TwtApps Offers Beautiful Simplicity: Twtcard, Twtpoll, and Twtvite

How often have you wanted to ask your followers on Twitter or your friends on Facebook their opinions on a topic? If you are anything like me, this has happened a lot and being able to reach out and talk to a large number of people at one time is one of the boons and busts of social media. The "social" part is clearly critical, but how do you collect all the opinions in one place? Hello hello twtpoll! twtpoll allows you to poll your connections and check on the progress in one place!

Mashable shared two other Twitter apps that look interesting...might be worth checking out!

TwtApps Offers Beautiful Simplicity: Twtcard, Twtpoll, and Twtvite

Discovery's Science Channel is Looking for a Few Good Geeks

Ooh...I'm thinking of a few people who I know would be *perfect* for this!

Three Things You Can Do Today to Be Better at Working with Members

1. Attend the free Component Relations Virtual Lunch at noon eastern on “Working with Toxic Chapter Execs” - Register here: http://tinyurl.com/5nmpv5
2. Phone 218-936-7979 (Access code *189780)
3. Read Frank Fortin’s post on the new requirements for communications in associations URL: http://frankfortin.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/what-we-need-to-know/
4. Read “Get One New Idea Going” on Acronym http://blogs.asaecenter.org/Acronym/

Bonus Points: Send me your best ways to promote and reward your volunteers and leaders (send to klital@osa.org).

On My Desk

You have a Picture Mail from kikicoffman@pm.sprint.com

Message: Options View Picture Print at Retail Reply to Sender Reply to All Forward Send and receive Pictures and Videos through Picture MailSM. For more information go to www.sprint.com/picturemail.

Please be aware your friends can forward your picture, video, and album share invitations to others or post the unique Web link to your share invitation on any number of sources (e.g. blogs), through which others could also gain access to your online photos. If you have private or sensitive photos you are sharing, please share them only with those you trust.

© 2008 Sprint. All rights reserved.

Posting to my blog from my phone seems too dangerous. Kind of like drunk dialing...

At any rate, this is a test. It is only a test.

My Five Favorite People to Follow on Twitter (& Why)

Playing “Blog-Tag” is a new favorite pastime for me and recently the ever expanding game of tag has evolved into people listing their favorite people to follow on Twitter. In keeping with that I've decided to list five of the most helpful Twitterers I know.

Here they are:

@ChrisBrogan
It almost goes without saying, but Chris Brogan probably has the most consistent, helpful information about social media out there. He like to share what he knows and he is privy to lots of great links that he shares with everyone. I think everyone should follow him on Twitter.
In addition, he is a really nice guy.

@NewspaperGrl
I don’t even know her, but I like her style. She sometimes posts links to reports and information about new media that I find useful.

@CynthiaDAmour
This woman is a great presenter and she is full of ideas. Cynthia is a valuable resource if you are engaged in some kind of volunteer management. Quite experienced, she can connect you with webinars and all kinds of information that will help you out with improving your communication with groups.

@briansolis
Another fantastic resource for good links to information about social media out there…

@maddiegrant
Maddie is dynamic and fun…she will post updates that are linked to her blog and her focus is on social media and associations. What I like about Maddie’s posts is that she will remind people in real time that something, like an online chat, is going to start in 5-10 minutes. Very helpful to have reminders about free informative chats!

There are many, many others who I follow and who I choose to receive their updates on my phone, but the names I listed are my favorites who also happen to be quite helpful to me.

Do you have suggestions for me? Please feel free to post them here!

Five things about me

Maybe you have already met Cynthia D’Amour, or know of her through her blog or books...she’s the person who tagged me for a fun round of the “five things you don’t know about me” game.

I feel so special! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …here we go.

1. I have been on Good Morning America and 60 Minutes

• Was on GMA last week for a story on families and the holidays
• Was on 60 Minutes about 10 years ago as a Slam Poet performing in Chicago
• Also was on a brief VH1 show called “Motor Mouth” when I secretly set my friend up to sing in a car

2. My first name is not a nickname and the 2nd “K” is really supposed to be capitalized

• It is no joke – that’s how it is on my birth certificate
• My middle name rhymes with my sister’s middle name
• The number of times someone has asked about Elton John and Kiki Dee’s “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart” song is ridiculous.
  

3. I am from a small town and used to dance for cattle because I had zero neighbor kids to play with.

• My favorite albums were Xanadu and a Jackson 5 compilation.
• I used to think Michael Jackson’s tour bus would break down and he would be forced to walk through the woods behind my house so he’d accidentally come across me dancing and would be amazed by my talent.
• I didn’t always stop dancing when cars drove by the house next to the fields.
  

4. Books were the only items my dad would allow me without limitation when I was a kid.

• I had the largest collection of books of anyone I knew.
• I have a large range of tastes.
• I rarely went outside (except to dance for some cows).

5. My high school art teacher taught me how to play basic chords on guitar.

• He also gave me a guitar he had restored.
• I also play piano - took lessons for years...
• I wish I played both better than I do.
  

Now…ha ha! ...I get to challenge five more people to share.

Here are my five:
Kylee Coffman – My sister in crime and a Mortified champ.
Sarah Grace McCandless – Author, blogger, and Cupcake Master.
Clay Dunn – Expert on all things food and literature-related. Clay and Zach are bloggers for The Bitten Word.
Zach Patton – Top Chef and guru on DC happenings. http://www.thebittenword.com
Jolene Siana – Author and NYC tour guide extraordinaire!

Don’t let me down!

Dear Diary - I hate Sharepoint!

Dear Diary,

Things were going so well. The all-staff was full of colleagues ready for the meeting to start so they could get to the promised lunch waiting for them just outside the conference room doors.

The PowerPoint presentations were loaded up and the review of events at the annual meeting began. I got up and did my super-charged presentation about chapters and sections making sure to include information about how I'd effective used Twitter and Collective X to organize the attendees before, during, and after the meeting. I think I did okay!

People smiled as I sat down and almost every presentation afterward mentioned the student chapters I work with....which made me smile.

Then, just before the meeting ended, William Jack Henry* stood up and began his presentation with a nod to me referring to how much time I took presenting and then verbally poked at my successful communication platform (Collective X) saying that he preferred to use Sharepoint as it was geared for people over twelve-years-old. Ouch! (Of course, he *does* have a different sort of dry sense of humor, so I suppose I need to be a little bit more thick-skinned.) Still, I hate Sharepoint, so I am the slightest bit bitter.


Trying to let it go...but I might just have to eat some chocolate to get over it.

Top 3 Reasons I Hate Sharepoint:

1. Too many clicks to do anything
2. Takes the "fun" out of "functional"
3. Does not encourage interaction

Ugh.

How Will New Media Affect the Newly Unemployed?

My sister lost her job a week ago. The direct marketing company she had started working for only four months ago lost two of their biggest clients and decided they couldn't afford their newest staff postions. My sister received the news and a small severence package on Monday of last week. The timing could have been better.

As the market searches for a place to settle so the world can herald a new beginning, people are losing their jobs and reports say it will only get worse. For my sister things weren't as bad as they could have been. She was able to pick up consultant work fairly quickly (by last Wednesday) for a previous employer in the DC Metro region. But for many others, who have families/overextended mortgages and who live in an area with fewer opportunities the results could be dire. This is a scenario many have predicted and warned about for years. Entire organizations have been built around the idea.

Here are four tips to set yourself up for success (courtesy of Yahoo! News):

1. Is the résumé passé?

Not entirely. Of course, anyone looking for a job will need a résumé. As always, it should be strategically crafted, truthful and spelling-error free.

But relying on a résumé to get you a job, or even to get you noticed, is no longer realistic in this highly competitive environment, according to Jennifer Kushell, employment expert and CEO of Your Success Network.

"I don't really love the idea of relying on the résumé anymore," Kushell says. "I think it is an antiquated piece of technology because the idea that any of us express ourselves on a piece of paper is very old school."

You have to connect with people and present your self to the people that have those jobs to offer, she suggests.

2. Work your network

You have to get in front of and "wow!" the people responsible for making the hiring decisions. "If you're not networking you're crazy, because you are limiting your options and opportunities," says Kushell.

She advises clients to get out of their comfort zone and join industry organizations, go to parties and events and introduce themselves to new people. In this job environment, the good jobs are not listed in the newspaper and, they are not on job sites all the time. You hear about them by having a network of people who are well connected in the industry and willing to help you.

And people should be doing this type of preparation all the time and not just once they lose their job.

3. Manage your brand

Social networking may be all the rage but it can be a career killer if you are not careful. Potential employers often search potential job candidates on the Internet and any inappropriate pictures or postings will sink you in the applicant pool.

According to a recent study by YSN.com, a global work-force consulting firm, about 30% of young people surveyed said there is definitely or probably something online that they would be embarrassed for their employer to see. Take it down, clean it up, and protect your reputation like it's your job; Or it could end up costing you one.

4. Look beyond borders

If opportunities on the home front aren't materializing, Americans may want to turn their attention overseas. Some of the fastest growing economies -- Russia, China, India, Dubai and countries throughout Asia -- are eager to import American talent.

"Business is becoming very Americanized all over the world and talent is required that has training in America; they want people that have the work ethic and the DNA," says Michael Karp, CEO of executive search firm Options Group.

Multinational companies that are expanding overseas or international financial firms may be looking to snatch up newly unemployed American workers.

How else can you use social media to your benefit? Michael Port (who can be a little too over-the-top for my personal taste, but who has some sound advice) or William Aruda might help guide you into building your personal brand, if you haven't already.

What do you think?

Thinking About Succession Planning for Chapters

Leadership is tricky business and it can become even trickier when you are trying to move on from a leadership position with a group...especially when there is no one around you who is fitting or desires to take over your role.

I just took part in a webinar at Cynthia D'Amour's Chapter Leaders Playground, "Three Good Thoughts for Better Teamwork With Author Erika Oliver" and received several good tips. I think my favorite idea came as a direct response to my succession planning issue from another webinar attendee. The mysterious "Judy" who typed in a response for my consideration provided a pearl of wisdom. To paraphrase...

"The first responsibility of a leader is to develop a person to replace them. The leader should identify four prospects. Identifying four prospects is important because, on average, one will refuse, one will disappoint, one will move, and one will accept."

I like that.

What are some of your own succession planning tips and troubles?