Karl Miller

Article: 100 Awesome Success Quotes

2012-03-02T10:00:00.001-08:00

100 Awesome Success Quotes
http://smartonlinesuccess.com/awesome-success-quotes/

50 Ways to Add Years to Your Life

2012-03-01T10:00:00.001-08:00

50 Ways to Add Years to Your Life
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/add_years_to_your_life/

Article: 101 Kicks in the Butt

2012-02-29T14:00:00.001-08:00

101 Kicks in the Butt
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7120,s6-243-297--11733-0,00.html

How to Find Your Purpose and Do What You Love

2012-02-28T14:03:00.001-08:00

How to Find Your Purpose and Do What You Love
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/02/27/purpose-work-love/

Article: 10-Second Health Tips to Live Stronger, Longer

2012-02-22T14:00:00.001-08:00

10-Second Health Tips to Live Stronger, Longer
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/feel_good_to_do_list/

Article: 10 Inspiring Quotes From Our Favorite TEDTalks

2012-02-20T10:00:00.001-08:00

10 Inspiring Quotes From Our Favorite TEDTalks
http://mashable.com/2012/02/17/ted-talks-quotes/#48933Paola-Antonelli

Positive Attitude: 6 Ways to Become More Optimistic | Inc.com

2012-02-14T04:15:00.001-08:00

http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/become-more-optimistic-6-tricks.html

What are your dreams?

2012-02-13T11:46:00.001-08:00

What are your dreams?

Answer here

Imagine shaving 10 hrs from your work week. Study shows how you would use that new free time?

2012-02-10T14:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.utexas.edu/know/2012/02/02/daniel_hamermesh_workweek_economics_study/

Article: 10 Tips on Writing Well from David Ogilvy

2012-02-10T05:06:00.001-08:00

10 Tips on Writing Well from David Ogilvy
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/02/07/david-ogilvy-on-writing/

It's 10 P.M., Do You Know Where Your Employees Are? 4 Steps To Set After-Hours Work Expectations

2012-02-09T14:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.fastcompany.com/1814467/4-steps-to-clarify-after-hours-work-expectations-for-employees

Important conversation to have but so many of our managers grew up during a time when this wasn't an issue, so I doubt we have ever given it much thought.

My Notepad

2012-02-08T14:56:00.003-08:00

My Notepad

2012-02-08T14:56:00.001-08:00

Article: The Only 5 Tools You Need to Implement GTD

2012-02-08T14:00:00.001-08:00

The Only 5 Tools You Need to Implement GTD
http://networkedblogs.com/tETd3

Kasserian Ingera! (How are the children?)

2012-02-07T16:00:00.001-08:00

Attended a luncheon today where the honored guest told the story of this Maasai greeting. I was interested to learn more and found this excerpt of a sermon that included a little about the greeting and what it signifies in Maasai culture.

Masai Greeting

A sermon delivered to Live Oak U U Church of Austin

December 31, 2000

By Mary K. Isaacs and Martin Bryant.

Kasserian Ingera!

Among the tribes of Africa, few have warriors traditionally more fearsome or more cunning than the Masai of Kenya. It is perhaps surprising, then, to learn the traditional greeting among Masai warriors. One warrior would always say to another, “Kasserian Ingera,” which, in Swahili, means, “How are the children?”

It is still the traditional greeting among the Masai, acknowledging the high value of the Masai for the well-being of children. Even modern Masai with no children of their own always give the traditional answer, “All the children are well,” meaning, of course, that peace and safety prevail – that the priorities of protecting the young and powerless are in place, that Masai society has not forgotten its reason for being and its responsibilities. “All the children are well” means that life is good. It means that the daily struggles of existence do not preclude proper care for the young.

This story, I think, is moving, illustrating a society that values its children so highly that a reminder of them is part of every greeting. The story is also sobering – the fact that it’s surprising illustrates how very far our own culture is from valuing children in this way.

Article: Just Say Thanks: Why Accepting Compliments is Good for Your Career

2012-02-07T14:00:00.001-08:00

Just Say Thanks: Why Accepting Compliments is Good for Your Career
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/02/06/just-say-thanks-why-accepting-compliments-is-good-for-your-career/

One Simple Step to Clearing Your Desk and Mind

2012-02-06T14:00:00.003-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Is your desk a mess of papers, sticky notes, torn sheets of paper with scribbled notes on them, reminders that make no sense, and stacks of papers and folders that you haven't looked at in months?

You don't realize it but this kind of clutter is causing you mental stress. Seeing that mess everyday sends signals to your brain that cause confusion, anxiety, and a feeling of being overwhelmed. Whether consciously or subconsciously, this is keeping you from being at your best and most productive...and happiest.

The good news is there is one question to ask about each piece of paper on your desk that will clear it off your desk FOREVER! Up to now, that overwhelmed feeling in your brain has kept you from acting on it because you did not know where to start. This one simple question enables you to regain your power over the clutter and it frees you to do your best work in a less stressful and more productive environment. This is the key behind Getting Things Done.

Take all that mess on your desk and put it in a pile (or several piles if one pile begins to topple before reaching the ceiling). Now take the first item in that pile(s) and hold it in your hand. As you look at the information it contains, ask yourself this one simple question:

WHAT ACTION STEP MUST I TAKE TO GET THIS OFF MY DESK?

That's it! That's all there is to it. Look at the contents on the page or in the folder or on the sticky note, decide what needs to happen to move this off your desk, and most importantly, TAKE ACTION.

What you will find is that you will have three options for every item in your pile(s):

1. Take action and then throw this away (or file it).

2. No action necessary but I should file this for future reference.

3. No action necessary and this can be thrown away IMMEDIATELY.

If the action can be taken in two minutes or less, do it NOW! Make the call, write the email, or delegate the action item. If it will take a little more time, add this to your TO DO list (productivity management software) for action at a specific time.

For those items that need no action, either file them (not back in a pile of your desk) in your file folder or scan the information into electronic files OR throw them away. You'll be surprised how many things you were "saving" that required NO action at all. Either they never did or the action has taken care of itself over time.

Take a few minutes, or a few hours, or even a few days, depending on the size of your piles, and go through this exercise. When you finish, you will have a sense of power and freedom you have not felt in a long while. And now that you have the "secret" to greater efficiency and productivity, you can keep this feeling forever. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish and your employers and clients (and even your family) will notice the difference...not only in your productivity but also in your attitude for work and life.

(PS This same process can be used at home and in working through the 10,000 messages in your email inbox.)

Article: 5 Early Birds Share Everyday Productivity Strategies

2012-02-06T14:00:00.001-08:00

5 Early Birds Share Everyday Productivity Strategies
http://www.fastcompany.com/1813898/go-get-your-worm-productivity-strategies-from-overachieving-early-birds

Why to-do lists set you up for failure

2012-02-06T10:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505143_162-57368011/why-to-do-lists-set-you-up-for-failure/

Article: The Biggest Mistake A Leader Can Make

2012-02-01T04:26:00.001-08:00

The Biggest Mistake A Leader Can Make
http://www.forbes.com/sites/trustedadvisor/2012/01/31/the-biggest-mistake-a-leader-can-make/

The One Question That Will Make All Your Meetings More Productive

2012-01-30T14:00:00.001-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Most of us dislike meetings. And we especially dislike those meetings that accomplish nothing. Think about how many times you've left a meeting and wondered, "What was that for? We decided nothing. We just talked for the last hour. What a waste of time!" And what's worse is that you know that this lack of decision means another meeting will be called again to discuss the exact same thing. Isn't that frustrating?

Well, there is one simple question that someone needs to have the courage to ask at the end of every meeting. As a matter of fact, the person(s) calling the meeting should ask this question BEFORE they plan the meeting, because this question determines whether a meeting is even necessary. The question that should be asked is:

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?

This simple but powerful question demands that SOMETHING happen. This question causes ACTION to be taken. This question ensures that the meeting will PRODUCE a result.

If you are planning a business meeting and you don't see action steps coming out of the meeting, you should reconsider having the meeting. If all you are going to do is share information, perhaps there is a better medium.

There are two additional questions that will make this most important question even more valuable:

WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR EACH STEP?

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR RESULTS FROM THE NEXT STEPS?

Starting today, try asking these 3 questions before leaving any meeting you attend. I guarantee your meetings will be more useful and productive.

Article: 5 Lessons From A Professional Change Agent

2012-01-30T10:00:00.001-08:00

5 Lessons From A Professional Change Agent
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2012/01/23/5-lessons-from-a-professional-change-agent/

Article: Why You Need To Love Your Job

2012-01-27T10:00:00.001-08:00

Why You Need To Love Your Job
http://www.forbes.com/sites/annakupka/2012/01/26/why-you-need-to-love-your-job/

Article: The Social Media Cheat Sheet [INFOGRAPHIC]

2012-01-25T14:00:00.001-08:00

The Social Media Cheat Sheet [INFOGRAPHIC]
http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/social-media-cheat-sheet_b17969

Article: The Biggest Myth in Time Management

2012-01-24T17:56:00.001-08:00

The Biggest Myth in Time Management
http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2012/01/the-biggest-myth-in-time-manag.html

Article: Why It's Healthy to Sometimes Settle for What's Good Enough

2012-01-24T04:52:00.001-08:00

Why It's Healthy to Sometimes Settle for What's Good Enough
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/why-its-healthy-to-sometimes-settle-for-whats-good-enough/251632/

3 Tools That Led Me To Throw Away My Rolodex and Everyone's Business Cards

2012-01-23T14:00:00.001-08:00

1. Plaxo This tool allows me to import information from email, phone numbers, and social networks to consolidate all my contact information (over 2500 contacts) in one place that I can access from anywhere. Plaxo has an app for Android, iPhone, and Windows mobile. My old address book had hundreds of duplicate files and Plaxo consolidated them all with its cool "de-duper" tool. It even alerts me when information becomes outdated or incorrect. The birthday calendar updates you of your contact's upcoming special day and you can send e-cards directly through Plaxo. I use the FREE option but there are paid options that provide more syncing and other additional functionality.

2. CardMunch This FREE iPhone app was great even before LinkedIn acquired it but now it is even better. With CardMunch, you take a photo of a business card with the app and it automatically converts it into a LinkedIn contact. And since Plaxo is connected to my LinkedIn contacts, it downloads it and updates my address book instantly. The business card is thrown in the recycling bin.

3. Email and Gmail With Plaxo and CardMunch, I can easily share my contact information immediately and without the need for a business card. Whether from my iPhone, laptop, or desktop, I can email/gmail my contact information to anyone who needs it. They can then add it to their address book, many times with just the push of a button.

Gone are the days of keeping stacks of business cards on your desk, in a rolodex, or in business card organizers. Use your business card budget for other priorities.

What other tools do you use?

4 Traits of Great Leaders | Inc.com

2012-01-23T06:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.inc.com/matthew-swyers/4-traits-of-great-leaders.html

Article: Why Busy Work Doesn't Work

2012-01-20T05:07:00.001-08:00

Why Busy Work Doesn't Work
http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkotter/2012/01/19/why-busy-work-doesnt-work/

How Celebrity Appearances at CES Backfired...And What I Would Have Done Differently

2012-01-19T14:00:00.001-08:00

http://mashable.com/2012/01/18/celebrities-ces-brands-infographic/

Read this article and infographic with great interest this morning because I was one of the hundreds who lined up for Justin Bieber's autograph at the Tosy event at CES. Now, before you ask me to give back my "man card," you need to know I have a daughter for whom I was a hero when I got back home with her personalized, signed Bieber autograph. (NOTE: I also went to the Snooki autograph session the previous day, but I decided the ROI for waiting in that line was not worth the effort.)

As I stood in line, my public relations/social media brain couldn't help but notice all the things I would have done differently to get the most out of this incredible opportunity. I have to believe the money Tosy spent to have Justin (and his entourage) there for several hours was considerable. And this is on top of the cost of a CES booth space (extra-large, by the way) and the cost of the public relations firm they hired to assist with the event.

Here are the top five things I would have done:

1. Create Social Media Profiles: Tosy has no social media channels: no Twitter account, no Facebook account, no YouTube account, no Google+ account, NONE! Not having at least a couple of these is bad enough, but the fact they did not establish some channels in preparation for this event was very shortsighted. As a matter of fact, the fact their public relations firm did not demand it and help them set them up borders on malpractice. I would have made sure they had these established well in advance in order to build a following and start the "buzz" around this event.

2. Make It Easy for People to Publicize Your Event: Because they had no social media channels, there was nothing at the event encouraging people to Tweet with a special hashtag, nowhere to post their comments and photos on their Facebook page, no place to share videos of the event, and nowhere for them to blog the event LIVE (live-tweets, Facebook updates, YouTube videos, blog posts, etc.).

3. Know Your (Potential) Audience:They had no idea who was in the audience. I'm not sure if they took it for granted that there would not be a lot of teenage girls attending CES, but they certainly downplayed the response they would get. When my two friends and I arrived (all parents of little girls for whom we wanted to be a hero) three hours early for the event, there were two other people waiting in line. One of the Tosy employees actually encouraged us to come back in two hours, which if we had done, we would have been too far back in line to even see Justin. They had to reconfigure the line at least three times because it was much larger than they had planned for. What they forgot was the fact that while there wouldn't be many tween and teenage girls in the audience, there would be THOUSANDS of parents of tween and teenage girls in attendance. And some of us were so thrilled with this opportunity, we were willing to tweet and Facebook and Google+ about Tosy all day long for the chance at that coveted autograph. All they had to do was ASK and make it easy for me (hashtag).

4. Make it Worthwhile for People to Publicize Your Event: As the event was going on, I would have offered prizes to some lucky people in line just for being there. I would have offered a chance for a free robot to a lucky Twitter follower and/or Facebook friend (for a LIKE) and/or Google+ follower. We would have staff live Tweeting, posting photos and video, retweeting our followers in attendance, commenting on posts throughout the social mediasphere. One tweet about Bieber gets retweeted numerous times. They could have been the trending topic in a matter of minutes.

5. Share Before, During, and After and Do It Immediately and Constantly: Finally, after the event (IMMEDIATELY after), I would have all our photos, video, social media pages, and media links updated and highlighted on our website. I would continue commenting and retweeting and reposting and sharing. I would announce our contest winners. I would have LOTS of photos and video of Justin with our robot.

You see, it's not that the celebrity endorsement is a bad investment. It's that the companies don't understand that having the celebrity there is only the beginning. It's what you do with their appearance that makes the difference. That's what gets you word-of-mouth. That's what makes you the trending topic. That's what gets you a mention on Entertainment Tonight and TMZ and GMA and all the places that aren't just technology news outlets.

This was a golden opportunity that only received a small fraction of the attention it could, and should, have. Nonetheless, I'm a hero to my daughter for at least a few more days. Thank you, Tosy and Justin Bieber!

(Photo of my friends with JB)

Article: 14 Ideas for Busting Bureaucracy

2012-01-18T05:10:00.001-08:00

14 Ideas for Busting Bureaucracy
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/01/14_ideas_for_busting_bureaucra.html

Article: Top 100 Motivational Quotes of All Time!

2012-01-16T08:24:00.001-08:00

Top 100 Motivational Quotes of All Time!
http://billcrosby.com/socialmedia/top-100-motivational-quotes-of-all-time/

5 Ways to Improve Your Company's Customer Service on Twitter in 2012

2012-01-03T14:00:00.001-08:00

More and more people are discovering the power of social media to share their happiness and disgust with the companies they do business with. How your company reacts to those messages can impact the retention of your current customers and the acquisition of new ones.

Twitter is a convenient yet powerful medium for clients to use in sharing their experiences with your brand. Whether they are communicating directly with you (@reply or DM) or communicating about you in their tweet, you have the potential of increasing their happiness with you or making lemon from lemonade depending on how you use these five strategies.

1. Create a Twitter account. Creating an account is the first step to improving your Twitter customer service. You can't do Twitter customer service through Facebook or Google + or LinkedIn. Twitter is one of the most ubiquitous and powerful social media tools available. If you are not using it as a business advantage, you are being left behind. People are having discussions with you and about you in which you are not involved. There are plenty of articles out there on the use of Twitter for business and many Tweeple willing to help you if you just ask. I'm still amazed by the number of times I search a business on Twitter and don't find them. That in itself gives people an impression that you are behind the times. If once you create your Twitter account all you do is use it to listen (more on that in #3), it will be well worth the small amount of effort you have to put into it.

2. Use your account. I can't tell you the number of times I sent a tweet to the account of a business I frequent and received no reply. There is one giant computer software maker from the Northwest that I tweeted directly three times and NEVER received a reply. Another huge department store chain who recently announced the closing of hundreds of stores has never responded to my tweets about the terrible customer service at one of their eye care partners. It makes me wonder why they even created a Twitter account if they are never going to use it. If you create a business account and people go through the trouble of finding it in order to mention you and/or tweet you, then the least you can do is acknowledge them. The new Twitter makes it easier than ever to see when people are mentioning and retweeting you. There should be no excuse for you not to acknowledge that.

3. LISTEN. If people are celebrating you, then thank them for the kudos. If people are not happy with you, then acknowledge them and see what you can do to help. Anyone in the customer care business knows that most of the time all people want is someone to listen to them. Imagine if every time I called your customer service center, my call never went through or I was put on hold for 30 minutes. Oh wait, that does happen when I call some of your customer service centers. That's why I'm using Twitter to contact you instead! Just like when I call your customer service center, the same goes for Twitter. Answer my call and listen to me.

4. If you have more than one corporate account, coordinate and communicate between them. My cable company, Time Warner Cable, has numerous Twitter accounts. Some are regional accounts, some are general information accounts, and others are help/service accounts. I tweet TWC occasionally and have always received excellent assistance quickly. It is obvious that their accounts not only listen to their customers, but each account listens to the other accounts and understands what each of them does. If I tweet the wrong account, they will forward my message to the appropriate Twitter account so they can take care of me. They don't expect me to know or figure out which account to tweet.

If you create several corporate accounts, be sure to coordinate among them (what is the mission of each account) and ensure that they communicate with each other and know where to relay questions most appropriately. It's not the customer’s job to make sense of your strategy.

5. If we ask you a question, please answer it. I recently tweeted a huge furniture retailer to ask if they had a store near my in-laws in Nashville, TN. What I received was a tweet pointing me to their website store locator. Oh, gee, thanks. Like I couldn't have done that on my own. All they had to do was reply something like this, "No, we do not. The closest store would be in Atlanta or Cincinnati. You can see all our store locations here: http://website store locator." Now, I not only have my answer, but I can knock myself out finding locations across the globe. Remember that many times when we tweet you, we are on our mobile devices. We are probably also in a hurry for the information or we would take the time to look it up ourselves. I bet most Twitter users are quite adept at the use of Bing and Google. Please make it convenient for us. Don't answer us by giving us more work to do.

Using these five Twitter customer service strategies will put you leaps ahead of most of your competition. I and many of the people I know have made social media our number one choice when seeking customer service. It's also where we celebrate the fun and positive experiences with your product or from our last trip inside your store. We are not waiting until we get home to visit your website or post the comment to your blog. Twitter is the place we do this most. If you aren't using Twitter at all or not listening, then you are missing our interactions with you. Multiply me and my two friends (OK, one friend...OK, my wife) by the hundreds and thousands of customers you have on Twitter and you can see where this can make a huge difference for us.

And wait until you get the "listening" down and then you begin more proactively engaging with us on Twitter. That's when the real magic happens.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Baby steps.

Article: 13 Horrifying Things You Eat Without Knowing It

2012-01-02T10:00:00.001-08:00

13 Horrifying Things You Eat Without Knowing It
http://www.chacha.com/topic/weird-fact/gallery/1221/13-horrifying-things-you-eat-without-knowing-it

How many have you done? The 75 Things Every Man Should Do

2012-01-01T10:00:00.001-08:00

The 75 Things Every Man Should Do
http://www.esquire.com/features/75-things-0808

Rocky Gap

2011-12-28T20:27:00.001-08:00

Orange Rock

2011-12-28T20:25:00.001-08:00

Mossy Stream

2011-12-28T20:23:00.001-08:00

Rocky Top

2011-12-28T20:22:00.001-08:00

Hill Country Landscape

2011-12-28T20:19:00.001-08:00

Anvil Rock

2011-12-28T20:18:00.001-08:00

Willpower is a predictor of life Success. Here's how it works.

2011-12-27T10:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2011/11/07/how-willpower...

NPR.org » Work, Life Balance: VW Agrees To Switch Off After-Hours Email

2011-12-26T10:00:00.001-08:00

Does your employer EXPECT you to answer emails after work hours or do you do it willingly?

NPR.org » Work, Life Balance: VW Agrees To Switch Off After-Hours Email
http://m.npr.org/story/144200222?url=/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/12/23/144200222/work-life-balance-vw-agrees-to-switch-off-after-hours-email&sc=tw&ft=1&f=1001

Saveur Magazine: Island Holiday: Christmas in Puerto Rico

2011-12-25T10:00:00.001-08:00

Homage to my homeland. ¡Feliz Navidad!

Island Holiday: Christmas in Puerto Rico

by Kathleen Squires Growing up in New Jersey, Christmas always meant snow, cozy fireplaces, chestnuts, and Santa Claus. But my idea of the holidays ch...

Source: http://goo.gl/mag/vm2L4

Shared via Google Currents

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad!

2011-12-25T06:00:00.001-08:00

Hack Your Productivity: A Time-Management Geek's 10-Minute Solution | Fast Company

2011-12-24T10:00:00.001-08:00

How are you going to get more out of 2012?

http://www.fastcompany.com/1802627/your-most-productive-week-ever?partner=bes...

Article: Be More Productive by Making Better Daily Choices

2011-12-23T07:23:00.001-08:00

Be More Productive by Making Better Daily Choices
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/the_quest_for_efficiency_and.html

Article: Boost Your Career with Social Media: Tips for the Uninitiated

2011-12-21T14:00:00.001-08:00

Boost Your Career with Social Media: Tips for the Uninitiated
http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2011/12/boost-your-career-with-social.html

Article: 11 Expert Tips on How to Set Life- and Business-Changing Goals for the New Year

2011-12-16T05:07:00.001-08:00

11 Expert Tips on How to Set Life- and Business-Changing Goals for the New Year
http://www.forbes.com/sites/thebigenoughcompany/2011/12/15/11-expert-tips-on-how-to-set-life-and-business-changing-goals-for-the-new-year/

5 Ways to Prepare for a Potentially Contentious Meeting

2011-12-15T14:00:00.001-08:00

Most of us don't like confrontation but the reality is that confrontation is sometimes part of life. When we are lucky enough to know it is coming (and I believe that most of the time you will know beforehand...but that is fodder for another post), there are a few things you can do to prepare that can make the encounter a little less heated and unpleasant. These strategies also make it more likely all parties come out with an outcome they can live with.

1. Find out all you can about what's behind the unhappiness. Why might this meeting be confrontational? Is it just that the person you are about to meet is always a confrontational person or are there other issues that led to this? What has caused this rift in viewpoints? Might there be something that can be done prior to the meeting to ease some of the tension? Is it a misperception or misunderstanding or miscommunication (one of the biggest causes, by the way)?

2. Become informed on the issues. Once you know more about what's causing the unpleasantness, research the issue(s) and know as much about it as possible. Information is power. If you go in uninformed, you are more likely to become defensive and make a tough situation worse. You weaken your bargaining position when they hold all the information.

3. Know the players involved. Know everyone who will be in the meeting. Research them. What is their status in your organization? What meeting outcome will please them most? What meeting outcome will cause an impasse? How are they known to react to stress? How do they like to be approached? What compromise are they willing to consider (Hard to get this answer beforehand.)? The better you know those involved, the more you can play to their preferences. This may mean you have to give up status, use humility, ask forgiveness, and/or give praise depending on the person. Remember: everyone is coming in with a defensive stance. If you can be the one above the fray, you hold the position of strength.

4. Run the scenarios. Most people come into these meetings with a rigid mind. They are fighting for their best option and they are not ready to consider other ideas. They know what it is you want and they are not prepared to let you have it. If you come in understanding the different scenarios represented around the table, you can be ready to find the best from each option. This puts you in the position to lead the final strategy.

5. Prepare to compromise. In The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Stephen Covey's 4th Habit is "Think Win-Win." The premise here is that victory for the organization (office, program, donor, family, etc.) is greater than a victory for any one person. Come up with ideas on how both sides win and be courageous in putting those on the table. The final answer may not be yours, but you can start the "win-win" thought process and spark whatever the final answer becomes.

Remember the clichés created around these situations: "Sometimes you have to lose the battle to win the war." "Pick your battles carefully." "Don't let your ego get in the way."

These meetings aren't much fun and they can induce great anxiety. However, if you follow these strategies while being the one in the room with the greatest self-awareness, an ego that doesn't bruise easily, lots of humility, composure, and professionalism, you can lead the way to "win-win" more often than not.

What other strategies do you use prior, during, and after contentious meetings?

7 Things Highly Productive People Do | Inc.com

2011-12-14T14:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.inc.com/ilya-pozin/7-things-highly-productive-people-do.html

Any others you would add?

Imagine What Colleges Could Do With Gamification. Look at What Ford Does.

2011-12-12T14:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.joakimnilsson.com/case-studies/how-ford-social-energized-their-core-customer-base-with-badges/

We could give badges by graduation year, major, giving societies, sports teams, residence halls, cities (e.g., Dallas Alumni badge), states, clubs, fraternities/sororities, and more. They could be shared across social media platforms.

I Don't Understand What Anyone Is Saying Anymore - Dan Pallotta

2011-12-09T14:00:00.001-08:00

http://blogs.hbr.org/pallotta/2011/12/i-dont-understand-what-anyone.html

I agree with Dan. When did we become so pretentious with all the jargon and business speak.

Price-point for price; using that annoying rhetorical "right?" at the end of a sentence assuming everyone agrees with us; pretty much any acronym that's not scuba or radar; bandwidth for time or capacity; job creators for small business owners (OK,so that one is not used by EVERYBODY).

8 Ways to Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays

2011-12-08T14:00:00.001-08:00

		THERESE BORCHARD: 8 Ways to Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays
	Yes, the holidays do bring a magic and excitement to the month of December, but the stress, loneliness and blues pre-packaged with the festivities can be enough to drag one-fourth of us across the tenuous line from sanity to insanity.

VIDEO: David Attenborough - Wonderful World ((Publish 12:00 PM))

2011-12-08T06:48:00.001-08:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8WHKRzkCOY&eurl=https%3A%2F%2Fplus.google.com%2Fhot&feature=player_embedded

2 minutes that will invigorate and inspire. Well worth your time. Enjoy!

Article: 10 Proven Strategies of High-Performance Teams

2011-12-07T14:00:00.001-08:00

10 Proven Strategies of High-Performance Teams
http://mashable.com/2011/12/02/team-strategy-infographic/

Dec 7 Remembrance: Orville Miller, Jr.

2011-12-07T04:57:00.001-08:00

December 7 always reminds me of my grandfather. He was a 20-year-old Navy radioman in 1941 and annually he would recall to us receiving the Morse Code message that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor.
I always called him on December 7th to say hello and since his death nearly two years ago, I miss getting to make that call and hearing him say, "Hi, Karlie. How's everything?"
Gramp, I miss you.

Handbook for Life: 52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity

2011-12-06T14:00:00.001-08:00

Handbook for Life: 52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity
http://thechrisvossshow.com/handbook-for-life-52-tips-for-happiness-and-productivity/

The Myth of Work-Life Balance

2011-12-05T14:00:00.001-08:00

Thinking of the glorious life of the C-Suite. Perhaps you should read this first.

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/the_myth_of_work-life_balance.html

Why smart managers tell stupid lies

2011-12-02T10:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/why-smart-managers-tell-stupid-lies/?utm_source=Futurity+Today&utm_campaign=7e9214faa6-December_112_1_2011&utm_medium=email

Which nationality earns the most time off?

2011-12-01T14:00:00.001-08:00

Which nationality earns the most time off?

http://usat.ly/t2UTuF

Article: 5 apps for finding your favorite TV shows

2011-12-01T10:00:00.001-08:00

5 apps for finding your favorite TV shows
http://gigaom.com/video/five-apps-for-finding-tv-shows/

Herald Sun: Vienna the most-livable city, baghdad the least - survey

2011-11-30T17:00:00.001-08:00

VIENNA has been judged to have the best living standard in the world, while seven other European cities were ranked in the top 10 of the annual Mercer 2011 Quality of Living survey.

The Mercer survey covers 221 cities, which are ranked against New York as the base city.

The Austrian capital, which also finished on top of the list in 2010, was followed in the 2011 rankings by Zurich, Auckland, Munich, Dusseldorf and Vancouver. Rounding out the top 10 were Frankfurt, Geneva, Bern and Copenhagen. ...

http://news360.com/article/35763559
Shared using News360 for the iPhone. Learn more at http://news360.com

Sent from mobile

Karl Miller

512-483-1211

http://LinkedIn.com/in/karlmillerlugo

http://twitter.com/Karlmiller

http://about.me/Karlmiller

Physorg.com: Eating fish reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease

2011-11-30T15:00:00.001-08:00

People who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and reducing their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

"This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer's risk," said Cyrus Raji, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "The results showed that people who consumed baked or broiled fish at least one time per week had better preservation of gray matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer's disease."

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and cognitive skills. According to the National Institute on Aging, as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer's disease. In MCI, memory loss is present but to a lesser extent than in Alzheimer's disease. People with MCI often go on to develop Alzheimer's disease. ...

http://news360.com/article/35765354
Shared using News360 for the iPhone. Learn more at http://news360.com

Sent from mobile

Karl Miller

512-483-1211

http://LinkedIn.com/in/karlmillerlugo

http://twitter.com/Karlmiller

http://about.me/Karlmiller

Entrepreneurial Tightrope: Add to your attitude of gratitude

2011-11-30T10:00:00.005-08:00

Entrepreneurial Tightrope: Add to your attitude of gratitude
http://usat.ly/txB6cf

Article: 21 Ways to Overcome Exercise Excuses

2011-11-30T10:00:00.003-08:00

21 Ways to Overcome Exercise Excuses
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/overcome_exercise_excuses/index.php

Article: The Most Memorable Shots Of 2011

2011-11-30T10:00:00.001-08:00

The Most Memorable Shots Of 2011
http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/2011-09/photos-golf-shots-of-the-year#slide=1

Printer Creates iPhone-Sized Newspapers From Your Social Feeds

2011-11-30T06:00:00.003-08:00

Printer Creates iPhone-Sized Newspapers From Your Social Feeds
[VIDEO]: http://on.mash.to/t6upGS

Sent from mobile

Karl Miller
512-483-1211
http://LinkedIn.com/in/karlmillerlugo
http://twitter.com/Karlmiller
http://about.me/Karlmiller

Experts: Texas Drought to Continue Through Spring — Water Supply

2011-11-30T06:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-environmental-news/water-supply/texas-droug...:%20Subscriptions

Family plays key role in monitoring a child's weight

2011-11-29T10:00:00.001-08:00

Family plays key role in monitoring a child's weight
http://usat.ly/sj6OPa

Add Panoramic Photo Tours To Any Website With TourWrist:

2011-11-29T02:28:00.001-08:00

Add Panoramic Photo Tours To Any Website With TourWrist: http://on.mash.to/spQbNC

Article: J&D's Baconlube

2011-11-28T10:00:00.001-08:00

J&D's Baconlube
http://uncrate.com/stuff/jds-baconlube/

‘Twine’ Foreshadows A Future Where All Objects Talk To The Internet

2011-11-26T07:06:00.001-08:00

http://summify.com/story/TtA8WC7Xrzq8Er7S/techcrunch.com/2011/11/25/twine-foreshadows-a-future-where-all-objects-talk-to-the-internet/

Article: The Amazing History and the Strange Invention of the Bendy Straw

2011-11-24T06:35:00.001-08:00

The Amazing History and the Strange Invention of the Bendy Straw
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/11/the-amazing-history-and-the-strange-invention-of-the-bendy-straw/248923/

Perception is Reality

2011-11-19T14:38:00.001-08:00

A mentor told me early in my career that "perception is reality." So
much of what we hold as truth is actually our perception of it. As the
saying goes, "We don't see the world as it is. We see it as we are."

The stock market is a great example. The ups and downs are so often
because on the public's perception to news or world events. It's not
based on any real economic verity.

This is another great example:

What's the value of a Penn State diploma now?
http://usat.ly/up3pO9

Time Saving Digital Tips, Tools and Techniques Used by the Pros

2011-11-18T15:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/time-saving-digital-tips-tools-and-techniques-used-by-the-pros-2011-11

I love TED Talks. Here's yet another reason why. Charlie Todd: The shared experience of absurdity

2011-11-18T14:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.ted.com/talks/charlie_todd_the_shared_experience_of_absurdity.html

Check out more of their work here: http://improveverywhere.com/

This is so cool!: Magic Wall Lets You Race Against Olympic Marathoner Ryan Hall

2011-11-17T14:00:00.001-08:00

Imagine running that pace for 26.2 miles. Heck, imagine running that pace for 1 mile!

Fly above the Earth with this incredible timelapse sequence [Video]

2011-11-13T15:12:00.001-08:00

Article: Ten Ways to Become Better at Your Job Today

2011-11-12T09:25:00.001-08:00

Ten Ways to Become Better at Your Job Today
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkl45elig/1-get-organized

(Sent from Flipboard)

10 Ways to Instantly Build Self Confidence

2011-11-12T08:26:00.001-08:00

10 Ways to Instantly Build Self Confidence
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-ways-to-instantly-build-self-confidence/

Surfer breaks the world record riding a 90-foot wave

2011-11-09T17:53:00.001-08:00

Surfer breaks the world record riding a 90-foot wave
http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2011/11/09/surfer-breaks-the-world-record-riding-a-90-foot-wave-video/

5 Ways for Universities to Use Tokkster

2011-11-09T14:30:00.001-08:00

http://www.fastcompany.com/1793777/building-a-better-chat-room?partner=homepage_newsletter

With this new plug-in, you will be able to chat with customers live on your company webpages. This had my mind swimming with possibilities for both business and personal applications.

As a university fundraiser and past admissions officer, I immediately thought of 5 ways we could use this technology in higher education.

1. Admissions officers could chat with prospective students as they explore the college/university website.

2. Advisers could help students explore majors and class requirements while perusing deparmental webpages.

3. Fundraisers and alumni relations officers could hold chats around new faculty research, student accomplishment, community engagement articles.

4. Professors could hold chats around websites being explored by a class.

5. Administrators could hold live chats around major announcements while concurrently unveiling the webpage article.

No longer would you have to past the article into Twitter or Facebook or Google+ and hope your constituents saw it. You could have them "meet" you on the site where you could share the article and discuss it in real-time. You are able to share what's important and get immediate feedback.

What other ideas do you have? What industry are you in and what could you do with this technology? How might you apply it personally?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Family Light

2011-11-06T17:40:00.001-08:00

Article: How Health and Lifestyle Choices Can Change Your Genetic Make-Up

2011-11-06T15:51:00.001-08:00

How Health and Lifestyle Choices Can Change Your Genetic Make-Up
http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/11/how-health-and-lifestyle-choices-can-change-your-genetic-make-up/247808/

VIDEO: How Did We Get to 7 Billion and What Now?

2011-11-01T15:00:00.001-07:00

Another fantastic TED presentation by Hans Rosling

http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html

Must See Video: This Will Change Photography Forever

2011-10-31T14:00:00.001-07:00

Train Engineer Leads Passengers in Birthday Rap

2011-10-29T15:55:00.001-07:00

This is a lot of fun. My wife thinks the rapper is so cute.

It's or Its: A Review

2011-10-26T15:00:00.001-07:00

Once again, friends- "Its" only has an apostrophe when being used as the contraction for "it is." When being used in the possessive, it remains "its" without the apostrophe.
I see this grammatical error more than any other. "It's" everywhere: websites, articles, posts, titles, etc. Please put it out of "its" misery.

What's In a Name in This Global Society

2011-10-24T15:00:00.001-07:00

The name on my birth certificate is Karl Miller Lugo. It's based on Spanish naming customs where the first (paternal name) name is Miller and the second (maternal names) is Lugo. I would be called Senor Miller or Miller Lugo.

That became problematic when I moved to the states at the age of 8 and everyone called me only Karl Lugo. It became so confusing, my grandparents actually changed my social security card to read Karl Miller and asked that Lugo be taken off my grade school lists.

Fast forward 30 years and now the Hispanic community is the fastest growing segment in the United States population. You would think perhaps we would have this whole Spanish surname thing figured out yet.

I don't hold out much hope after opening up my iPhone news apps this morning to see the Argentinian president's name listed differently in almost every article:

Kirchner

Fernandez

Fernandez de Kirchner

Since the Miami Herald and the LA Times have some of the largest Hispanic readerships in the US and they both went with Fernandez or Fernandez de Kirchner, I recommend we go with one of those. Sorry, New York Times and Christian Science Monitor.

And if we can't figure out Spanish surnames, imagine what we're doing to surnames from other nationalities.

We certainly had no idea how to spell Gaddafi, or Kadafi, or Qaddafi, or...

Top 10+ TED Videos On Education & Learning

2011-10-11T15:00:00.001-07:00

TED keeps me company on my daily rush-hour commutes.

http://gettingsmart.com/news/2011/10/top-10-ted-videos-on-education-learning/

7 Little Things That Make Life Effortless

2011-10-10T15:00:00.001-07:00

Love this post written by Leo Babauta.

http://zenhabits.net/glide/?utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=website

An artist named Kaziah Hancock paints portraits of fallen soldiers free of charge for their families as part of Project Compassion.

2011-10-06T15:00:00.001-07:00

http://www.militarytimes.com/multimedia/video/?bcrefid=866157386#/Portraits+of++the+Fallen/51748824001

Replace your existing wall outlets with one including two extra USB charging ports

2011-10-05T15:00:00.001-07:00

Everything's USB Powered Anyway, right?

Supplies up to 2.1 Amps through each USB Port!
Made for US 110v only households only

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travelpower/e81a/?cpg=cj&CJURL=&cpg=...

Because You Never Know When You'll Have to Escape From Wrist-Binding Zip Ties

2011-10-03T15:00:00.001-07:00

Idea for the US Postal Service

2011-10-02T16:29:00.001-07:00

USPS, while it's my belief that any governmental agency who has to advertise on TV should be privatized, I am the son of a USPS retiree. In that regard, I have a difficult time watching you go extinct.

Here's one idea you might consider to help you regain some of the clients you've lost in this digital era.

The basic premise is this: you charge me less than the cost of a regular letter so I can send a hard copy card, IMMEDIATELY (almost), to anyone in the US.

Here's how it works:

I start by going to the USPS website and telling you what kind of letter or card I am writing (e.g., thank you card, birthday card, love letter, etc.).
I upload my message and choose from a list of card or letter (paper) options.
I provide you the address of the recipient and you send my completed card electronically to the post office in that town.
That post office prints it on the paper/card I chose, puts it in an envelope, and delivers it to the address within a few hours.
I get charged for the cost of the paper and envelope, a stamp price less than the regular price of a stamp (since I'm not actually mailing it), and a few cents for the cost of the printing.

Sure, we give up a little privacy, but for a generation that posts everything in their lives on Facebook, I don't think that's an issue. And this way your clients get what they want: the uniqueness of sending a hard copy letter/card with the immediacy of email...well, almost as fast.

I wish you all the best in your fight for survival.

He's "the fastest man on no legs."

2011-09-30T15:00:00.001-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/30/sport/olympics-pistorius-london-2012/index.html...

“God, Grades, Then Touchdowns”: 6th Grader Is Too Good At Football, So There’s A Special Rule For Him

2011-09-30T13:57:00.001-07:00

http://www.sportsgrid.com/media/demias-jimerson/

My Five Parents

2011-09-11T17:14:00.001-07:00

As I watched today's 9/11 10-year anniversay memorial shows, I was most touched by the stories of children who lost a parent. Some still children and others now adults told stories of a lost parent they either remember well or in some cases never met. I thought back to the show "My Three Sons," where a widower raises his three sons with the help of his father-in-law. The boys in that story lost a mom but they gained an extra father. In later episodes, the dad remarries and they gain a stepmother. That same story, certainly in a less comedic fashion, has played out for many of these 9/11 families.

It reminded how lucky I was to have had three fathers and two mothers growing up.

My "blood" father, while haunted by demons that made traditional family life impossible, was a good dad in my memories. Note, I'm not saying he was a good man or a good husband, but he showed me love when I was with him. While I've only seen him a handful of times in the past 36 years, when we get together it's friendly and even warm.

My mom became a single parent of two when they divorced. Not until I became a parent myself did I truly realize what it meant for her at 26-years-old to become a single mom. While many of us might dread the thought of moving in with our in-laws, I can understand why she sacrificed to do just that for us. So it was that we, like in the "My Three Sons" storyline, were also raised by my mom's in-laws.

My grandmother, my second mom, and my grandfather, my second dad, took us in just as they entered their retirement years. Imagine working all your life, raising your own three kids, preparing to spend your golden years enjoying the fruits of your labor, and instead you take in two pre-teen boys to help raise. For the next 8 years we would live with my grandparents while my mom went back to school with the dream of creating a new life for herself and her kids.

My stepfather, my third dad in the chronological sequence of this post, loved my mom so much he married her twice. He came into our lives as I was entering my teens. Thank goodness for his patience and his respect for my mom, because Lord knows I did not make it easy for him. Once again, I was blessed with another great role model in my life. While he may be a step-dad in the fact we're not blood relatives, he's only a "step" in the fact he's a step-above as a father. I now call him my dad.

I learned a lot from my five parents. Some unique to each one while other lessons were shared among them. I like to think that my open-mindedness comes from the fact that I was exposed to different view points born of experiences ranging from the Great Depression to the turbulence of the 60's. Having parents whose age range spanned two generations gave my brother and me an expanded view of the world and life. We even saw some of those viewpoints change over the years and we adapted and grew with them.

I lost the first of my five parents a couple of years ago. His death was certainly not as tragic as anything the 9/11 families had to endure. Yet, I know how much I miss him. I pray for the 9/11 families and their continued healing. Please know that you inspire me, you remind me to be grateful for the now, and you motivate me to not leave the important things unsaid and deeds undone.

Bottling The Past: Using Nostalgia To Connect With Customers

2011-08-23T08:45:00.001-07:00

http://www.fastcompany.com/1775388/nostalgia-hendricks-gin?partner=homepage_newsletter

Some important thoughts in here for university alumni relations and development professionals.

How are using nostalgia to our advantage? Are there stories and photos on the college website that take people back to shared experiences? Are we asking "nostalgic" questions when meeting with alumni? Are we creating nostalgia in our programming?

Would love to hear/see some of the ways you are using nostalgia-inducers in your marketing and outreach. Please share with us.