Sam Davidson

Just a Friendly Reminder

2009-11-20T06:54:00.002-06:00

I'm not here anymore. You need to check out the goodness at SamDavidson.net.

Going Out of Business - I'm Moving

2009-08-23T08:17:00.002-05:00

That's right. The time has come. I'm out.

This will be the last entry at SamDavidson.blogspot.com. From now on, everything else is over at the brand new SamDavidson.net.

Here's the blog.

Here's the RSS for the blog.

Here's the RSS just for my takes on social media, marketing and nonprofits.

Yes, there will be more daddy-blogging.

When I Found Out (my wife was pregnant)

2009-08-20T15:22:00.002-05:00

When we thought we were pregnant, I had just finished eating a cupcake while watching Jim Rome.

When we knew we were pregnant, I was in line at the post office.

While shipping packages and pounding cupcakes can be causes for celebration, they don't quite compare to finding out that you just fathered something.

It was around Cinco de Mayo when we found out. The doctor's estimate had us welcoming a bundle of joy sometime in late December or early January. Right around mine and Lynnette's birthdays, our anniversary, and Christmas.

And Kwanzaa, of course. (We're huge Kwanzaa freaks.)

Maybe that'll be the baby's name. I'm not really sure what the naming process will be like. I'm not sure what any process will be like. All I know right now is that I'm on litter box duty for the next several months (and probably longer).

Speaking of my cat, she took it the worst of all. She's already overwieght and has half a tail. So, this sent her right over the edge. Somehow, she knew. She spewed projectile vomit over the kitchen floor the night after we found, which I cleaned up the next morning. So add that to the "List of Things I Did When I Found Out I Was a Dad:"

Eat a cupcake
Mail packages
Clean up cat vomit

And for now, a picture:

Generosity Is a Gift

2009-08-10T13:30:00.003-05:00

At lunch today with Jen Gash, founder and executive director of Sweet Sleep, I heard the story of her recent trip to Uganda. It was the nonprofit's first trip to Africa, where they provided beds for hundreds of orphans.

The entire village was thankful that Jen and her team came to build beds there. As a show of their gratitude, they held a celebration once the beds were ready. Of course, Jen and her American team were very unready for what ensued: hours and hours of celebration, dance, speeches and partying.

Then, in the middle of all that celebration, the team stood amazed as the villagers began to bring gifts. Widows offered fruit by the dozen. One man gave them a 10-foot long sugar cane. This continued for some time until one widow approached Jen and placed in her hand a coin – probably the only money this woman had to her name.

Jen faced a dilemma. Here were all these people that her team came to help. There were so many people in need. Yet, they freely gave what little they had.

Jen knew better than to thwart their generosity. But 1) she couldn't logistically come back to the US with all that fruit and sugar cane, and 2) she didn't need the money the widow had given her.

In speaking with the local pastor, Jen made arrangements to have the food given to nearby children who were hungry. And she and her team gave the money they received to local orphanage personnel. They did all this without the widows and gift givers knowing about it.

Jen told me, "We couldn’t accept the gifts they were giving to us. But, we happily accepted them and then made sure we did something good with them."

Peter Gomes, preacher and writer, tells a story in his book, The Good Book. When he was a young preacher he visited a rural church and preached one Sunday morning. This poor, small-town congregation took up a special offering to pay him for his services. But, when they tried to present it to him at the end of the service, he refused to accept it.

They next day, when back on campus, the campus minister called him into his office and scolded him for not taking the gift. Gomes tried to reason with the minister that the community needed that small amount of money more than he, a young man on scholarship, did. The minister then told him that he had done more harm by not taking the money. "You have stolen from them. You took their right to be generous."

We've all been there. The awkward moment when we're trying to decide who's supposed to pay for lunch. Or when we have to split the check seven ways. Or when we're not sure if we should send the holiday card because we can't remember if we got one from them last year. Or if we should really make the trip to the wedding. Or if we need to go to the baby shower. Or if they're the kind of friend that deserves the waffle maker or hand towels as a registry gift.

Simply put, generosity is hard.

But only when we try to measure it.

In The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the narrator is telling his tale over dinner with an American who is visiting Pakistan. He weaves in tips about the local customs throughout his story and he also tells his companion that he will pay for dinner, along with admonishing him that in America, people keep score about who has paid for what. From his viewpoint, the narrator tells him that he believes it all balances out. By worrying less about who owes what and concentrating more on their time together, everyone can enjoy each other’s company more and have a better time – and a better life.

Bruce Northam, in Globetrotter Dogma quips, "Money is how uncreative people keep score." I like that quote, which is why I know it verbatim from memory.

But it's difficult – especially in this economy. When dollars stretch tighter than ever, we can't help but measure every penny. When we owe creditors mortgage notes and credit card interest, we are always reminded that someone, somewhere is keeping score. And that someone is rarely generous to us.

In The Alchemist, the title character offers up all of Santiago's wealth if a tribal leader will not kill the boy, but let him live at least three more days. The tribal leader grants the request, but Santiago is furious that the alchemist has lost all of his money. "He would have killed you on the spot if I hadn't offered your money," retorts the alchemist. "What good is your money if you're dead?"

I'm not saying that we need to go on a spending spree, eating, drinking and being merry since we'll die tomorrow. But I am saying that we don't need to keep score as much. Sure, saving is important, but not at the expense of being generous. By giving something away, you might finally realize how much you really do have.

And if the karma of the universe decides to even everything out, and you find yourself on the receiving end of generosity, do as Jen and her team did and promise to do something good with what has been given to you.

Photo Credit: avlxyz

Work It on the Phone

2009-07-16T12:28:00.003-05:00

I spend a few hours each day on the phone. It's how I do a lot of work - talking with clients, potential partners and even answering customer service calls for our online store. If you find yourself in a situation where you're taking a lot of calls, especially to get business done, here are some tips and tricks that may help:

Get a headpiece
Whether you swear by bluetooth or you like the free set of earphones that came with your iPhone, make sure you're not caught holding your phone. Having your hands free means you can write or type notes. And, with an earpiece closer to your eardrum, you won't miss what the caller's saying.

Press mute
If you're near your machine, nothing may be worse that someone popping in on Google chat with the annoying sound effects that come with it. Or, you don't want an iTunes song starting up accidentally. Just press the mute button to avoid this.

Schedule calls in succession
I try my best to have all my phone time on one day of the week. This way, I'll make sure that my settings are ideal for taking the call (in my office, door closed, mute button pressed) for an extended amount of time and will decrease the prep time needed to take a call. I'll also be mentally in 'call mode' and ready to speak to the person I'm phoning.

Always take the call
Peter Shankman does this, and he's done well for himself. Then again, Tim Ferris never does and he's done okay, too. So, it depends upon your work, but I'd side with Shankman. Just this week, answering the phone has led to me scheduling a book appearance, a press interview and signing a new partner. Sure, they could have left messages, but by appearing available and excited, I like to think it's better for business. Just be ready when you say hello.

Focus
If your computer's on so you can take notes, shut down the Internet. This isn't the time to be looking at Facebook photos or catching up on blogs. It's game time. Time for business. You don't want to blow something great just because you were too absorbed in someone's tweets. That'll be there after you finish the call and sign a new client, which will make for a better status update later anyway.

How do you get things done on the phone? Stand up when you talk? Use Skype for a little video bonus? Share your tips in the comments.

Photo credit: EverJean from Flickr

I Left Church and Found Community

2009-06-15T17:08:00.004-05:00

This post has nothing to do with my opinions of pipe organs. Nonetheless, my mother-in-law may still find it loathsome.

After nearly three years visiting almost every place that serves Sunday breakfast in Nashville, I think I found the best one – the one that I could visit over and over again. Of course, I need to go there again (maybe this Sunday) to make sure that I didn't imagine it, get lucky, or that it doesn't catch on fire this week. Sunday brunch with my family is important to me, so you can imagine how excited I am to find a spot that offers enough diversity for my picky family without having the word "cheesecake" in the title.

I'm able to go to Sunday brunch each week because I stopped going to church. This is so not where I thought I'd be ten or even five years ago.

But, I couldn't be happier.

Community – having a place where I belong and can be my most 'me' – is important to me. It's important to humans, really. We're social animals. We crave attention, affection, acceptance and connection. It's good when you can call someone 'yours.' It's better when someone can call you that, too.

But it's so hard to find. Like hope, people need it so badly they'll pay top dollar. So, if you can help create, develop and sustain real community, congratulations. You'll be rich very soon.

For a long time, church was a place where I could find community. It was a place to meet people, talk about stuff that mattered and be encouraged to be my most me. But, something changed. Maybe it was entering the real world. Maybe it was working for a living and understanding that time spent off the clock was time that I wanted to spend only on things that were truly personally enjoyable. Shopping for churches is never enjoyable.

In the process of all that, I started my own faith community. A handful of us gather at my home on Sunday evenings to talk about our weeks, dream together about how to be better people and our most respective selves, and provide support, hope, and insight for each other. We're all (mostly) former church members, vagabonds who have found a stopping point where we'd like to stay for a while.

I don't know if I’ll ever go to church again. Speaking in one (which I do about six times a year) and visiting one with my in-laws on Christmas Eve is about all the church-related exposure I get now. Lots of Facebook friends of mine work in churches and I wonder what their lives are like. A lot of other Facebook friends go to church a lot and really like it. I wonder what their lives are like, too.

Hopefully (certainly, right?), they've found a community there. Hopefully it's the best community they could find or else they wouldn't be wasting their time in a place where they couldn't be their most selves.

My biggest community moments happen each week on Sunday. One is in the morning over breakfast food with my family and the other is in the evening with those who are part of The Story. There's not much prayer, preaching, Bible reading or singing at either one. Maybe churches could provide a better actualization of community if they stopped doing all that.

Tell the Dream

2009-06-10T10:54:00.003-05:00

Blogging (even video blogging) comes and goes for me these days. I rarely share links of interest here, instead doing it via Twitter.

But, I don't find myself at a loss for creative output or for sharing my takes on things. That's mainly because I get a lot of email from people asking me questions. I'm happy to reply as it allows for intimate idea sharing, as well as a natural back-and-forth that I enjoy.

Nonetheless, after a recent exchange with a friend who has some big ideas, I kept telling him to share his vision with as many people as possible. He's never short on ambition or big dreams – he just has trouble when it comes to implementing these dreams, mainly because he's not quite sure what the first step is.

So, whenever you have big dream and are left to wonder what the first step is, it's this:

Tell as many people as possible.

Big dreams require lots of things to become a reality. They require other people on board, a big social network, some financing, lots of time, a stroke or two of luck and an entire list of things that I'm too lazy to come up with right now.

The only way you can begin to get the things you need to turn your dream into reality is to bring more people to the table. So, that's the first thing to do when you have a big dream. Tell as many people as possible.

Here's why:

You'll know if your idea is stupid. If you start sharing your idea with people and a lot of them think your idea won't work, that it's worthless or they don't want to be involved, then you'll know that you need to scrap it or drastically change it. This will end up saving you time, heartache and even money.
You'll know how quickly your idea will happen. When you tell people, maybe half of them will want in, maybe most of them will want some kind of involvement, or maybe all of them will call you a genius. By gauging the level of excitement about what you're trying to do, you'll have a rough idea of the difficulty of your idea, as well as the time commitment needed to make it happen.
You'll be able to move on to step two. When something (a new nonprofit, a business idea, a community initiative) is just beginning, there are countless ways you could go, innumerable next steps and it all can get confusing. Sharing your idea with others will help you determine what the next step is. If you want to build a building and you tell your idea to an architect and she loves it, then maybe it's time to draw up some plans.

Of course, someone could steal your idea. If you're worried about that, then don't tell the kind of people who steal ideas. If you know those kinds of people, you should stop being friends with them.

Plodding Along

2009-06-03T15:25:00.002-05:00

Somewhere behind the north end zone (which is about mile 3.5 of my 6 mile loop), I wanted to stop. This sometimes happens – the wanting to stop running – especially when you're trying to run a half-marathon each month in a single year. Come Saturday, I'll be halfway towards that goal when I cross the finish line in Kansas City.

But that's then. And this is today. And today, I didn't much enjoy putting one foot in front of the other at 7-something in the morning. Even though it was relatively early by many peoples' standards, it was already warm. And that told me that it would be warm for all of my upcoming training runs until October. In between now and then, I'm supposed to complete half marathons in San Francisco, New York, and Disneyland.

So you can see why I wanted to stop.

But I pushed on. As Ira Glass carried on about classified ads in my headphones and traffic was picking up heading into downtown on Woodland Street, my shirt was getting heavier and I wondered who would really care if I just walked the rest of the way home?

I even could cut the route short and shave off a mile or so. No one would have to know.

Running analogies don't work on everyone, and I don't really have the time to wax theatrical (or poetic) about what happened next, so the point is this: sometimes you feel like quitting.

Don't.

Seth Godin calls it The Dip. That makes sense if you're an entrepreneur. But what if you're not? (some days I don’t feel much like one)

It means this:

You keep applying to jobs. All 94 of them. You just have to.
Even if you haven't made a sale in months, pick up the phone. Again.
Your daughter never listens. Check that – she seems to never listen. But she really is. So keep talking to her.
They're not returning your calls or emails. They may have a reason. Until you know what that reason is, keep trying to make contact.
Your marketing plan isn't working. Get a new one, even if means getting a new consultant or firm or concept. Hell – you may even want to change your whole product line.

If you want to succeed tomorrow, you better get busy today. Sweat equity can never be measured. Thus, you can always put in more of it.

The first 16 months of Cool People Care were nearly embarrassing at times. But, now that we've been up and running for nearly three years, people that I tried to get a meeting with in 2007 are emailing me. That's just how it happens.

There is no such thing as overnight success. Unless you want to be a flash in the pan, too. That's the other side of that coin that no one talks about.

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: If you want cathedrals of better tomorrows, her foundation must be laid today.

Writing About Work and Life

2009-05-22T09:39:00.002-05:00

I've got a blogging gig over at Corporate Idealist where I write about Work/Life Balance on Fridays.

Here are my first three posts:

Corporate Idealist provides hope for hardworking heroes and was begun by Kate O'Neill, who cranks out posts during the rest of the week. You can learn more about the site here, and I'd highly encourage you to subscribe.

What did the 28-year-old say to the 23-year-old?

2009-05-19T18:46:00.004-05:00

I don't know what sort of epiphany I had the other day, but this idea popped into my head: What would my 28-year-old self say to my 23-year-old self? Regardless of how old you are, I encourage everyone to think about what you'd say to yourself five years ago.

Half a decade ago, I'd been married for less than six months, was thinking about purchasing my first home, and had just been promoted to management at a job I was determined not to turn into a career. So many things were knew and exciting, and I was impatient for a lot to happen. In fact, I'd dare say that I'm a completely different person now.

I know a lot of people who are 23, or close to it. They're recent grads with big dreams and a desire to get where they're going now. I was that way, too. I didn't know it all, but I thought I knew most of it. But now at 28, I don't think I even know half of it.

So, here's what I'd say:

You can't imagine where you'll be in five years. Embrace that mystery.
It doesn't matter where you'll be in ten years. Just try to be happy with it.
You're going to start eating a lot of salads. And you'll like it.
Religious stuff ain't that big of a deal. You write a lot about it now, but you won't later.
Love your wife more today than yesterday.
You'll love running again.
If you want to find balance in life, discover how important both flexibility and stability are to you.
There are a lot of fine lines in life. Learn how to navigate them correctly and you'll be okay.
Social capital is everything and it always will be.
You don't have a clue.
Your passions will change in life. Sort of like best friends.
Go see everyone get married, but don't feel bad if you can't make one or two.
Get better at learning. Always.
It gets a lot more fun.
Ask for help and ask for advice. It's okay.
It gets harder to lose weight and it takes longer to burn off a night out. So even though you want more, one piece of cheesecake will do.
For the next five years, save as much money as you can, spend time with your family often, and make a list of every good idea that pops into your head.
Keeping asking, "Why not?"
In about 10 months, you're going to get food poisoning really bad. So, steer clear of the shrimp on Easter.

I can't wait to see what I think of who I am now when I'm 33.

Free Copies of My Book, New Day Revolution

2009-05-12T06:30:00.000-05:00

Change agent Matt Cheuvront at Life Without Pants is helping sponsor a giveaway of New Day Revolution. All you have to do is blog about change this month.

So, go do it.

Change the World by Changing the Conversation [Video Post]

2009-05-11T06:51:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I went to visit my grandfather. During the visit, I went with him to his coffee club, which I've blogged about before.

After that trip, a few college friends visited me. While we hung out, it dawned on me: the conversations I was having with them at 28 were the same conversations my grandfather was having at 91.

The moral of the story: conversations don't change on their own. We have to change them.

Watch this video for more on that:

Changing the Conversation from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

And, here's the YouTube version.

Don't Let Your Marriage Fail When Your Spouse Goes to Grad School

2009-05-06T09:07:00.007-05:00

In two days, my wife finishes up her second master's degree. This one's in counseling. In some ways, I feel like I'm graduating on Friday. The past two years were downright hellacious at times, and stressful at others. But, through the exams, papers, class projects and reading assignments, we managed to make it as a couple.

To me, this is no small achievement. I've personally known of at least three marriages that didn't survive grad school for one reason or the other. Grad school wasn't necessarily the only thing to blame, but it doesn't make anything easier.

My marriage survived grad school. So can yours.

When one spouse is in grad school, the other feels like he or she is on the outside looking in. Someone they deeply love is (ideally) pursuing something they're passionate about, devoting time, money and energy into learning new skills or ideas in order to find employment that will help the couple maintain a certain standard of living for the next season of life. Likewise, the student is also changing. As they encounter new ideas and have new experiences, the spouse is often clueless, not knowing how this new knowledge is shaping or changing his or her spouse.

And then, before you know it, it's like you're married to someone else. The person you knew before school started may now have different perspectives, work habits, viewpoints, friends or goals. And unless you're clued in, you're in danger of not knowing who you're waking up to each morning.

Likewise, if the spouse is studying something that you're not interested in, something you can't help with, or something that's simply out of your league, you're generally of no use to them academically. If my wife were getting her MBA in marketing and had to come up with new brand campaigns, I'd be all over it, doing market research, staying up late, you name it. But because she instead had to write about the effects of childhood interaction when it comes to developing personality disorders in adolescents, I'm as useful as my cat (which usually curls up on my wife's lap when she's trying to write said paper).

So, what's a guy or girl to do when their loved one is studying away on an advanced degree? Below I share what worked for me and Lynnette, and hopefully you'll be able to weather the wretched storm that is higher education:

Learn how to cook. I made my wife's day a million times better by having a hot meal ready when she came home after a long day of class, clients and crises. Whether I simply heated up a frozen pizza or perfected my veggie quesadillas, a warm delicious meal made her happy and showed my concern for her day.
Change your schedule and get more done. As an entrepreneur, my schedule's flexible, so this may not apply to everyone. And, my wife's school schedule consisted mainly of evening classes, which again, may not apply to everyone. But, by moving my schedule around to work late when she was in class until 8, I was able to get more done, go more places, meet more people, work on more deals, and develop more ideas. This also meant I didn't spend chunks of time on the couch doing nothing, waiting for her to get home. I used that time on my business. For you, that may mean you can take up a new hobby or learn a new skill. Whatever you do, use the time wisely and be productive.
Make friends with a couple – preferably one where everyone likes everyone else (the students like the students; the spouses like the spouse; and vice versa). This one is tough, but I will tell you this on the onset, especially as someone who has started two different grad programs: the people you hang out with the first month are not the people who become your better friends. When school starts, everyone's trying to meet everyone else. Therefore, you'll go hang out with nearly anyone until you realize who you like and who you don't. For example, twice during the first month of my wife's program, we went to a bar and out bowling with people I haven't seen since. It took a while for everyone to find their appropriate social network, and once we all did, it was all gravy. Now, my wife and I have a few other couples that we hang with. When the students in each relationship are studying late or working on a special project, the guys (yes, we're all guys) will go to grab a drink or catch a game. And, all eight of us can also get together for dinner or Apples to Apples when needed. Everyone's happy, and it's a great way to take a load off. Also, while my wife's out making new friends, so am I, and that's important for each partner.
Take a load off. When your spouse goes to grad school, congratulations. Yo'’ve just become a concierge. Because I want my wife to succeed in school and in her job search, I handle all non-school related items. I grocery shop. I wash clothes. I pay bills. I take the cars in for oil changes. I feed the cat. I plan dinner. I'm not trying to baby my wife – I'm just happy to do those little things to make her stressful time a little less so. In a good relationship, you should be doing little things for the other person anyway, but when someone's in grad school, they've got enough on their plate. Besides, I kind of like going to the grocery store, anyway.

This list isn't comprehensive, and it's also not foolproof. It's what helped me and Lynnette make it, and hopefully there's at least one thing you can do to make sure that you stick together when your spouse goes back to school.

Marriages and degrees are both technically just sheets of paper. But good ones are treated like so much more.

Leave a comment! Is your spouse in grad school? What do you do to make sure your marriage succeeds?

Tweeting on the Run

2009-04-26T08:53:00.001-05:00

My dad tweeted during the half-marathon in Nashville yesterday.

Want Hope? (Video Post)

2009-04-23T07:05:00.000-05:00

I was asked to submit an essay on hope for a book that's coming out next year. I have no idea if what I wrote will make it into the collection, but this was harder than I thought.

I don't know why it was so tough to write about hope, but I ultimately concluded that we all need more hope in our lives, no matter how much we may think we already have. But, hope is something that we can get if we first offer it to someone else. Sure, we can buy it - but it's better to give it away:

Offer Hope from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

The YouTube version.

Asset or Liability? (Video post)

2009-04-20T06:23:00.003-05:00

I'm starting to talk about social media more and more. Whether I'm presenting to nonprofits on what it is and how they can reach Generation Y with it, or I'm lecturing to future ministers about it, it's taking more and more of my time.

And all this is fine with me. Because I'm developing a reputation, and that reputation can get me on TV, which (hopefully) grows my personal brand as someone who can help people understand and use these tools to make the world a better place.

One thing I'm learning in all of this is that people have a particular outlook that has a direct effect on how willing they are to use these tools. And for me, people consider social media to either be an asset or a liability.

Want proof? Watch this video of my recent appearance at a call-in show here in Nashville. I see social media as an asset - something to be used or leveraged in order to create value. The other participant views it as a liability - something to be used sparingly and carefully, unless you want to have a mess on your hands.

Most nonprofits I speak with initially view social media as a liability. They're immediately concerned with privacy issues and control. But, those who are willing to give it a shot usually see it as a huge asset in their donor and volunteer acquisition and retention strategies.

The moral of the story? Be brave and give it a try. You might just be delighted with what happens next.

How I Get Stuff Done

2009-04-16T09:39:00.001-05:00

I pack a lot into my week. I have to in order to get everything done.

One way I make that happen is to find three good hours. I use this time to either work on things that aren't glamorous, or to spend time focusing on things that are super fun. Either way, I find three interrupted hours and milk them for all they're worth.

For me, that's early on a Monday. By arriving at the office by 6 AM, I can complete everything before most people have opened their inbox.

Three Good Hours from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

Watch this on YouTube.

I Know a Good Idea When...

2009-04-13T07:40:00.003-05:00

For today's video installment, I take you inside a weekly staff meeting at Cool People Care.

A few weeks ago, I discussed the idea of a suggestion room. For us, we always have good ideas flying around the room. So, we need a way to recognize the great ones and then act.

How do we do that? Click play to find out.

Recognizing a Good Idea from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

And, here's the YouTube version.

I'd like to thank my mom for providing the buttons. She always has good ideas.

A Legacy of Inclusion

2009-04-09T10:58:00.003-05:00

A Legacy of Inclusion from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

Recently, I went to Miami University (in Ohio) to talk about New Day Revolution.

The group I met with was housed in a building that was once part of the Underground Railroad. That means the building is really old.

How has it stood the test of time? I think it's by including as many people as possible.

Here's the YouTube version.

Thinking About Having Fun - Video Post

2009-04-06T09:26:00.004-05:00

This weekend, I spent most of the time at the Green Business and Living Summit and Expo.

Cool People Care had a booth at the event. We also coordinated a scavenger hunt, brought a Nerf basketball hoop for some prize-winning fun and tried our best to have fun while working on the weekend.

Not every job out there is a roller coaster ride of excitement. But, adding a little bit of fun in our daily routine can make us a bit happier at work. And of course, when we enjoy our work, we'll love our life even more.

So, think about what elements of fun you can add to your workday in order to feel more balanced in life.

Also in this video: a glimpse at what our interns get to do - and how they get to dress.

Having Fun with Cool People Care from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

Here's the YouTube version.

Social Media and Arts Organizations

2009-04-02T06:17:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I performed on the stage of the Belcourt Theatre. This Nashville landmark has hosted the top musical acts, screened award-winning films and also served as a home for silent films and the Grand Ole Opry.

So, I have no idea why they let me come talk about social media on that same stage. But they did. And I did.

Here's a video from my talk. I flew through the whys of social media, particularly as it relates to nonprofit arts organizations. In these 15 minutes (that's all I had, so I speak very fast in this video), you'll hear:

A little more about me
About how I cheated on my art appreciation final in college (1:45)
Who Generation Y is (3:15)
How Gen Y acts (5:00)
What the old consumer model is (7:00)
What the new consumer model is (8:30)
How arts organizations can have a new conversation (11:15)
Some reminders before embarking on a social media campaign (12:45)

Enjoy, and pass it along to your pals who work in the arts:

Social Media for Arts Organizations from adam patrick jones on Vimeo.

When the Movement Becomes Mainstream, the Revolution Has Begun

2009-04-01T07:26:00.002-05:00

I've got a guest post up today over at Ruby Ku's blog, I Care.

Here's a snippet:

Therefore, revolutions either happen with you or to you. If you're the peasants in 19th century France, you willfully storm the Bastille with baguettes and demand life and liberty. Or, if you're the British in American colonies in the late 1700's, you’re about to get hit with something pretty fierce.

Either way, a revolution is coming, and history will define you by what side you're on.

Go read the rest.

Business Lessons from a Half-Marathon: Hurrying Up to Wait

2009-03-31T06:16:00.005-05:00

I ran half-marathon number three of 2009 (in my Swiftwick socks, of course) a few weeks ago. I returned to Disney World to do so, which always puts on a good race with a fast course and a fun time (you can get your picture taken in front of Cinderella's Castle or with Donald Duck, for crying out loud).

I was excited to return to where I posted my PR (personal record) back in January to see if I could best it. And, I was excited because all of my family would be down there, covering the Family 5k the day prior.

Leading up to the race, I'd been training well. My previous half-marathon was about three weeks earlier, so I mainly ran between 3 and 6 miles when going on my regular jogs. I thought if I maintained a general pace on those runs, I'd be able to keep that up over 13.1, provided I didn't hit a wall like I did in Birmingham. I was planning on preventing that by toting some carbohydrate gel with me to ingest at mile four or so.

But here was the ultimate kicker: I had to wake up at 2 AM to go run the race.

The race was at 7 AM, Eastern Time. The last bus to the start line left at 5. So I'd have to get up at 4. Which is like 3 my time. And it was Daylight Savings weekend, so it was really like 2.

Trying to run on just a few hours sleep, waking up when you usually are in sweet, sweet slumber is not fun. In fact, it's downright difficult. I think I could have done it if I'd been out of the gate an hour after waking up. But because I had to get on the bus, get to the start line and wait for a while, it made things troublesome.

So there I was at the start, sitting on the ground, covered in a cheap blanket, listening to that techno stuff they play through the loudspeakers, trying to relax before covering 13.1 miles.

In other words, I had to hurry up just to wait.

Sometimes, our work can be like this. We want to launch a new project, redesign a site, hire a new team member, market to a different audience or jazz up our employee relations. A lot of excitement and ideas are generated, but then there's a lag between when we're able to do the work, interview the people or make the decisions. We feel stuck, frustrated, and maybe even angry.

So what can we do while we're waiting? If you find yourself waiting on someone else or on something to happen, try these ideas:

Stretch yourself. I used some of the waiting time to stretch my legs periodically, making sure I'd be loose and limber when 7 AM finally rolled around. In our work, we should be doing the same thing. Read a different trade publication, or think of a free or low-cost way to do something you're currently paying for. Dream bigger dreams. Learn about someone else's job. Stretch yourself so you'll be stronger and faster when the project finally gets green lighted.
Make friends. I didn't do this, but I could have met as many people as possible in my corral. I wasn't looking for long-term friendships, mind you, but it would have been a great way to pass the time. In fact, in a race like this, where folks come to run from all over the US, I'm now curious as to how many people I could have met from different states. And, while you’re waiting for something to happen at work, it's a good time to build alliances. Talk to people in other departments. Eat lunch with someone you don't know. Get to know your boss better. You never know when random encounters and relationships can develop into strategic partnerships or mutually beneficial networks.
Look around and laugh. There were no port-a-johns at the starting line. And that meant folks were darting into the woods to relieve themselves. Most runners have done this plenty of times, so it's not a big deal, but you can't help but laugh when hundreds of people dip behind the tree line to empty their bladders. At work, downtime can give the same opportunity to observe what's around us, and if appropriate, have a chuckle or two. The delay itself may be something to laugh at, especially if that's all you can do. Or, maybe the way something is always done, something you overlooked, or something that needs fixing give you reason to laugh. And, while waiting isn't always fun, laughing usually is.

Delays are frustrating, and a simple silver lining won't remedy them. But, there are plenty of advantageous things to do in the meantime. Taking advantage of the waiting will have us ready when it's finally time to run.

This post, like most of my running posts, was generously sponsored by Swiftwick socks. They're a carbon neutral company that quite simply makes the best athletic socks in the world. Give them a try. If you don't like them, you can get your money back. And, if you use coupon code SD10 at checkout, you'll get 10% off of your order today.

How Long is the Middle?

2009-03-30T13:23:00.001-05:00

Here's a quick thought about getting through the middle part of what you're doing. The 'middle' is difficult, because we never know how long it will last. We usually have a good idea what starting something looks like, and we usually know when we've succeeded or when it's over.

And everything else falls in the middle somewhere. And that's why you need someone to journey with you.

Getting Through the Middle Part from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

I've Gone Pantsless

2009-03-27T08:48:00.001-05:00

Sort of.

I just have a guest post over on the blog, Life Without Pants.

And I think you should go read it now.

Stop Arguing About Generations and Just Go to Lunch Already

2009-03-26T07:19:00.003-05:00

Check it: This is a video AND content post, so you can choose how to consume my ideas.

Quick video version:

Gen Y Should Talk to Boomers from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

YouTube version here.

On to the words:
A lot can be said about Gen Y'ers, especially from Boomers and X'ers. And, a lot of other (and even opposite) things can be said about Gen Y'ers, mainly by Gen Y. So, who's right?

I say no one's right until you hash it out over a meal.

Last week, while keynoting West Virginia's Children's Policy Day Conference, I had the opportunity to dine with Karen, a 60-something nonprofit leader. As we sat and talked, she asked me what I'd be saying in my afternoon workshop, "The Fountain of Youth: How to Communicate with the Next Generation." I shared that while I would be briefly touching on some of the tools that might be useful, such as social networks, I'd really use the time to talk more broadly about Generation Y and how they communicate, what they're looking for in good nonprofit appeals, and why it's crucial that nonprofits begin to engage this demographic for the sake of their own survival.

She then said, "Let me ask you this…" and I knew where she was going.

She began to rattle off some of the more negative stereotypes of Generation Y – that we can't commit, that we're entitled and self-absorbed, and that we're unwilling to "pay dues."

Immediately, a million blog posts I've read ran through my mind. But before I could respond, she continued to talk about her workplace and how she was having difficulty managing some of her Gen Y employees. She shared about her son, who still hasn't finished school, but is doing what he loves as an actor at 26.

And before I could rebut her initial claims, I saw what was happening: she was a frustrated boomer, trying to be a great manager and parent, and really was asking for help. Her humanness far outweighed her boomer-ness. She didn't want blog posts to read to prove her wrong; she wanted concrete suggestions to genuinely improve her situation.

I think a lot of the inter-generational agreements are really just that: one person trying desperately to understand another. But, because it's so easy to get defensive when confronted or critiqued, we resort to generational name calling and stereotyping, tossing gasoline on the fire with all-encompassing blog posts and cries of "They just don’t get it."

And everyone and their organizations is the worse for it, as we fold our arms in disgust and pout as long as we can stand.

So here's what I suggest: the next time a Y or an X or a Boomer tells you that another generation is something or the other, ask them, "Did you discover that over lunch?"

I'm willing to bet that very few generational experts have had a meal with a member of another generation in quite some time. And I don't mean some kind of group lunch or corporate breakroom encounter. I mean a lunch where you can speak your mind and ask questions, much like Karen and I did over hotel chicken and mediocre chocolate cake.

She asked me what I should tell her in order to help her motivate her son to go back to college. She asked me if she did the right thing by hiring an X'er as a coach/mentor' for all of her Gen Y staff, so they no longer report directly to her, but to someone else who gets them a little better.
And I asked her what she looks for in good Gen Y job candidates, and what her expectations are with a new hire. I asked her what it's like to be a lifer in the nonprofit world in this economy.

We had some 'aha' moments, a few laughs, and a moment of clarity.

It's hard to have lunch on the Internet, but it's easy to say something. And our talk is expensive, because it usually comes at the high price of intergenerational conflict that stalls the forward momentum of our work. I hope that all of our HTML and blog networks don't get in the way of the human side of our generational intricacies.

So, the next time you hear someone say that Gen Y is so this, or they say that Boomers are so that, ask them if they've had lunch with the group they're calling out. Because until you're willing to break bread with someone different from you, you shouldn’t be allowed to say anything.

Social Media Can Start New Conversations

2009-03-23T07:14:00.000-05:00

In this quick video, I find myself at the capitol in Charleston, West Virgina for a YouTube Youth Forum. How exactly are they using social media to save the world? Watch this clip to find out:

Use Social Media to Start New Conversations from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

And, here's the YouTube version.

A Thought About Work/Life Balance

2009-03-19T07:39:00.000-05:00

So here's the deal: count on a new video post each Monday and Thursday. I'll talk about saving the world, social media, nonprofit management, big ideas, personal development, dreaming big dreams - you get the picture.

And, I'll upload them on both Vimeo (a better, slicker interface) and YouTube (so you can watch me on your iPhone).

Today, from the road, I'm talking about work and life. Enjoy:

One Thought on Work/Life Balance from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

Click here to watch it on YouTube.

Break Down Boundaries and See Where You End Up

2009-03-17T20:46:00.003-05:00

I'm in West Virgina to keynote a conference in the morning. When I arrived today, the sun was still high enough in the sky that I could get a nice run in. And, there's no better way to explore a new city than by running through its downtown and along its riverbanks.

I left the hotel at the same time as another runner. We mutually nodded to one another, giving approval to each other's desire to end the day sweating. He headed west; I went east.

As I was making my way back, so was he. As we stood outside of the hotel stretching, I asked him what route he took. He told me he ran a short route over to the capitol and back a few times. He did a few laps and stayed close to where he was, in other words.

And me? I hit the sidewalk and ran until I felt like making a left. Then, I turned up another street, passing the courthouse, some really old buildings, running under a few bridges and then I ended up on a nice greenway, watching the people play with their dogs, walk hand-in-hand, ride bikes and skateboard.

The temperature and the breeze and the sun and the water were perfect. Charleston seems to be one of the best cities for urban running, and one of the best places to run near the water.

I had no plan and wanted to see what I could find. I came back not only having a great run, but also having taken in a lot of this fair city.

Whenever we're willing to dream beyond the boundaries, we'll be surprised what we can gain. When we're willing to challenge the status quo and question our own limitations, we'll grow like never before.

Tomorrow morning, I'll be challenging people to embrace social media as a tool for creating new advocates. Some people in attendance may have a limited view of what's possible with online communications. Here's to hoping they'll be willing to run out past the edges in order to have a experience that's meaningful for them.

Sponsored commentary:

By the way, whenever I run, I usually wear Swiftwick socks. I love them. They're breathable and I never get blisters when I wear them. Best of all, they come with a guarantee: if they're not the best socks you've ever worn, you can return them. It's that easy. Visit their online store and use coupon code SD10 and get 10% off your order today.

Where Can We Dream?

2009-03-16T09:05:00.001-05:00

Here's my second crack at this video blogging thing. The question is simple:

Do you have a space at your home or office (or home office) where dreams can run wild?

If not, you'll be surprised at what dreams and ideas will flourish once you designate a space just for them.

The Suggestion Room from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

You Up for Trying Something?

2009-03-12T10:55:00.001-05:00

So, here I go - trying the concept of video blogging. We'll see how long it lasts.

Today's topic: the important of simply trying. It's the first step, after all:

Just Try It from Sam Davidson on Vimeo.

366-Word Book Review: Can We Do That?!

2009-03-10T14:52:00.002-05:00

Short review: 80 words
Peter Shankman's book does for events and publicity what Seth Godin's books do for brands and companies. At the end of the day, no matter what you're working on, it better be remarkable to get people talking. And, you'll never have a shot at remarkable if you don't dream big, boldly try new things, and put it all on the line. Shankman's personal tales make you think that maybe you can pull off the extraordinary and generate some serious buzz.

How to read it:

Whenever you need creativity to strike
When it's time to launch something new
When you're planning the next event
Immediately

Longer analysis: 286 words
I've been subscribing for a while now to Shankman's Help a Reporter Out emails, which has helped me (and CoolPeopleCare) land a little bit of publicity. So, I figured – before even cracking the cover – that he book would be filled with good ideas by way of Shankman's own examples.

I was right.

The tone is conversational, motivational, challenging and insightful. The book is easy to read and is very good about not repeating the same thing again and again. So, you'll want to keep reading just to see what Shankman's firm, The Geek Factory, might pull off next and what kind of buzz they might create.

The stories range widely in terms of scope and budget, time and tools. There's the story about building a giant yarn bus for a small knitting store, the one about having his own birthday party sponsored, and how it is that Peter became a serious skydiver. And don't forget about the time they nearly shut down the Internet.

But best of all are Peter's reminders that you don't need a big team, a big budget or a big client to really get things done in the PR world. You just need something worth talking about. And you need to be creative. And you need to be on your toes. Do that, and be ready to be excited with the outcome.

The book is helpful, particularly because Peter calls attention to his 'rules' – his time-tested mantras for creating ideas that matter in this world. And, each chapter summarizes the major points contained therein so that you can easily reference them later.

Bottom line: the book is good, whether you run your own big-time firm, or you're a laid-back customer service rep.

Business Lessons from a Half-Marathon: Pace Yourself

2009-02-26T06:37:00.002-06:00

A word from our sponsor:

This post is brought to you by Swiftwick socks. They're the best running socks I've ever worn, and the only one I wear when doing half-marathons. They also offer a guarantee: if they're not the best socks you've ever worn, you can return them. It's that easy. So, try some today. Visit their online store and use coupon code SD10 and get 10% off your order today.

My biggest goal for the Mercedes Half-Marathon in Birmingham was to beat my January time. Okay – my biggest goal was to finish, but I took that for granted. I really wanted to improve at each marathon I run this year, hopefully running in the low 1:50's come December.

That would not happen in Birmingham.

At the start line, I found myself near a pace group. These runners are supposed to run the race in the time advertised on the sign they're carrying. For example, the guys near me holding the 2:00 hour sign are supposed to trot along at a pace so that they (and those who wish to run in stride with them) cross the finish line at or under two hours.

I'd never followed a pacer before. I think that I thought I could always pace myself just fine. But this time, I thought I'd give it a go.

When the gun sounded and we began, I kept in step with them for about a quarter mile. Then, I decided that they were going out a bit too leisurely, and that as long as I knew they were behind me, I'd be fine. I also decided that if/when I began to slow and they caught up with me, I'd keep up with them until the finish. After all, sometimes we can be equally motivated by what's behind us as we can by what's in front of us.

I ran a great time through the first half of the race. I posted a 10k time of 54:17, which means I was on pace to finish at around 1:55. I think you know what happened next.

I crashed at mile 9. The hills and my pace got to me, and just as I wondered where those pace guys were, they came blowing by me at the end of mile 9. It was like a kick in the face. I was gassed and couldn't keep up.

I stopped and stretched, hoping a quick rest would loosen me up and get me back and running. I walked through the next water stop, wanting the carbo gel and water to give me enough energy to pick up the pace again.

At mile 11, I saw the clock: 1:42. Could I cover the next 2.1 miles in under nine minutes each? Maybe, if I busted it. If I gave it my all. If I wanted to be super sore the next month.

As I weighed my options for the next 30 seconds, I decided not to try to beat the clock, or even the time I posted in January. Here's why:

You only use Hail Marys when you need them. You'll rarely (never) see a jump ball in the end zone on a Hail Mary pass unless it's at the end of the game (or half) in football. That's because there's no reason to use a play that's rarely successful when you don't need to. Your success rate is much higher when you calculate your game plan and execute well. And while I was definitely in a Hail Mary situation in terms of besting my time, doing so wasn't 'worth it' in terms of what I stood to gain.
I know where I failed and learned from it. I started out too fast. Had the race only been nine miles, I would have posted a great time and done the same at the next 9-miler. But it was 13.1 miles. And I didn't run the first nine miles with the last 4.1 in mind. I won't do that next weekend, when it's time for half-marathon #3 of 2009.
I realized I had 10 more races to go. At mile 11, I only had 2.1 miles left in the race. But I had 133.1 to go for the year. And if pace is about anything, it's about pacing yourself not just for one race, but for all the races.

It's important, when starting and growing a business, that you run quickly when you have to, and at a manageable pace the rest of the time. Businesses that sprint out of the gate, with no view for the long-term success of their venture will burn through energy and resources very quickly. Those businesses that realize that growth happens through deliberate and dedicated action, which often takes time, will be poised to succeed well into the future.

It Takes a While, but We're Getting There

2009-02-24T14:45:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I spoke to four college classes. Two were at Belmont and were full of entrepreneurship majors. The other two were at Vanderbilt and were classes on business strategy.

One thing I told each class:

We started this thing on accident. We didn't write a business plan until we were 18 months old. That means, we've been operating for longer without a business plan than with one.

A lot of times, we do things in the wrong order. But, stuff usually works out in the end. Case in point: today, we put the final touches on our first media kit.

We've been lucky in getting the media coverage we have. We think that's just a testament to our story and what we offer. So, it's exciting to get covered in OdeMagazine.com, in print in the Boston Globe, or in every print news outlet in Nashville.

But, we want more. We'd love more press and more buzz (who wouldn't?). So, that's why (with the gracious help of one of our very talented interns), we've finally got our version of a media kit. It's not much. It simply details our story. Because for us, that's the best part of what we do - how we got here, what we're up to, and where we'd like to be.

So, click the link below if you want to take a look at it. You'll find some neat pictures, a 99-word description of what we do, how our business operates, more about our history, and even a sneak peek at what the new site design looks like.

CoolPeopleCare Media Kit [pdf]

Christian Colson's Advice to the Entrepreneur

2009-02-23T10:09:00.003-06:00

Last night, Slumdog Millionaire made its mark, winning a truckload of Oscars. In my opinion, the best speech of the night was the final one, when producer Christian Colson said this about his little underdog of a movie (from Mahalo):

Thank you so much to the Academy. As you can see, our film was a collaboration between hundreds of people, and I am so happy that so many of them could be with us here tonight to share this moment. Together we've been on an extraordinary, extraordinary journey. When we started out, we had no stars, we had no power or muscle. We didn't have enough money really to do what we wanted to do. But what we had was a script that has inspired mad love in everyone who read it. We had a genius, for a director. We had a cast and crew who were unwavering in their commitment and whose talents are up on the screen for all of you to see. We had partners in Film4 and Celador. In Path and FOX Searchlight, who had the courage to support us. We had a shared love for the extraordinary city of Mumbai, where we made the movie. Most of all we had passion and we had belief and out film showed that if you have those two things, truly anything is possible. I want to thank on a personal note, my mum and my dad for their support over the years... And I want to thank all of you very much indeed. Thank you. (emphasis mine)

What does this mean for the entrepreneur? It means that you can get there, if you've got a good plan (a script), some smart leadership (director), a talented and committed team (cast and crew) and support (partners). And, passion and belief also play a big role.

I think that many times, entrepreneurs claim they just need the money. And while money can get you many of the things listed above, every once in a while, the stars align and fate smiles upon you, and your will and determination push you over that hump.

And, in any market, a quality product that inspires people will always win out over the machine, no matter how well funded it might be. After all, passion is truly priceless.

370-Word Book Review: Bringing Your Business to Life

2009-02-19T15:08:00.003-06:00

Short review: 64 words
A quick read, Bringing Your Business to Life is full of practical advice, concrete examples and reflective ideas for the entrepreneur. It's a primer on creating a venture that is not just successful, but meaningful for the entrepreneur on a personal and societal level. Written from a Christian perspective, it should appeal to anyone seeking to add moral or communal value to a business.

How to read it:

In one sitting (or two)
With a highlighter or pen to make notes
Yearly, or every time you launch something new

Longer analysis: 306 words
I bought this book after hearing the authors present on its theme. Both Jeffrey Cornwall and Michael Naughton are skilled professors in their respective fields (business and theology) and the book is the product of their teaching a course together.

The combination of both minds knits together this worthy read, which calls attention to the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, courage and temperance) as they relate to the entrepreneur personally and professionally. It's a reminder that it's simply not enough to be successful – one must also be good (as defined by the four virtues).

And to be good, the entrepreneur must remember that business is never just business. A new or growing venture is always a part of our lives, and our lives also contain things like our families, our communities, our religious expressions and our free time. When all the components of our life are not held in proper balance, we truly miss a chance at being good.

While the book is short on 'self-help' – at least in the form of checklists, reminders and metrics – it is rich with examples of companies that have achieved financial and ethical success. It calls to the reader's attention businesses in a variety of sectors that treat employees well, produce quality goods and services, and ultimately set a standard for just how good an entrepreneur and his or her business can be.

I made note of several key quotes, some of which I'll share to end this review:

Entrepreneurs are a powerful force in our society because they create trends, break molds and cause significant changes within society. (page 29)

If businesses fail to act as agents of justice, it most often defaults to government agencies to act. (page 101)

Temperance helps us see the importance of saying no. Our nos clarify the yeses of our commitments. (page 147)

---
Other books reviewed in 2009:

Today, while talking about saving the world...

2009-02-18T15:02:00.002-06:00

This morning, I spoke at Belmont University about turning your passion into your profession and why, for me, that happened when I became a social entrepreneur.

At the beginning of the presentation, I passed out my business card to everyone in attendance. I do this because at each of my talks, I'm looking to start a conversation, not just 'give a speech.' I openly encourage attendees to call or write me, promising to answer their questions and help them do what I talk about.

Anyway, when I got back to the office and checked my email, someone emailed during my talk. As in, like four minutes after they got my card, asking me to send them the slide deck.

That's what productivity and efficiency look like. And I love it.

Thinking About Religious Movements and Social Media

2009-02-13T07:01:00.002-06:00

I'll be lecturing (sort of) in two Vanderbilt Divinity School classes in April. For Dr. Mark Miller-McLemore's "Leadership and Ministry" class, I'll be discussing how churches can use social media tools to build social justice movements that extend beyond the church walls.

I try not to brag too much on this blog, but this is cool for two reasons:

They're using New Day Revolution as a text for this class. Now I can say that my book has been used as a textbook.
I used to attend Vanderbilt Divinity School, before I quit (dropped out) to focus on CoolPeopleCare full time. I don't have any regrets - it just feels good to be able to motivate the church to change the world, albeit in a different method than I imagined when I enrolled a few years ago.

If you'd like to sit in on the classes, send me an email and I'll see if the class is open to the public. Certainly we can find a seat for those interested.

More details:
Tuesday, April 14 - 11:10-12:30 - I'll be talking about the whys and whats of social networking - the various options available, how technology is changing the conversation, why it matters to a growing generation of people under 30, and exactly how much time and attention ministers should give to this.

Thursday, April 16 - 11:10-12:30 - I'll highlight good (and maybe even bad) examples of faith communities using social media and the Web to communicate with their communities. Students will come to class that day having thought about how they could use digital media and technology as an asset in their future ministries, if they have an inkling of an idea what/where that might be.

If you'd like to know when and where I'm speaking, or if you'd like me to speak to your group, look at my right sidebar.

Why I Gave Up Trying to Balance Work and Life and Decided to Stay Sane Instead

2009-02-10T07:15:00.003-06:00

Much has been made about Gen Y's insistence on a balance between their work and their life. The understanding of that balance, however, is different than previous generations, mainly because technology can be invasive, blurring the lines between when one is at work and when one is 'at' life.

Boomers didn't need to worry about this as much, since cell phones and Blackberries weren't ubiquitous. As such, doing work away from work was unheard of, mainly because it was difficult.

The lines began to blur with Gen X, who soon didn't want any of it, mainly because it was yet another thing that the big institutions couldn't be trusted with.

But Gen Y can handle it. They’re happy to fire off emails from the beach, or work from the comfort of their couch. Yesterday, one of my interns left the office (which is spacious, cool and comfy) to go work at Starbucks, where she could enjoy the unseasonably warm February weather while sipping a latte outside. She was still working since she was on deadline – she could just be portable with it.

But what about when the analog version of feature creep happens? How is a work/life balance maintained for the entrepreneur who's thinking about business all the time, even if he's not 'doing' it? What about the ambitious ladder climber who wants to get ahead and stand out? And what about the social media strategist who works for the startup who puts in long hours in hopes that the new company will make it big and she'll be set one day? Where does work end and life begin?

There should be a distinction, but not to maintain some straw-man of an argument. It should exist because it might just be the very thing that keeps you sane. Or alive.

If you're a "Lost" fan, you now know that if you want to make it on the island, you need a constant, that very thing that keeps you connected while your 'when' changes (but not your 'where'). It's the same in life. And with work. You need that thing that relieves stress, or can always take your mind off of work or helps you to remember that it's about more than the paycheck, the ladder or the resume.

The happened for Holly Hoffman. A recent health scare made her realize that life away from work is important. As such, she's learned to focus on that area of her being, to much praise and benefit.

Or take Rebecca Thorman, who recently wrote about her long hours and need to do it all, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend. I agree with her that work/life is a myth for most people, but not because it doesn't exist. Rather, I think it's an incorrect distinction.

I recently listened to a Harvard Business Review podcast during a long run. While the subject of the podcast was about the current recession, the guest noted that research suggest that the size of one's house has little to no bearing on personal happiness. In fact, the length of one's commute is a much higher factor. The lesson? Buy a smaller house closer to your job and you'll be much happier.

And here's why I agree with Rebecca that work/life balance is a mythical creation of earlier generations: we get the life part wrong.

We complain because we don't have time to watch all our TV shows. In reality, watching all those shows don't make us happier or have a better life. Or, we complain that we don't have time to play golf, go to the movies or go shopping. I really wonder if those things add up to a better life for anyone.

For me, knowing that I was rapidly running ragged while putting in long hours with CoolPeopleCare, I needed a new routine – one that allowed me maximum work hours while still allowing for those parts of my non-work life that I love. Here's how I did it:

Step One: Make it about life.
For me, I first had to find those parts of my life that I really enjoyed – those parts that I couldn't do without. As I examined how I spent my time, I realized that it was important to do things that relived my stress, instead of added to it. And for me, these were things I could do that kept my mind from wandering back to the company all the time. My list:

Cooking for and eating dinner with my wife
Meeting my family for Sunday brunch
Running
Reading

What's not on the list? Catching up on CSI. Buying a new shirt. Making sure my car is clean. I'd suggest that everyone find four things they love about life and commit to them each day or week. Find two to do alone and two that involve other people. Schedule them, and don't cancel. You'll be happier if these are a part of your routine.

Step Two: Figure out the work piece.
The life of an entrepreneur is unpredictable at best and a freakin' perfect storm at worst. But, in all of that, I had to find a routine in order to make sure I did the things that needed doing each week while allowing enough time to work on new projects and dream new dreams. So, I scheduled as best I could. I don't always stick to the schedule, but having it as a framework for each day and week helps me get more things done.

The hours between 5:30 and 7:30 AM are for emailing, reading feeds and writing blog posts. As are the hours between 4:00 and 6:00 PM.
Organizing your email GTD-style works, if you commit to it.
Mondays are for writing all the content for the next week.
Wednesdays are for meetings that generate new business.
Fridays are for meetings that generate new ideas or contacts.
Everything else stays flexible.

So yes, you can balance work and life. But chances are, if you're an entrepreneur or a Gen Y-er, you blurred those lines so long ago that they're nearly impossible to separate – like Kool-Aid. So, instead of trying to figure out how to juggle priorities, just make sure you stay sane.

@kateo Wins the Shirt – Make Twitter Matter

2009-02-02T16:35:00.006-06:00

I got an iPhone on Saturday. While that's reason enough to write an extended blog post in itself, that's not where we're headed.

One of the reasons I opted for the greatest invention ever was so that I could maximize Twitter – really use the service to grow my personal network and my business, CoolPeopleCare. Granted, you don't need an iPhone to do this, just like you don't need the iPhone to email friends, listen to music, find a nearby restaurant or hang a shelf, but for me, it would be a big help.

A little twistory
I signed up for Twitter once I started hearing about it, like a lot of people. But I didn't use it (remember, there's a difference between having and using when it comes to social media). Eventually, I synced my Facebook statuses and tweets with one another, updated both using BlogIt on Facebook, since I spent more time there.

As for CoolPeopleCare, for a while, we automated a summary of our daily articles with a shortened url, but we realized we weren't really adding much value (or seeing much of a benefit). So, we pulled back, went silent for a while, and began to strategize.

Ask the whole wide tworld
With my shiny iPhone in hand, I began to wonder how I'd manage the entire Twitterverse. I signed up for an unlimited texting plan, so I could read everything that way. Or I could check out some apps.

But which ones do what? I read some reviews and blog posts, but I quickly realized the best way to get the info I sought was to ask the experts - or - the twexperts.

So, early on Sunday, I sent out a tweet:

what's the best iPhone twitter app? Looking for a free one to install by sundown. Best suggestion gets an @coolpeoplecare t-shirt.

And the results came back. Quickly. Recommendations for free and paid aps. I gave the free ones a whirl and found some things I liked. And then, @kateo came through with:

@samdavidson Depends on your needs, but I think you maintain multiple IDs? I went through 3 apps before finding Tweetie. It makes that easy.

Granted, I asked for a free ap, but kateo provided a paid one. So why did she win the shirt?

Tell me what matters
Granted, kateo was at an advantage because she knew (or at least assumed) that I managed both my personal twitter account and CoolPeopleCare's. So, based on her assumption, she delivered what I needed.

She didn't just shout out an answer to the Twitterati, she easily explained the why behind the what of her recommendation. She offered something relevant. She said something meaningful.

So what can we learn from this?
You can consume and participate in Twitter in a variety of ways, whether you want to keep up with people, have a private conversation with hundreds of witnesses, or stir up some buzz. And, whether you're tweeting from your phone, your PC or anything else, the methods may vary. What's important is that you say something worthwhile.

Whether you're a writer, a nonprofit, a consultant, or a big business, strategy in social media matters, and it really matters on Twitter. There's lots of ROI, as Beth Kanter points out best, mainly because 'I' can be defined in many ways (like insight).

The bottom line is that you can do/say what you want. But you'll have more fun and make a bigger splash if you want to do/say something that matters to the rest of us.

Strategize that.

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More posts about using Twitter:

686-Word Book Review: The Black Swan

2009-01-28T12:38:00.004-06:00

Short Review: 87 words
We miscalculate life's events. We know what risk is and when it pops up, but we often think something is too risky when it isn't or not that risky when it is. As a result, we live mediocre lives and never venture enough out into the proper extremes, which is where the big money is to be made. It's not always our fault, but is the product of our humanness, our education, and our surroundings. But, if you read this book, you'll no longer have those excuses.

How to read it:

Slowly.
Twice.
With caffeine nearby.

Longer analysis: 599 words
The Black Swan is the third book I've read this year (for a complete list, check out my right sidebar). And it will probably be the meatiest tome I take on for 2009.

I picked it up after two friends recommended it, people who live two very different lives. So, I expected a business-type book with universal appeal, complete with numbered reminders and concise and memorable theories. The Black Swan offers none of the above.

What Nassim Nicholas Taleb does put forth, however, is a deeply profound thesis: Black Swan events dominate our lives, and those who make it big understand this and leverage themselves accordingly. The theory is based on the idea that up until a certain point, humans had only ever seen white swans. But the moment that black swans were discovered, their entire worldview was sent spinning. (For a more concise review and the financial implications of Black Swans, read this Forbes article.)

It took me a while to get through Taleb's work, mainly because it's full of history and theory and chronicles philosophers and scientists who have thought every which way about Black Swans. But, if you can wade through all the details, you'll be able to find nuggets, and great ones at that.

Every so often, Black Swan events occur that leave all of us reeling. These events are unexpected, shocking, and only seem predictable after the fact (9/11 and World War One are Taleb's classic examples). This happens in any industry time and time again.

Taleb then showcases that two worlds exist: Mediocristan, where citizens take little risk and try to play it safe, working in unscalable professions in order to maintain a comfortable status quo; and Extremistan, where the foundations of society are often shaken, and those who were ready to capitalize on that change do. His advice is that we live in Extremistan when the greatest possible positive outcome is worth the risk, but that we also can't overestimate the greatest possible negative effects of what Mediocristan can bring.

This isn't an advice kind of book, or a book about making lots of money. It's an eye-opening examination of how we live life and operate in our respective worlds. Fortunately, Taleb does offer some practical wisdom for ways to live well in Extremistan. I'll offer one to you now:

Seize opportunity, or anything that looks like opportunity. They are rare, much rarer than you think. Remember that positive Black Swans have a necessary first step: you need to be exposed to them…. Work hard, not in grunt work, but in chasing such opportunities and maximizing exposure to them…. Go to parties. If you're a scientist, you will chance upon a remark that might spark new research. And if you are autistic, send your associates to these events.

And, to conclude, I offer a first – a guest review from my friend Bier, who recommended the book to me:

I love books that destroy assumptions and alter my daily thought patterns. A hardy ambassador for critical thought, The Black Swan does both well enough to be called philosophy, but it's also sufficiently technical to mail to a stats professor for his take. (I did.) Meanwhile, the proportion of my thoughts committed to potential magnitude has spiked, at the expense of probability analysis. A summary: You really don't know jack about why or how often - and neither do the "experts" - so think more about what if and how much. When you do, you save yourself from the very worst and widen the crack for the very best. The rest is all manageable.

Dreamland It

2009-01-27T06:27:00.003-06:00

On our way to speak to a group of teenagers about the environment last week, Stephen and I stopped for dinner at Dreamland. He'd never been and I'd skipped lunch, so it seemed like the perfect time to order some slabs of the best ribs on the planet.

Dreamland serves the kind of ribs that require a commitment. If you're going to get some, get the full slab, get ready for your hands and face to be covered in sauce, and sit there until every last bit of meat has been removed from every last bone. If you're not going to commit, then don't bother. Just go to some other (mediocre) rib joint and have a few there.

Sometimes, your work ethic, marketing strategy, social media use or game plan can lack serious commitment. My question to you is: then why do it?

Now, when rolling out a new shirt, when exhibiting at a conference or expo, when booking a speaking engagement or when coming up with a new marketing initiative, we at CoolPeopleCare ask, are we willing to Dreamland it?

Because if we're not willing to make the commitment to see it through to the end - success or failure - then let's not do it. If we're not excited enough, if we don't think it will work, if we don't think people will care to look at it, then hold off. Don't do it. Wait until we have an idea or strategy good enough to commit to. Then, carry it all the way to the finish line.

A friend of mine, upon graduating college, had a sweet deal to a top-tier law school, which could have amounted to a lucrative and promising business law career. But, weeks before he needed to be at class, he pulled the plug. He'd never traveled. He decided to backpack Europe and see some of the world. Everyone thought he was crazy except for one mentor/professor of ours who told him, "If you're trading this in for a vacation, don't. But, if you're exchanging it for a unique experience that will help you for the rest of your life, go all in. And don't come back until you've had the experience you need to have."

In other words, commit to something. Find something (or someone) worth committing to. You can play poker for hours by just anteing up and paying the blinds, but it's not fun. Going all in with your Ace-high straight, praying the other guy didn't hit the flush on the river - that's commitment.

You only go to Dreamland if you're willing to be elbow deep in ribs and sauce. You should only tell your customers about a product or service that's awesome or remarkable. This will also make your work more exciting because you'll have something ambitious or passionate to develop. Work that is neither can be outsourced, contracted, or doesn't need doing in the first place.

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Related posts:

I Own a Hammer, but I am Not a Carpenter

2009-01-21T09:55:00.006-06:00

I had a conversation with a large marketing firm recently. I have more and more of these kinds of conversations, with firms of any size, as CoolPeopleCare grows in size and becomes a place to inform lots of people. So, I have these conversations to brainstorm about how these firms can use our site to grow an audience for their clients' projects, campaigns and initiatives.

And I'm beginning to realize something: no one knows how to use social media.

Sure, lots of people know how to 'do' social media. They can set up blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and YouTube channels. But that's all that happens. Profiles and pages and accounts sit there, doing nothing, offering little in the way of conversation (and sometimes, information).

Having a blog does not make you a blogger any more than having a kitchen makes you a chef.

Having a Twitter profile does not make you a Tweet-er any more than having a suit makes you 'a suit.'

I own a shovel and a rake, but I don't want you to look at my backyard. I own a drill and a saw, but the shelves in my pantry are only mediocre. Perfecting my yard or my craftsmanship takes a strategy.

So why then, are so many marketing types, business leaders and other decision makers hopping on the social media bandwagon without even knowing where they're headed?

Here's the deal: before you set up any online presence (outside of your Web site), spend one hour (yes only one hour) thinking about the following:

When someone sees this (Facebook fan page, blog), what do we want them to do with it (read it, interact with us, tell their friends, go to our Web site)?
What kind of commitment can we make (daily updates, weekly articles)?
What does success look like (a million new site visitors, lots of inbound links, new donors recruited)?

Yes, it will take more than an hour to really answer those questions, but very few people are even spending that amount of time on it.

At CoolPeopleCare, we're having a 90-minute brainstorm tomorrow (they'll be 8 of us) to just talk about how to best use our Facebook fan page.

Don't use Facebook/Twitter/blogging because it's cool. Use it because it works.

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More posts about social media:

What Happens When You Try Something New?

2009-01-20T14:10:00.002-06:00

When your business or nonprofit or church thinks about trying something new, is there an excitement? Or is there a nervousness?

After all, it could fail. You could think about bringing seven interns on board, and they could all screw up, do terrible work, and completely waste your time. So, maybe you shouldn't try it.

Or, you could get people so talented and gifted that one of them just got accepted into Teach for America for this fall.

Congrats, Lauren. I can't wait to see what you'll be able to do with us the rest of the semester before going off to change more worlds in August.

Why Your Church is Not the Exception to the Rule…or…Tell Your Pastor to Call a Realtor

2009-01-20T11:09:00.004-06:00

Sometimes, I write posts that I think are fantastic and a surefire way to start a meaningful dialog. But, they rarely do. Other times, I fire something off that I think no one will care about. Those are the ones that garner the most feedback.

And those are the ones that make my mother-in-law truly angry with me (which may have been a first).

That's right – if you're looking for more of my thoughts about pipe organs, you've come to the right place.

I've heard from a few people (via comments and emails) that my take on why churches with pipe organs are in trouble of long-term relativity and sustainability was wrong. Dead wrong. They tell me that:

I've attended several churches with decent sized groups of young adults who WANT to sing traditional hymns, hear an actual sermon by a seminary-educated minister, and even like a pipe organ now and then.

And they say:

Under what authority are you telling people how to worship? Or what worship is better? Some people (even some under 30) prefer to worship with a pipe organ. Perhaps not in the social circles with which you choose to associate, but they are out there. There are churches thriving with the use of pipe organ. This article is a perfect example of what has made the "worship wars" as hostile as they have become. It is when people like yourself tell others how to worship. You cannot make a judgment for all congregations, or for all people under 30, or which worship is better.

And don’t forget:

Oh my, I thought this kind of thinking had died with the 20th century. I haven't read a "church with a pipe organ is going to be a condo" article in about eight years. Why is it that the people who like organ music always are the one who have to take the heat for being stuck in the past. The fact that a church has a building or has a pipe organ has nothing to do with how forward looking that congregation might be. In fact you will find some of the most forward looking and interesting Baptist congregations are large old inner city churches with both buildings and pipe organs. We just use them creatively. The pipe organ says nothing about your theological ideas. Some of the most exciting young Christians that I know are organ students and are very committed to using the organ in the church in many innovative ways.

Thanks for sharing. However, my last post wasn't really about how awesome (or not) pipe organs are/were.

Check it out: a church in Seattle sold its building and parking lot for $3.4 million. That's some serious outreach and ministry that could be done with that kind of cash. And all it had to do was give up its old building and (perhaps) a pipe organ.

So my question is: could your church be a better church if it sold its pipe organ? Could you reach more people in more ways? If you sacrificed the way you've always done church, would it allow you to do church in a whole new way?

But the point is not the pipe organ, people! It's the choir robes, the super-hip technology upgrade, the travel budget, the repaving of the parking lot, the Minwax for the pews, the sappy watercolor pictures of white Jesus, and everything else that you’ve "invested in" which commits your congregation to a style of ministry that’s simply mediocre.

So here's the deal: no comments allowed on this post. Feel free to email me your thoughts. Better yet – write a post on your own blog about what your church would do if it had $3.4 million to meet the needs of your local community. I'll personally write a check for $3.4 million to the best idea.

Just kidding.

But I will give anyone who writes their own blog post a free copy of my book, which may have some ideas that you can use in your church to make a difference. Or you can burn it if you think everything I say is pure crap. Your call.

Vote for My Manifesto!

2009-01-16T17:05:00.001-06:00

I've got a proposal up for a manifesto over at ChangeThis.

Go vote for it so I can turn it into an actual manifesto.

That is all.

Business Lessons from a Half-Marathon: Resources Matter

2009-01-16T07:14:00.003-06:00

I ran a PR in my first half-marathon in 2009 (hold your applause, please). I'd been pounding the pavement for the better part of eight months to get ready for it, and it paid off (thanks, Adrian, for the recognition). And, I've got 11 more of these bad boys this year.

Running a half-marathon is trying. It's hard. You exert a lot of effort only to end up (most of the time) right back where you started. But, it's also fun. Really fun.

If you have the right resources.

I hate going for long runs when training for a half. But it's not because I hate long runs. It's because when I run 9, 10, or 11 miles on my own, I never have the same resources that I do on an actual course. There are no water stations at miles 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 or 10. There is no one to stop traffic. No one is cheering me on. And there's definitely no one to give me a medal when I cross the finish line.

This is part of the reason I enjoy signing up for 5ks and running to and from the race. Depending upon the location, I can run to the race start, where they'll have refreshments. Then, I can run the 3.1-mile race, where there will be more water. And then I can run home, where I have all the comforts I need.

And it can be the same with running a business, particularly a social venture. Ideas and optimism will only get you so far. Resources make the difference.

So, since I had two hours to think, here are some half-marathon reflections related to starting and growing your own business as it relates to resources:

Know what you need from the beginning.
It's easy to say you need money when starting a business, but what will you spend it on - literally? People? Advertising? Technology? Thinking about the resources you need will make sure you've got them lined up in order to get where you're going. Yes, needs change, but your need for them doesn't.

Find a good cheerleader.
Disney's course had high school cheerleaders, marching bands and DJs all along the route. While they didn't quite give me a runner's high that propelled me to the finish line, they were helpful and reminded me of my desire to finish the race, especially at mile 9, when I wanted to stop. Find a good cheerleader for yourself. Who believes in what you're doing? Who knows you're talented and capable of succeeding? Your mom? Your husband? Roommates or best friends? Sometimes, valuable resources can't be bought.

When the resources run out, make a decision.
If there were no more water stations, fruit or music along the rest of the course after mile 9, I would have stopped and called a taxi. It would have been miserable and stagnant to try to cover the last 4.1 miles without any replenishment or resources. But, I continued because I knew they'd be there. When your business is out of money, out of time, or out of whack, you need to make a decision - either get the resources to get you to the finish line, or call it quits. You can stall forever. Don't. It won't make you successful and is really just a waste of time. Get what you need or go home.

See you in Birmingham on February 15!

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More posts about starting or growing a business:

Same Place, Different Feeling

2009-01-15T06:30:00.005-06:00

I remembered the last time I was standing in line, waiting to hand over my driver's license and sign the form. It was in October. Early voting had commenced and I couldn't wait to vote for Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.

I was excited. Elated. Happy, proud, and gleeful. Pick a positive feeling, and it probably pulsed through my veins as I took each step closer to the voting booth, closer to pressing those buttons and making my own version of history.

However, when I went to the same polling location last week, I had completely different feelings running through me. I was angry. Upset. Shocked, disturbed, and peeved. I was ticked off that I had to stand in line, fork over my license, scrawl my name and press a button to hopefully strike down a terrible amendment to Nashville's charter.

Nashville is in the midst of a potentially devastating campaign. (Catch all the details here.) People in better cities can't believe it, but there is a proposed amendment to make English the official language of Nashville. Doing so would make this thriving city seem close-minded, bigoted, and even racist. And this is why people on both sides of the ideological aisle (when it comes to some of our most divisive issues) unite in their displeasure of this legislation.

I hope my Nashville readers do, too.

The election is wasting taxpayer money at a time when each dollar counts more than ever.

It sends a terrible message to the rest of the world that we're an inhospitable city.

It's a fairly worthless piece of legislation, proposed by someone who simply wants to display authority - and I hate nothing more than people who abuse power.

But here's the worst part: you have to actually go vote against this thing. You just have to. No, it's not as glamorous as voting for Obama. It's not as prolific as voting for mayor. And it certainly ain't like picking who's going to be Homecoming Queen. But if those of us in our right mind don't take the time out of our day to go and cast a ballot against this amendment (and the second one, as well), then the stupid (as in non-intelligent) bigots (as in racist) will pass this thing.

Which would be terrible and terrifying.

Here's the deal: go vote against amendments one and two. Take a friend with you. In fact, take five. For anyone who fills their car with people who vote no, I'll send you a copy of my book, New Day Revolution. Just email me and tell me that every seat belt was occupied and that you hate the fact that you had to go actually strike this thing down. We'll lament over email and then I'll get a signed copy in the mail to you so tomorrow will be better - and hopefully a bit more inclusive.

C'mon, Nashville. We're better than this.

274-Word Book Review: In Defense of Food

2009-01-14T06:21:00.002-06:00

Short review: 40 words
Michael Pollen's book is one that will help you figure out why what you're eating isn't miracle food and what you should be eating instead. It's not a guide to weight loss, but it is a guide to eating better.

How to read it:

Skim the first half, but read every word of the second.
Check it out from the library and write down all of his rules in part two.
Invite your friends over for dinner to talk about it.

Longer analysis: 234 words
The first half of the book is academic. Very academic. It's full of citations and quotes from papers and research that I'd never read. Thankfully, Pollen distills it down for us non-nutritionists, non-dieticians and non-doctors. The point of his 81-page diatribe? The food industry has boiled eating down to what can be called "nutritionism" which has created harmful effects for omnivores everywhere.

We've all seen food in the supermarket that promises to lower our cholesterol, make us healthier or be a cure-all for what ails us. Pollen points out that the above features aren't just myths – they're nearly based on junk science that divorces food from culture, thereby making us unhealthier than ever.

So what's the solution? Pollen offers a comprehensive one in the second half of his book. And, he keeps it simple. He offers the 'why' behind such maxims as, "Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle," "Eat mostly plants, especially leaves," and "Do all your eating at a table."

Following all of Pollen's advice will make you a healthier and happier person, I'm sure. But it will also make you realize the intricate relationship that we should be having with what we eat. Because food has been a social and cultural experience on a variety of levels, it can't be broken down into simple nutrients and calories. And this is precisely why food must be defended.

Why Churches With Pipe Organs Will Soon Be Condos

2009-01-13T08:14:00.003-06:00

Once, I was consulting for a church. They wanted to get more young people in the doors (who doesn't?). When chatting with a group of young people who currently attended the church, one person piped up (get it?):

I came here because I really enjoy the sound of a pipe organ. I couldn't find anywhere else in town that had such a great one.

I told him he was the only person in the world with that viewpoint under the age of 30.

You won't find pipe organs in many places today. You won't find organ music in many songs, either. Suffice it to say, the organ as a sought-after instrument is fading. So what do churches do that have invested millions into a grand pipe organ?

After all, you can only put a pipe organ in a building. It's not portable (like a guitar or keyboard) and hasn't seemed to have stood the test of time in terms of appeal. In other words, a pipe organ locks you into a time and place, leaving a church unable to be versatile enough to offer meeting space and theological ideas that appeal to a rapidly changing world.

That's why I'm all for churches that don't want to build a building. That's why I'm all for nonprofits that do want to collaborate with others to extend their reach. When you lock yourself into an ideological framework, you become bound by external parameters that constrain – instead of grow – your business, movement or revolution.

It's when the movement becomes the establishment.

It's like what Seth Godin says about beauty.

I'm a third of the way in to The Black Swan. The lesson so far: We don't know much. Events and things happen that are completely unexpected and forever change the way we work and think. But since we can't predict the future, can we at least be ready for it when it crashes into us?

My advice to new organizations is this: plan for surprises.

I didn't go after a book deal, pitching to publishers day and night. My first book happened by accident. So did the entire concept for CoolPeopleCare. Most of my speaking engagements (check the right sidebar) happen because people find me. I strive to keep my life and schedule and dreams flexible enough to accept valuable opportunities as they occur.

Come up with a vision statement. Dream big and have a goal of where you'd like to be. But, make sure anything you write down is malleable enough when hit with the hammer of opportunity, able to morph and bend until the previously impossible is as real as that time you hit your thumb when trying to hang that picture.

Most churches that have pipe organs are old, in (possibly) redeveloping areas where trendy condos just might take root. For many churches, the pathway to sustainability of their organization will be to get rid of the very thing that made it competitive in the past. I believe that many organizations could be well positioned for short- and long-term growth if they'd shed their previously held dreams and instead embrace a dynamic and flexible type of vision and organization.

Sell the church and toss the pipe organ in for free. Then, take your money and get some real work done. You only meet in that building a few times a week – is that worth the investment?

Get rid of your revenue stream that's holding you back. Yes, you say you sell widgets, but your widget isn't that great. However, you've figured out a way to better price widgets across the board, so it's time you offer that as a consulting idea to better widget companies.

Your nonprofit does the same thing that two others do in town and they do it better. Stop competing with them and join forces to serve more people together than any of you did apart.

What's holding you back? Your building? Your letterhead? Your embroidered golf shirts? Too bad. The intangible – that great idea you had – would be awesome if you hadn't planted your feet so firmly in one area that now makes movement in any progressive or meaningful direction impossible.

The future of organizations will be in their ability to change.

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Previous posts about change:

Catch Me at Belmont on Feburary 18

2009-01-08T13:36:00.003-06:00

On February 18 at 10 AM, I'll be speaking at Belmont University.

Here's what I'll be chatting about:

Saving the World With Your Day Job: Adventures in Social Entrepreneurship

If you think that making a real difference in the world can only be an afterthought – as in after you think about your career, your family or your fun – think again. Sam Davidson, President and Co-Founder of CoolPeopleCare, discusses the ins and outs of being a social entrepreneur and how he turned his passion into his profession.

Come join us in the Massey Boardroom. It'll be fun.

Hire a Gaggle of Interns to Help Your Company Take Flight

2009-01-06T15:32:00.002-06:00

When you start a company, creativity comes easily. There's never been a shortage of ideas at CoolPeopleCare. But, there have been more than a few roadblocks to pulling off these creative endeavors, mainly money, time and people.

We're solving that this spring by bringing on six quality interns.

We had an intern a few summers ago. We weren't looking for one. She contacted us. I appreciated the initiative and agreed to interview her. After coffee and a chat, she came on board and handled various tasks and we couldn't have been happier.

So, we decided to try it again, albeit a bit differently. We decided to go after an intern or two, instead of waiting and hoping they'd find their way to our doorstep. We thought we'd maybe have one or two college kids show an interest, have one take us up on the offer, and put in about five hours a week taking care of various, routine details.

Instead, we were blown away. And now, we've got a half dozen interns, all taking on new initiatives, all highly qualified, providing the equivalent work of three extra, talented people. Here's how we found them:

It Begins With a Network
We didn't use Craig's List or post flyers around campuses. We went straight to professors and directors of career centers and asked them to send students our way. Because I'd spoken to several college classes over the last few months, I already had a network in place. And, I mentioned the internship each time I spoke. Because I mainly speak in business and entrepreneurship classes, I knew I had a good chance of finding a motivated and creative student. If you want talented students, then ask your professor contacts to send you talented students. If you don't have professor contacts, then you need to get some, starting now.

Don't Give Them a Job Description
Click here and you can see the one-pager (PDF) that we sent out. We technically call the position a Social Media Intern, because that's what we thought we were looking for. As you can see, the description is vague. That's because we were flexible and open to anyone showing an interest. There is no way that you can make up for initiative and hunger. I'll turn down an unmotivated, super-qualified person for one that's energetic and untested.

Do Give Them Money
As you can see, we pay our interns. That's because all interns should be paid. And that's because they're doing work that is worth something. If you have interns that aren't doing worthwhile work, then why do you have them? Better yet, why does this work even need doing in the first place? Offering to pay interns means you'll get more and better applicants to choose from.

Let Them Work on What They Love
Each of our interns is focusing on a task or area that excites them and is in a direction they hope to go for their career. They don't expect a job offer from us come May. But they do expect a hell of a resume line when it's time to apply elsewhere. So, we have one intern working in product development, one in media relations, one in social networking, one in content development, one in marketing, and so on. Some of these interns should be working at PR firms or larger companies in town. But we snatched them up because the work here is more exciting. And no one gets anyone coffee. Coffee here is free and is only about 8 steps from the farthest chair.

Currently, the CPC staff numbers 3 people. We're tripling it in one week (when everyone starts). And, we expect to more than quadruple our reach and effectiveness. It's bound to happen when you've got an entire team of curious, unique and dedicated people.

Don’t Make a Resolution. Take the Physical Challenge Instead.

2009-01-05T07:49:00.004-06:00

My brother-in-law was banned from watching Double Dare when he was a child. Apparently, it made him too hyper when he witnessed the physical challenges that occurred when contestants couldn't answer the mind boggling trivia questions that Marc Summers threw out there.

The physical challenge was truly the hallmark of Double Dare. The show pandered to their young audience by dousing people with slime, making them wade through goo and get covered with muck. At the end of the day, one could make the case that it paved the ways to shows like Dirty Jobs, now that its audience has grown up.

And today, the idea of the physical challenge lives on. Deep within us is a desire to push ourselves physically, wondering just how much our bodies can take in order to get us in better shape, lose weight, or just feel a bit healthier.

Speaking of, how's that New Year's Resolution treating you? It's okay if you already broke it. After all, the 'real' first day of the year is today, since everyone's back in the office. Today is the day everything starts, right?

But if you're looking to get out of the resolution rut created by too many promises to yourself about eating healthier or watching your weight, then ditch your resolution and take the physical challenge.

What's Your Physical Challenge for 2009?

A physical challenge is a commitment to an activity that pushes your body to the limit. The limit. The limit of what you expect it's capable of. Thus a physical challenge does not look like the typical resolution. A physical challenge is not "Go to the gym four days a week" or "Run on a treadmill for 30 minutes." Granted, for some of us, that is physically challenging, but let's get a bit more daring.

Take a page from Adrian Reif's playbook. For his 24th birthday, Adrian is challenging himself to 24 hours of activity, all in an attempt to raise $2,400 for homelessness in Nashville. That's ambitious. That's a challenge.

For me, I'm aiming to run a half-marathon each month in 2009. You can track my schedule and progress in my blog's right sidebar. First stop: the Disney Half-Marathon this Saturday.

While a physical challenge is grueling, the upside is that even if you don't complete it, you've still done a lot, and you'll get better results than a traditional resolution. If I only run 10 half-marathons (instead of 12), I'll still have accomplished a great deal physically – much more than if I'd just resolved to "run more" in 2009. If Adrian only completes half his tasks and only raises $1,200, his accomplishments will still be admirable.

Don't simply be resolved – be challenged.

What's your physical challenge for 2009? Leave it in the comments below. One lucky commenter will get a copy of New Day Revolution so that you'll have something to read while you're laying on the couch recovering.

I Raised $448 In 3 Minutes

2008-12-31T12:28:00.004-06:00

I turned 28 yesterday (applause). I went to watch three movies at ate Mexican food (my favorite). Oh, and I raised $448 for 14 nonprofits.

On Monday, I sent out a simple Facebook status and Twitter message. I simply stated my desire for my friends and followers to donate $28 somewhere in honor of my birthday. (I borrowed the idea from Rosetta Thurman, who's changing the nonprofit world right before everyone's eyes.)

The response was more than I expected. From those I heard back from, I learned that:

Anne gave to Child's Play
Melvin gave to Room in the Inn
Rebecca gave to St. Vincent de Paul
David gave to Mission First
Tambi have to Tennessee Partners in Mission
Lu gave to her neighbor's adoption fund
Joy gave to United Way of Metropolitan Nashville
Leslie gave to four different places
John gave to hockey programs
Marilyn gave to Gilchrist Hospice Care
Kathy gave to the USO
Todd gave to a scholarship fund
Katye gave to Living Water International

And these are just the ones I know about.

It took me about three minutes to post and tweet my message (and update it on my birthday). At an hourly clip, I brought in $8,960. Not bad for just aging a year.

And herein lies the secret of fundraising when it comes to nonprofits and online media: let other people do it for you.

Many nonprofits have employed the Friends Asking Friends model, whereby someone walks or runs for a cause and they solicit their friends and family to make donations to the benefiting organization on their behalf. While this can be a great tool to raise major dollars, many in the industry see it as a zero-sum game since you'll donate $25 to a friend and they'll simply reciprocate when it's your turn to walk or march. In other words, you could have donated your own $25 and skipped the asking part.

However, I think a new model is emerging. I might not even dare call it a 'model' since the ability to replicate it is questionable at best. But I know it when I see it.

It looks like Rosetta's blog post about her birthday today.

It looks like Beth Kanter’s post about how she raised money on her birthday via Facebook causes.

In other words, it looks like the unexpected.

At every nonprofit and social media workshop I lead, I make sure to tell people they need to embrace social media because today, when Google is the center of the Web, you have to be able to be found. If I can't get to you through Google (or Facebook or Twitter), then I can't get to you. And this means we can't meet. And that means I can't volunteer or write a check.

The game is changing. I don't work for a nonprofit. I know that world, but I'm not a director of development, imploring the masses to fork over cash. I'm just a passionate guy who made one simple ask with convenient tools.

And if your nonprofit can't work with that, you're missing out – perhaps to the tune of $8,960 an hour.

United Way Nashville's Give 10: Nicely Done

2008-12-19T12:08:00.003-06:00

I saw a few Facebook friends change their statuses on Wednesday. They linked to Give10Now.org. I made a mental note of it that drifted from my mind as soon as CSI:NY came on.

Then, yesterday, I got an email from United Way of Metropolitan Nashville telling me I should watch a video. That's all their email said. That's easy enough to do, so I clicked on it. I'm on their email list and they do good work, so why not throw them a bone? Imagine my delight when I saw this:

Sure, it could be about 30 seconds shorter and it is reminiscent of the Starbucks spots that played close to the election, but all in all I like it. Here's why:

It's just on YouTube
They didn't come up to a huge ad campaign that would run on local TV, falling on the same aging ears that most of those commercials do. They made something slick, different and engaging, and they posted where people who gravitate to videos like that could easily find it.

They got a separate url
Good for them that Give10Now.org was available. And good for them for not putting a bunch on info about United Way on it. And best of all, they didn't direct anyone to their home page to find this. This is a great example of how one page can (and should) do one thing.

The action is clearly defined
I only needed to watch the video once and I know what I’m being asked to do. I'm asked to give $10 and then tell 10 friends. Done (I did give $10 and this is my way of telling 10 friends).

It's easy to take action
Click on the donate button if you want. It takes you right to the giving page. A few clicks and 90 seconds later, I'm done. And that they promised in the video will happen (warm beds, full stomachs, etc.).

Let me also say – this is far better than the national "Live United" campaign that’s been running at United Way affiliates. White T-shirts doesn't quite cut it for me – sorry. I hope to see more innovation coming soon from United Way of Metropolitan Nashville.

As I told emailed a friend (okay, I guess I emailed one person about it), "This is the best example of a large, old-school Nashville nonprofit doing something viral, low cost, low commitment and high impact."

5 Things To Do Next Week to Improve Your Career

2008-12-17T13:20:00.012-06:00

Next week should be a slow week in most places. Because Christmas is on a Thursday, and lots of people will get the day after that off, expect to see people using vacation days to get a nice week off. I'll be in Texas for eight days if you need me.

Because it will be a slow week (with everyone at Grandma's) you can expect a lot of out-of-office auto replies. And this means a lot of business won't get done (unless you're in retail). So, use the downtime to improve your career. Each day, spend an hour doing one of these five things and you'll be ahead of the game when the ball drops in two weeks. And, best of all, none of these require Internet access, so you can do them even if you're at Aunt Irene's (who's not quite Web 2.0 yet).

Work on your resume

I hate resumes. I really do. But a lot of the rest of the world doesn't, so you need one. Now is your time to make it shine, even if you're not looking for a job. So don't just update it – enhance it. Add a line about the marathon you completed this past year. Think about the most interesting aspect of your current position and play it up. Change the font and the layout. Lead with your passions, instead of your objectives. Use it to simply get the interview. Make it more about you than about your work. As my friend Bier says:

What matters more than the "most important" stuff at the top are the more interesting bits at the bottom. They tell more about the person. That stuff is important when you're applying for a job where your personality and outlook matters. If one is going to invest time in a cubicle, stick to the job section. If not, minimize the job section and put more in the fringe. Where have you been? You did what? How did you get into that? If your resume highlights those things, then an interview can revolve around you, and it will set you completely apart.

Get your personal elevator pitch down cold

Describe yourself in 30 seconds. Go. If you can't do it perfectly (and I do mean perfectly, not just well), then keep at it. Write it down. Edit it. Memorize it. Be able to articulate your past and your future concisely and creatively. If you want to stand out at networking events or cocktail parties, you need to be able to cut to the chase and tell someone who you are. "I'm Sam and I run a company," is not as good as, "I'm Sam. What do I do? Well, my schedule is never consistent, but almost always flexible. That's because I write in 99-word bursts each weekday about how people can save the world in less than five minutes." Guess which answer gets more follow up questions and allows for deeper networking? You don't have to start your own company to have a pitch like this. It will also work for teachers, attorneys, designers and accountants. Lead with who you are.

Describe your dream job in less than a minute

Lots of people tell me that their dream job would be to work at a nonprofit. I them ask them what they'd like to do at a nonprofit. I rarely get an answer to that question because people rarely actually sit and think about their dream job. Most people know it would be somewhere they're currently not. Spending the time it takes to accurately articulate your dream employment situation might just make it happen. After all, once you meet someone at the party and tell them who you are, they could become the connection (or the boss) you've been looking for. So, think about it. What would the hours be? The day-to-day work? The rewards? The location? Is it something you need to invent, or are you just waiting for an opening?

Set a routine

There's never a great time to enact a little discipline on your personal or professional life, but it always pays off. Use a slow week to set a schedule and then start sticking to it, no matter what. Following Tim Ferris' advice, I now only email three times a week. And it's a relief. I will sneak in and fire out an important, time-sensitive one (since a lot of my work can be), but if it can wait until Monday, Wednesday or Friday, between 9 and noon, then it will. This allows me to spend more focused time writing and reading, which allows me to spend time doing things I love with people I love. My wife and I are using the time away next week to downgrade our cable, which will also give us more quality time together (and save a few bucks). What will you schedule? Commit to reading for 30 minutes a day. Promise to write a letter once a week. Only read RSS feeds once a day. Work on your business plan each Sunday. Set a schedule. Write it down. See it through.

Find one, big, impossible goal for 2009

I didn't set out to do it, but 2008 was the year I lost 25 pounds. And now I'm pondering what my big, impossible goal for 2009 should be. I've got a list to pick one from:

Find my own 30 Days projects to implement, all about living a simpler, more meaningful life
Fund and double the size of CoolPeopleCare
Run a half marathon each month
Get my backyard properly manicured and maintained for less than $100
Publish book #3

All big goals, and most of them will seem impossible (or nearly). Big goals are totally worth setting, even if they never happen. Lots of things happen en route to achieving those goals, and many of those might not have if you established them as their own benchmarks. For example, my own weight loss quest enabled me to eat healthier and develop an exercise regimen much better than if each has been its own end, instead of a means to one. So, find that one outrageous goal that needs to happen for you. Cut your monthly budget by 75%. Meet one new person a day for a year. Learn Spanish. Become a gourmet chef. Get promoted twice. Think it, set it, write it down, and commit to it.

Next week, in between YouTube clips, feasts, stockings and football bowl games, spend 60 minutes each day getting serious about your career. Five hours next week could come back to you 500-fold.

I Am the Cheesecake Man

2008-12-16T14:33:00.003-06:00

Q: What's the best weather for running 9 miles?
A: There is no best weather for running 9 miles. It's 9 miles for crying out loud.

Yesterday, I delivered 30 cheesecakes all over Nashville. My friend runs a booming business peddling these calorie-rich wares, and since the holiday season is his busiest, I was happy to lend a hand (and the back of my car) during a free morning. And, I'd make a little Christmas cash, which everyone loves.

One problem: when I showed up to grab my allotment for the day, it was raining. Hard. And getting cold. Can I pick a great day to deliver cheesecakes, or what?

As I drove, parked, delivered and repeated (getting wet and cold at every stop), I could only think that the next time I did this, it might not be so bad. Even if it were 20 degrees and dry, that would be an improvement. Or twice as wet and twice and warm. You get the picture. And even though there would be no next time (yes, I retired from the cheesecake delivery business the same day I started), it hit me: If you start doing something when it's the hardest, you'll have a competitive advantage over everyone else.

That's why I ran nine miles this past Saturday. It was barely 20 degrees in Nashville when I set out, bundled up. For the first half mile, I wanted to quit. I nearly did. But I kept going, covering all six miles to the start of a 5k, and then running the race. So now, when I cover 13.1 miles in less than a month in Orlando, it'll be a breeze. Sure, it'll be four more miles than I did this past week, but it will be a lot warmer than it was (hopefully).

How many of these have you heard?

The worst time to start a company is during a recession.
The worst time to ask for donations is after a presidential election (and during a recession).
The worst time to lose weight is during the holidays.
The worst time to go back to school is after you start a family.
The worst time to look for a job is when you actually need one.

Or is it the best time? If you can succeed in the worst time, then you'll be on track to be the best in the best time. And being the best in the best time is way better than being the best in the worst time. I'll take either, mind you, but the best way to be the best during the best time is to be the best during the worst time, instead of simply sitting it out, hoping you'll succeed when the best time eventually rolls around.

Yes, success is easier in the best time. But it's still possible (and much better) in the worst time.

Do hard things. They make for better stories (or blog posts).

How I Lost 25 Pounds in Six Months

2008-12-11T11:09:00.004-06:00

On January 1 of this year, I stepped on the scale and looked down. 203 pounds. Yikes.

I told a few friends about this. They didn't believe me. They said I carried it well. Still, crossing the bicentennial mark didn't have me feeling too hot about myself. So, I decided to go on a deliberate diet and exercise plan.

In six months.

So in June, I got serious. I'd been a runner since college, when I completed two marathons. But since traversing 26.2 miles nearly seven years ago, a lot has happened. I got married. I got a job. I started a company. I started liking the taste of beer. I got digital cable with DVR. I got burned out on running. None of those alone made me gain 40 pounds since I graduated, but I think all of them together formed some sort of mafia that kept me happy and full and the remote in my hand.

My friend Bier also pointed me to this post by Tim Ferris. I'm always suspicious of anything that promises fast results. I believe that real change, whether it's personal or societal, takes real time and real work.

Then, another friend told me he tries to do The 300 Workout. Again, sounds neat, but 1) I don't have access to things called kettle bells and 2) that looks really tiring.

And then, my sister didn't want her treadmill anymore, and since my family trades furniture like I used to trade baseball cards, it found its way to my guest bedroom. This triumvirate of fitness events combined and allowed me to make a commitment and stick with it, which is why I stepped on the scales today to a respectable 178. Over the last six months, I dropped 25 pounds, added muscle mass to my biceps and chest, ran my fastest 5k time ever (25:50) and feel fantastic. Here's how:

I ate more vegetables.
This happened mainly because they were always in my house. My wife and I joined a CSA with some other friends. So, each week, my fridge was stocked with peppers, cucumbers, potatoes, cabbage and squash. I've also become a very creative chef. I can work a cucumber into a pasta dish and you won't even know it's there. I'm not a vegetarian, but I'm nearly there. Eating more veggies than grains or meat will have you easily tossing a few pounds out the window. Salads – which I use to despise – are now a welcome sight at the dinner table.

I started sweating.
My wife wants to leave the house when I boot up the treadmill. Because after 20 minutes on that thing, I smell worse that Bonnaroo. But sweating a lot means I'm burning calories, which means I'm on the way to losing weight. When I first got back into running, I'd been well on my way to drenched after 10 minutes. Now, it takes about 30 to work up such a sweat. I'm steadily building my mileage and am planning on doing a half marathon every month in 2009. I love running once again and I see the results of my time spent on the streets or on the treadmill. Whatever your bag is, just make sure you're sweating for at least 30 minutes a few times a week. Play basketball, go for a walk, hop on the rowing machine – just make sure you get drenched.

I passed on the extras.
Not only does not picking up a six pack each week at the grocery save me money, it also saves me over 1,000 calories (the equivalent of a 10k). So does passing on dessert, choosing an egg-white omelet rather than French toast, and just eating one cookie at the birthday party. I was cramming whatever was available down my throat, thinking it would be easy to work off or that it would disappear naturally. Then I realized my metabolism drastically changed once I got my diploma. So, I go sparingly on the extras and order small portions at restaurants. I still treat myself every now and then (Ferris advocates one 24-hour period each week to eat what you want, and I agree that this is a good strategy); I just don't guzzle drinks and scarf brownies like I used to.

I made a commitment.
If you want a beach bod by spring break, this post isn’' for you (unless you're thinking about spring break 2010). Nothing of value usually comes immediately or overnight. It's the same with our health and bodies. What's also happened over the last six months is that I've developed lifestyle habits that I plan on continuing, whether I become a father, go back to school, move, change jobs – no matter what happens, I'm now used to liking veggies, looking forward to a run, and easily passing on seconds.

I'm no guru when it comes to eating or exercising. This is just what worked for me. I wish I could conclude with some cheesy before and after shots, but since I wasn't so deliberate about documenting this journey, I dug up what I could on Facebook. Enjoy.

Back in May, before I made the commitment:

A few weeks ago at a 5k in Nashville:

Book Review: Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell

2008-12-02T16:10:00.002-06:00

I flew through the advanced copy of Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney, which is a practical leadership guide for anyone looking to make his or her mark in the world of business. In fact, after reading it, I nearly wanted to get off my entrepreneurship ride and find myself inside of some large multinational corporation, just so I could have a chance to implement some of Lee Cockerell's suggestions. They're that good.

But the best part is that you don't have to be in middle or upper management to try out some of Lee's lessons. You can be your own boss, working an entry-level gig or climbing any and every ladder and still have a chance to better your own leadership skills.

The book is thick – well over 250 pages – and doesn't have slick graphics, charts or pull quotes that you're used to in most business books. Thus, the book itself is a commitment, which sort of mirrors leadership, if you think about it. But, it's worth getting through, even if a few suggestions seem redundant.

What makes the book a compelling read is when Lee draws on his own experience. He used to work at Marriott (as did I) and he shares tales of success and failure in his early years. And while I could picture myself in lobbies, kitchens and on guest floors whenever he described an instance of learning and leadership, you don't have to be a hospitality vet to be engaged by his story. After all, he spent the better part of his career with Disney, and most of us have been to the Magic Kingdom, or have at least seen "Aladdin" or "The Little Mermaid."

You'll understand why places like Disney are case studies in remarkability when you read Creating Magic. For a company that big to be that good for that long, great leaders have to be at the helm of every aspect of the operation. And, no matter which helm of which operation you may find yourself, Lee has some advice for you.

So, whether you’re running a nonprofit or a bank, a classroom or a marketing agency, Lee's reminders – while not ultimately revolutionary at every turn – are important keys for every leader to have in his or her pocket. (These are called 'common sense' strategies, after all.) And that's why the book was so enduring for me – I can always use the reminder that the best practice is often the most obvious or even the easiest.

Because if leadership is about anything, it's about consistent excellence.

Look at the Calendar

2008-12-01T10:40:00.002-06:00

If you're thinking of scheduling a meeting, party, event or mixer, don't. You're too late.

It's December 1. Most people have already booked their evenings for the month, especially since it's a long Christmas week this year (since Christmas falls on a Thursday, most folks will be bowing out of the office and out of town on Friday, the 19th).

So, if you wanted to get in one more board meeting or make a big announcement, save it. You'll be lucky to get 30% of your invite list to show up.

Instead, go ahead and pick a January date. January is wide open for most people right now, so your event will be better. Attendance will be nearly perfect. You'll get more done, especially because you'll be in the back of people's minds between now and then. So, while they're looking for an escape from the craziness of shopping and family, they just might brainstorm on how to improve performance in 2009.

Use these next few weeks to get ready for next year. The economy probably won't improve (judging from any of these bleak headlines). It will be harder to sell things and services, and your clients will demand more from you. Any time you spend now planning for an unpredictable 2009 will have you ahead of the curve, especially in time for next year's December. This year's December? It's already here. It's done with. Move on.

Off to take my own advice...

If It's Not About Marketing or Fundraising, Then It's About Leadership

2008-11-21T10:49:00.003-06:00

While at Blackbaud's Conference for Nonprofits this past week, I met CEO Mark Chardon. I thanked him for highlighting during his keynote address the need for the nonprofit sector to engage Generation Y.

We had an informal chat about Gen Y and his belief that it's important to communicate with them, but the financial returns on social networks are not yet proven.

I'll give him that. Sure, the Causes application raised $2.5 million in its first year on Facebook and MySpace. While admirable, this is only $0.21 since per user. And that figure is hardly coveted by large, national nonprofits that are used to getting six- and seven-figure checks at a time.

I still believe there is a fundraising link between nonprofits and Gen Y using social media, albeit one that has a much longer cultivation period. But, I'll put that aside for the time being because there's an even bigger reason to engage Gen Y right now if you're a nonprofit.

No, it's not about getting someone to run your marketing initiatives. It's about getting someone to run anything at all.

This Business Journal article points out that since the nonprofit sector is growing at 6% annually (how about a bailout for the nonprofit industry?), the need to find experienced managers will be a major challenge for nonprofits.

The article references a report by the Bridgespan Group, which has been out for a while (download the PDF here). The numbers are staggering. Nonprofits shouldn't worry about the size of the task, however. They need to figure out how exactly they're going to pull off advertising open positions, finding the right person for the job and using the next generation to change the world.

Thankfully, more and more colleges and universities are offering courses in nonprofit management. While this will result in less on-the-job training that needs to be done, it still doesn't make the difficult task of finding quality future leaders any easier.

Which is why nonprofits needs to capitalize on the potential of online communications and social media. A 20-something who is your fan on Facebook today (who can't so much as donate $5 right now) may well be your program manager in two years. And anyone in your Twitter legion could be directing communications for you full-time very soon.

Nonprofits who are best using social media will have a clear advantage when it comes to finding the next great nonprofit leaders.

My Next Book

2008-11-20T16:35:00.004-06:00

Here we are, right in the middle of autumn. Which means I have a new book ready for you.

Stephen and I decided to follow up last year's New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 Hours with a handy guide that helps you save the world each and every day.

So I humbly show you Today is a New Day!

This page-a-day beauty includes past CoolPeopleCare articles, inspirational quotes and even journal pages. Saving the world is a journey, and we think you need every resource you can get.

You should enjoy this if you enjoy CoolPeopleCare's online content and want to hold it in the palm of your hand. And, of course, this easily fits into any stocking.

We're self-publishing this one, so get 'em early. Thanks for your support.

Attention Nonprofits: Hire a Teenager

2008-11-20T15:45:00.003-06:00

Whenever I lead a nonprofit workshop about social media, it always concludes with someone (or several people) asking: "Okay. I get it. Social media works in terms of generating buzz about my nonprofit. It's important and here to stay. But how do I implement any of it?"

And then we chat for a bit about what tools might work best with their particular organization, depending upon what message they want to broadcast. And then I'm asked, "Yeah, but how do I do it?"

Which means: "How do I set up a Facebook account? How much time will it take to be effective? What do I do once I'm on any of those social networks? What do I say and to whom do I say it?"

And then we talk about finding a champion on staff, one person who can donate some amount of time to crafting a strategy and putting it into practice. People nod, but rarely then go do anything about it.

The next time I lead a workshop, when asked that series of questions, I'll just say, "Hire a teenager."

An article in the New York Times highlights how teenagers use social media and how the benefits of all their online time include being ready to compete in the real world. That's right: texting and wall posting and blogging prepare teens for tomorrow's careers. Which is why nonprofits should hire them part-time to do all of that for them.

Instead of the 47-year-old director of marketing running your fan page, a local 17-year-old should be. They know how a fan page works. They know when too many updates annoy people. They know how long someone will spend reading a message.

Instead of sending your 61-year-old CEO to a social networking seminar, just find a 15-year-old and tell them you want to find new volunteers using free online tools. They'll hook you up quicker and better than your head honcho learning how to poke people.

A key quote from the article:

[T]heir participation is giving them the technological skills and literacy they need to succeed in the contemporary world. They're learning how to get along with others, how to manage a public identity, how to create a home page.

And they can do all that for you, if you're willing to bring them on board. They can do it immediately because it's second nature:

In a situation familiar to many parents, the study describes two 17-year-olds, dating for more than a year, who wake up and log on to their computers between taking showers and doing their hair, talk on their cellphones as they travel to school, exchange text messages through the school day, then get together after school to do homework — during which time they also play a video game — talk on the phone during the evening, perhaps ending the night with a text-messaged "I love you."

And, they can do more than just socialize. They can give you a strategic and competitive advantage:

While online socializing is ubiquitous, many young people move on to a period of tinkering and exploration, as they look for information online, customize games or experiment with digital media production, the study found.

For example, a Brooklyn teenager did a Google image search to look at a video card and find out where in a computer such cards are, then installed his own.

Right now, I'm in the midst of interviewing several candidates for a few CoolPeopleCare intern positions for the spring. We're looking for people to help market and brand us better online, to tell our story using social media like we never have before, and to spread the word to more and more people interested in our message. I'm interviewing a high school student Monday. I've spoken with college juniors and seniors, many of whom have held prior internship positions where they've used blogs to market products, planned viral marketing strategies and created original online content.

They're all better than a 35-year-old communications manager with years of experience working the press and crafting newspaper articles. If nonprofits want to attract the next generation (and why wouldn't they?), they need to hire younger.

How to Network at a Conference

2008-11-16T19:54:00.003-06:00

You've heard of so-called networking events. You go, maybe you dress up, you might take some business cards, you grab a drink, and then you find someone to talk to without embarrassing yourself. And perhaps even sometimes, you just end up talking to the people you came with, or someone you already know.

What was the point of that, then?

I often find the best networking happens at conferences, and not at local bars for young professional night. After all, everyone there (at the conference, that is) theoretically has similar interests, professions, or – at the bare minimum – swag.

And so I found myself once again networking at a conference. I traveled to Charleston, SC for the Blackbaud Annual Conference for Nonprofits. I'll be presenting tomorrow on how nonprofits can communicate with the next generation, but tonight was all about grabbing some sushi and a few business cards.

Above all, conferences nearly force you to network. After all, there's nothing to do but retreat to my hotel for the evening and watch Entourage. And the next two days will have me attending workshops, grabbing lunch, visiting booths – all in the same spot. In other words, I'm already here, so I might as well max it out.

If you don't go to at least one conference a year, you should – just for the networking. And when you book that trip, here are some ways to network at a conference, especially if you find yourself awash in a sea of people, one hand on your house merlot and the other nervously thumbing your business cards in your pocket:

Get a good opening line. "Where are you from?" or "Did you come last year?" are lame. And you don't want people to think you're lame. Since I was wearing jeans and not a lot of people were, I went up to those rocking denim and announced I was glad to see someone else in jeans. I also found young people and told them I was glad to see I wasn't the youngest person there. Both lines/openers can't be said without at least half a smile, so you can at least count on a pleasant facial expression. And if someone thinks you're lame, who cares? You'll be gone in two days.
Hand out your business card immediately. Don't wait for them to give you theirs. Hand yours over right after you say your name and who you're with. If your business card sucks, you need to get new business cards. When you get theirs, hold it in your hand until someone else in the circle gives you theirs or the conversation is over.
Pick a compliment. Comment on the font on their business card or tell them you like the color of their jacket. You don't have to be over the top and you don't have to be a liar. But offering a meaningful and unique compliment will go a lot further than, "You’re from Milwaukee? I had a layover there once." Yeah – you and millions of others. But only a few people said they liked my cufflinks.
Stay put – at least for a few minutes. If you're constantly in motion, walking around the room and darting your eyes looking for people looking for a conversation, you won't be able to be found. Mosey around, but pause out the open somewhere and take a sip or two. You'll be surprised at who approaches you.
Set a goal. Try to meet 25 people. Gather 50 business cards. Meet people from 10 other states. Internal goals and benchmarks like this will make sure you stay long enough to make it worth your while.
Leave at the right time. This is hard to determine, but if I've had 20 minutes of inactivity, I'm like a hard drive and I shut down. If you stay too long, you'll just be wasting your time, but if you leave too early, you missed some key opportunities. Decide before you go in how long you're staying so that it's worth your while and you can still rest up, especially if it's just the first night and you've got a presentation the next day.

Above all, when at a conference, network everywhere - at lunch, in the exhibit area, during breaks. Most of what you learn can probably be found in books or on blogs. But all of who you meet can only be found on site.

The Revolution is Young - and It's Getting Educated

2008-11-13T16:52:00.003-06:00

During the past week, when people have asked how things have been going, I reply with my usual, "Great!" and then proceed to discuss how I've got a full plate of speaking gigs.

Today, I discussed why nonprofits need to think about Gen Y at a strategic level. Sunday, I'll speak with student service professionals - those at college campuses working with Gen Y. Monday has me in Charleston talking about how nonprofits can market themselves to Gen Y. Then, on Wednesday, I'm speaking to 400 high school students (Gen Y'ers, obviously) about making a difference.

And as much as I talk about and to Gen Y and those who deal with them, I get the feeling I'm on to something. I see and feel something among this generation to save the world.

And now I'm glad to hear that educational institutions are seeing it too, offering education at the undergraduate levels to students interested in working in the nonprofit sector.

A quick read of the NY Times article shows how this generation is motivated and interested in making a difference. And now they're getting the education that enables them to do so with great results.

Watch out. I will be.

Update: A friend at the Nashville Public Library Foundation sent over this link, which notes that there are now over 230 colleges which offer courses in nonprofit studies.

Why Nonprofits Should Market to Gen Y

2008-11-12T16:12:00.002-06:00

If you're not a nonprofit CEO in Nashville - and therefore can't make it to my presentation tomorrow morning - don't worry. I've got the slides for you right here:

Gen Y and the Nonprofit Sector

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: nonprofit gen)

And, there's more info here.

P.S: This is on the SlideShare homepage for 11/13.

A Video of Me Talking About My Book

2008-11-12T13:38:00.002-06:00

Stephen & Sam's Author Profile from Stephen Moseley on Vimeo.

The Power of Image

2008-11-06T15:00:00.004-06:00

A lot can be (and has been) said about Obama's election to the presidency this week. But much more has been felt.

And I feel a sense of pride, a sense of hope and a lot of optimism for the future. There's a lot to look back on about this campaign - but there's a lot more to look at.

The power of image - like the power of music - has the ability to touch us in ways that words can't. So, as inspired as I've been when watching videos of Obama speak, I'm touched a bit deeper when I see the images that have come out of this campaign.

Here's a quick run-down of what I mean. I hope you, too, are inspired:

Photographer Callie Shell followed Obama for quite some time. Click here to see very candid photos of the President-Elect. (Be sure to keep clicking the "Show More Images" button at the bottom.)
Here are 10 Really Artsy Photos of People Voting. I don't really care about pictures of people voting, but I can't stop staring and the final photo (ranked number 1). What must the man on the far left be thinking and feeling?
Boston.com has 35 photos of Obama over the past several months. While these border on Messianic, you can't help but feel confident, inspired and safe in an Obama administration.
And, best of all, American classrooms are changed forever. The images that line cinder block classrooms finally speak to so many.

CoolPeopleCare is Hiring

2008-11-04T07:24:00.001-06:00

Sort of.

We're hiring for an 18-week spring intern.

So, if you're curious as to what a social entrepreneurship looks like on the inside, or if you want to work for a start-up, or if you just want a job that saves the world, then click here to download the description and get the conversation started.

A Most Frightening Question

2008-10-30T15:08:00.003-05:00

It's Halloween. And I'm haunted.

I'm haunted by a question so eerie that it has been known to startle me awake at night or creep up unexpectedly wherever I find myself. It's stealth is unparalleled, striking at any time, cutting deep into my mental marrow, leaving me scarred and scabbed.

I don't shriek in horror or cower in fear, though. I try my best to stare the question down, hoping it will vanish into the night and find another willing victim. I even try to answer it in order to placate its violent whimsy. But I know it's all for naught. And so does my question. It will return again, just when I think it's gone forever, sneaking upon me again when most vulnerable, least expecting and altogether satisfied.

Because the tug – and even the excitement – of this question never relents. Like a persistent itch that no scratching seems to subdue, it nags in its own penetrating way. The question crawls under my skin and seems to live with me, like a mysterious bump I'm not sure if I should get checked out. While it doesn't hurt to touch and may well be nothing, it could also be life threatening. But its removal could eliminate a part of myself, a part I've enjoyed internally chatting with for as long as I can remember.

There are times when I suppress the question with action. I begin a new venture, write a new article, give a new speech or develop a new idea. And I hope that my actions are loud enough to mute the words of my question. I hope that by doing something I can show my question a new qualification, a polished resume line or an accolade. I hope that I can mount up defenses against it, like you might pile furniture in front a door to keep the boogeyman at bay.

But my question always knows a way in. In fact, what I think are defenses against it – talents and accomplishments – are really more like vitamins for its soul. A new achievement prepares it for the next onslaught, stronger and more determined than ever to make me stop the very actions I've begun.

My question reveals itself when I'm most comfortable, resting high on my laurels. It comes full force and blares:

Are you doing the greatest amount of good?

And there I lay, seemingly paralyzed amidst my achievement. I scan the carnage only to see the tower I'd built out of my own contentment lying in rubble. A stone of accomplishment there, a pile of success here – it's all been washed away by the dangerous and disgusting morsel of doubt.

"Nice work," my question sarcastically observes. "But are you doing the greatest amount of good? Couldn't you be doing more if you were a teacher? More well known? Better educated? In a bigger city? Richer? Better connected? More involved?"

And just as I'm about to scream due to the deafening roar of my question, it slithers in to the darkness, forcing me to wrestle with my own self worth, instead of its hateful invective.

But recently, I've figured out a way to answer my question the next time it tries to slay me. I've hatched a plan in order to trap that which haunts me by way of its biggest vulnerability. Like teenagers in a horror flick, I think I’ve exposed the enemy and am waiting until it strikes again in order to counterattack.

Because if you want to defeat a question, you do so with a question.

The next time I wonder, "Am I doing the greatest amount of good?" I'll answer with, "How do you define the word amount?"

The tendency of those of us on the front lines of social change - those of us with the talents and passions to save the world - will always wonder if we could be doing something bigger and better right now that would bring about more change to more people much quicker.

And that's a wondering we'll always have lurking in our subconscious, ready to strike, unless we rethink the good we're doing. Not what it means, mind you – but rather how long we take to measure it.

Because ultimately, social impact and change aren't measured in one grand swoop. Indeed that's the myth that leads to inaction – that we must go big or go home. Rather, lasting change happens one step at a time, so that a lifestyle of change is the result.

Am I doing the greatest amount of good? Yes. Because right now I am doing good. And the good I did yesterday and the good I do tomorrow will be added up so that when it's all said and done, I'll stare my question in the face and pierce through its menacing frame with a sword of a lifetime of doing good. The sheer amount of my good will overwhelm its apathy and inaction and I'll stand over it, victoriously changed.

The Grand Canyon wasn't created by a tsunami, but rather by a single river, rushing on as rivers do, for centuries on end.

The Revolution is Online

2008-10-23T13:58:00.002-05:00

Whenever I lead a nonprofit workshop about Web 2.0, social media or viral marketing, nonprofits always want to know: "But will it work?"

I always say yes, and tell various anecdotes about organizations or individuals that have used the Internet to grow their presence.

And now I have another one.

Yesterday, I led a discussion for Vanderbilt student leaders about what it means to be a servant leaders, and how the principles of servant leadership can enhance their impact and improve their organizations.

I put together some slides for my talk and used them last night. There were 10 students in attendance.

That means ten people saw my presentation.

But, after putting my slides online, it was featured on the SlideShare homepage. As of right now, 429 people have seen it.

Do the math. Then, get online or give up.

If You Won't Tell Me Who You Are, Please Go Away

2008-10-21T07:11:00.004-05:00

In a few weeks, I'll be speaking to a Belmont University undergraduate class about anonymity and the Web. As part of a panel, I'll be discussing the viewpoint that when it comes to facilitating dialog and building community on the Web, anonymity is bad.

I'm not using the word 'bad' in a shameful way, like you scold your cat after trying to paw a piece of chicken from your dinner plate: "Bad, cat! Get down, Missy!" I use the word to describe something that's ineffective, like a bad spark plug or a bad seal in my ductwork that lets my precious (and expensive) heat escape in the wintertime. Indeed, I could even use most of the other 34 definitions for the word, like unsound, of poor quality, not healthy, painful, dishonorable, coarse or counterfeit.

In our world, where Gen Y is connecting digitally like never before and redefining the word 'community,' anonymity hampers real dialog and discussion, and ultimately does very little to enhance meaningful interactions online.

That's why:

CoolPeopleCare requires you to sign up and log in if you want to comment on one of our world-saving ideas. Sure, you could make up a fake name, but you've got to put something down. People have to be able to call you something. But ultimately, you've got to put your name (or at least a name) with what you're willing to toss out there.
I don't reply to anonymous comments on my blog. Take a look at my post about donating money to Barack Obama's campaign (my political posts always get the most comments). Regardless, a cursory look at that post's comments reveals that those willing to put their name behind what they say often say things with a less hateful and demeaning tone and are willing to have a conversation. Those who comment anonymously usually don't want to actually have a discussion – they just want to toss out a verbal grenade and see what kind of carnage they can create. Thus, they're not worth talking back to.
Twelve step groups at least require a first name. If you've ever been to a meeting (or seen Fight Club), you know that the "My name is Sam, and I'm an …" and the following, "Hi, Sam," is a crucial part of the meeting experience. You can't move forward with others if you're not willing to admit who you are.

Sure, there seem exceptions to the rule. PostSecret, for example, has built itself into a media powerhouse with anonymity as its core asset. People write in secrets knowing they'll be kept anonymous, and as such, they're willing to say more and create more engaging postcards.

However, when it comes to creating real community around its offerings, the anonymity disappears. Recently, creator of the site, Frank Warren, spoke at Vanderbilt. A friend who attended recounted the evening. He said that while Frank's discussion about the site and the books was great, and while hearing secrets that had never been published before was intriguing, the most meaningful part of the event was when Frank invited those in attendance to step to a microphone and share a secret they'd long kept hidden.

My friend said there were immediate lines at the microphones. People confessed to a myriad of things, all very personal. There, in an auditorium of thousands, a real communal experience took place as people were willing to share things in front of strangers they'd never told best friends. And they said these things live and in person, where everyone could see their face and hear their voice.

My friend said the entire event was poignant, life changing, and even sacred.

Exception no more, PostSecret's ability to create meaningful community experiences happens better when anonymity is removed.

Articles can be written anonymously, and sometimes must, when someone's safety is at stake, or it's not quite time to reveal the mind behind the story. But when it comes to responding, discussing and building community, if you're not willing to say who you are, you aren't worth talking to.

And, if you're looking for a plan to make the Web better by eliminating the chances for the anonymous out there to ruin it, Seth Godin's got one.

Want Your Career to Mean Something? Ask These Three Questions

2008-10-16T17:53:00.005-05:00

I'll never forget the guttural moan of the woman across the aisle from me, in seat 26D. It was nearly primal, a combination of bass, regret, woe, shame and despair. I can't blame her. I'd do the same thing if I realized I was at 15,000 feet on my way to the wrong city.

I was returning from my first trip to another country. I'd been in Chile visiting my aunt, uncle and cousins for a week. I'd made my way back from Concepcion, gone through customs in Dallas, and was ready to see my parents and sisters again. I was 17 years old.

Back then, in Dallas, they boarded two flights through the same doorway. Once you got about halfway down the corridor, you were supposed to follow the appropriate signs to your designated jetway in order to board your plane.

That day, the flight to Nashville was leaving out of 34A, which was accessed by turning left. And the flight to Cleveland was headed out of 34B, to the right. Guess who wasn't looking?

We had just passed through 10,000 feet which meant it was safe to turn on approved electronic devices. Then the captain came on and voiced the usual flight time, temperature at our destination, and offered us a hearty welcome and a happy flight to Nashville. And that's when it all clicked for her.

She rapidly pressed the flight attendant call button. And when the attendant appeared, the conversation went something like this:

Where are we going?
To Nashville, ma'am.
You mean we're not going to Cleveland?
No ma'am.
[Awful moan sound.]

There are a lot of reasons that she ended up on that plane that day. And while there's no need to necessarily question the flight attendant each time I board an aircraft, I am reminded of this woman's plight when I hear of people who end up working for companies they're not proud of, seemingly stuck in jobs they hate and feel are devoid of meaning.

This was the topic of a discussion I led for a class of Vanderbilt students this past Monday. These sophomores and juniors are busy thinking about the kinds of companies they'd like to work for one day, and are currently writing a research paper about organizational fit and how they might align with the mission and values of a future employer. Each student is to research a company and analyze how it operates, works, and even changes.

While I primarily discussed how as a social entrepreneur I've been building a mission-driven or values-based business the past two years, I also offered them some simple advice on how to determine in an interview or inquiry process whether or not a company is aligned with their individual values.

Here are three questions you can ask to see if you and a potential employer are on the same page when it comes to values:

Where are we going?
Had my fellow (accidental) passenger asked this question before take off, she'd been in Cleveland a lot sooner. The same goes for you if you're looking to find meaningful work. Ask the interviewer where the company is headed. Get a feel for the focus of key leadership. What's the destination - the land of big profits, no matter what? The improvement of the local community? Job creation? A better and cheaper cell phone? Better relationships with clients? Where is it that the company is going? This can also be a way to tell how the company measures success.

How are we getting there?
What tools will be available to you as an employee? How does the company use and value teamwork? Are corners cut? Is speed important? How is the company seen in the local community? What vendors are used? Yes, the destination is important, but the how can often be as important as the what (or where).

Who's coming with us?
How are new employees brought on board and trained? How are new customers acquired? How do people learn about the company? What's the learning curve? Will I like the people I work with?

By imagining your future employer in this travel-based sense, you'll get a good feel for whether or not you mesh in terms of values. Every company needs to make money to survive - that's understood. But how it makes it and what it does with it and how it understands its customers and employees will say a lot about whether or not you'll enjoy your job and if it's a good organizational fit for you.

No one wants to be 15,000 feet in the air, headed to somewhere they don't want to go.

Votes and Beans

2008-10-16T13:58:00.002-05:00

I voted today.

I love voting. I give a big fist pump in the air after I press the "Submit Ballot" vote on the machine. It's like I won. Chalk one up for democracy, I guess.

I made sure to get a sticker when I left. After all, nothing makes voting worth it like a free sticker that I'll wear for a few hours, only to be seen by myself as I head back to the office for a few hours of writing.

Except that I decided to swing by Crema after I left, which is the closest coffee shop to where I voted. Crema, by the way, makes the best tasting cup of coffee in Nashville. The best.

And, as I stopped by to support Rachel Lehman's venture while getting a nice caffeine kick for the afternoon, she let me know that since I was sporting my "I Voted" sticker, I got a free cup of coffee.

Much like Ben and Jerry will be offering with ice cream in a few weeks, Rachel's hooking up democracy lovers in Nashville with a free drink.

Democracy is delicious.

I Made the Carnival

2008-10-02T10:38:00.001-05:00

This week's Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants highlighted my article on leadership and the importance of defining success.

Cool.

Your Vote Matters (Duh)

2008-10-02T07:36:00.003-05:00

I think voting is important. I learned this when running for student council president back in high school. I had never 'run a campaign' before, so I made a sweet iron-on T-shirt (which I still have) that I wore everyday for two weeks leading up to the election.

At my high school, candidates got to give speeches, and since I'm pretty decent in that arena, I won the election and spent my senior year planning homecoming, helping the student council raise funds and everything else that a student body president does in high school.

I thought about all this yesterday when I spoke at Ravenwood High School, located just south of Nashville. I spoke to the senior class about community service in advance of their first-ever Senior Service Day, happening in two weeks. That day, the entire senior class (about 400 strong) will volunteer at 23 different nonprofits in middle Tennessee. It was pretty inspiring to speak with these students (Gen Yers) who are coming of age when schools are coordinating (and requiring) service.

But what made me think about my high school politcal days was the fact that the service day coincided with homecoming week at Ravenwood. And while the week would be full of community service, spirit contests and pep rallies, it would also be time for one thing: voting for Homecoming King and Queen.

It's interesting that in high school, you vote for a lot. You vote for class representatives, class leadership, student council leaders, homecoming queen, prom queen, senior gifts - the list could go on depending upon the school. In America, the high school is a great model of high efficiency democracy (minus the quasi-totalitarian principals).

I remember another political moment in high school - when I registered to vote. In the spring of my senior year, there was a voter registration booth in the main hallway. I had turned 18 a few months earlier, and because it was easy, I signed up and got my voter registration card. I could officially vote. It was exciting.

Even though I didn't exercise the right until that August when I got to vote for the mayor of Nashville, the fact that I could vote was pretty awesome. It carried a certain responsibility with it. There was a mandate of sorts that required me to be informed, engaged and even dedicated to what was happening around me.

Since then, I've voted for mayor, governor, president, state reps, sentators - essentially every office but homecoming king.

I don't know how many 18-years-olds I spoke to yesterday were registered to vote. Maybe I should have asked, especially since the deadline to register is Saturday (in Tennessee).

So, with that in mind, and in the spirit of democracy in high schools and hamlets everywhere, I remind folks of the following:

You gotta vote. You just gotta. I don't care who you vote for, or what shapes your opinion. But, I will not listen to you complain or moan about the outcome if you don't take the five minutes required to register and then to vote come election day.
Registration deadlines are looming. Click here to see when your state's deadline is, and then go register by clicking here.
Watch this video (thanks, Newscoma). Sure, it's celebrity-heavy, but Jonah Hill and Sarah Silverman are hilarious as ever. All in all, the point is clear - if you care about something (the economy, abortion, welfare, the environment), then you should vote.

Yes, I wish voting could be easier and more innovative, but at least registering is.

Guest Post at Gen-Y Magic

2008-09-29T14:30:00.002-05:00

I've got a guest post up over at Creating Gen-Y Magic. Thanks to Greg for giving me a chance to tell my story. Let's keep saving the world together.

Catch Me in Charleston

2008-09-25T11:00:00.002-05:00

On Monday, November 17, I'll be leading a breakout group as part of the marketing track at Blackbaud's 2008 Conference for Nonprofits in Charleston, South Carolina.

So, if you're at the conference and looking for an engaging and informative way to spend an hour and fifteen minutes beginning at 4 PM, come to my talk, The Fountain of Youth: Communicating with the Next Generation.

Or, if you're in Charleston and want to hang out afterward, that's cool, too.

Small Steps at School

2008-09-25T10:48:00.002-05:00

On Sunday, November 16, I'll be keynoting the ACUI Regional Conference. Get excited.

Following a breakfast catered by Loveless Cafe, we'll talk about taking home everything learned at the conference in order bring about effective change on our campuses. As with most things, the best place to start is with a small - but meaningful - step.

Ecologically Speaking...

2008-09-25T10:43:00.004-05:00

I'll be a guest lecturer in a Vanderbilt class on Tuesday, October 14. The class is Human Ecology and Society, and I'll be sharing ideas on how to initiate and motivate large-scale behavioral change.

The class meets at 4 PM and is open to the public. Just come to Wilson Hall, Room 115.

Talking' Gen Y at the Library

2008-09-23T13:46:00.005-05:00

I just got back from Young Leaders Council's occasional lunch and learn series where I chatted with some folks about the next generation and why it's important to involve them in the work of nonprofits.

The room was full of Gen Yers, Xers and even some Baby Boomers. And together, it was great to discuss and process through what Millennials are looking for in a nonprofit experience. After all, there's no way today's nonprofits will be able to save the world with our the deep involvement of Generation Y.

Indeed, the fact that we collaborated across generational lines to look at this generation in particular was very Gen Y of us. It highlights one of four key Gen Y traits, as I see them:

Collaboration: Generation Y came of age when collaboration was king. They played sports on teams (Little League and youth soccer, anyone?), did science projects and went to the prom in groups, and shared all of that with parents and friends who wanted to listen. Teamwork is second nature to Gen Y. Therefore, nonprofits need to develop volunteer and donation opportunities that use collaboration as a key characteristic.
Access: This generation has been accessible and had access to nearly anyone (parents, friends, teachers) since Day 1. The twenty-four hour news cycle was perfected during this generation. They got their first cell phones and email accounts at younger ages than previous generations. As such, they've been able to keep tabs on anyone and anything. Therefore, your organization needs to make sure its information is accessible easily and effectively. If I can't find when the event starts or where it is, I'm not interested in digging it up. If you want to be able to access me, I've got to be able to access you.
Work/Life Balance: Even though the word 'balance' in the most literal sense might be a thing of the past, concerns related to the relationship between free time and paid time are not. Gen Y can and will work from anywhere and during nontraditional hours, if possible. Therefore, nonprofits need to understand how to get in front of Gen Y, especially when 9-to-5 ain't exactly 9-to-5 anymore. And, if there's a way that you can fit into their already busy and inconsistent lives, you'll be the better for it.
Engagement: All this means that the definition of what it means to be engaged with an organization is changing. Gen Y meets and chats online. So much is done digitally, that the first connection they'll have with your nonprofit will actually be your nonprofit's Web site or email plea. Therefore, you've got to make it great and relevant if you want to continue the conversation with them.

It seems like a lot to think about, and by no means do you have to be a Gen Y expert by tomorrow morning. So, take the afternoon off, download the presentation and pontificate for a while. Then, call your team together first thing tomorrow and see how you can strategize to tap the exciting potential of Gen Y.

Quoted

2008-09-22T15:16:00.002-05:00

About how walkable Nashville isn't. For what it's worth.

Look on page 2.

Women Should Skip a Step

2008-09-18T13:31:00.002-05:00

Last night, I read through the latest edition of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's newsletter/magazine. It has a very compelling and interesting article about female pastors.

I try not to get caught up in things denominational, but I find myself most closely aligned with the CBF, mainly because of their ordaining and promotion of women in ministry.

While the article is positive and informative, something jumped out at me as I read. All of the pictures taken of the featured female pastors show them in very traditional church settings. They're wearing robes and stoles. They're standing behind pulpits and dressed up. They're in front of pastoral bookshelves and stained glass windows and pews.

And while this is a beautiful and welcome sight, it's not as progressive as one might think. They need to skip a step.

Here's what I mean by that: India is the fastest growing cell phone market in the world. They didn't get there by first stringing up telephone poles and lines, making it so that each home and hut had a land line. They skipped that step and went from no connection to mobile connection.

I wish women pastors could do the same. In a world where traditional churches and denominations are shrinking and different types of faith communities are growing, in a world where faith journeys are eclectic, in a world where the word 'church' can be a turn-off, seeing women behind fancy pulpits and in pastoral robes might not be enough.

Leading a dying church does make you a leader, but it may not mean the church isn't dying.

I am hopeful - don't get me wrong. In many situations, these qualified and inspiring leaders might be just the people to get folks back through the old wooden doors and into the uncomfortable pews. But, the Christian faith in general - and how women can lead it in particular - might be hamstrung if women pastors are leading in the wrong spots.

The problem is that many emergent or subversive or alternative faith communities are outside of denominational definitions (and therefore miss out on funding). Some of the leaders of these communities have left 'traditional' church settings, and most are men.

So, CBF - let's skip a step. Let's promote women in leadership in house churches and emergent communities. Fund these conversations that are happening at coffeeshops and college campuses. And fund the qualified leaders who can get the job done, connect people to God and help them realize their hopes and dreams. Don't trap qualified leaders (men or women) in traditional settings and call it 'progress.'

Want a Response? Ask a Question

2008-09-17T08:03:00.004-05:00

About 90% of my daily communication is done by email. I text and answer the phone, but I generate leads, follow up on them, keep in touch, and confirm appointments by email. In fact, I tell people, whether they text me to meet or call to schedule something, "Email me." (As I'm writing this, I just scheduled lunch today with my mom...you guessed it...via email.)

As you can imagine, this has me sending and receiving many messages on any given day. I don't know a ton of tricks, shortcuts or gimmicks, but I have learned this:

You can stand out and get a response when you ask a question.

So, lately, I've started closing emails with

What else can I do for you?

As opposed to

Let me know if you have any questions.

The question lets the recipient know you're interested in having a conversation, and that you've done the work required to get that conversation started. You're listening. You want an answer.

The generic "Let me know..." puts the reader in a no-person's land. How should they let you know? What's a valid question? What if it's just a small thing? Are you the contact for a particular issue? What if they have an idea, but not a question?

Don't be lazy. Ask a question and you'll get an answer and the collaboration, partnership, or deal will go to the next level.

Other good questions:

How else can we work together?
What concerns do you have?
Any other ideas?
Who else can we bring in on this?
What have I not thought of?
What's the next step?
How can this be better?

Gig on September 23

2008-09-09T16:35:00.002-05:00

If you're in Nashville on September 23 and are curious about how your nonprofit can better engage the next generation, come to lunch.

As part of the YLC Leadership Luncheon Series, I'll be sharing and chatting about effective ways to engage and connect with Gen Y.

Of all the issues confronting nonprofits, one of the most urgent deals with generational trends. Conflicts in the workplace mean nonprofits must operate differently, MySpace and Facebook mean volunteers and donors are recruited differently, and the growing leadership deficit means the nonprofit sector must understand Generation Y if it is to thrive into the near future.

Play for the Niche Market

2008-09-09T15:05:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of an inset on page 32 of the newest issue of Travel and Leisure Golf:

Number of views on YouTube of a clip from High School Musical 2: 18,402,146
Rank of this clip when the search term "golf" is sorted by number of views: 1
Number of views of the first clip that's actually about golf, a minute-long segment of Tiger Woods on SwingVision: 1,217,046
Rank of this clip: 20

Fascinating. On YouTube, there are 19 clips that aren't really about golf that are ranked ahead of an actual clip about golf. In other words, only 5% of the top 20 YouTube "golf" clips have anything to do with golf.

You know what this means? It means if you run a nonprofit that teaches golf lessons to inner-city kids or refurbishes old golf clubs for low-budget schools or auctions off dinner with Tiger Woods for a fundraiser, you will never be found on YouTube.

At least you won't if you're playing to the mainstream market, if you're trying to be found by anyone interested in "golf."

This is why if you're a nonprofit, you need to forget the mainstream and go for the niche market. Yes, upload your video to YouTube, but make sure you'll show up when someone searches for "inner-city golf" or "underprivileged kids golf" or "nonprofit golf" or "charity golf" or anything else.

Those are the people you want to find you anyway. Everyone else is just interested in Zac Efron or the perfect approach shot or Wii Golf or what angle your right elbow should have on a good backswing. People who search the more speficic terms are interested in your work and will be happy when they find you. Better to have 12 of their views that 12,000,000 of the other.

On a golf course, a hole with a par 5 is designed to give you a choice. Either you can go for the green in two and try for an eagle, a very difficult (and therefore very rare) shot. For the average golfer, making it to the green in two strokes will require two nearly perfect, very long, shots. And while trying, if you're like me, you'll send a few balls into the woods or water in the meantime.

However, you can also choose to lay up and make a birdie or a par. This is less glamorous, but requires consistency and can be done with shorter shots with less margin of error. This is the less risky and smarter play. Your chances are much better.

And so it is with playing to a niche market online. Don't worry about being in the top 20 when someone searches for "golf" clips on YouTube. That's a longshot (and irrelevant, as we've learned). Instead, be in the top five clips when a more direct term is used. Take your par and go home happy.

My First Donation

2008-09-08T13:31:00.001-05:00

I just made my first-ever donation to a politician.

I've helped on campaigns before, mainly at the local level. I've donated time, insight and expertise. But I never wrote a check before.

I don't know if it's because I never felt committed enough to give someone money to get elected. At least not in the same way I've given an organization money to fight cancer, feed the hungry or help youth. Maybe I didn't like the thought of my dollars paying for mailers or yard signs or gas.

But that changed this morning when I donated $20.08 to Barack Obama's campaign.

And, I think you should, too.

I've never been one to want to park my ideologies in either camp, Democrat or Republican. I've never wanted to label myself as firmly belonging to one party. At heart, I'd define myself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative, with a good bit of libertarian thrown in. Mix all that on high for 30 minutes and you're left with picking the lesser of two mediocre options every four years.

But not this year.

I voted for Bush in 2000. I was all of 19, voting for the first time ever. I remember sitting at my desk in my sophomore dorm room, filling in my absentee ballot. It felt pretty neat to get to select who I wanted to be president of the United States. And, my conservative, fundamentalist Christian values really only left me with one option, I felt.

Four years later, it was fascinating to see how much I'd changed – theologically, politically, socially. Even before the Democrats had a nominee, I was certain I'd vote for whoever was on the ticket. Not because I was a Democrat who voted for anyone with a (D) after their name, but because I was sure the country didn't need four more years of the Bush administration.

And now, four years after that, I'm voting for and donating to Barack Obama. For me, election cycles are a fascinating case study in self.

Barack Obama's rhetoric and flair have captured me, but those who know me well know that I'm not a Kool-Aid drinker or someone who votes based on looks. Ultimately, I donated $20.08 of my hard-earned money this morning because I feel like I get to now choose for someone to be the highest executive in the land who has a legitimate concern for the well-being of most (if not all) Americans.

I like it that a politician is raising the level and focus of societal dialog in a positive way. I like that someone with intelligence and community organizing experience is seeking the White House. I like that Michelle Obama could be the First Lady. I like that courtesy and understanding seems to guide someone's responses and interactions. I like that a politician has developed a brand – a brand that engages people and motivates them to act. I like that someone believes America's best days are ahead of us. I like someone that calls us to be our best selves. I like that someone sees the positive potential in our collective action. I like that someone gets people to listen. I like that someone has lived the best sense of the American Dream. I like that someone cares.

And, I hate that some of the most vocal Republicans pissed all over the nonprofit sector last week. They shunned and denigrated the nonprofit sector by belittling the work of community organizers. And that cannot stand.

For me, Barack Obama is not the best of two options – he's the best option, and one that deserves my financial support.

GDB on Late

2008-09-05T11:00:00.001-05:00

Our friends, Gabe Dixon Band, will be on Craig Ferguson's show tonight. Tune it or tape it. You'll be happy you did.

A Thought on Leadership: Defining Success

2008-08-28T07:35:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned last week, I had a very informal chat with a group of Vanderbilt student service leaders about leadership. And now I share some of those thoughts with you.

Last week, I discussed the idea (art, maybe?) of delegation. Today, I'm talking about defining success.

The students asked a lot of questions about conflict:

What do you do when someone doesn't do what you ask of them?
What if the person you're leading is your friend?
What if people don't agree with you?
What if you make a mistake?
What if someone else makes a mistake?
How do you best lead your peers?
What if everyone’s 'equal' in rank, but you're in charge for a certain task – what if people don't want to follow you?

While conflict itself demands its own post, I think a lot of the above can be answered not with a discussion on conflict, but with a discussion about success.

I challenged the students to take some time (a half hour, perhaps) in one of their first meetings of the year to talk about success with their group and to answer, as a group, this key question:

How do we know when we're successful?

The answer will vary by group. Some will be successful when they register 100 new voters, some when they've shown six movies about diversity, some when they've increased active blood donors by 50%, and some when all of Vanderbilt knows they exist. While success and its definition will be different for each group, what remains consistent is this: everyone knows what it looks like.

At CoolPeopleCare, one of our key metrics for success is the depth of stories that emerge from our work. We are successful when we hear from people about how our content, products and resources have helped them change the world. Therefore, we all work towards this end, each of us doing our part, performing our tasks in order to help others make a difference. That's the same page we're all on.

And we all know it.

What happens many times is that people would be on the same page, if they only knew what that page looked like. Therefore, there's a deep need right when organizations form or start a new leadership cycle to have a candid and open discussion about how success is defined.

Then, people will work towards that, because especially in voluntary organizations, that's why people are there. So, when conflict does arise, when people question a task they're given or a decision that's been made, they can be reminded how such an act is leading the group toward their predefined goal of success.

Of course, the flip side is this: anyone has the right to question a move if they believe it is not helping the group move towards that idea of success. So, leaders, be prepared to be questioned. The upside is that this can prevent unilateral action and a single person from running a team into the ground. But you may have to pause from time to time to make sure every move is one that is steering the organization in the right direction. But such time is worth every minute.

Defining success will help you not only achieve it, but to make sure the organization thrives after a leader's tenure is over, or when it's time for the founder to move on. Some call it succession planning, and I'll be talking about it next week.

In the Liner Notes

2008-08-27T11:02:00.004-05:00

The new Gabe Dixon Band album hit store shelves yesterday. I just snagged it on iTunes.

It's awesome for every reason that music is awesome. And that's a great reason to buy it. But here's another: CoolPeopleCare (and me) got a mention in the liner notes.

No, Gabe. Thank YOU.

And, here's a pretty sweet video of the first single:

How Tweet It Is: Nashville Shakes Gets It Right

2008-08-26T09:43:00.003-05:00

While most people are 'using' Twitter to update their 'friends' about the fact that they're stuck in traffic, at home watching TV, or that they really like strawberry ice cream, this weekend, I came across a nonprofit that is making Twitter work, and who I'd dare say, is using it well.

People have described Twitter and its benefits in many ways. I tell folks that it's either a micro-blog or a way to send a mass text message. Of course, which is which depends on how people are reading your tweets, but that's my short version.

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival puts on a performance in Nashville's Centennial Park each summer, bringing the Bard's plays to the masses for no charge. You get to sit outside and watch talented actors bring a story to life in the shadow of the Parthenon, while ambulances blare and birds caw in the background.

This year, executive director Nancy VanReece decided to set up an account for the organization on Twitter. And, whenever I hear that a nonprofit has jumped on Facebook or any other social media platform, I hold my breath because usually, many organizations don't understand how to properly use these tools. Then, they end up cursing them later, all because a profile and a fan page didn't have 20-somethings beating down their door to volunteer.

But Nancy knew she needed to have something worthwhile to say in order to get people to listen. She didn't need to use Twitter to just announce that there was a show that night, and hope that her 140 characters would get people to put down their remotes and drive to the park (if they were even following on their mobile devices, that is).

And, since I follow NashvilleShakes and since I wanted to go see this year's play, Coriolanus, I got to see – no, experience – how an organization can successfully use Twitter to increase its social presence.

As Nancy takes the stage 30 minutes prior to show time (there is music an hour before the performance, so the place gets full early) and makes her announcements about where you can get popcorn, where the bathrooms are, and how you can sign up to win two free Southwest tickets, she also mentions that the Fest is on Twitter and you can follow along. She goes on to share that if you do follow them and can answer the trivia question she tweets at intermission, you can win free stuff.

Since I followed NashvilleShakes, but not on my phone, I quickly changed that. And sure enough, ten minutes before intermission, I was alerted that the attendance for the evening was 485, and if I was the first to tell the house manager, I'd get a free shirt.

So, I made my way to do so, thinking I was the only person to get the info when I ran into Nancy and had a quick chat about how they're using Twitter and what their success has been. They've been getting a few new followers a night, right when she makes her pre-show announcements, and people have been very interested in the other information she shares via Twitter.

For example, each performance includes a cameo for the role of the Herald (it was John Seigenthaler when I was there). She tweets that info out about an hour or so before show time, since that can be a draw for certain folks. She does the attendance trivia question each night, which is how I learned that Saturday's performance had twice the attendees that my night did. And, she's getting a response when she tweets the trivia info out.

Which is why I didn't win the shirt. Someone beat me to it.

Here's what I learned from Nancy and what I recommend for nonprofits looking to use Twitter effectively:

Have something to say. No one will listen (and therefore, no one will respond) if you're not communicating a worthwhile message.
Be patient. Nancy’s 'only' adding a handful of folks a night. But, as more people (like me), share this story with others, that will continue to grow. Then, when it's time to announce next year's show, or to solicit volunteers, Nancy has hundreds (hopefully) of people she can tell.
Commit to it. Nancy will keep using Twitter every night of the performance, no matter the attendance or the amount of people signing up. Even if only one person vies for the free shirt, she'll keep pushing the opportunity out there. For the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, it's not a fad; it's part of a communications strategy.

A Thought on Leadership: Delegation

2008-08-22T07:01:00.002-05:00

I had the unique and esteemed pleasure to keynote last night at Vanderbilt University's Service Leadership Conference. This three-day retreat is put on by the Office of Active Citizenship and Service and is for student leaders who oversee campus service organizations.

I was simply asked to speak about leadership. And, while my keynote time focused on the idea that leadership is a process, rather than a plan, and that leadership isn't something you do, it's also something you are, I also led a small group discussion about leadership.

About 30 presidents and vice presidents of various organizations were in the room to hear me talk about leadership and to share ideas and tools for leading others. Wanting to make sure that these students gained what they needed from our 45 minutes together, I asked them what their leadership struggles, concerns and problems were.

Then, we unpacked those issues, and I shared from my own experience, as a student leader in college, as a leader in the hotel world after college, as someone who taught high school students about leadership after that, and now as someone who leads CoolPeopleCare.

Over the next few weeks, I'll share some thoughts and rambles about leadership, drawn from last night's conversation. By all means: weigh in on this in the comments. Leadership is meant to be a dialog, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on each topic.

Leadership Issue #1: Delegation
For whatever reason, I delegate like a champ. If something Herculean needs to be done, and needs to be broken down into smaller parts to be realized, I think I'm pretty good at defining those parts and then dispatching people (hopefully the right ones) to complete the various tasks to get it done.

A student last night was concerned about delegation. His questions were ones like, "What happens if you delegate something and the person doesn't do it right?" "What if someone doesn't want to do what they're assigned?" "What should be delegated?"

What I've learned about delegation is this: If you love to do it, or are very good at it, don't delegate it.

This is why Craig Newmark doesn't run Craig's List and instead is a customer service rep. That's what he enjoys doing. He doesn't enjoy (and may not be good at) crunching numbers, striking deals and strategic execution. So, he delegates those tasks to a CEO and other such personnel.

Maybe you're great at spreadsheets or wonderful at speaking to groups. Maybe you like to write memos or sort paperclips. Maybe you enjoy casting a vision and have a knack for dreaming big. Whatever it is you excel in, that's what you should keep doing. (A big part of leadership then, is making sure that you've got the right team in place, which I'll discuss at a later point.)

But, if you're trying to decide who should do what and what should be delegated, give everyone authority over their own strengths and talents. Then, see what's left and divvy up responsibilities accordingly, and even allow for co-ownership of some tasks. That makes the things that no one likes to do a little bit more acceptable. For example, I may not like taking out the trash or cleaning the floors or setting up chairs, but if I know that my entire leadership team shares such unpleasant tasks with me, I'm happy to pitch in and do my part for the team.

Tell me: What do you delegate? How do you decide? Have you ever delegated something only to take it back later?

When Expectations Aren't Met

2008-08-10T08:15:00.002-05:00

What happened today? I bet it was detailed.

People never talk about the McDonald's order that wasn't messed up. Or the same songs that were on the radio for the drive to work and the drive home. Or the 5K that was average. Or the laundry detergent that cleans like the bottle promised. Or the donation experience that got them a feeling of satisfaction, along with a standard appreciation letter.

Well, maybe they do, but those conversations are boring, and no one's listening.

People only talk about one thing: when their expectations are not met. Often, this is when things go wrong and their expectations aren't met because they received less than they expected. The bags got lost during the connection in Dallas; they forgot the fries at Burger King; the musician didn’t play two of his best songs at the show; their building isn't properly marked so I got lost; the woman at the mall was so rude.

People love to talk about this stuff. It doesn't do anything for your brand or your business as viral stories like this get told and retold, getting worse with each rendition. As a result, you get branded among a certain group, and you may not even know it.

You can try to fix this and pay attention to every media outlet, every social networking site, and every conversation in the coffee shop. And then you can apologize, set the record straight, and hope that they'll come back and buy something again. Good luck with that.

People also talk about when their expectations aren't met, but are rather exceeded. They got a whole can of Coke on the flight; the jewelry store owner called and thanked me for buying the engagement ring and asked how the wedding planning was going; the CEO of the nonprofit sent me a handwritten note, even though I only coughed up $20; the singer covered a song I thought she could never pull off and amazed the entire crowd; the person at the store remembered my name.

People also love to talk about this. They like when they're treated like royalty. Of course royalty and the perception of royalty are two different things. And, to treat someone like royalty only takes about three minutes by my calculation. The beauty of being in this second grouping of missed expectations is that you've also got a slew of viral stories being told about you. But, you don’t have to do anything to correct it or fix it or slow it down. And the cost was very close to $0.

Zappos does this. So does my mom. And there's probably a million stories like this out there.

What makes shopping and flying and eating such a hassle these days is that people are so afraid of being in the first group, so they standardize things so they have a smaller chance of screwing up. But, by doing this, there's no chance they’ll ever be in the second group.

If you don't want to run the risk of being talked about, then all you have to do is meet expectations, take the money, and go home. But, if you want to grow, thrive and succeed for the long haul, you'll need to dream a bit bigger and see what you can do to get people talking.

Let's face it: the day is in the details.

She Finished!

2008-07-30T06:56:00.002-05:00

My mom has done more marathons, half-marathons and other races than anyone can count.

But this is by far her best finish line photo.

Sometimes, you just gotta celebrate.

Everybody's Talking About Gen Y

2008-07-25T08:29:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, while leading a workshop on how to communicate with Generation Y for over 50 Nashville-area nonprofits, it was clear that the topic of Generation Y is not simply a 'hot' or trendy one. It's a vital topic that today’s leaders are interested in, curious about, and desperate for advice and information.

It seemed like each person yesterday was in the room for a different reason. One organization wants more Gen Y volunteers; another wants to reach 20-year-olds on Facebook; another needs younger employees, someone wants to let young professionals know about their work. And while the specifics varied a bit, the commonality was clear: we desperately need to understand and then engage Generation Y.

This reality gets me excited – not just because I'm part of Generation Y and have an opportunity to talk about this topic and share my knowledge. I'm excited because people are now taking notice that Gen Y does have the potential to change the world. And, these organizations that have been changing the world are willing to learn and adapt to include Gen Y as active participators in their work. In other words, I feel like the invitation is finally being extended and we no longer have to sit at the kiddie table of social change.

But, we have a long road to walk down before we are fully able to interact with and mobilize Gen Y. Not only do organizations need to understand this group of folks are collaborators who are used to access and are redefining the work/like balance as well as engagement. Not only do we need to grasp how Gen Y is redefining community, leadership and influence. We need to understand that fully integrating Gen Y into your organization’s work involves these four realities:

Communicating with Gen Y has to be a part of your nonprofit’s overall communications strategy.
Ask your director of marketing or your VP of communications: How are we talking to people? How do we speak to donors differently than volunteers? What are we saying in our direct mail or billboards as opposed to our emails and on our Web site? Are we speaking to Boomers in a different way then we’re talking to Gen X or Y? If this person can answer all of these questions (or if it's you and you can answer them), bravo. Good for you for understanding how and why your organization communicates with the world.

If these questions can't be answered, it's time to develop a communications strategy. It's time to figure out how what you say walks people down the road of involvement, helping them move from being strangers to your cause to advocates for your work. So before you hop on Facebook or set up a Twitter account, figure out what you need to say and to whom. Figure out what you're trying to build before going to Home Depot.

Communicating with Gen Y is just the start of a conversation.
Gen Y doesn't communicate in a one-way style. Leadership and authority are viewed differently. Conversations, and not proclamations, are the way information is shared. Therefore, you've got to be willing to take the time and use the resources that facilitate conversation. The scary part is that you never know how long a conversation will last. We've all made the phone call that we expected to take five minutes but eventually lasted well over an hour. And while some communication and conversation can appear fruitless, the real point of conversing with Gen Y about your work is the conversation itself. Be willing to talk, to share, and to listen. Solicit feedback in addition to sharing information.

Communicating with Gen Y involves an investment of time.
Because many of the tools of communication used most by Gen Y are nearly free, a Gen Y communications strategy doesn't necessarily involve a lot of money. But it does require time. In today's world, time is our most precious commodity, which is why time is money. Therefore, you can't haphazardly set up profiles or upload YouTube clips and walk away. Profiles need to be updated. Emails need to be worthwhile. Whether you find a New Media Intern or hire a new position to specialize in this area, time must be spent on communicating with and reaching out to Generation Y. As you determine and plan your next steps, realize that the next 10 steps could take eight months. Or if your plan has 400 steps, they may take 400 days to execute.

Ultimately, communicating with Gen Y is a commitment you have to make and you have to be willing to see it through. Why do some people find Dane Cook remotely funny? Because he commits to the joke. Whether it’s a ludicrous story or an off-color tale, he brings energy, passion and presence to each story he tells on stage. People understand and gravitate to that. You've got to commit to the conversation.

Communicating with Gen Y does not happen with a silver bullet.
If you could reach every Gen Yer you dream of with one perfect tool, there'd be no need for me to write this post or lead workshops. Yesterday, we gave a disclaimer before we even advanced the first slide that we'd be offering up no magic wands or silver bullets. No one has ever started a Facebook group or blasted a MySpace bulletin or blogged a single post and had the world knocking on their door the next day. The tricky thing about Gen Y is that they're not all in one place. Everyone uses Facebook differently. Not everyone Twitters or even texts. One 24-year-old's life can be very different from that of another. No one tool or one act will radically change your nonprofit and immediately lower your average donor age, which is all the more reason to figure out where your conversations with Gen Yers fit into the overall communication strategy of your agency. The Internet and technology are a strategy, not a solution.

The Tree Line has Arrived

2008-07-22T08:17:00.002-05:00

The Tree Line, CoolPeopleCare's first issue-based product line is now available for preorder.

We've got some stellar artwork from Jen Lemen to go along with our sweatshop-free T-shirts, our BPA-free water bottles, our corn-based plastic mugs and our organic cotton totes.

Preorder pricing is available until midnight tomorrow. And if you use coupon code HEYSAM, you'll get 5% off AND 5% of what you spend will be donated to Oasis Center.

Win a Book!

2008-07-21T06:18:00.002-05:00

My friend Ariah reviewed New Day Revolution last week. I thanked him, and together we came up with a great way to get all of those world-changing ideas out of you.

So, between now and Friday, you can go to Ariah's blog and share your idea for making a small, but meaningful, difference in the world. We'll choose one lucky winner to receive a signed copy of New Day Revolution.

Who knows? We may even include some sweet stuff from the new Tree Line.

Interview on AAYP

2008-07-15T15:43:00.003-05:00

The American Association of Young People just published an interview I did with them. You can check it out here.

A big thanks to everyone over there - not just for promoting CoolPeopleCare, but for what you do in your line of work to organize and mobilize young people.

Call In at 8 AM Tomorrow

2008-07-15T11:14:00.003-05:00

Those in the Nashville area can tune in to Channel 50 (News Channel 5+) between 8 and 9 AM tomorrow. Stephen and I will be on Morning Line, which means you can call in and ask us questions.

And, make sure you watch the entire show - we have a special product announcement we'll be making!

Making It

2008-07-07T06:42:00.002-05:00

It was a holiday weekend, which meant that my wife and I sat around watching TV and stood around playing Nintendo Wii for most of it. We could do this on most weekend, but those of the holiday variety seem to be more conducive to such fruitless behavior.

Some of the programming we stumbled upon (but them became engrossed by) had to do with becoming a network star. Design Star, on HGTV, and Food Network Star, involve contestants who hope to get their own show and demonstrate to the rest of the world how to restore an old dresser or how to make a unique and easy quiche. The shows work like most elimination-based reality shows: each weekly episode features a contest of some sort. Based on the contestants' performance of said task, one person is sent home until only one remains and he or she is then rewarded with a show of his or her own.

As I watched each participant scramble to compete their decoration or entrée on time, as I saw some contestants get stressed to the point of tears, as I listened to these people plead their case to the judges, I couldn't help but think, "When did the ability to make something on TV become our benchmark of making it in the real world?"

When I was little, I wanted to be a professional baseball player. Of course, at ten, when most of my life revolved around collecting baseball cards and playing Little League, the only thing I could conceive of doing at age thirty had to do with baseball. But no one told me that there are many careers in baseball available besides playing in the major leagues. No one shared with me that a very small percentage of people actually make it to the big leagues. And of those that do, an even smaller percentage go on to become superstars.

Maybe they shouldn't have given me this reality check at ten, though. Had I still had the same dreams at 17, when my on-field performance was clearly demonstrating that I had no big league potential, then it might have been time to lay it all out for me. But luckily, my plans and dreams had changed and no longer involved being a major league shortstop.

Some of the chefs and designers I saw on these shows are great at what they do. They come up with creative dishes and decorations. They execute their unique plan to perfection. They could probably demand top dollar to remodel your house or to cater your party. But for whatever reason, they don't want to do that. They want to remodel and cater on camera.

But many of them simply aren't cut out for it. They're terrible when those lights come on and the director counts them in. Whatever talent is evidenced by their creation is soon forgotten when they stumble over words or can't articulate what they've accomplished. And, as they're voted off one by one, they talk about how their dreams are crushed and how disappointed they are that they'll never be peers with Rachael Ray or Vern Yip.

What a shame. I understand having an ambitious goal; indeed those are nearly the only goals worth having, most of the time. But, we can 'make it' in many other ways as well. These cooks and decorators can make it and never be on TV again. They can make a killing and do what they love. A small shift in focus will have them at a place in life where many others dream to be.

There are better interior designers out there than the lot on Design Star. And there are better places to get a meal than at the hands of the finalists on Food Network Star. But when we narrow our concept of 'making it' to the bright lights and TV deals, we lose sight of what could be if we'd simply focus on being our best and chasing down the end result that best suits us.

For me, it was playing Wii baseball with my wife instead of being teammates with Alex Rodriguez.

Find and live your passion – but understand that its pinnacle may not be doing so in front of others. It may be at a place where you're happy, healthy, and lucky to be doing what you love and getting paid for it. Be your best - even if no one's watching.