A little doldrum: the top-down has turned from the bottom-up




A culture to be considered
I've been quite enjoying the start of a four-day weekend.  The first day spent taking care of me.  I went for a mani-pedi.  I started a marathon of paint-ing while today I took my dog Buddy for a long walk, with ear buds setting pace to my walk and singing to my spirit.  You'd almost think that it would be classical wouldn't you?  Nahhhh, it is more rock.  Not pop music, country or ballads for me.


When writing slows down
I want to take a look inside and reflect upon why that would be so?  I maybe feeling uninspired?  That can happen to the best of us.  Pulling yourself out by the collar, takes strength, resilience and determination.  I have taken a break from painting and nothing of interest draws me to the TV.  (I've heard enough about "Brexit" for years, not even days, never mind hours).  



In keeping with the positive
An attitude adjustment may be in store.  Which is where I will write about "theCLUBHOUSEproject" I'm about to embark on later on.  Am I feeling melancholy?  Fed up? or Flipping out?  None of the above.  Just nawhthing that is rocking my boat of late.  I got a nice note from a colleague that I had written a recommendation for, and that gave me some umphhh:
there is hardly a better way of springboarding out of the doldrums than making someone else feel special.  If they happen to notice, or better yet, respond with a positive vibe, I know I have hit my mark.  It does make me feel better.  


A reflection from within
surfaced a concise take on a situation with these words:

I'm sure you'll go far now you're out in your-new-land, circulating
 around the head honchos.  I still get the giggles over that email that was sent out that day from your computer because you left it on .... "tomorrow pizza's on me!!"  Too funny eh?  I hope you will check out my blog
 and share it around your circles.  It is the truest to who I am,
 not the stifled version that works at a company
 we both know, that's for sure. 
 They put me on a new team and it is like working
 under a vice grip.  My TM is just waiting for me to mess up
 to enable it to pounce on me.
  I find it hard to believe that they are trying to make people
 when it looks like they really want to break them.  


Do you really know your cultural?
Or is it an image drummed up by the marketing and creative types?  I keep trying to tell people who are not listening carefully:  if you say it is so, it does not make it to be.

Who mans (or WOmans) your ship?
I sure hope it isn't a 20 something who can't get a grip on what your customers want, and cannot relate to who they are.  That seems to be the most common.  The value an organization puts to their social media is atrocious for the most part.  I'd bet they are paid less than your receptionist.



The value of first impressions
Centrically lies at your front door, who people see first when they enter your castle.  In today's world, I'm going to guess that something like 75 percent (conservatively speaking) outsource their reception kingdom.  Chances they are very young, very poorly attired, misappropriately mannered.  

A call for Ms. Manners
Do they even have such a thing around anymore?  Golly, we all remember Audrey Hepburn in that role about a rough-around-the-edges girl turned into a lady!  Yet we park the "before" version as the first person your very best customers, investors, creditors, shareholders, potential employees see.  

The tables are turning
The potential investor, customer, shareholder, sought after graduate is going to cross you off your list based on how important everything is in your organization, where responsibility lies at the top-down, not the bottom-up.   

A Sergeant Major leading troops
Belongs in the army or marine corp, not your company!  Yet, so many top organizations lean on to lean into the masses, push the bad ones out and the good ones too, where the mediocre survive, deafened or immune to management style that intimidates or incriminates, bracketed by a title that would indicate is your support person or advocate but is more inclined to promote themselves long before anyone else, unless it is one of their cohorts in the middle management aisles, defending each other, protecting themselves.



What is your personality?
We know what you tell the shareholders and the media viewers who skeptically buy everything you dish out.   If you were to walk into your company fresh tomorrow, as though you were looking from the outside, what would you see?

People friendly and engaged
Falls far behind stats, metrics, diplomas or degrees.  You really aren't looking for anyone that can think for themselves when you've kept the guard strong, stifle any ingenuity because that would only threaten the troops and take the majors off their game, briefly, before they are marched out or escape themselves.



As the economy rebounds
Many will have good memories.  They will recall the mishaps they scanned a while ago and have your company on the "stay away from" list faster than a nod on the "apply inventory".   



Respect, professionalism, ethics
Will far outway corruption, politics,  nepotism,  favoritism.  The leaders of those gangs exhausted and put out to pasture to make way for energy, enthusiasm, ethics, put out the steam of egos.

Roll up your sleeves and work
Without concern for who gets credit, because credit will always fall on the most deserving, not the stolen ideas.



Where training prevails
 Not as a fake lost leader but a real orchestration of talent pooling and magnetic to only the best of the best surface from.  



Numbers don't lie

I am not always controversial
but I have formed a habit of dive bombing into unchartered unexamined non-identified-sources.   I guess I'm unafraid of developing a curiosity, studying it, defining the characters involved, and then dropping in like lightning.

Thunderbolts
are rarely welcome.  To zap in in an instance, drop their opinion.  To result in striking attention.  Taking attention away from anyone is like standing up to the kids playground bully.  You rarely go quietly.

The conversation conversation 
context can go on a vacation.  Unless you are an accredited media:  television station, network, newsprint, magazines, and now website like MASHABLE, you have to defend your position.

The harsh reality
of offense.  There is no humming harmony in the background to set the tone, nor the beat of the tunes, giving personality to the message or messenger.  If you stick your neck out with your opinion online.  You better be able to defend it in a heartbeat.

In a society of debates
Why would someone block someone else?  Just by asking for proof of their statement.  Unfortunately, for them, I documented the interaction as I continue to lean on my graphical imagery sensories, I have become more instinctively reactive to saving something.

Instincts of survival?
Or just tired of people making false or padded statements of authority like they KNOW something that nobody else does.  Unless, it is clearly recognizable by their authenticity.  

The most of anything articles
 are usually identifiable because of history, past,  commentary or writings.  Like People's Most Beautiful List that has been around since?  Insert fact check:  _________________::
                                      ~..~


{ i n s e r t    i m a g e   h e r e }
                                      ~..~

 Repercussions
 A developing opinionator on social media is being crafted.   I'm applying my instincts and gut reaction to matters that cross my radar.  Usually, docilely, non-confrontational because they almost always lean towards inspirational, positive messaging or images that make you just go WOW!

WOW happens
when you least expect it.  Perhaps you forgot to take a pause before you emit anything?  Or the experience is so uplifting.  Appealing to your creative senses:  sight, hearing, visual poetry, written mastery.  Whatever it is, I tend to let it pop.

Pop scorn
Has to be defined something like you decide to opinionate which on social media can be really sticking your neck out on here.  Bullying, violence, corruption are obvious areas to lay your scorn.  But don't forget, that if you decide to opinionate you are setting yourself up for suspect questioning on authenticity.  Which I did.  Innocently, trying to find an uplifting song to share with everyone who it casts its light upon.  I come across something that my radar said was a scoundrel.

Scoundrel
Should be resurfaced as an word of our times, of our world.  Those scoundrels are the ones that try to cheat innocent people.  Or the ones that try to fake an authority that only they say to be true.  Taking money from old people, innocent people, trusting people with no intention of ever doing what you promise.  Plenty of shady politicians have been called a "scoundrel" as the one-word-says-it-all descriptive.

The story
Here is how the story folded.

I was writing about lists.  Assembling stats from my own blogs to demonstrate how lists and favorites are a great way to monitor where folks come from to your blog, your Tweets, Facebook likes.  I love gazing at numbers.  There appears before me poetry in words to be explained.  In my own words.  My own interpretation.  You see, I wasn't even thinking about being the most trusted authority on social media. 

From here

To there


Numbers don't lie
My darn numbers that I check out, not nearly often enough, guides me and directs me towards what blogs I write seem to resonate, catch on.  For my audience is not boastful or any a scoundrel in there.  That I'm aware of, at least.  I'm pretty consistently known for being a promoter of Calgary.  To my non-Calgarian, non-Canadian followers.  How I know where my visitors come from?  My Google stats, of course.  They are THE best source.  I have experimented with WordPress but it just doesn't provide the juicy stats that Google does.



No vote
The non-voters would be anyone associated with me.  I wouldn't dare rely on other's generosity, support to catapult me into some sort of notoriety.  I'm kind of averse because anyone of any fame or acclaim are deemed, beamed and decided by others.  Not themselves.

Excuse the hand-writing
Try writing with your mouse.  It is going to take a lot of practice to make it look finesse.  I'm up for that.

Measurement stick
I set my own measurement sticks.  With my ultimate goal of being a singular voice on something widely important.  That's what my instincts tell me and the path seems to be guiding me towards.  When I can absorb, enhale and infuse the numbers, they will show me the way.  Now, it could be Calgary, but maybe reddit.com senses something far wider when moderating "Canadian Travel" for them.  (Please send me clips of what you think are awesome parts to visit in Canada.  You just have to share it with me on reddit.  It isn't my opinion on what the best is, I only moderate.  By sharing your opinion often and proud, you are substantiating numbers like where, in fact, IS the best place to visit in Canada?).




Smart
They're just plain smart.  No bull-S-sers are following my aura, some could say they use a charisma metre that is set by their own personal gauge.  Simply because they gravitate to similar topics, articles, visual, stimulated or subtle. 





The shortcut
It's always pretty easy to try to take the short road instead of the long one.  Or the shorter ones with plenty of peaks and valleys.  They all differ.  Nobody should try to cheat the numbers, sway the results, bribe the fanbase.

Integrity
Is the measurement that only those who feel the necessity within every fiber of their being is going to be attracted to me, my message, my opinion and lately, investigation.

Declining Tabulations
The most saddest offshoot from declining traditional media sales, the dwindling revenue means tightening up.  In media, it is cross-polarization.  Take a story and make it identifiable with a country, not a region or a city. 

Generic boredom
Anyone who really lapse into stories.  Trusting and loyal.  No, not the fairy tales that abound on social media.  These really smart people can sniff out the egotists and proclaimers.  They don't need the recognition.

Comments
I may take a dry perception to comments.  Early on, in my initial stages of blogging.  I heard over and over again that whether what you are writing are catching on are based on the number of comments.

Experiment
All of my three readers, of this blog, may remember that I am a fan of creating my own experiments.  To see if anything registers.  To give information, share knowledge from the unscientific results that abound.  I used to way back, when I was convinced that the only way my blog would ever catch on is I simply just ask people to comment.  When I did ask, I got people to act.  



Linked In
One of my most proudest followers is the "LinkedInCompany" on Google +.  Not the most obvious source for communicating on social media, but still unparalleled influence in results is Google+ (if you want a tip).  They connect with me, update me and inform me privately and personally, like this:


Most engagers
Sure, most of my best and most excellent sphere of real influencers are from Linked In.  I'm fortunate to be associated with some magnificent leaders that are climbing in favor, on the news, more often quoted in news authorities.  Fact in point:  one of the largest charities CEO was established as a connection on Linked In.  We had a meeting to exchange in conversation about non profit exploration of social media's strength as a platform of finding, retaining and maintaining relationships with donors.  Me, I was investigation my credibility to be paid to help for a campaign or for a while.  He acknowledged my "conversation" this afternoon and we had a really pleasant, brief exchange.



Another great example:  I reached out to a very big chunk of connections from Linked In, with whom I have personal connections with to request that they share information on how to donate towards the Fort McMurray Wild Fires.  I have proof, evidence of who is actually "engaged" with me.  Not just reactive, but whom we have short conversations or long hellos spanning years on Twitter.  The people that help you, start you off, give feedback, give praise, are your cheerleaders are the ones that respond.  Most of the ones I reached out, I trusted.  They did respond, simply by jumping to it and sharing, or asking a question.  I can send out a post among almost 18,000 Twitter followers, post on Facebook, and I may get a blip of response.  But personally connecting with Linked In, I got lift off:  help raising funds for residents and City of Fort McMurray.

Supporters, mentors
I clearly write and give tribute to those that helped me and my adventures on social media.  Based on one of my biggest discoveries in sales was that you never claim credit for what others are doing to allow you to deliver to customers.  You benefit from that.  You plug into results from that.  The principle hasn't changed on social media.  I am only as good as my followers, and if I'm ever going to be great at it, it is only because others will give me a nod.


On guard
I treasure the very important connections that I have been honored by with the reciprocal connection on Linked In.  I am private about them.  We may message back and forth, here and there.  I never divulge who they are or what we communicate about.  I am always seeking an opinion or a sparring of ideas.  That's who I am continually discovering.  Thankful that I am surrounded by really really "remarkable" people.  They care about who they are identified with, just being by association on here.  Above board and professional exchanges always.  Not the riff raff that seem to jump in and then fizzle out.   Just recently, I joked with a very big CEO of a very big bank on when was I going to be his Road Manager when he finally writes the book then goes on a Road Show to expel his wisdom.  Sure, I want to be identified with that.  He knows who he is.  I hope he does read this.



Misperception
The saddest part about believing the masse, instead of experimenting, not judging, forgetting to decide for yourself what is great.  Linked In is really under appreciated or gets a bum rap.  They are not a ONLY a job search site.  They are not a career, headhunting, employment, sales networkers site.  You may be doing it all wrong if you are simply amassing big numbers.

Big numbers
Are just that.  Think sports.  As I am more comfortable comparing to now.  Because I assumed I knew a lot about hockey, and now the discovery becoming an NFL Sea Hawks new fan, makes me understand why sports are always such a great source for quotes.  But they also live, breath, and constantly examine their stats.   



Surprising
What is always most surprising is how wrong you can be sometimes.  The ones that you think are supporters are really co-promoters.  The least likely ones are the ones to respond, mostly comment, if you straight out ask them.

Skepticism
The hardest part of being someone who likes to investigate facts, uncover cool opportunities or just imagineer, is that your greatest super power is your adversity to dishonesty.  Fighting the battle with skepticism, trouncing it with optimism.


Optimism
So you silent viewers.  Thank you.  I know you're here.  Even if there only a few of you.  You inspire me.  I write.  I become more inspired.  Your react by your click, whether on this Blog, or my other two that are evolving and examining the other sides to who I am.  Simply, a gal from Calgary.  Nothing more.  No one less.

Other than someone who imparts knowledge, shares beauty and curates the amazing content that you can find, slowly, outstandingly, wonderfully.












Often words are not needed to express





Or express how you feel
















Mere pictures can inspire ::