Thursday, March 14, 2013

5 Tips for Facilitating Productive Meetings


Think all meetings are boring?

Think meetings are a waste of time because nothing gets done?
Attribution: flikr/Jennifer Kumar
Then use these five tips for more engaging and productive meetings:

1. Use a timer.

Better yet, use multiple timers.  When people know there is a time limit, they are more likely to focus.

2. Break up your meeting into smaller, timed mini-meetings.

It can be refreshing to know that a decision will be made in five minutes and then the group will move on to something else rather than letting time pass without deciding or moving on.

3. Use different activities to facilitate each agenda item or decision.

Agenda creation is a lot like lesson planning.  Good teachers know that getting students to learn is not just about the content, but about using the right method of delivering that content.  People are more engaged when they are active.  Sitting for an hour is not engaging for children or adults.  Let people move around during the meeting.  Have quiet times and talk times.  Ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer.  However, don't ask questions that let people ramble either.

4. Outlaw presentations or set ground rules for presentations.

One slide presentations force the presenter to think about what is most important for people to know in order to act.  Or just give group members everything they need to know to make a decision on one sheet of paper.  Let them read on their own for two minutes.  Discuss the information for two minutes. Then discuss possible decisions for three minutes.  Make a decision as a group and then move on.

5. End each meeting with a summary.

Everyone should leave the meeting knowing what was decided, who is responsible for acting on each decision, when the recommendations should be implemented, and when results of the implementations will be presented.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Top 10 Ways to Use Facebook's News Feed for Professional Growth

Need to find interesting content, but don't have a lot of time?

Need to keep up with news or your field?


Attribution: By Enoc vt (File:Botón Me gusta.svg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Let Facebook curate content for you!

Here are some suggestions for using Facebook's "Like" button to facilitate your professional growth or manage your social media presence.

1. Local News Organizations

By liking local news organizations, you will stay on top of what's happening in your area and how you or your organization can participate in local activities.

2. Favorite Authors

Authors are thinkers and provide valuable perspective, even if outside your field.  However, only Like or Share content consistent with your personal or professional brand.

3. Businesses in your field

Keep up with your competitors.

4. Industry leaders

Know what leaders in your field think.

5. Volunteer organizations

Volunteer organizations provide a variety of opportunities to serve your local community.

6. Personal Growth Speakers/Authors

Need to provide some encouragement or inspiration.  Liking people in this group will provide ample opportunities to like or share inspirational messages.  These posts will keep you motivated as well.

7. National News Organizations

Keep up with the national news, particularly as it relates to your field.

8. News Magazines

Industry magazines are also a great source of content from which to learn and share.

9. Industry organizations

Are you a member of an industry organization?  Chances are that your organization has a Facebook page.  Like the organization to keep up to date with organization updates and developments in your industry.

10. Customers

This is particularly valuable if you or your organization serves the needs of other organizations. This will help you better understand the needs of your customers.  Also, you can foster relationships with customers by liking, commenting, and sharing their content.


Simply put, giving others a Thumbs Up on Facebook may result in others giving you a literal Thumbs Up for your work.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Mobile App of the Week

This week's mobile app of the week is Google Chrome.

Attribution: By Iphone_4G.jpg: DanielZanetti derivative work: Ralf Roletschek (Iphone_4G.jpg) [CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons


Why?

1. Access to my bookmarks

Having access to my bookmarks when I need them is essential for my work responsibilities.

2. Not having to use one app to for mobile browsing and another for bookmarks

Before installing Chrome on my mobile devices, I used Pocket for bookmarks.  While effective, it created extra steps of adding bookmarks via email on mobile devices.  I can add new bookmarks and access saved bookmarks within Chrome.

3. Synchronizing between phone, tablet, laptop, and desktop

Synchronizing means I never lose bookmarks when transitioning from one device to another.

4.PC, iOS and Android compatibility

Chrome works on PC desktops and laptops as well as iOS and Android mobile devices.

5. Browser familiarity

The iOS functionality is very similar to the experience on a laptop or desktop.

Monday, March 11, 2013

5 Ways to Use Social Media in Higher Education Marketing and Recruiting

Need to improve your recruiting and marketing on a shoestring budget?

Attribution: flikr/mkhmarketing

Here are five suggestions for using social media for higher education recruiting and marketing:

1. Know your market.
Are you focusing on traditional students or non-traditional students?  Undergraduate programs or graduate programs? Science programs or business programs?

2. Provide multiple methods of content delivery.
Text, pictures, audio, and video all have a place in content marketing.  People learn in different ways.  Take advantage of multiple intelligences in marketing as well.

3. Be informative.
Find out what your market wants to know about your institution and its programs.  Then make sure that information is easily found on your site.

4. Be interesting.
Use interesting headlines.  Use pictures and video to engage prospective students.  Make sure your layout is visually appealing.

5. Be strategic.
Decide which social media platforms you will use, why you will use each platform, and how you will use each platform to drive traffic to your website, get leads, and learn more about prospective students.



Wednesday, March 6, 2013

5 Ways to Change Your Life Today

Need to make some changes?
Here are five suggestions to make a difference in your life:

Attribution: Wikimedia Commons

1. Move

Do something!  Activity can improve your professional and personal life.  Exercise, sports, yard work, house work or any other hobby that gets you out of the chair at the office and out of the couch at home will make you healthier and more productive.  Improving your cardiovascular endurance can help you get more done at work as well.  Ideally, choose an activity that is healthy and gives your life meaning.

2. Read

Reading makes for more effective leading.  Be the learning leader.  Stay up to date in your field.  Set a goal to read a book, magazine, or journal a month.  In a year, you likely would have read more than most of your peers. Knowledge can definitely become a competitive advantage when applied.

3. Reflect

Reflect on your goals and decisions thus far.  Decide if you need to act or make changes.  Often this requires eliminating distractions and focusing during quiet times.  Pick a time for regular reflection.  You can combine reflection time with other activities like meditation or yoga if you find them helpful.

4. Ask

You will be surprised what you will receive when you ask.  Be clear and assertive about your needs.  However, connect your needs to organizational goals.  You may not get everything on your wish list, but setting priorities advocating for priority items that will help you accomplish agreed upon goals are important skills to master.

5. Aspire

Setting personal, departmental, and organizational goals is essential for success.  For organizational and departmental goals, start with the organization's strategic plan.  Set goals that are consistent with the mission, vision, values, and goals of the organization.  Set goals that exceed organizational goals so you are more likely to meet organizational goals.  While some may dispute the value of goals, I would suggest focusing on the mission and the goal simultaneously.  Living a mission that provides meaning does make goals less relevant.  Here the focus is on what you want to be and do now rather than what you want to possess or achieve in the future.  Also focus on growth and progress toward the goal instead of just the goal itself.  However, if others are setting goals for your performance, make sure you meet or exceed them.


Tuesday, March 5, 2013

5 Ways to Use Twitter to Tackle the Learning Curve


By Twitter [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Starting a new job with a new company?
Get assigned to a new area?

You probably have a lot to learn in a short amount of time if you want to be successful.

Here are some suggestions for using Twitter to tackle the learning curve:

1. Create a professional Twitter account if you don't have a Twitter account or only have a personal account.

Keep your professional Twitter account professional.  Don't tweet anything you wouldn't want your boss or your mother to read.  Then you won't have to worry about whether you sent a tweet from the wrong account.

2. Find industry-related hashtags (keywords that begin with #).

Most industries have their own hashtags.  Search for tweets with these hashtags to find tweets to help you learn more about your job.  Use these hashtags when you tweet to join the conversation.

3. Follow leaders in your industry.

Find out who the leaders are if you don't know already.  Follow them.  Also follow bloggers and journalists in your field to stay informed with the latest developments in your field.

4. Participate in industry-related chats.

Often there are industry-related chats you can join once you begin following leaders and hashtags.  This is a great way to learn and network.

5. Reply to industry leaders' tweets if you have questions or something to contribute.

It's okay to be a part of the conversation if you have something important to say.  Leaders in your Twitter network may give you valuable information to which you otherwise would not have access.

For more information on Social Media, check out the Texas Social Media Research Institute.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Increase Engagement Using Social Media!


If you need to increase traffic to your website or generate more leads, look to social media for cost-effective marketing opportunities.

Here's some ways to increase engagement using social media:

1. Add share buttons from ShareThis to your website or blog.

Make it easy for prospects to let others know about valuable content on your website or blog.

2. Ask Facebook page fans to LIKE, SHARE, COMMENT on posts.

Asking doesn't obligate readers, but encourages them to engage in the conversation and provide feedback about what's important to them.

3. Ask Twitter followers to FAVORITE, RETWEET, or REPLY to tweets.

The general principle in #2 applies here and is merely adjusted to Twitter's communication style.

4. Add pictures or video to each post.

If you generate the content yourself, you don't have to worry about copyright infringement and you create a more personal connection between your organization and its customers.  Check out Creative Commons for content that can be used for commercial purposes with permission.  Adding video or pictures may also encourage pinning on Pinterest and encourage people to read your content.  Others prefer to learn using pictures or video rather than reading.

For more information on social media engagement, I recommend reading the Copyblogger and Hubspot blogs.