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IDLFO Show: Is Your State of Mind Holding You Back?

By Mike Sansone on July 23, 2010 in Brain Stew, Conversations with 0 Comments

Tonight is the debut of our IDLFO show moving to the weekend slot, Friday nights at 11pm CT on Worldwide Amplified.

To help launch our new time, I've asked my friend and colleague, Jade Handy to stop by and talk shop. He is the author of State of Mind Coaching, and the creator of the Language Hacker Award I proudly wear on the sidebar of my site.

One of the things we'll be discussing is how our own conversation — our State of Mind — may be holding us back from our full potential, offline and online, personally and professionally.

One of the ways you can participate with us is in the show's chat room or on Skype (desmoinesamplified)

Reworking Tumblr with Scaffold Theme

By Mike Sansone on July 10, 2010 in Blog Coach, Conversations, Cool Tools with 0 Comments

I've been toying a bit with Tumblr since I saw MGSiegler's ParisLemon site using the Scaffold theme recently.

Having sought ways to say, share, and store content that is not really ConverStations "stuff," and to be able to do so easily (I can text or email posts into my Tumblr site — and Posterous too), I'm going to use Tumblr for stuff that's too big for my Twitter stream, and maybe just a bit off the radar for ConverStations' stream.

I've activated a FeedBurner feed and will be making a few modifications this week. Will it stick? I dunno, let's find out.

Another Conversation (Argument?) With my Blog

By Mike Sansone on June 3, 2010 in Blog Coach, Blogging, Conversations with 0 Comments

My blog called a one-on-one conference with me this afternoon (it happens now and again).

ConverStations: How come you don't write with me more often?

Me: What do ya mean? We've done close to 1,500 posts together.

ConverStations: Yeah, but we were really cooking back when we were crunching out 3-5 short posts each day, with maybe a cornerstone type of post every 10 days or so. I miss that I mean, really – I don't cost that much to use…As Bill Withers once said, "Go on and Use Me, un-huh"

Me: I get it, you're jealous of Twitter and Facebook, huh?

ConverStations: I should drop a <div> tag on you for thinking I'd be jealous. Twitter and Facebook are part of our team, not my competition. We all work together. I'm just saying that we're better online and offline when we work together more often.

Me: I'm listening. Expand on this one, buddy….

ConverStations: Well, not only can you "half-blog" as a way to capture ideas in draft, but you can also expound on the Twitter and Facebook shorts you throw out there. Plus, our readers aren't always everyone else's readers. If you see something in your RSS reader, you should expand on it here on the blog.

Me: So you're saying extend the conversation both in reach and in time and space.

ConverStations: yeah – but also expand in thought. And listen, I know that you're stretched with time with all the Face-to-Face stuff you do, but a half-blog that sits in queue can be like a great wine (fermenting in thought) or a cake (allowing the batter to fully cook). Practice what you write when talking, then come back and improve what you articulated in talk here in our writing.

Me: Smart!

ConverStations: Doubly so. We're writing it, too!

Me: Aren't people gonna look at us funny for doing this out oud?

ConverStations: If so, so what if? It's what we do. Re-purpose and re-content. And besides, thinking aloud is a great way to model the process, yes?

Me: I love you!

ConverStations: Gotta love the tools you work with:-)

Me: Rob Jensen said that today.

ConverStations: Yeah, I subscribe to your feed.

Me ::::double-take::::

ConverStations: Joking, I was the tab behind the site he was showing you. Good ears.

Me: This has been a very good conversation. Thanks for the lesson.

ConverStations: Just doing my job.

Related (this isn't the first time this has happened)
- Conversation (Argument?) With My Blog

Epiphanies of Building Online Community: Central Iowa Bloggers or #CIB

By Mike Sansone on May 6, 2010 in Blog Coach, Brain Stew, Conversations with 0 Comments

Four or five years ago, we – the business (mostly) bloggers of Central Iowa (or #CIB) began to gather around at the Student Lounge (HT @BigWags) known as Panera U – our campus of tinkerings and thinkerings.

The First Friday gatherings (bring a friend) literally take over (at least) one side of the restaurant. "We'll move the tables, You'll find a signal" (HT @kellynelsen) has become a bit of a tagline for the event.

At any one time, there might be 50-60 people mingling and sharing thoughts, ideas, and best practices, with maybe a total count of over 100 people turning through between the hours of 6am – 10am ("official start" is around 8am).

It's been called the "best networking event" in Central Iowa. There is no agenda. There is noise. And there is also signal.

And there is a designed epiphany (or three) — if you're ready for 'em:

Panera gives us a "sense of ownership" (HT @PaneraIowa & @cynthiakapela). By doing so, we support them throughout the month with business meetings and creating a culture they can 'bank' on.
From outside the crowd gathered, the loud din of conversation is more noise than signal, but upon engagement – you're more likely to find relevancy and purpose.
A foundation of fans is available from the get go. New business bloggers often ask, "Who will read my blog?" Well, by attending this kind of event (and engaging sincerely), you'll have a foundation of 50-75 readers/tweeps from the word "launch." This group of people were recently where you were (a new blogger or Twitterer, so they have empathy — and often times, a fringe you can count on to hear/read our message.

So, here's your homework assignment. Visit #CIB on a 1st Friday (tomorrow) and be ready to give a "porch pitch." There are no strangers.

Other Epiphanies:

- The Apartment Complex
- The Ballpark

Reflections and Reviews of Aprils Gone By

By Mike Sansone on May 1, 2010 in Blog Coach, Brain Stew, Conversations, Social Media, Whistle Stops with 0 Comments

At the turn of the calendar, let's revisit some posts of this and past Aprils:

April 2010

What the Heck is a "Conversation Conductor?": I get asked a lot about my 'job title' – and here's the crux of the answer.
Epiphanies of Building Online Community: The Apartment Complex: Control is often just perception. The key to building community? A "sense" of ownership often unlocks the gates that separate.
Turning and Tilling the Soil in Our Mind: There are so many farming and gardening metaphors for learning and cultivating communities of conversation. One of them is preparation of growth talked about in this post.

April 2009

ConverStations Manifesto (A Work in Progress): There are probably three or four (12?) items I can add to this by now.
A Single Click Cleans Up Your Feed Mess (Mass?): Sometimes a quick pruning relieves stress and creates a better signal.
Design the Classroom Experience, Don't Control It: Again, sometimes offering a "sense" of ownership unlocks many things – including the minds of our students.
On a Thin Slice: What Are Your Hiding, Hoarding, or Hawking?: Show me who you are, what your know, where you got it, how I can use it.

April 2008

I must've been busy doing something else. Lots of posts, but mostly links out and lunches n learns.

April 2007

Get Out From Behind the Counter: This is still so much of what I teach. Don't get so cocky that you know your customer — unless you begin to see things from their side of the counter.
Do You Sound Like Your Blog?: aka "Do You Talk Write?" Here are five sound tips to see if you're hearing it right.
Dear Average – #$@& Mediocrity: Get Fed Up!

April 2006

Have Your Say – It's Important to Somebody: Think out loud. Let others in on your thinking. We all get better because of it.
What's on your "To Cause" List Today?: Sometimes it's more about 'why' you're doing than 'what' you're doing
Get in the Routine of Feed Reading: Not just for you, but for your students, your clients, your colleagues — and share what you see!
Knock the Cubicles Down: Some ideas on using blogs and social media internally to create a better working environment and team work

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