Outside the Box Archives - Page 14 of 31

One 12-Step Process Model . . . So Many Uses

January 22, 2007 by Liz

What Process Is it?

This is so cool. I was thinking about the processes I follow this weekend. I figured out something you probably already know. The process I outlined in the post called One 12-Step Process . . . What Process Is This? is all of these:

The writing process as we teach it in school.
A great process for testing a concept.
A process to build a brand yourself or your business.
A process to follow for planning a career path or writing a business.

I didn’t realize how these endeavors were in so many ways alike.

It’s amazing what one process model can do.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
If you think I can help with your writing or your business, check out the Perfect Virtual Manager on the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

One 12-Step Process . . . What Process Is This?

January 22, 2007 by Liz

Complex Activities Need Process

When we use a process to structure our thinking, we provide strategy with a safety net. Here’s one 12-step process. Can you name the effort, action, or project that it describes?

Find your big idea — one that uniquely fits you.
Narrow your focus so that you can be more effective.
Organize your thoughts.
Make a plan.
Ask for feedback from folks with more experience.
Adjust your plan in response, as you see fit.
Execute your plan. Let the word out.
Celebrate your accomplishment.
Listen for feedback from folks who find out.
Use the feedback to make more revisions.
Spread the word about the new and improved version.
Celebrate again, but keep testing, listening for feedback, and adjusting. Know that you’ll never be fully finished.

It goes without saying that you can’t develop my plan, and I can’t develop yours.

What process is this? Did I miss any critical steps?

–Me “Liz” Strauss
If you think I can help with your writing or your business, check out the Perfect Virtual Manager on the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Ideas? 20 Questions to Kickstart New Thoughts

January 20, 2007 by Liz

(Updated in 2020)

Get Curious – Ask 20 Questions

What are you thinking right now? Are you thinking about your answer to that question?

We’re good at answering questions. We learn that in school. Sometimes we get so busy preparing our answers that we miss what’s going on around us.

10 Questions to Kickstart New Thoughts

Imagine you just landed on this planet. You’d have a passel of questions and a totally beginner’s view. The key is not to fix things, but to find new reactions to what you encounter.

Take that beginner’s view. Get curious. React and respond to what you encounter. Ask questions about everything and the ideas start showing up. Start with these 20 questions to kickstart new thoughts.

What do you see what you look at me? What do you see when you look at yourself?
What do you hear when you listen to all of the sounds around you?
What is it that everyone wants to know, but is afraid to ask? What are the silly things we don’t tell people that they should know?
What do we do that is touching or ridiculous?
What do we take for granted that seems to have no logic?
What would you do if you had only one day to spend here?
What of our ordinary buildings, machines, and gadgets would stymie and fascinate you?
What about our planet would amaze you?
What about humanity would inspire you?
If you had a conversation with yourself, what would you talk about?

The ideas are waiting in the details. Twist your view; add a dash of imagination; and take a look.

10 More . . .

I have 10 more questions. They’re all about you.

Do you do stuff like keep your ketchup bottle upside down or choose songs based on what others are listening to online?
Do you find money that you forgot about in a jacket pocket?
Do you get nervous when a boss starts a friendly conversation for no apparent reason?
Do you know a story that people ask you to tell over and over?
Do you wonder what else you might have done with all of the time that you’ve been blogging?
Do you know the most important thing you’ve learned?
Do you know what gadget you would invent if you could?
Do you have a secret for dealing with folks who cause stress wherever they go?
Do you know what you want to be if you grow up? Will you share an idea or two?
Do you wonder what it’s like to be me the way I wonder what it’s like to be you?

If you answered “yes” to any of those, and you decide to write a post, I’d read your answer. I bet that lots of folks would.

Remember react and respond to what you encounter. Ask questions about everything and the ideas start showing up.

Be irresistible.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

Photo by Zach Lucero on Unsplash

Some Conclusions About Stats . . .

January 17, 2007 by Liz

Stats and Analytics . . .

This week on Tuesday Open Comments Night we talked about crazy stats, spikes, keyphrases, trends, ratios, traffic, backlinks, pageranks, SERPs, splog sites, algorithyms, RSS subscribers, patterns, plugins, goals, and search terms.

There was also mention of weather, grammar, punctuation, spelling, Mark Twain, Ferraris, a story in six words, full moons, reading tea leaves, gypsies, movies, The View, 24 Hours, Z-list meme, Alice in Wonderland, MyBlogLog meme, weird statistical stuff, workloads of small-business owners, and The Long Tail.

We shared hellos, grins, jokes, laughs, congratulations, poetry, advice, questions, recommendations, addictions (to stats), and goodnights. There was even something about measuring traffic and feet? (I didn’t see any food though.)

Anyway, a thought is that blogging for stats is not the answer. Writing about your passion is.

Sounds like many people use more than one tool to measure stats. Here are some of the tools and sites we mentioned that you may want to check out:

103bees
Alexa
Amibook
Askimet
Awstats
blo.gs
Blogbeat
Crazy Egg
Digg
EasyTask Manager
Feedburner
Google Analytics
Google Pagerank
Google Sitemap
gVisit
Habari
HitTail
Inc.com
Mapstats
Mint
Moveable Type
MyBlogLog
MySpace
Performancing
pingomatic.com
ReviewMe
Shortstat
SiteMeter
Squidoo
StatCounter
StumbleUpon
SuperStats
Technorati
Text-link-ads
The Blogging Times
Tracksy
Typepad
weblogs.com
WordPress

Here’s some of the links that were shared:

Thanks for the cool links and for being part of the conversation. I wish I could quote you all, but I know you have an idea of how much time it takes to make that long link summary happen each week. I hate to let it go, but I thought you’d understand.

So, for 2007, we’ll just tell the story and share the links that you bring. You can always read the comments – they’re all there.

After all, how DO YOU explain Open Comment Night, if you’ve never experienced it?

See you next Tuesday? I sure hope so.
–ME “Liz” Strauss and Sandy Renshaw

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

The Mic Is On: Are We Stat Crazy or Analytical?

January 16, 2007 by Liz

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

Do You Get the Big Picture?

We might also talk about

Who does our counting for us?
our weird behaviors
how we figure them out
Whatever else comes up

including THE EVER POPULAR,
Basil the code-writing donkey.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: We’re Crazy about Stats!

January 16, 2007 by Liz

Yes the Mic Will Be on Tonight

The Topic is: Stats, Metrics, Analytics

We might talk about who does our counting for us, our weird behaviors, how we figure them out, and whatever else comes up.

The rules are simple — be nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?