Successful Blog

5 Things We Learned Blogging in College — When No One Even Knew They Were Talking About It

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A Guest Post by Holly McCarthy

The blogging phenomenon has been growing exponentially over the last several years and has become one of the primary modes of information dissemination in the process. Besides information, people are able to analyze, express opinions, and target specific audiences with which to share their thoughts and feelings.

There are many people out there who have been blogging for far longer than you might think. Many things we consider standards of blogging seemed to have developed out of the ether, so to speak, but they started with these first pioneers of the blogosphere. The thing is, most bloggers did these things and helped to pave the way without even doing it consciously.

Some things we learned blogging in college, when no one even knew they were talking about it:

  • Voice
    The importance of voice in writing is something we learn along the way as writers. It distinguishes us from the others and demonstrates our ability to express ourselves. In some cases, blogs have adopted a unified voice that gives them both authority and credibility, while in others the uniqueness shines through. In both cases, the voice of the author is important and relevant to readers.
  • Relevancy
    As blogging started to grow, young bloggers realized that you had to keep things relevant in order to attract readers. What is the point of writing and putting yourself out there if nobody is reading what you have to say? Common sense dictated that if you wanted to be read, you had to write about what was going on. This helped in the development of niche blogging.
  • Carving out your niche
    Niche blogging came about as a response to demands from the readership. As blogs became more prevalent, the need to get more specific began to arise. Your blog couldn’t just talk about anything and everything; you risked losing your readers if you didn’t maintain some sort of focus. Finding and developing a niche was simply a natural progression toward the blogosphere we now know.
  • Networking
    Another thing that happened along the way was the realization of the importance of networking. Long before all of the social networking and Web 2.0 developments, people had to promote themselves, and this involved developing a network of people with which you shared your posts. Emails were the preferred mode of dissemination, and we tried hard to get our content read. It was the only way to make sure that what we were doing was getting read — and it allowed for feedback as well.
  • Determination
    In the beginning, all things are a labor of love. With goals in mind and finding new and improved ways to get things written and published, the blogosphere has grown to its current incarnation. The determination of those who’ve worked so hard over the years has paid off, and we are now able to write, publish, develop content, and spread the word with more ease than ever.

We learned standards and quality goals just by doing it. Go figure.

Holly McCarthy writes on the subject of continuing education online. You can reach her at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com

Thanks, Holly!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

YES WE DO! How Will You Begin?

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Hope They Do Too

Last night at Open Comments we were sharing quotes. I came across one I like so much I posted it on Twitter as well. This is it.

Everywhere I go I find a poet has been there before me.
–Sigmund Freud

RobynMcMaster responded by sending me this: @lizstrauss You said “Everywhere I go I find a poet has been there before me.” It gave impression you were inspired to write poem.

and so for Robyn, for Lucretia Pruitt, who surely would have written far better sonnet had she chosen to, and for all of us, I did.

YES WE DO!
When, in wonder of new life in my arms,
I looked upon my sleeping son,
And called angels down to keep this heart unharmed
To hold him whole, what fate might come.
Passing time finds a boy to his full height
Earth-tied like me, his world light years from mine.
Far from my mom’s eyes on me at night
Audacious hope harbored also in her mind.
When I think upon changes in that short span
I forgive the broken promises and loved lost prizes
And hear a two-year-old’s “YES I CAN!”
From White Houses to world spaces of all sizes

The awe of “YES, WE CAN!” is “YES, WE DO!”
Hope lives in places where they love their children too.

–E Strauss 01-21-09

Success requires work to realize that hope.

How will you begin?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

The Mic Is On: We're Talking about Quotes and Song Lyrics

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It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The Mic Is On

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.

Where’s Robert Fulgrum When We Need Him?

  • or the Beatles
  • or Ghandi
  • or Mother Teresa
  • or Mark Twain
  • or you?

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey . . . and flamenco dancing (because we always get off topic, anyway.)

Oh, and bring example links.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
image: sxc.hu
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Jim G, Mr. Detroit, and a Saloon Fight: What Makes You a Fiercely Loyal Customer?

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I grew up hearing fiercely loyal customers tell stories about my dad. Other such stories I lived myself …

I was about 20 years old, home from college for the weekend. I stopped by the saloon to see my dad. All the guys were razzing him saying things like, “Close the cash register, the Boss is in town.” I was grinning back, “A smile from my dad is all I’m after.”

Some guy from Detroit swaggered in like this was any old bar, and he was some hot stuff. The big spender sat down and ordered a 50-cent, 8 oz. draft beer. He chose the red stool to Jim G, a guy about my age, who saw my dad as his surrogate father.

I had just thanked Jim G 83 times for fixing the flat tire on my boyfriend’s car — he’d driven out 17 miles to help me when I was stranded on route 80. We met for the first time by the side of that highway just 18 hours earlier.

I didn’t notice the Detroit stranger order his beer. I never served drinks there. Everyone knew my dad didn’t want me to. By the time the guy got it, I was teasing my dad and talking to a Joey D. He was an old guy who knew me since I was still sitting on the bar with my feet hanging.

Next thing you know, Mr. Detroit threw a fist in Jim G’s face. They were having it out right there in seconds. My sixty-something dad flew over the bar, pulled the guys apart, and handed them over to a couple of friends. Then, as a deputy of the county, he called the cops to pick up Mr. Detroit for visit to the local jail.

It was then that I heard the story. Mr. Detroit had asked Jim for my name. Jim said, “I told him ‘You wanna know, ask her or ask her father.’ I wasn’t going to tell him if you didn’t want him to know.”

Later that night, my dad bailed Detroit out of jail, took him to breakfast, and sent him on his way.

In a small town saloon, personal and business relationships can’t be separated. You throw guys in jail and you bail ’em later. You feed ’em and let ’em know you’ve been there.

My dad cared about the people who were his customers and so they cared about him. He looked out for them and they looked out for him. Investment made investment returned. It’s the ROI of relationships — in spades. For me, it was like church, family, and Mark Twain to be there. Lots of others felt the same way that Jim G and I did.

What makes you a fiercely loyal customer?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Thoughts on Effective Teams

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What exactly is meant by the word “team?” A team can be defined as “a small group of skilled people who work together toward a common goal or purpose.” The most effective teams are those that consist of no more than 20 people. If a team grows larger than that, it becomes increasingly difficult to get everyone in agreement to work toward a common purpose and goal.

A team also is composed of skilled people. If you think of a sports team, the most obvious example of teamwork, the coach strives to place the most skilled players in the appropriate positions. A person whose skills are insufficient for that position is either moved to a more suitable position or is removed from the team altogether.

An effective team also works together. Interdependence among individuals is a key characteristic of successful teams. If a group of people don’t need to work closely together and they don’t depend on one another to complete a task or reach a goal, then there really isn’t a need to form a team. A team’s success is largely determined by the team members’ ability to work interdependently. A key hallmark of a high-performance team is that all the members work toward a common goal or purpose.

While the characteristics and requirements for successful teamwork are most obvious when it comes to athletic teams, they hold true in any team building effort.

Building an Effective Team for Success

Use the following steps to build a successful team:

  • Define the team – Identify the members of your team and determine the role each team member will play in the success of the entire organization.
  • Define specific team goals and an action plan – State the primary purpose of the team. Identify goals the team is to accomplish:
    • today
    • this week
    • this month
    • this year
    • this decade
  • Identify specific behaviors that support team goals and a team environment – Specific actions and behaviors mark the most successful teams. Among these behavioral characteristics found in team members are a positive attitude, commitment, persistence, and discipline. Team members who demonstrate these qualities are generally considered successful team members. Not only are they considered successful themselves, but their winning attitudes and actions have a positive, constructive effect on the other team members.
  • Outline how you and others will be held accountable – Recognizing team members for their specific contributions to team success with positive feedback encourages continued high level achievement. Give verbal or written feedback one-on-one to the individual, or if appropriate, give public praise to individuals or the team for meeting goals. In contrast, consider the consequences to team members who fail to uphold certain responsibilities or attitudes. Address unmet expectations before they drive a wedge into working relationships and negatively affect the team. Some personnel issues, by nature, should be handled under the organization’s policies. But be careful not to ignore the impact that unfulfilled responsibilities have on your team’s morale.

What would you add to this list? Share below in the comments.