Successful Blog

Change the World: With Our Own Story

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Hey, Tom, How Can We Change the World?

I’ve had several conversations online and off with Tom Clifford about how he tells corporate stories on film. One thing, one thing we talked about, Tom talks a lot about, heroes — that the people in his stories are the heroes of the companies where they work.

When a guy looks at the subject of his corporate stories as heroes, he’s bound to know a thing or two about changing the world.

Is Your Story Changing the World?

Guest Writer: Thomas R. Clifford

Change the World!

Remember, stories change the world. Story. Story. Story. Stories matter.

This may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but I know my story has helped change the world…and I’m here to help your story change the world, too.

You probably don’t know me, but that’s alright.

My name is Thomas Clifford and I’m a filmmaker. Some folks call me “Director Tom.” That’s alright, too.

I wander around the country like a nomad filming remarkable stories for remarkable organizations. I tell their stories through film in a unique way.

So imagine in your mind’s eye this scene…

A short, emotional, thoughtful, eye-catching and dramatic documentary about what you do.

Film ignites conversations. People TALK. People ACT. People THINK.

Picture your film like it’s your own Dna…it is unique, personal and one-of-a-kind.

The story in your film is told by people who know you; they are the storytellers; they are your “heroes.”

Your film has a sense of continuous momentum…every minute…something changing…new dynamics…feet tapping to a music groove…new graphic designs…a new story…a quick transition…keep it flowing…a new idea…new music….new heroes…a new scene…another person’s point of view…what’s next?…how will it end?

Directing your film is like mining for diamonds — the job is not done until they are cut perfectly — I’m not content with your story until it flashes in the light.

So now, let me ask you this simple, yet incredibly important question:

Is your story changing the world?

If not…

Well maybe, just maybe, our two stories — a filmmaker and you with your “heroes,” — we can change the world together.

It’s worth a try!

Thomas R. Clifford

Thank you, Tom, for telling us about our story.

We can change the world — just like that.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

The Mic Is On: We’re Talking about SOBcon and Conferences!

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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.

We’ve Go Conferences on the Brain

SOBCon07

We might also talk about

  • conference pals and roommates
  • planning a conference
  • weird things and cool things about going to conferences
  • our dream conference be and who would be there

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: It’s SOBCon07 and Conferences!

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Yes the Mic Will Be on Tonight

Join Us Tonight for Tues. Open Comments

The Topic is – SOBCon07 and Conferences!

We’re talking about conference pals and roommates, going to conferences, planning a conference, weird things and cool things about going to conferences, our dream conference and who would be there, and whatever else comes up.

Oh, and bring a link to your SOBCon07 post or to any post about why you blog.

The rules are simple — be nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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5 Reasons People Don’t Get Hired and the Only 3 Questions that Count

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The Best People

Personal Branding logo

It happened to me more often than I liked.
When I was an Executive Editor, it was another Executive Editor.
When I was a Director, it was another Director.
When I was a Vice President, it was another Vice President.

Not that I think there was a pattern. Here’s the scenario.

I’m in my office, finishing up a meeting. One of the people described above calls and asks whether I have time to talk about something.

I say, “Sure, come on down (or up or over wherever my office happened to be.)”

The person arrives; sits across from me; and explains why he or she wants to hire one of the people on my team.

We discuss the opportunity that is on offer. It’s always a great one for the employee. I support it.

At the end of the discussion, I hear some version of this sentence, “You hire the best people.”

As the person leaves, I think, Yeah, I know. Boy, do I know. I get out the most current job listing for the soon-to-be-vacated position and start editing.

I would hire and train.
They would wait and hire from me.
It happened with freelance and vendor help too.

5 Reasons People Don’t Get Hired

An interview or a client presentation is a test. It’s like an oral exam in which the subject is you. When I put it that way, it seems like folks should do better than some folks seem to do, doesn’t it? What it that gets in the way?

Here are 5 Reasons People Don’t Get Hired for that Job or that Contract

  1. Candidates feel self-conscious about putting forward their skills and talents.
  2. Candidates don’t take the job acquisition process seriously.
  3. Candidates miscalculate their value. This could be monetary, ability to fill the skills required, or how common or rare their skill set might be.
  4. Candidates don’t show knowledge or interest in the specifics of the business hiring.
  5. Candidates are arrogant, rude to the receptionist, have no energy, or are just not likeable.

You might know even more than these.

The Only 3 Questions that Count

In any meeting in which a person is deciding whether to offer work to another, only three questions matter. Though the questions never get stated aloud, all conversation really is about the three quesions. It’s best if both parties know what those three questions are.

The Only Three Questions

  1. Can this person do the job? This question is about the job or project description — expertise, skill set, and industry experience — salary is included here.
  2. Will this person do the job? This question is about motivation, energy, and work ethic.
  3. How will this person fit with the team? This question is about interpersonal skills, stress management, and communication.

Prove you are the correct answer to all three and the offer is yours. It’s great branding. It’s great business practice. It’s a service to yourself and your employer/client to know what you’re really talking about when you’re talking.

It stops being a test when you have the answers.

Be irresistible.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

Vaspers Asks a Wonderful Writers’ Question

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What’s Your Answer?

What wonderfully intriguing post this is. Here is just a bit . . .

When you write a new blog post, who is addressed? Do you have a composite persona in mind? Do you imagine an aggregation of imagined readers, based on those you know well, and those you hope will find you?

Is there a conscious target? Who is it that you hope to enlighten, engage, or enrage?

I cannot believe that you just slap some text, maybe a photo or artwork, into a post template, with total oblivion as to the intended, expected, or hoped for audience. Do you ever blog against a person or group or company or political party? Do you blog to your Future Self? Do you blog for your friends, family, boss?

Does it depend on the specific post? The general topic?
–steven edward streight, to whom do we blog?

The prose is musical. The thoughts are engaging. Go on click the link and enjoy the entire read.

By the way, I’d be interested in your answer.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Business Rule 7: Sound Bytes, Stories, and Analogies

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A Sense of Story

Business Rules Logo

My favorite CFO — I think of him as “my sometimes-irritating, little brother.” you would, too, if you heard him say, “This is the second iteration of my lunch.” — says that I talk in stories and sound bytes.

When he says sound bytes, he means quick points, analogies, and metaphors. It’s a habit that I learned from my dad. I use stories, sound bytes, metaphors, and analogies because they make it easier to explain what I’m trying to say.

We get a sense of story when we are really small. Our parents tell us stories to teach things. We learn about our family and friends through stories. We watch stories that are movies and tell stories that really happened to us and other people.

Stories help us communicate for many reasons.

  • People listen more closely to stories than they do to someone talking. People know a story has a point. Even more, a story has a beginning, middle, and an end -– and the end is usually satisfying. So we invest more in a story, because of the payoff at the end.
  • Stories bring an overlay of meaning and memories. A story told now reminds us of stories we heard as children and what we enjoyed about them then. Any story I tell gets the benefit of any well-told story that came before it. I only have to make sure that my story is told well.
  • Sound bytes, metaphors, and analogies offer quick information firmly packed. I can get a point across more quickly and more powerfully. On the day of the Famous Canoe Analogy had I said, “It’s time to stop talking about the past.” The words would have sounded an impatient opinion. Fewer words, some humor, and a shocking mental image was what got attention.
  • Storytelling, sound bytes, and analogies work because they move the problem from literal to figurative. People can explore an idea or a situation and test plans of action, sloshing through muddy waters without splashing the personalities involved. After all, we’re only telling stories.

Stories, sound bytes, and analogies can be a kinder and
more expedient way to get a point across.

Who doesn’t like to hear a story that has a great ending? Like this one — that’s over now. . . . ?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Perfect Virtual Manager on the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

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Business Rule 6: Who Dropped the Paddle?
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Business Rule 4: You Know Your Truth — Listen to Yourself