Today's Question: Should Your Social Media Personality Match Your Real Personality?

As of late I’ve had the opportunity to actually connect in the flesh with some of my social media friends. Most recently, I spent the afternoon with some fellow tweeps at the Cleveland Indians social media suite.

Prior to the game, the digital media coordinator sent all of the attendees our Twitter handles so that we could meet virtually. Twenty-four hours before the game we were tweeting back and forth, proclaiming our excitement for the next day to all of our followers and tagging each other in posts. Then, we met…and for the most part, we sat at a game in beautiful weather and tweeted back and forth TO EACH OTHER…so much for “social”.

Where were all of these interesting people that I met online? Did they stay at home watching the game in fear of the end of the world (the game was on Saturday, May 21, 2011)?

I was so excited for this game, I immediately started following everyone on Twitter, I made a special Twitter list so that I could see what each person was tweeting and I read all of their online profiles. When I entered the suite on Saturday, I shouted “What’s up, social media suite?” Instead of responses, I got weird looks.

All I can say is I am who I am…via social media or in social settings.

Today's Question: Why is it Important to Check Your Ego at the Door?

It seems so simple, but this concept can bite even the brightest person in the butt! Confidence is a quality that is important in any leader, but in the midst of this confidence there must be a sense of humility—otherwise your ego will stop you from being a great leader.

It good to have a reminder of this handed to you every once in a while. Just this week in a state of frustration, I wanted to send off an email to another volunteer explaining that I clearly knew what I was doing since I’m required to do similar tasks for companies much larger than this organization…my ego was bruised and I wanted to lash out—at another volunteer—because I felt that my abilities were questioned.

After calling my friend for counsel, taking a deep breath and waiting about 10 minutes, a cooler head and smaller ego prevailed.

Reflecting on that event, I realized that this happens all too often. I’ve spent personal time, money and resources on my career; I spend my free time learning more about social media, communications and trends; I work during evenings and weekends for my own job as well as those organizations I volunteer with; and I take my work very seriously (even if I don’t take myself seriously)…so how can MY motives be questioned?

I’m not alone; many of us are wired the exact same way. But, don’t let your ego get in the way, you might miss out on a great idea, new opportunity or learning experience—and great leaders don’t let those things pass them by.

Today's Question: What Basic SCUBA diving principles can be applied to communications?

Yes, SCUBA diving in on my mind…I've just returned from the clear, blue waters off of Turks & Caicos. I swam with sea turtles, eagle rays and sharks 80 feet underwater...yes, in some ways we swim with sharks everyday in business. It had been a while since I was last diving so before I left, I took a refresher course. I was not only reminded of proper dive techniques and skills, but it also made me think of how this skills can be applied to the business world—especially when you have to give a big presentation.

• Equipment Check: In SCUBA diving, one of the first things you do before you hit the water is a thorough equipment check…again, another key factor when presenting. Having a faulty BC or regulator can quickly derail your dive, this same effect can occur if you walk into your presentation with an uncharged laptop or the improper connection cables.
  

• Always Check Your Surroundings: You need to be extremely aware of your surroundings and the conditions. How deep will you be diving? What will you be seeing? What's the bottom terrain? Having this knowledge will make for a much better time deep underwater and it gives you a sense of what to expect and anticipate. Aren't these some basic "must-haves" for a successful presentation?
  

• Continuous Breathing: Once you hit the water, you must always continue to breath…slow and steady breaths calm your nerves, conserve your air supply and also make for a more enjoyable dive. So simple, but so easy to forget. Slow and steady breathing has many advantages for SCUBA diving, just as it does to help calm nerves and allows us to gather our thoughts in stressful situations. I can’t tell you how many presentations that have felt like they have been completed in 30 seconds…or about one breath of air. That’s simply because I didn’t take the time to breathe, that or perhaps I couldn’t remember the content…
  

So remember, check your equipment, familiarize yourself with the surroundings and breathe deeply, that way, you can take the time to enjoy what’s going on around you…you don’t want to miss the shark whether it’s underwater or in the conference room.

Today's Question: Did You Participate in the Most "Social" SuperBowl Sunday?

I did...with the gusto of a "kid in a candy store"-thanks for that reference, Carmax. In fact, I got so wrapped up in tweeting and posting, that I nearly forgot that there was a professional sporting event going on.

The running commentary on Twitter and Facebook had me in stitches, from the flubbed up lyrics during the National Anthem to the A-Rod/Diaz feeding frenzy, those four hours of sitting in front of two screens (sometimes three) flew by!

But, it was exhausting. Today I realized that I missed some commercials, big plays and maybe even some quality one-on-one spoken communication with friends...instead I typed away, replied and posted my own thoughts on everything from commercials to the halftime show.

In spite of all of this, it was exciting to be a part-even if it was minor-in the most "social" SuperBowl Sunday and it proves that social media is a very powerful tool that can be used to organize groups of people, influence decisions and make differences in our world...and it is accessible to some many people.

Today's Question: Does Perception = Reality?

Unfortunately, for most people perception does equal reality. I was reminded of this after attending my first week of sessions with my personal trainer--for purposes of this very public forum, I will call him Rick. During my fitness assessment two weeks ago, you could see the frustration in Rick's eyes as I told him that I couldn't do one situp; at least that is what I saw. I went through the rest of the assessment grumpy and defeated and Rick seemed to casually write everything down with a look that said, "I will never see this chic again."

Much to Rick's surprise, I did return. The first two sessions I followed him around the gym and literally looked at him waiting to show me how to use every piece of equipment--once again, I saw a look in his face that could only be described as hopelessness. By the fourth session, I decided that we needed to have a turning point--I was at least committed enough to this to rub my sore muscles with Icy Hot, drink protein shakes and even come to the gym on my own time--so I confronted Rick and said, "I know you hate your job and the fact that you have to work with people like me, but I want to make this work and if you just had a better attitude, this will be better for both of us." Pretty bold considering that Rick is a mixed martial arts fighter.

Rick looked at me and said, "Well, this isn't what I want to do forever, but I like helping people and I know I'm the best trainer here. Some of my clients want someone with more energy, but they won't achieve the goals they want to--if you want to work out with Tony Little, then go find someone else." The thing was, I didn't want Tony Little, I truly believed that Rick was the best trainer, so I looked at him and said, "Yeah, well, start acting like it. My perception was that you didn't think I was ever coming back. Show some passion and people will perceive that you're the best."

My initial perception was that I was going to be looking for another trainer in a month, but in reality Rick and I will be working together for the next year. So, Rick's going to help me get into shape and I'm going to challenge his perceived emotions. I can tell this is the beginning of a great relationship.

Today's Question: Do We Really Need All This "News"?

Do you know what you were doing between 2-5pm EST on Thursday, October 15? Chances are you at least heard about Balloon boy--maybe that's because the online and news world lit up with the coverage...on CNN alone we got 2 hours of coverage of the UFO-like flying creation and interviews with "Balloon Experts" within an hour of the BalloonTrack 2009!

My problem is that as we, the (people) consumer, put demands on a 24/7 media watchdog, are we forcing them to make questionable decisions on what is or isn't news--do you know right now, you can find an article on how Dolly Parton and Jessica Simpson are tweeting about their bra size--you might think this is on www.people.com but actually it's on the new www.cnn.com!

I studied about investigative reporting that uncovered scandals and in-depth reports. Since it's all about supply and demand--why are we demanding more of this questionable news material? I'm afraid this is a shift that is here to stay...but maybe if we stopped demanding, we'd get a better supply!

Today's Question: What's So Great About Product Placement?

Although at times it can be a little annoying--notice how every teacher in the new show Glee has a Mac, or how every judge on American Idol drinks Coca-Cola from glasses that prominently displays the logo, or how about the Kenmore kitchen on Top Chef...well, in a nutshell product placement is a communications professional's dream. And what's more, we really appreciate those earned placements versus the paid ones.

Last week, my client Channellock reaped the benefit of one such unexpected placement on The Jay Leno Show.



What we did after the segment aired was nearly at important as Cookie's good tool sense. We made sure that every Channellock friend, fan and follower knew about the segment. Within 36 hours we posted it, emailed it, forwarded it and repurposed it to get maximum exposure. Because it's one thing to secure the placement and its another thing to make sure that people have seen it!

I hope you enjoyed my attempt to share it with you!

Today's Question: Did I Run Out of Questions?

No, I have not run out of questions--it just seems as the days have gotten shorter, my time has gotten tighter. I've been busy with community service events, hanging out with my Little, standing up in weddings, teaching others about social media, oh yeah, and making O-H-I-O pictures on someone's lawn. (That's me on the left.)



Stay tuned for more questions about news coverage, product placement, leadership, time management, office politics, social media and communications! Don't worry, I will Keep Asking Questions!

Today's Question: What Happened to the 9-to-5 Job?

Workin' nine to five, what a way to make a living
Barely gettin' by it's all takin' and no givin'
They just use your mind and they never give you credit
It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it
-Dolly Parton

The 9-to-5 job is dead…and if you have a 9-to-5 job, it’s just that, a job, not a career. As a communications professional, I’m always thinking about work—whether it’s how a retailer is going to promote the back-to-school season or by checking out one of my client’s Facebook fan pages, I continuously do these things 24/7.

It seems like even during my “free” time, I’m discussing the pros and cons of social media; or debating on the merits of a new ad campaign; or ridiculing a politician’s public addresses.

Maybe it’s because I’ve chosen a career that thrives on communication—and right now, the way we communicate seems to be constantly changing. But I tend to think it’s more of an illustration about how we want to stay connected…how many mobile numbers do we know see on business cards or people responding to email via mobile devices on the weekend.

Oh yeah, did I mention, my new business cards have my Twitter handle…next time, I’ll put my blog link on them!

Today's Question: Are You Motivated by the Next Big Thing?

One thing that is pretty predictable about agency life is that fact that things tend to slow down in the summer. There’s a decrease in agency pitches, more people are on vacation and fewer products are introduced at this time. It’s easy to let your mind wander as you wait for the next big thing…

One thing I’ve discovered about myself is that I get more accomplished when I’m busy. My “to do” list needs to be jam-packed otherwise I get complacent. It’s also easy to get complacent when you keep revisiting the same client roster. So, how can you beat the summertime blues? Here are a few tips:

1. Instead of “waiting” for the next big thing, go and find it. No one is keeping you from picking up the phone and meeting a respected mentor/peer or ideal prospect for coffee (or iced tea).
2. Use the time to get acclimated with trend and industry changes. You can never stop learning; figure out how your new findings can translate into client campaigns.
3. Lend a helping hand—either inside or outside your office walls. It might be the perfect time to get involved with a local cause or charity.

Most importantly, keep providing great results on the current work you do have—it might be slower, but that doesn’t mean that your clients are not talking to your competition—remember, they might have more time on their hands too!

Today's Question: What's So Powerful About the Number 3?

We've all heard the expression, "It happens in threes." Many of the communications plans I develop have three objectives. In speaker training, I've learned to stick to three points and when developing key messages, we tend to develop three main thoughts. Why? Because it's memorable. Or is it?

In today's age of constant communications and connection, do we even remember three things anymore? It's almost as if evolution has started to decline. Our superior brains are being trained to process in 140 characters and communicate via smart text and wall posts.

Taking that one step further, the firing of our neurons (or the lack there of) is a result of the media. The 2-minute story package is replaced with the 10-second soundbite. In last week's unfortunate events, can you name the three celebrities that we lost? Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Ed MacMahon--for those of you playing at home. Yes, that's right, Ed MacMahon passed away too. According the media, we lost the King of Pop, that girl from the poster and that flat broke talk show sidekick.

For now, I'm going to try and adhere to the Power of 3: Happiness, Fortune and Fame. We'll see how well this works!

Today's Question: Do I Have Enough Blog Cred to Repost an Old Blog?

Well, I might not be established enough, but I'm going to do it anyways. I've been meeting a lot of "social media" posers lately. After being engulfed in the world of Social Media, I no longer feel like a poser. I have a decent understanding of how businesses can and should use social media, I'm expanding my personal brand via social media, and I'm able to measure these results for clients and put them in terms that make sense--drive Web site traffic, increase awareness and ultimately, have a positive result on sales.

Posers, beware! There's a new social media enthusiast around!


Original Post March 2009:
I think I might be. I've been trying this blog for about a month, I try to Tweet nearly every day, I update my Facebook status, I accept Linked In invitations, I watch videos on YouTube (and have even downloaded some), I subscribe to RSS feeds, I download widgets, the list goes on and on--but I still kind of feel like I'm faking my way through it.


I feel this way because every time I turn around there are new social media "experts", "mavens", and "gurus"--it's quite humbling to think that I just recently added my blog (with 18 admitted followers) to Technorati--I'm nowhere near this coveted, self-proclaimed expert status. Heck, at my first job we didn't have the Internet...I guess Al Gore hadn't gotten around to inventing it. I would have to go to the library to look up old newspaper articles.





Because this form of communication is changing all of the time, maybe we are all posers or experts. The ability to share and connect with others is available for nearly everyone.





For now, I'll continue to post, update, download, share, connect and communicate--just try and stop me!

Today's Question: Why Do We Have a Problem with Delegation?

No matter where you are in your career, you're probably struggling with (or have struggled with) finding the right balance of delegation.

When you're cutting your teeth at the start of a career, you're trying to accomplish everything, be an invaluable part of the your team and sometimes have a problem saying "no." You want to take on the world, even if you're challenged by both physical and mental limitations...the last thing you want to do is admit that you might need some help--and delegating the project to someone else seems like it's more work than it's worth. Oftentimes, I hear from team members that "explaining a project to an intern will take more time than if I just do it myself."

As your career matures, sometimes managers fall into the trap of delgating too much! Instead of taking on the work as a team, they have the tendency to assign the majority of tasks to more junior-level professionals. They have a hard time finding balance between the activities that others can manage and which ones they still need to remain "hands-on" with...although not always spoken "it's not my job" tends to be written all over their face.

Here are a few steps to help balance the right amount of delegation:
1. Look in the mirror. Decide where and how you need to get involved with projects and understand that you can only accomplish a limited amount of work in a certain amount of time. Also, determine the reasonable amount of involvement on your part.

2. Evaluate your resources. Make sure that each team member is used to their fullest capacity and help capitalize on his/her strengths. If you need to delegate tasks, make sure you are aligning the needs with the natural talents of the individual.

3. Communicate frequently with your team. Remember, you're all working towards a common goal--so if you've called in additional resources, make sure your communicate the expectations and deadlines for the project. If the project requires an extended amount of time, have check-in milestones built into the timeline.

Remember, delegation is necessary in both your personal and professional life, so you better embrace it!

Today's Question: What if Hiring PR Professionals was Like the NFL Draft?

I'm about to propose a very unconventional hiring process for PR pros. What if we were able to hold an annual PR draft for entry level positions? Here's how it would work:

First, we'd get a media partner. This would be a great weekend event broadcast on PPRN (Professional Public Relations Network). The live draft would need to be held in a high traffic area--every PR pro loves New York--so we'd, of course, be in Times Square.

Next, we'd host a Scouting Combine about 1-2 months before graduation. The draftees would go through a series of skill tests--how fast can you write press release; how long can you stand on your feet during a special event; how well do respond in a crisis situation; and how well do you multitask.

After that step, agencies and companies would host in-person meetings with our top prospects. Graduates would visit offices, get a tour of the facility and meet a few key team members.

Finally, it's draft day. Agencies and companies from around the country would have the opportunity draft their top picks. Based on national rankings, these organizations would be put into the draft order. Like the NFL, the lower the ranking, the higher the pick. Of course, trades would be allowed...I'll give you that seasoned crisis communications professional for the second pick along with free media monitoring services for one month.

I'm sure this would break a number of HR rules, but it would be kind of fun. Oh yeah, did I mention that my agency is looking for a top graduate to fill a temporary summer position? Email me directly at kholloway@sbcadversing.com if you're interested.

Today's Question: Why is Optimism so Important?

Today Michael J. Fox was interviewed by Larry King. Fox talked about his new book Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist. His strength and passion are evident even as his body shakes from Parkinson's Disease. Being an optimist is second nature to Fox--as it should be to all of us.

During challenging times, we need to remain upbeat and optimistic. The economy, job losses, and the tumbling stock market are more than enough for anyone to become pessimistic about the future.

Maybe we could take a lesson from Bhutan, a country in the Himalayas--the government measures gross natural happiness as well as GDP and embraces programs that help grow the happiness of the country! In addition, the other day I met a "Chief Optimism Officer" of an online marketing company--how can you not be happy with a title like that?

So next time, instead of shaking your head at the incurable optimist, take a second and smile.

Today's Question: What Words Do You Hate?

I found a really cool Web site developed by one of the original team members of Blogger. Each day a new prompt is provided to get people to start communicating online--sometimes the prompt is a question or something for you to reflect and comment on. When you have a chance, check out plinky.com and start sharing with others.

"What Words Do You Hate?" came from a recent prompt. Right now, I hate the words: expert and guru. These words are completely overused and have lost their effectiveness. Besides, If you truly are an expert or a guru-do you need to overtly state it?

Maybe we could replace these words with enthusiast, devotee or believer?

Today's Question: Do You Manage with Intensity?

Today's question is inspired by a recent management tip provided by Harvard Business School. The tip read: "management intensity" is a crucial response to the accelerating speed at which things are changing. Big-picture strategic thinking is important, but right now leaders need to be involved, visible, and communicating all the time.

Well, I think I've been getting management intensity wrong (or have I?)--while I believe I have an innate ability to think about the big picture and can be a real asset in strategic planning, I also realize that at the same time, I'm a manager that gets in trenches and becomes involved with the tactical execution of projects and programs--and I was doing this before the recent recession.

Maybe if the leaders of AIG, Fannie Mae and Merrill Lynch were managing with intensity before the collapse of their companies, our financial and banking infrastructure wouldn't require government intervention.

My only conclusion is that management intensity is just as important in a good economy as it is during a bad one!

Today's Question: Can Key Messages Kill The Messenger?

It's been a few days since the "Brawl Street" special on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with John Stewart. Prior to last Thursday's episode a very public feud was brewing between John Stewart and Jim Cramer of CNBC's Mad Money for several days--and it was making its way to mainstream media like The Today Show and The Martha Stewart Show.

If you saw the episode (and even if you didn't)--John Stewart was declared the victor in the battle of wits. What I saw was Jim Cramer--a guy with a larger than life personality--reduced to a shell of a TV host--it made me wonder if he was pinned as the scapegoat for CNBC? Absent from the interview were Cramer's constant ravings, explosive body language and in-your-face jabs. His key messages were reduced to "I made mistakes" and "I was lied to"--these were the repetitive key messages that were uttered as he asked for forgiveness and vowed to become a better advisor. How could the media relations experts at CNBC allow Cramer to make such a fool of himself--unless it was intentional.

I think that key messages can kill the messenger--especially when that is their intention.

Today's Question: Do You Have a Connection Obsession?

Hi, my name is Krista Holloway and I am a connection addict. I spend most of my time online, reading, sharing and communicating with others. While being connected with social media is important for my profession, I think this obsession might be a problem. I actually posted a tweet that stated "my day job is interfering with my social media time."

What is happening? Before the proliferation of social media, I hadn't heard from people from college, high school--or even elementary school--now, I'm seeking these people out--looking at their photos and asking about their kids. Even though I have the NHL Center Ice cable package, I read Red Wings' game feeds over Twitter instead of watching the game on TV! Last night, I updated my Twitter status through my new Blackberry Storm at my book club. And I'm the first person to make fun of the pregnant woman who was tweeting while in labor...I don't think I'm that far off.

Is this going too far? Is it time to seek professional help? Well, I'm not a quitter, so I will continue to Twitter!

Today's Question: What is Really Meant by Active Listening?

I learned about "active" listening in one of my college communications courses. Active listening means that the listener is completely focused on the person delivering the message; at the end of an active listening exercise there should be a mutual understanding of the subject matter.

The word "active" implies an action--so why isn't listening action enough, why do we feel compelled to do something other than just listen--such as take notes or have a pre-existing list of questions that we are going to ask regardless of the information presented?

Oftentimes we feel obligated to take notes during an important meeting or presentation. In order to prepare for the meeting, we have developed questions to ask to appear engaged. We'll concentrate harder on these activities than actually taking a moment to listen when we need to. In these situations, our active listening gets confused with taking good notes or asking good questions.

I encourage you the next time you have an important meeting with someone to stop taking notes, start listening and keep asking (relevant) questions!