The Art of Listening
Sometimes it’s good to just sit back and listen to the conversation around you. There are many voices out there, and many stories to be told by those voices. One of the best skills to have is the ability to listen. It’s a hard skill to learn too. How often do we jump into a conversation, with the intent to add our experiences and perspectives? Its human nature to share, to participate, to interact. So it’s important to make sure that you take the time to listen to what people are saying. The benefits of becoming a better listener are not simply limited to hearing what...
Read MoreBrainstorming – Learning the Power of the Mind Map
So I was working on some planning for various things when I ran across this post by fellow blogger Joanna Young. It really got my attention on planning and generating ideas. I’d heard a lot about mind-mapping and the great results that many accomplish by using the technique, but for some reason over the years, I’d never tried it out. Sure the odd brainstorming session at work, but nothing to promote my own agenda. Aha! Another tool to use for my own purposes! So being the typical geek I am, off I went to find a simple, inexpensive (read: free) tool to do this with. I’ve...
Read MoreLetting Go
Sometimes it’s hard to let go of what we do. What I mean is that it can be hard sharing everything that you know, and teach other people what your job entails. The natural reaction is to hang on to that knowledge, be the expert, the guru that can do it all. However, are you getting any real new chances, or does everyone believe that because you’re too valuable doing what you’re doing that they don’t send opportunities in your direction? Holding on too tight to what you know can be detrimental to learning and growing. Sometimes it’ll keep...
Read MoreDo we realize how fortunate we are?
We live in age when anything is possible, at the touch of a button, or simply for the asking. The modern world is filled with tools and technologies that allow us to do amazing things. From communicating around the world in the blink of an eye, to reporting breaking news by the average person, to creating the perfect latte at home, our world makes things so easy. It’s Easy So if things are so easy, why are people not taking advantage of the tools and techniques available for networking themselves and building a better brand? Is the concept of reaching out to connect with like-minded...
Read MoreBalancing Social Media/Networking & Work
Sometimes it’s hard to find the balance in things. Social media networking is one of these. It takes an enormous amount of effort and time to participate in the social fields, and this can conflict with our primary responsibility of our day jobs. You know, the one we get paid for? It’s hard, especially when you start to become part of the community. As you get to know the people you’re networking with, and as you have those “aha!” moments that redefine the value of a given social networking tool, it becomes more important to...
Read MorePerspectives: Clarity
Every couple of months I “wake up” and realize that I’m in control. It always bothers me when I loose that perspective, and it happens much too easily. Having that moment of clarity, that realization, understanding what that means, is a powerful experience. It allows you to look past the moment and take a different long view of your inner goals than you normally would. Keeping that perspective for more than a few minutes or hours, though, is quite hard. Life intervenes, whether at work or home, and we have to deal with the responsibilities at...
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About Me
Rick Mahn is the Founder of SMBMSP, Principal of Rick Mahn & Associates, and a Sr. Information Technologies Architect with Experis. With over two decades in Information Technologies Architecture and Social Media, Rick connects people & organizations by embracing new technologies and open standards.Learn more about Rick.
