There are no mistakes in love
It is a conscious choice surrounded by consequence and reaping with thorns in its path
We don’t need to be rescued or found just led in the direction of happiness
I stand alone but never lonely
Lying in the darkness illuminated by the whisper of candlelight, I see promise
Promise gift wrapped in hope
Regrets are created by those that have given up and manifested in song by the broken hearted
Love it a risk with the highest reward
Blessed with kindness and bled with pain
There are no mistakes
There are no bad decisions
There is no turning bad
We often forget the reality because we want to be trapped in the dream
Another winter is upon us
Cold, wet and surrounded by a storm of thought
Deeper and deeper we slip into the bottom of the ocean
Fighting to breathe
At the final moment when the last breath is near a calm is found
It is the moment of pure enlightenment
A single second when balance is upon us and the future is clear
LinkedIn has distinguished itself as the premiere social platform for the global professional community. Providing a space for professionals to network, engage, discuss, poll and share knowledge, LinkedIn is a resource tool that is invaluable to many professional sectors.
One of the features on LinkedIn is Talent Groups. These are groups of like professionals that have the opportunity to start discussions, respond to inquiries, poll others professionals, network, brand, promote events and post and respond to career opportunities.
It is a euphoric playground for career professionals from individual business owners to consultants to business leaders.
Currently there are over 80,000 talent groups on LinkedIn and unfortunately, a large majority are under utilized. Why?
It could be:
Over-saturation of social platforms
Not enough time in the day to network with work and personal life obligations
Fear that opinions and knowledge sharing can be taken out of context
It is easier to glance and like than to read and absorb
Lack of understanding on how to join and participate in talent communities
Overwhelmed with the amount of information sharing
All very valid possibilities.
I currently manage six talent community groups, three subgroups and three company pages. I was recently approached by a senior professional in the Human Resources space about providing consultation on how to grow and expand the presence of a LinkedIn group. I had an exceptional meeting with his group leadership and feel this is valuable information worth sharing for those that currently manage or feel there is value in a LinkedIn community group.
Designing a LinkedIn Talent Community is based on a few key focus points:
Understand your audience and stay focused on targeting and admission of those relevant to the mission, content sharing and engagement
Accept that it will take three to six months or longer of intense focused marketing to develop a strong growth pattern. Many groups put in a big initial thrust and then give up.
Stay in the forefront of knowledge sharing, discussion development personalized admission outreach until it becomes a self breathing entity.
I have developed some guidelines for design, development, implementation and maintenance of your LinkedIn Talent Community Group:
Guidelines for design, development and implementation of LinkedIn Talent Community Group
Set up Google Alerts to provide daily media content focused on the domain of the group.
Bookmark professional websites that can provide information sharing for the group (SHRM, Compensation Organizations, Total Rewards, World at Work, HCI, etc.)
Set up partnering sites to help promote and identify potential membership opportunities (about.me profile and Google+, Google Groups, Yahoo Groups)
Reach out to members, use your LinkedIn network, Google circles, and other personal network connections to reach out and promote membership
Ensure the outreach is enticing and with specific focus on mission, content, knowledge sharing.
Once the membership population has grown to 50 – 100, use the announcement option to promote key content and recommendations/referrals for community promotion.
Do not exceed more than two announcement options monthly as this could drive people away
Use all the functionality within the group
Discussions (promote engagement by starting and responding to discussions)
Add periodic polling questions
Use the promotions section to promote events, webinars and other information sharing options
Use the career section to promote career opportunities regionally/nationally/globally
Promote success (recommend following the most engaged members, asking for Twitter accounts, growth numbers, etc.)
Promote the group to other large like community groups. Do this periodically every few weeks to keep it fresh
Set up a best practices call once the membership has grown (solicit feedback from the members in a conference call or networking happy hour to learn what type of information the members want shared in this talent community)
Tips:
Stay focused on the content domain (As the community grows, people will push the limits and stretch the content).
Manage all approvals for membership, discussion, promotion and jobs.
Like discussions. Show they are being read until comments start to flow.
Be very positive. Promote constructive communication but keep the energy level high.
There you have it.
I cannot say enough about how valuable community groups can be if they are launched properly, well maintained and promoted in a positive way to create an environment of sharing.
I can promise you life in this infinite blackness of eternal salvation
Six feet under is an illusion resting high above the bed of clouds bleeding out the blood of the divine being created by the myth of a prophet
This gate of acceptance judges in a home without judgement
Who determines life’s value?
Without value lies limitless uncertainty
Vulnerable to the unknown, we wait in fear
We drown our faith in a bottle and visualize Heaven in a trip induced by the natural herb bore from Earth’s soil
Now we are at peace; if but for a temporary moment; an isolated instance
The devil is real; Earth is his playground and we the puppets
Laughing at our misery
Counting on our greed
Thirsting for our death
Secrets exposed
Regret surfaced
Love poisoned in a pool of waste
This is the myth of happiness
Welcome to the reality of a journey of worn out souls
Sailing for a land with none in site
Will you be my true companion?
Will you grow old with me and more beautiful with each passing day?
Will you let me discover you with each new sunrise?
You are the blessing hidden deep in my prayers
The person I want to become
The angel from high above
Will you be my true companion?
Words cannot express my love
Songs cannot translate the music in my head
In an instant a world changed
One glimmer of light and you appeared
From the darkness to enlightenment you found me
A lost puppy in a sea of flowers I wandered
Smelling the sweet nectar of a perfect world
A perfect world without meaning; without promise; without direction
Then there was you in the distance
Will you be my true companion?
Destiny is written in the stars
Your soul next to mine high in the cosmos
In that field filled with the fruits of temptation I am grounded by you
A presence so powerful, yet so quiet and subtle
You awakened a sense left dormant by denial
An energy flourishing in the midst of your perfection
Will you be my true companion?
In you, I have found myself
In you, I will forever love
I am fortunate to have a warm and receptive boss that cares about my future and goes above and beyond to provide me with the tools and resources to gain the necessary skills to grow and work in a very satisfying environment.
With her cheerleader persona, focus on rewards and recognition and balanced workflow, she is a role model for the qualities that we look for in a “cool” boss. On a daily basis, I witness a leader that:
Fosters innovation
Promotes strong positive behavior
Engages a teaming environment
Provides her staff with opportunities to promote leadership through project management initiatives
Shares in best practices and process improvement
Promotes strong performance through a series of monetary and non-monetary rewards
Acknowledges individual and group successes to the team and leadership
Has trust to allow the team to work independently and not micro manage responsibility and results
A proponent for growth and development
Supports your causes if you have researched them and believe in them
Provides the tools and resources to succeed
Sets measurable and challenging goals
Believes in the success of the team each and every day
There you have it, the attributes of a “cool” boss.
“Cool” bosses win championships, lead successful companies, mentor the future leaders of the world and at the end of the day are incredible mothers, fathers, children, siblings, friends, volunteers and advocates for good.
All to often, at some point in our career we fall under the jurisdiction of the “cruel” boss. There are many reasons we are supervised by individuals with negative energy that inhibit growth and change.
First, we should identify the signs of a “cruel” boss:
Aggressive and negative in behavior and communications
Takes credit for the work of their subordinates
Does not promote or reward positive behavior and results
Micro manages work flow, output and daily responsibilities
Does not provide resources, tools or budget to promote efficient and productive output
Focused only on oneself and not the betterment of the team
Wedges barriers between team engagement
Finger points and pins colleague against colleague
Not supportive of the team goals
Many factors go into negative personality attributes affiliated with a “cruel” boss. Some are affected by their personal life, feelings of rejection being passed up on a promotion, a history of bullying or overbearing behavior or a perception that you need to be hard and aggressive to move up the corporate ladder.
Studies have been done on backgrounds, behaviors, genders and even height on the types of people that are promoted and make the most income. Some fields of study argue the tough and aggressive approach while others engage the collaborative and supportive approach.
Either way, more people spend time in the office environment than in their home and personal lives. From the time we are 18-22 until we turn 65 to 70, we will be spending most of our adult lives working. This is a statement that really needs to sink in. A negative work environment breeds stress, health issues and an overall negative environment. It can lead to such unhealthy behaviors as drinking, smoking or violence. This negativity will translate to the family live, personal life and interaction with strangers.
It is critical that leaders with people management abilities understand their roles and develop an approach that is positive, productive, engaging and fun. Here is how:
Learn about your team. Understand their strengths and weaknesses and partner up skills. Understand their personalities and determine how they can co-exist in a cordial manner.
Spend time understanding their future goals and aspirations. Set up measurable projects, action items and training that will get them where they want to go.
Promote and reward strong productive performance. Winners win and others will follow.
Be fair but be supportive of their efforts even if there is a risk.
Let them be. These are professionals, no matter what industry and trusting them is a big sign of support.
Let them become the professional they want to be. Guide them, but let them breathe.
If comfortable, learn about their lives outside of work. We are in a social engagement/networking world now. Personal and professional lives are starting to become one.
A productive team is always better than a productive person. The collective sharing of ideas, innovations and expertise will lead us forward in the business world. We need leaders that understand, support and foster a positive work environment.
IPhone
Android
Google
Tablets
LinkedIn
Facebook
Smartphones
Potential life outside the Milky Way
Cyber crimes
We have thrust ourselves into the next industrial revolution. The only difference between the 1880′s and now is that the end product is 1/1,000,000th the size. With more content, knowledge and information being shared every second, how do we absorb it. More importantly, when do we have time to interpret and respond to that content before the next piece is fed on our plates? We no longer have to share content in real time; we can schedule when real time will be.
The pressure is building. Which will explode first, the robotic brain or the human brain?
I am done with the dramatic portion of this commentary.
Where can I possibly be going with this?
I believe we are transgressing back to a simpler time when connections were about two people working together for the common goal. That goal can be a job, a collaboration or a project. Needless to say, relationships are becoming more and more critical in the employment community as technology is fighting harder and harder to build on innovation and gain market share.
This is an interesting conflict to wrestle with.
Let us look at the state of career IT solutions:
Programs are developed in IT solutions that monitor activity levels. As individual move closer to a change (loss of job, move, etc.) they tend to become more active including updating profiles and resumes.
We are no longer identified by the wealth of experience we bring to the table but by a series of skill tags.
We are not people but a brand. Some a simple brand while others saturate the market with their image.
Business cards are not exchanged, meetings are not had; We are officially engaged with a Facebook friend request, a LinkedIn request or a Google+ circle initiation.
The summation of our growth and development is summed up with visual or verbal sound bites and our performance is rated by the number of +1 or likes we receive.
Big brother is watching. The difference between Big Brother of old vs. new; He doesn’t have to try very hard to find dirt on you.
Jobs are posted everywhere but no one is hiring? How bizarre.
If it involves physical effort, there is an app for it so sit back and relax.
Where exactly does Groucho Marx come into the picture? As you can see from his famous mirror scene, the impostor was trying to convince Groucho’s character that he was looking at himself in the mirror. By mirroring his moves, he was creating a relationship. One of deceit but still a relationship. Throughout his career Groucho would befriend woman, professors, government leaders and con men offering them the world and then dancing the night away in the end. Sometimes it takes an old film to remind what is still the most important thing in our lives; the relationship.
Connecting with others, not by common tags or mutual friends but by the respect and passion their have for their career choices is critical for you to continue to grow. We live in an employers market and most likely will for the rest our lives and perhaps our children’s. Opportunities are limited and skill requirements more specialized. Now is the absolute time to find those that share your passion; your energy and you desire to continue to grow.
Network with them. Not through a network but human interaction.
Without that element, we are lost in a cyber melting pot. Once you fall into the deep abyss, there is no turning back.
“How lucky I am to have known someone who was so hard to say goodbye to.” – Unknown
“Why does it take a minute to say hello and forever to say goodbye?” – Unknown
Change is frightening and physically holding someone’s hand that you love one last time is a feeling most of us never want to face. It is an inevitability of life that every person will face. Some goodbye’s are as easy as walking away and not looking back while others are wrapped in final closure.
Everyone you ever face in your life, you will say goodbye to in spoken and unspoken word. You can’t neglect that fact of life. Perhaps that is why fear of death and commitment are two of the top ten most feared things. So many of us will try and find the silver lining in a goodbye with phrases like:
Every goodbye is one step closer to a new hello
Every ending is closer to a new beginning
You have to say goodbye to know how much they really meant
Don’t think of this as a goodbye but a reflection on all the wonderful times you shared
You will always have the memories
It is all psychological bullshit. It is an attempt to sugar coat a bitter cupcake. Farewells suck. Especially to ones that have brought you so much happiness and contentment. Why would we ever want to to let go of someone that has affected our lives?
There is the difference.
Letting go and saying goodbye are very different.
Everything in life has a purpose, or at least we have created the perception that it does. We have all had the one that got away. The lost love; the true soul mate; the person that made me believe in love; you got the idea.
Is there anything wrong with those moments of solace when you light some candles, drink wine and remember the times you shared and even create a scenario in your mind where you two are still together? Actually no. It is healthy and so often you feel better afterward. Maybe after the hangover has gone away. It is a flushing of feelings that is necessary. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t have decades of sappy love songs from Richard Marx to KC and JoJo.
An emotional flush. What a great thought. It is healthy and can even burn off calories.
Now, let us get back on topic. As a person who is well traveled and has had more than my share of people come in and out of my life, I can feel comfortable saying some were harder than others. Some even still are. Do I miss a few every single day? Absolutely. I have also put life in perspective and come to expect this.
Here is what you need to remember:
Don’t ever let go of anyone. Whether they were a friend, lover or enemy, they impacted your life. That is critical to understand. They shaped your morals, feelings, actions and lifestyle in some small or big way.
Saying goodbye takes tremendous courage. Look deep inside your soul and gather all that courage. It is hard and you will resist but it is essential, not just in that moment but in the future as you reflect back.
Farewells are healthy. They are part of our growth process. Life is a constant evolution of growth, change and adjustment. We want to accept that as we strive to become the best person we can
The hardest thing for most people when saying goodbye is to make peace with yourself. Often times we blame ourselves for the separation. Never ever blame yourself.
That is it.
Goodbye will happen many times throughout our lives.
Some will be heart wrenching and others will be subtle. It will happen. More often for some of us.
We need to accept it will happen and use the courage we all have inside to allow it.
Writer / Blogger / Social Media and Talent Acquisition Consultant / Life Geek / Photographer
Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Global Social Media and Marketing Solutions including: organizational development, team building, change management, compensation structural development and implementation, social media and talent community development, growth and advancement, training, rewards and recognition, recruitment, attrition control, affirmative action administration, labor relations and M&A.
Trainer
So You Think You Can Interview - ProNet August, 2010 Personal Branding and Social Media Resources - ProNet June, 2010 Personal Branding and Social Media Resources - Lee Hecht Harrison July, 2010 Personal Branding and Social Media Tooling - Lenova Women in Leadership September, 2010 Your Life Bag - ProNet October, 2010, The Effects of Social Media in the Workplace - Carolinas Payroll Conference November 2012
Published Author
Sonni's Abyss (June 2008)
A Beautiful World (February 2011)
This Time Around (Scheduled for February 2013 Publication)
