ConverStations

Central Iowa Bloggers First Fridays: Bring a Friend & Listen

This Friday is the First Friday of the month, therefore it's that great day on the calendar when the conversphere comes to Panera U (map to 6740 University Ave, WDM) in the form of our Central Iowa Bloggers gathering around 8 AM.

This is an informal gathering that pretty much takes over the restaraunt for the morning. And the talk isn't always around and about tech (though that's part of it). These are face-to-face conversations about business, relationships, design, user experience, education, and just about everything under the sun -- sort of like the online conversations we see on blogs and around Twitter.

This week, I'd like everyone to invite a friend you've been talking to about the benefits of Social Media. As you come in, stop just at the edge and ask them to listen for a moment.

What do they hear?  No, not that confounded buzzer going off in the kitchen - what do they hear amongst the group?  Nothin' but din. A whole lot of noise without a lot signal. 

But that's because they are not yet engaged. (Whisper that in their ear, then go introduce them to folks -- the offline corollary to hyperlinking, yes?)

Once they become engaged in conversations, they will understand. They will see that the conversations  are important -- maybe even to them. They will connect to people and discussions they want to follow up on. They will begin to see how  it's Noise Prior to Entry, Signal Upon Engagement

Every time I share this offline metaphor, light bulbs and a-ha moments come alive. So this week, bring a friend to our gathering -- and get them engaged.

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• Does Twitter Replace Face-to-Face? (converstations.com)
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• Authenticity is the New Authority (change-management-blog.com)

That's My Take. What's Yours? Comment Here.

Maiers Des Moines Literacies Workshop (6/22) Only 30 Seats Left

Angela and the team are gearing up for our 21st Century Literacies and Habitudes Workshop (see more details of June 22nd event) with team meetings, catering arrangements, and material gathering.  And we're getting pretty excited.

Today is the last day for Early-Bird registrations (a $30 savings off $169). In addition, we have only 30 seats left -- and three weeks before the event.  We may have to remove a few walls and boundaries.

Early this week, we'll be introducing our breakout team and the flow of the day (and remember, it's not a Technology Day).

Hope to see you there!
Register Today!
Download Flyer (PDF)

(this post also published at Angela Maiers' site)

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A Quick Look at this week's Des Moines Area Calendar

• Tuesday, 5/26 - John J. Johnson and Crystal O'Connor are kicking off their blog sites, a magazine, and John's new photo studio with a #DMTweetup 4:30-10:30pm...FREE wine, complimentary headshots, portrait package give-aways.2771 104th ste B  in Urbandale (map)

• Thursday, 5/28 - Two of the best students I've had, Drew McLellan and Jeff Garrison, are collaborating on Thursday night (5 -7 PM for a BYOB Gathering. If you're doing business in Central Iowa - you're going to want to be there. We're talking casual conversation, some great networking, connect with people you haven't seen in awhile and meet some new folks.  No agenda, no speaker - just some chatter and coolers to keep your beers cold. At McLellan Marketing Group's office (1430 Locust Street, DSM - map)
  
• Saturday, 5/31 - Last day for Early-bird registration for Angela Maiers' 21st Century Literacies and Habitudes Workshop. Though this is predominatly for teachers and educators, librarians and journalists would also glean some profitable practices here.

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Get Your Ears On with Lava Row Workshops

My pals at Lava Row (and the NEIC) are kicking off Small Business Week next Monday and Tuesday with back-to-back lunchtime workshops on monitoring and engaging in the social media space. Here's the porch pitch:

"Your customers are talking about you online. This workshop teaches you and your team how to harness listening and monitoring technology (Google Reader, Technorati, Twitter Search, etc.) for the purpose of scanning conversations in blogs, social networks, user forums, message boards and online communities for mentions of your business, competitors and other relevant topics."

Reservations are only $25 per person and you can save your spot with a simple registration. Tell them at the door that you came to learn how to Search Once and Subscribe, and you'll learn more than the others.

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Maximum Impact Simulcast: Leadership that Inspires

I'll be posting live coverage of a star-studded leadership simulcast at The Meadows Conference Center in Altoona, IA and hosted by Character Counts.

The Maximum Impact Simulcast: Leadership that Inspires starts at 8:00 AM on Friday (and I'll be posting my thoughts and a few money quotes as we go)

Get this (partial) lineup:

• Kevin Carroll (the red rubber ball guy)
• John Maxwell
• Al Weiss (Operates Drew Mclellan's favorite hangout)
• Jack Nicklaus
• Mark Sanborn

More info:

• Maximum Impact Simulcast home
• Find a Site Hosting near you
• #MaxImpact - Follow the Twitter Stream

The Video

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College Habitudes Tonight - Join in with Cover-it Live!

My good friends (and students) Angela Maiers and Andy Drish will be presenting disruptive thoughts on Habits and Attitudes (HABITUDES!) and how they impact lifelong learning -- from the classroom to the workforce.

Hosted by Dr. Leigh Zeitz at the University of Northern Iowa College of Education and the UNI Educational Technology User Group (ETUG), you can join us for Habitudes for College Students: Developing the Habits & Attitudes to Help You Succeed in Classes Today & Work Tomorrow  at 7 p.m. Monday, March 30, in Schindler Education Center room 252 at UNI (virtual map). 

• The presentation is open to the public, so if you're in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area - show up (see map link above)
• Cover-It Live: A great application for covering live events in a cascading thought stream.
• Video Stream.  UNI will be providing a live video stream of the presentation.
• Twitter -  I'll be twittering memorable quotes with the hashtag #Habitudes

Best case scenario - show up in person. Next best - engage online. Use your Imaginosity (Imagination + Curiosity) for what's on third:-)

Buy Classroom Habitudes: on Lulu | on Amazon | on Barnes & Noble

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Co-Working Townhall Meeting at Impromptu Studios (3/25)

Many know that when I'm in town, I'm often officing at Panera U in West Des Moines. It's one of the best co-working spots in the area. 

Another fast-growing and forward-thinking spot is Impromptu Studios in Downtown Des Moines, right off MLK (map).

On Thursday night (3/25) at 7 PM, there will be a "townhall" meeting for those looking for more info on the co-working environment or Impromptu Studios, some of the speakers that will be either talking about coworking, Impromptu Studio, or making an announcement include:

• Brian Anderson of CoLab in Ames
• Member, Andy Brudtkuhl of 48Web
• Scott Kubie of Market Street Media Foundry
• Member, Doug Mitchell of CreateWowMedia
• Nathan T. Wright of Lava Row

I believe that co-working spaces are the way of the future in many cities, including Des Moines. Even if you don't go to see how free-agent nation works, it'll be a great event to network with some smart and talented people.

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Diversity, Inclusion & Collaboration Workshop with Joe Gerstandt (March 31st)

I'm excited that Joe Gerstandt is coming to the Des Moines area on March 31st to present his "a-ha" workshop, Working with Humans: Diversity, Inclusion and Collaboration. 

Angela Maiers and I attended one of Joe's presentations several months ago, and are continually looking for opportunities to collaborate on prjects with him. His style of presenting is not a "sit and (for)get" but rather an engaging, eye-opening, experiential workshop.

The workshop will be in Urbandale at Connexions (map) and you can (and should) register today because there is limited seating available.

Just to get a sense of Joe's thoughts, here he is in an informal setting, talking about the basics of diversity (and it isn't what you might think it is)

Here is a flyer you can download and spread it around your office or give to your HR team or Work Directors.
Download WorkingWithHumansDM

Frankly, anyone working with other people should attend.

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Noise Prior to Entry, Signal Upon Engagement

They come into Panera on the First Friday each month not knowing what to expect. They see a crowd of engaging conversation. Multiple conversations. Laughter. People taking notes.  The din extending outside the crowd turns heads.  It's noisy.

It's noisy on the outside of the conversation space. Offline.  Online.

Until there is engagement, there is no signal. Only noise.

I welcome these newcomers to the offline version of the blogosphere -- our First Friday gatherings that allow folks to deepen relationships.

This morning Jenni Pullen told me she felt as if these events are like a family gathering excited to meet her "cousins" again.  Mike Libbie told me he hesitated to come, but he walks away with his brain on fire -- filled with new ideas and new contacts.

Each table has a signal. But on the outside of engagement -- it's noise.

Same thing with the conversation online.  You just have to know what you're looking for.

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Social Media Lunch n Learn: Feb 24th in Urbandale

I'll be conducting a Social Media Lunch n' Learn at Connxions in Urbandale just off Douglas and I-80/235 (map) on Tuesday, February 24th from 11:50 - 1:00. 

Connxions has a great coffee bar and deli (Cristoni's) for your tummy, and I promise the learning will be just as yummy.  Here's the lineup of what we'll talk about:

• Why blogging is the foundation of social media
• How (and why) you should tap into the power of Twitter
• Putting the multi in multimedia
• The REAL deal with RSS and why you should be fired if you're not onto it

Hope to see you there.

PS:Cost?  I'm thinking $20 per.  But we'll do that after the event.  If you think it's worth more (and you will), I'll leave it to your conscience.  If you don't learn anything, I'll sign you up for Doug's class next go-round (a great class BTW).

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