover a range of topics such as social media, marketing, blogging, business, organization, career building, networking, writing, self development and inspiration.

‘#COACHINGtweet: 140 Bite Sized Insights on making a difference through coaching’

by Sterling Lanier

#COACHINGtweet by Sterling Lanier

“When you have strong passion for “WHY,” “HOW” emerges clearly from the shadows.”

Now this was stated in the book under a label called, Being a Coach, even before the first tweet…and you know, it is so true. Think about it…if there is a positive reason why you wish to do something, the next thing that pops into your head will be, how will I do it?

Here are a few more powerful tweets from ‘#COACHINGtweet’ I would like to share with you:

#4 A great coach has a huge heart, enormous ears, and a tiny mouth.
—>I love this because it is so true and it goes right along with the next week I highlighted.

#14 Listen like you want to be listened to.
—> This can be easier stated than done, right? However, it can make such a difference in your life with those around you.

#28 “Neuroscientists tell us that people do not resist change. They resist what they perceive as a threat to what they know.”
—–>I agree with this as well. I am currently struggling with a deadline my publisher has set for me to write my book in about 3 months. Now, I asked myself, why do you wish to do this? I wish to write the book because I believe it will help other people. So then the how comes up. And I have questioned if I should attempt to do this because it is a change for me. But I can do it if I just put my mind to it and get it doen. However, the fear comes into places because I am fearing what I don’t know….can I really do it? Sure I can. I just don’t need to focus on the fear of not getting it done. Just focus on the getting it done.

#48 Wake up. Dress up. Show up.
—>You have already started a great day. So don’t allow it to go to waste by not doing anything. Get dressed and show up to your day.

About the Book:
Mentor…teacher…guide…friend…a coach is all of these, and more. Sterling Lanier, author of ‘#COACHING tweet’, has decades of experience coaching CEOs and CEOs-in-the-wings, and knows that coaching is no secret or magical process. Rather it is the art of inspiring, encouraging and motivating people through active listening, by asking thoughtful and thought-provoking questions and helping to set ambitious but realistic goals and action plans. It is a journey of self discovery, as much for the coach as for the person being coached.

In the corporate world, a typical ‘coaching’ session consists of an annual manager or supervisor soliloquy in which the employee receives ‘a mound of criticism sandwiched between two thin slices of praise.’ Instead, as Sterling shares with us, coaching should consist of a series of frequent dialogs between employee and manager on the employee’s goals, action plans, measurement milestones, alignment to corporate direction, and resources needed for improvement.

In ‘#COACHING tweet’, Sterling has distilled his practical experience into bite-sized insights on the power, practices and sheer joy of coaching. Individual sections cover coaching philosophy–coaching from the heart and being fully present in the moment–and coaching practices, which reveal the tools of the trade, including such subtleties as ensuring non-judgmental listening and peeling back the layers so that clients voice the hidden issues.

About the Author:
Sterling Lanier is a CEO Group Chair for Vistage International, the world’s leading CEO membership
organization. He helps CEOs become better leaders, make better decisions, and achieve better results through leading monthly meetings, peer group interactions, individual coaching sessions, and expert speaker workshops. Sterling has more than thirty years of CEO leadership and management accomplishments in specialty retailing, manufacturing, software, and fi nancial services. Sterling became a Vistage Chair in 2000 and leads three Vistage groups. Sterling is the author of ‘Eating Your Way Through Tuscany & Umbria’ and ‘Storie Italiane: A Student Reader with Parallel English Text.’

You can purchase a copy of ‘#COACHINGtweet’ online at ThinkAha Books.
*I have received a complimentary copy of #COACHINGtweet by the author as this book mention is part of a virtual book tour I am conducting. However, my comments (highlighted by —>) are my own solely and I have not gotten compensated for those.

A book on my reading list that I have not had the pleasure to read yet is, ‘Twitter for Dummies’ by Laura Fitton, Michael Gruen and Leslie Poston.

Twitter for Dummies

by Laura Fitton, Michael Gruen and Leslie Poston

About the Book:

A fully updated guide to the how and why of using Twitter

The fastest-growing social network utility sports new features, and they’re all covered in this how-to guide from a leading Twitter marketing consultant. Nearly 20 million people are tweeting on Twitter, and this book shows you how to join them and why you should. You’ll learn the nuts and bolts of using Twitter, how to make good connections, and how it can benefit your life and your business.

* Twitter is the fastest-growing of the social networking tools; this book gets you up to speed on the basics as well as how Twitter can enrich your life and boost your business
* Explains how to sign up, find friends and people you want to follow, make the most of shortcuts, use popular Twitter tools, and Twitter on the go
* Discusses how Twitter can be used for business, fundraising, and maintaining contact with people who share common goals

About the Author(s):

Laura Fitton: Laura “@Pistachio” Fitton is leading the charge of sussing out intelligent and productive business uses of emergent technologies like Twitter, where she is read by thousands of community members. The fi rst to publish a white paper on “Enterprise Microsharing” (popularly called “Internal Twitter”), she also writes for and runs the TouchBase blog and is an early beta tester of Seesmic and Qik. She relaunched Pistachio Consulting in September 2008 to connect businesses to new ideas and innovations using all the tools of microsharing. Pistachio comprises the TouchBase blog (covering business use of microsharing), the TouchBase Link Blog (stream of Twitter and microsharing articles for businesspeople, wherever they are published), and serves clients like Johnson & Johnson, Ford Motor Corporation, PeopleBrowsr, The Sister Project, Transplant-1, and CommuNteligence.

Michael E. Gruen: Michael E. Gruen has earned signifi cant respect in the corporate sphere and within the startup community as a trusted advisor since 2003. In many cases, he has fulfi lled the role of interim Chief Operations/Chief Technical Officer with several organizations in need of innovative leadership during crucial developmental periods. In 2006–2007, Michael briefl y joined Morgan Stanley as an Analyst. Currently, Michael is CFO/COO at NOM, a Digital Services Agency, and the CEO of a new healthcare startup.

Leslie Poston: Leslie Poston is passionate about helping people and businesses fi nd their way to success via technology. As a writer, she has more than 200 ebooks and books in her repertoire and several more in development.
*this information was provided by Amazon

You can purchase a copy of ‘Twitter for Dummies’ online at Amazon website.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

Social Media & Blogging: Panel Discussion (Part 2)

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors to help manage their online book promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (and I love to read anyway!). I am here to offer a weekly post about one book author I am working with and one book I have put on my reading list.

I am mixing things up (again! – you can read part 1 of panel discussion on blogging and social media) for my weekly blog post at Successful Blog. I thought I would ask a few of the authors I have highlighted to offer their strategies and tips regarding blogging and social media.

Panel Discussion about Blogging and Social Media

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The panel consists of the following people:

Himanshu Jhamb thrives on challenges in Software Project Management and has successfully led global teams in industries ranging from Telecommunications to eCommerce. Himanshu is Senior Project Manager for Atypon Systems and co-founder of Active Garage, where he frequently writes about Projects and Project Management. He is also the co-author of #PROJECTMANAGEMENTtweet with Guy Ralfe.

Delandy Kirk, Ph.D., SPHR is a Professor of Management with 27 years experience in teaching Employment Law, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, Managing Diversity, and Operations Management. She has conducted teaching workshops at numerous academic conferences and schools including Columbia University, Duke University, University of Washington, University of Arkansas-Ft Smith, Graceland University, and Metropolitan Community College. She was the featured expert for the Chronicle of Higher Education’s online chat on classroom management on September 15, 2004, and has earned the prestigious Drake University Board of Governor’s “Excellence in Teaching” Award. Her book, Taking Back the Classroom: Tips for the College Professor on Becoming a More Effective Teacher, was re-released by Tiberius Publications in October 2008.

Janet Fouts is a social media coach, teacher and speaker. She helps individuals and corporations understand how to use social media tools and work efficiently in this emerging field, and conducts in house and virtual training sessions on social media tools and strategy.
Janet has been working with small businesses to develop their on-line presence and working with online community for 13 years. She is partner in the award winning web design and development firm Tatu Digital Media. She freely shares her knowledge on several social media platforms including her blog at JanetFouts.com. She is the author of Social Media Success and co-author of Social Media Non-Profit Tweetby publisher Happy About.

Tim Tostaa partner at Luce Forward, is recognized as one of California’s leading land use and environmental attorneys. He also is a cancer survivor, a seasoned hospice volunteer, an evocative lecturer and writer, and a certified Integral Coach, guiding executives in the legal profession and the business community to live purposeful, balanced, thriving lives.
Tim is the author of #DEATHtweet and the highly acclaimed lecture series, “Lessons for the Living,” and the emotionally compelling hospice writings, ‘Putting Things in Perspective – Stories from a Hospice Volunteer.’ Tim has a JD from UC Berkeley School of Law and a BA from Princeton University. His Twitter handle is @TTosta.

Let’s Start the Discussion


How long have you been blogging?

Himanshu – 18 months

Janet – I’ve been blogging since 1996. Back then they weren’t blogs of course but hand coded pages. We basically modified guest book scripts and had to build a new page for every post. We were THRILLED when Blogger came out!

Delaney – 4 and ½ years

Tim – I started blogging in earnest in the Spring of this year at CoachingCounsel.com/blog. Although I am a full-time practicing Land Use and Environmental attorney, I became a certified Integral Coach about 18 months ago. I launched the CoachingCounsel.com website concurrent with the publication of my book #DEATHtweet – A Well Lived Life Through 140 Perspectives on Death and Its Teachings.

What subjects do you cover with your blog?

Himanshu -Project Management & Leadership

Janet – I blog on a lot of topics on my blogs. the principal blogs are on social media but I also blog on wine, food, local news and events and green technology and the environment.

Delaney – Teaching tips for college professors including classroom management and the use of educational technology as a pedagogical tool.

Tim– I came upon Integral Coaching from my own work with a coach, as well as my experience as a hospice volunteer at San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital, where I serve the City’s indigent population at the end of life. The hospice experience also led to the authoring of #DEATHtweet. At its core, I blog to help people to relieve their suffering. Topics have included discovering your life’s purpose, leading a balanced life, finding happiness, finding awareness through meditation and the like. I blog at least twice a week. I provide exercises and practices to assist people on their journeys of inquiry. I use references to literature, poetry, music and the arts to engage my readers.

Why do you blog?

Himanshu – Whenever I notice something that will provide VALUE to others when faced with similar situations, I blog. Blogging on project management is for readers to GAIN from my mistakes and experience in Project Management (I share these also in the form of tweets in the book)

Janet – Because I’ve got a lot of opinions and I like to teach and communicate with other people on these various topics. I LOVE the whole idea of community online.

Delaney – I enjoy mentoring other instructors and sharing what I have learned in my 28 years of teaching.

Tim – Blogging reminds me of how we used to engage one another through written correspondence. In blogging, I convey information with informality and an open heart, making it easy for my message to be truly heard. Blogging allows me to get relatively immediate feedback on whether or not my messages are making a connection with my readers. To the extent that I receive feedback, I adjust my posts to more meaningfully serve my readers.


What is the one blogging tip you have to share with others?

Himanshu – Be Authentic. Do not blog for the sake of blogging. The blog post needs to be VALUABLE to others. For instance, my blog (www.activegarage.com) is positioned around VALUE to the reader … because all Authors are hand-picked accomplished practitioners of business.
Do not self-promote yourself in your blogs. That, in fact, is one of the requirements we make off new authors, when they begin writing on Active garage.

Janet – Think about your audience. What do they want to talk about? You can get a good idea of what they want by looking at the comments and what posts are most popular, but you can also just ASK. Why are they here? What do they want to talk about?

Be opinionated. That’s where the conversation part comes in. 

Don’t forget to leave room for discussion. If you say all there is to say you don’t leave room for anybody else’s opinion. 

Delaney – Don’t give up because you feel you are talking to yourself. There will be many people who will read your blog and never comment. That doesn’t mean they aren’t interested or benefiting from your expertise. I will sometimes get an email from someone asking me a question and always they start off by telling me they have been reading my blog for years.

 
Tim – Know your overall intention for your blog, but hold that intention lightly. I generally know the direction of the posts that I will create for many months in advance. But I am flexible in taking a new direction, if an opportunity arises. I have a map. But, I know it’s not the territory.
 
When I write a blog post, I usually either dictate it to tape for transcription or use voice transcription software. Those technologies keep my posts conversational. I find that when I write at the keyboard, my “editor/critic” always rests on my shoulder, blocking the relaxed, informal tone I want to convey.

How long have you been using social media (twitter, facebook, linkedin) for your business?

Himanshu -18 months

Janet – I built my first online community in 1994. Twitter and Facebook and what people now call social media? 2-3 years.

Delaney – Twitter and Facebook for over two years; Linkedin even longer I think.

Tim – I have been on Linkedin for almost two years. I use Linkedin to bring awareness to my law practice. Facebook, which I have been using for about the same time, is more informal but contains most of my coaching content. I have established a separate Facebook page for the book, #DEATHtweet. Twitter is my vehicle for communicating about my book #DEATHtweet and other books currently in the works.


When it comes to social media— do you prefer one platform over the others? (Faceook, Twitter or LinkedIn)

Himanshu – This is a very generic question. Each social media platform is different – it all depends on the criteria of comparison. For example, Facebook is more personal than twitter and requires a higher degree of trust whereas twitter has a larger reach than facebook. LinkedIn is more suited towards professionals in jobs.

Janet -Twitter is my favorite because it’s so rich in information. I also get most of my business from Twitter or my blog. I rank pretty high in Google for “Social Media Coach” and I’ve worked hard to keep that brand alive with social media.

Delaney – I really like Twitter. It’s a great way to build a network of professionals to share information, tips, links to articles, etc. I met Teresa Morrow through Twitter and have recommended her services to several new and aspiring authors I know.

Tim – Each social media platform offers its own distinct advantages. Linkedin serves my law practice well because it is more of a broadcast mechanism. Facebook, with its interactivity, is well suited for the coaching. Twitter inspired the #THINKaha! brand for Happy About Books. #DEATHtweet is a book in that series. My book was “designed” for tweeting.

What is one social media tip you have to share with others?

Himanshu – Again, be authentic. The more authentically you share, the more social-media love you will get back.

Remember… Give first… and you will get, then.

Janet – Every day pick a different connection or two and reach out to them. How can you help them? Read what they’re writing about and talk to them.
NEVER send automated DM’s. It’s just bad practice.
Start with 1-2 networks or tools at a time. If you try to learn them all at once you will flail around until you drown, exhausted. 
Join SocialMediaCoachingCenter.com and read Social Media Success!
Social media is all about the other guy. It’s not about you. Find ways to help other people and they will reciprocate.

Delaney – Be patient. You don’t create a network overnight. Think of it as a cocktail party-you wouldn’t go to a social event and immediately try to sell your product to someone you just met. Instead take your time, get to know others with similar interests, share information, and build trust and credibility.

Tim –
Each social media platform offers you a different way to present yourself. The culture of the platform shapes your audience and your message. Figure out the rules of each game to determine how that platform best serves you and use it accordingly.
 
Use of social media requires some study and a certain degree of discipline. But in order to be effective, you have to find a way to make it fun. Otherwise, you will make yourself crazy. I even take social media “vacations” periodically to recharge my engines, gather new ideas and seek inspiration. Sure, people will miss you. But coming back with fresh content reconnects you very quickly.

Thank you Himanshu, Delaney, Janet and Tim for contributing your valuable ideas and tips for the readers!

So, now it is your turn…share your answers to these questions about blogging and social media.

Social Media Book List: A few Amazon Business Best Sellers

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors to help manage their online book promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting 3 books on the Amazon best seller category in business and investing;‘Strengths Finder 2.0’ by Tom Rath and ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen R. Covey. The books I discuss will cover a range of topics such as social media, marketing, blogging, business, organization, career building, networking, writing, self development and inspiration.

‘Strengths Finder 2.0’

Strengths Finder by Tom Rath

“Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?”
— Benjamin Franklin

This is a book on my reading list that I have not had the pleasure to read yet however, I agree wholeheartedly with the focus of Tom Rath’s book, StrengthFinder 2.0. If your strengths are hidden and not fully brought to the forefront, it is like you are being put in the shade and not brought to the light. When your strengths are displayed and actively seen, you are happier, and more productive in your work and relationships.

About the Book:

Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?

Chances are, you don’t. All too often, our natural talents go untapped. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths.

To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in 2001 which ignited a global conversation and helped millions to discover their top five talents.

In its latest national bestseller, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular assessment, language of 34 themes, and much more (see below for details). While you can read this book in one sitting, you’ll use it as a reference for decades.

Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this new book and accompanying website will change the way you look at yourself — and the world around you — forever.

About the Author:

Tom Rath is a leading business thinker and one of the bestselling authors of the last decade. His first book, How Full Is Your Bucket?, was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Rath’s book, StrengthsFinder 2.0, is a long-running #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller. His most recent New York Times bestsellers are Strengths Based Leadership, published in 2009, and Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements, published in 2010. Rath’s books have sold millions of copies and have made more than 100 appearances on The Wall Street Journal bestseller list.

Rath currently leads Gallup’s workplace consulting business. In this role, he guides the organization’s practices and research on employee engagement, selection, strengths-based development, leadership, and wellbeing.

Rath also serves on the board of VHL.org, an organization dedicated to cancer research and patient support. He earned degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania. Tom and his wife, Ashley, and their daughter, Harper, live in Washington, D.C.

You can purchase a copy of ‘Strengths Finder 2.0’ online at ThinkAha Books or Amazon or on the Gallup website.

‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen R. Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Another book to highlight on my reading list–‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’.

I have read this book but it has been quite a few years so it is time to revisit this book and its lessons.

When I worked in corporate, I was lucky enough to be sent to a Franklin Covey seminar where I was given a copy of this book and a Covey business planner. And the reason why this book still remains on the best sellers list on Amazon is (I believe) because it holds solid advice for entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders and managers.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are:

1 – Be Proactive
Teresa Tidbit – So true! It doesn’t help you when things are wrong or off to sit down and not do anything. Begin to put in motion those things you wish and want to happen. Think about how you can make things happen.

2. Begin with the end in mind
Teresa Tidbit – When I read this it reminded me of something my daughter did a few summers ago while swimming in the pool. She was trying to see if she could swim to the other side without having to take a breath in between. The first couple of times she had to stop and lift her head up before she reached the edge. She paused and took a couple of deep breathes and she went again. This time she did it and as she stopped to catch her breath, she said, “Mom, you know how I did it? I just keep thinking about the edge of the pool on the other side and kept going.”

3. Put First Things First
Teresa Tidbit – This is about becoming organized. When you don’t know where things are that you need, you spend more time trying to find it, then doing the work. Find what organizational tools work for you and use them.

4. Think Win/Win
Teresa Tidbit – This habit hits the mark around what social media, blogging, and relationship building is all about today. As you are building your community, network or “tribe”, you want to create win/win relationships.

5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood
Teresa Tidbit – Another great habit—especially regarding networking. When you go into a new relationship or connection, you want to start with being a listener not the talker. You want to be the giver, not the taker.

6. Synergize
Teresa Tidbit -This is about the levels of communication, another key to creating a solid business and personal life. You may not always agree or get along with your colleagues, friends or even your clients, but finding the synergy in the communication will help your relationships go much smoother.

7. Sharpen the Saw
Teresa Tidbit – Commit, Learn and Do. And this is in different aspects of your life—-mental, physical and spiritual. Take the time to do things that sharpen your mind, body and spirit. You may think these things aren’t important, however, when you don’t take the time, you will see how it affects your life.

About the book:

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity–principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates. *from back cover

About Stephen R. Covey:
Stephen R. Covey is a renowned authority on leadership, a family expert, teacher, organizational consultant, and vice chairman of FranklinCovey Co. The author of several acclaimed books, he has also received numerous honors and awards, including being named one of Time magazine’s twenty-five most influential Americans. Covey lives with his wife, Sandra, and their family in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.

You can purchase a copy of ‘Amazon.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them. *I have not received either of these books from the authors. These reviews and opinions are mine and I have not been compensated for the reviews.

SOCIAL MEDIA Book List: #TEAMWORKtweet and Corporate Blogging for Dummies

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors to help manage their online book promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (and I love to read anyway!). I am here to offer a weekly post about one book author I am working with and one book I have put on my reading list. This week I will be highlighting ‘#TEAMWORKtweet’ by Caroline G. Nicholl and ‘Corporate Blogging for Dummies’ by Chantelle Flannery and Douglas Karr. The books I discuss will cover a range of topics such as social media, marketing, blogging, business, organization, career building, networking, writing, self development and inspiration.

‘#TEAMWORKtweet: 140 Powerful Bite Sized Insights on lessons for leading teams to success’

TEAMWORKtweet

“Caroline’s work on teams is highly relevant, particularly in a tough economy: her insightful work with one of our divisional teams surfaced issues that clarifi ed exactly the priorities the team needed to address to increase its performance in a way that the team could hear. The team quickly got motivated to action.
Caroline’s approach is practical, sensitive and to the point, precipitating rapid learning and improvement.”
~Jay Reid, Senior Vice President, Labor Ready Inc.

Here are a few tweets to share from #TEAMWORKtweet:

#4 Teams are as old as the hills but we need a new understanding of their power. Solutions need acceleration that only teamwork delivers.

#7 Many teams are besieged by under performance, stress and underachievement: the current cost is huge;
the lost opportunity unfathomable.

#13 A common definition of a team is ‘two or more people working together to achieve a common purpose
no single person can achieve alone.’

#26 Teams share information, knowledge and perspectives that minimize blind spots, errors, the impractical, waste and endless daydreaming.

About the Author:

After a hugely successful career in law enforcement spanning two continents, Caroline Nicholl launched her Organizational Development and Coaching consulting company, Blue Apricot Solutions, so that corporate America too could benefit from the lessons learnt in law enforcement.

At Blue Apricot, Caroline works with industry leaders to root out the dysfunction and ineffectiveness found in teams, both in public and private organizations. She firmly believes that, central to individual, organizational and world success in the 21st century is building high-performing teams.

Caroline serves as Adjunct Faculty for the Organizational Development Program at the University of Georgetown and as Chair Facilitator of two groups of chief executives for Vistage International, the world’s largest CEO membership organization. To benefit from Caroline’s never-in-the-box vision, visit Blue Apricot Solutions.

You can purchase a copy of ‘TEAMWORKtweet’ online at ThinkAha Books or at Amazon.

This blog post is part of a virtual book tour done by Key Business Partners, LLC and I have received a complimentary copy of ‘#TEAMWORKtweet’ by the author.

‘Corporate Blogging for Dummies’ by Chantelle Flannery and Douglas Karr

Now I would like to highlight a book on my “review” reading list–‘Corporate Blogging for Dummies’
I have to say that the “for Dummies” books are one of those staples in any business environment, whether you are a entrepreneur or employee of a big company. And ‘Corporate Blogging for Dummies’ is no exception.

As I picked up the book to look through the pages I found myself finding great chunks of information about blogging, social media, and search engine optimization that will help anyone with a blog (not just those in corporations). If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner, you will find valuable blogging information in this book too.

Chantelle and Doug have done a nice job of categorizing the information in a way that is easy to read and you will be able to take action on your blogging right away.

‘Corporate Blogging for Dummies’ takes the reader from thinking about your blogging goals, to choosing a blogging platform, to optimizing your blog to marketing your blog, and even how to measure your blogging statistics.

About the book:

Corporate blogs require careful planning and attention to legal and corporate policies in order for them to be productive and effective. This fun, friendly, and practical guide walks you through using blogging as a first line of communication to customers and explains how to protect your company and employees through privacy, disclosure, and moderation policies.

Blogging guru Douglas Karr demonstrates how blogs are an ideal way to offer a conversational and approachable relationship with customers. You’ll discover how to prepare, execute, establish, and promote a corporate blogging strategy so that you can reap the rewards that corporate blogging offers.

* Shares best practices of corporate blogging, including tricks of the trade, what works, and traps to avoid
* Walks you through preparing a corporate blog, establishing a strategy, promoting that blog, and measuring its success
* Reviews the legalities involved with a corporate blog, such as disclaimers, terms of service, comment policies, libel and defamation, and more
* Features examples of successful blogging programs throughout the book

Corporate Blogging For Dummies shows you how to establish a corporate blog in a safe, friendly, and successful manner.
*courtesy of Amazon

About Chantelle and Douglas:

Douglas Karr is the President and CEO of DK New Media. He runs the Marketing and Technology Blog.

Chantelle Flannery works at a social media agency focusing on strategy, client relationships, and production management. Chantelle blogs at Her Take on Marketing.

You can purchase a copy of ‘Corporate Blogging for Dummies’ on Amazon.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.
*I have also received a complimentary copy of ‘Corporate Blogging for Dummies’ from the authors.