Welcome back. You belong here.
A couple of days ago I was at our boy's K-graduation, very beautiful. It was outdoors, and behind the ampitheatre, were 5 or so posts, bare, with nothing on them.
Guess what I said to myself "we need to communicate on those posts!" I imagined banners waving in the beautiful warm sun, filled with our values "diversity - accessability - creativity."
After the event, I spoke to Lisa who is a parent and a painter. She told me she agreed with my perspective and that she was willing to work on this project. She's into "value-driven art". The conversation seemed to spark her imagination.
Graduations are the perfect time to communicate core values. It is a time when parents come on campus for the first or second time all year.
The organizations that major on communication at these type of "first-impression" events, can go a long way in gaining followers and greater support.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Friday, May 29, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Be True
Welcome back. You belong here.
Watching Larry King tonight, I kept hearing "Be yourself, be true."
It fills me with confidence and motivates me to continue being myself. I just wished I had learned to by myself in my 20's. In many ways, I feel I have spent 10-20 years being somebody else, someone safe who others would like or not be offended by.
I don't mean to offend anyone, but often being myself means others will not like what I have to say, it's not the norm, the conservative path of what others expect. But I feel this year is my year to be true to myself.
Spiritual formation, communication and collaboration, social justice, equality, immigration reform and calling out racism and abuse, are some of the themes that are true to my passions and gifting. My commitment to myself and to others is to persevere and become stronger and stronger in who I am.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Watching Larry King tonight, I kept hearing "Be yourself, be true."
It fills me with confidence and motivates me to continue being myself. I just wished I had learned to by myself in my 20's. In many ways, I feel I have spent 10-20 years being somebody else, someone safe who others would like or not be offended by.
I don't mean to offend anyone, but often being myself means others will not like what I have to say, it's not the norm, the conservative path of what others expect. But I feel this year is my year to be true to myself.
Spiritual formation, communication and collaboration, social justice, equality, immigration reform and calling out racism and abuse, are some of the themes that are true to my passions and gifting. My commitment to myself and to others is to persevere and become stronger and stronger in who I am.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Friday, May 15, 2009
Communication Diagrams
Welcome back. You belong here.
I'm trying to refine my previous communication grid, but I can't seem to find anything good online.
This can't be that difficult. I just need a simple communication diagram. This is a start...but it's missing the OUTPUT and FEEDBACK loops.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Mujeres arrestas en Postville, Iowa, recibieron permisos temporales de Inmigracion
Welcome back. You belong here.
A good sign among the cruel realities of the biggest raid in the history of the US, May 12 2008 in Iowa, 389 people were arrested or deported, mostly from Guatemala and Mexico.
Spanish: Mujeres arrestas en Postville, Iowa, recibieron permisos temporales de Inmigracion
"Pero casi 50 mujeres quedaron en libertad por razones humanitarias (cuidado de hijos menores de edad), aunque desde entonces deben llevar un brazalete electr�nico y cumplir con otras condiciones impuestas por la justicia federal."
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
A good sign among the cruel realities of the biggest raid in the history of the US, May 12 2008 in Iowa, 389 people were arrested or deported, mostly from Guatemala and Mexico.
Spanish: Mujeres arrestas en Postville, Iowa, recibieron permisos temporales de Inmigracion
"Pero casi 50 mujeres quedaron en libertad por razones humanitarias (cuidado de hijos menores de edad), aunque desde entonces deben llevar un brazalete electr�nico y cumplir con otras condiciones impuestas por la justicia federal."
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
World Innovation Forum Wrapup
Welcome back. You belong here.
The wrap-up for the World Innovation Forum is here. I followed it online. My favorite speaker was Vijay Govindarajan.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
The wrap-up for the World Innovation Forum is here. I followed it online. My favorite speaker was Vijay Govindarajan.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Creating a Culture of Continuous Innovation
Welcome back. You belong here.
The World Innovation Conference ended a few weeks ago with some great insights. Here the Top 10 Challenges (and ideas for solutions) of Innovation.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
The World Innovation Conference ended a few weeks ago with some great insights. Here the Top 10 Challenges (and ideas for solutions) of Innovation.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Friday, May 08, 2009
Immigration, Language - How to Communicate
Welcome back. You belong here.
Language and communication is such an important issue with regards to Immigration (and I don't mean learning Spanish). I mean, how do you present it so that both citizens and non-citizens can put fear or anger aside and have a conversation.
Yesterday, Jenn Piper from the Americans Friends Service Committee, an Immigration Reform Advocacy group, came to EL Foster Elementary, a 50% Latino school where our children attend and we volunteer. We set-up an immigration info table and sat together at the table, met parents and staff and pointed to the ticket table a lot (we were between the ticket and college fund tables).
Our sign said "Knowing Your Neighbor"/"Conociendo a Nuestros Vecinos". Jenn used great language to communicate with people:
"learn about other cultures"
"adults coming together to educate one other"
"a conversation on immigration"
"we're talking ABOUT Immigration, we're not FROM Immigration"
"we advocate Immigrant reform"
"our system is broken"
"my brother also struggles with undocumented workers, we talk about it"
"do you think a follow up seminar would be a good thing in the Fall"
We met over 20 staff and key leaders, 10-12 parents that spoke to us and had about 200+ parents see our table. An amazing start. Jenn taught me a lot regarding language and communication in dealing with this difficult issue.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Language and communication is such an important issue with regards to Immigration (and I don't mean learning Spanish). I mean, how do you present it so that both citizens and non-citizens can put fear or anger aside and have a conversation.
Yesterday, Jenn Piper from the Americans Friends Service Committee, an Immigration Reform Advocacy group, came to EL Foster Elementary, a 50% Latino school where our children attend and we volunteer. We set-up an immigration info table and sat together at the table, met parents and staff and pointed to the ticket table a lot (we were between the ticket and college fund tables).
Our sign said "Knowing Your Neighbor"/"Conociendo a Nuestros Vecinos". Jenn used great language to communicate with people:
"learn about other cultures"
"adults coming together to educate one other"
"a conversation on immigration"
"we're talking ABOUT Immigration, we're not FROM Immigration"
"we advocate Immigrant reform"
"our system is broken"
"my brother also struggles with undocumented workers, we talk about it"
"do you think a follow up seminar would be a good thing in the Fall"
We met over 20 staff and key leaders, 10-12 parents that spoke to us and had about 200+ parents see our table. An amazing start. Jenn taught me a lot regarding language and communication in dealing with this difficult issue.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Communication Grid
Welcome back. You belong here.
My Communication Grid. The circles are "communication balls" that get dropped. My job is to develop a culture that picks them up off the floor.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Monday, May 04, 2009
Is that a Good Sign? I Don't Think So
Welcome back. You belong here.
Back at work, communication breakdowns in many places. I spoke to one of our producers today and she was pretty frustrated at the "lack of communication." How many times have you heard that?
Looking back at last week (I was off last week), the issue is nobody picked up the "communication ball" (I should coin that, I just did!).
Logistics were not communicated, info was not transfered and people were frustrated. At one event this last week, 20 people didn't know whether to eat or not eat. One thing I've learned: never mess around with people's food!
So the "communication ball" got dropped. I usually carry that ball and run with it, but it got dropped while I was gone. Is this a good thing? Do I feel important and special? No.
This tells me it's still "My Ball to Carry" which means I have to do a better job of creating a culture of communication and train the "communication team" to carry the ball and catch it when I'm gone. Someone needs to be the point person on communication, know what this means (big job) and run with it.
Another lesson is not to play the "blame game". No one is to blame! The Communication Ball is to blame. The main thing again, is not to blame and make anyone feel bad, instead to call them to communication and following the line all the way to the end. That's what I'm going to do.
Good lessons...
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Back at work, communication breakdowns in many places. I spoke to one of our producers today and she was pretty frustrated at the "lack of communication." How many times have you heard that?
Looking back at last week (I was off last week), the issue is nobody picked up the "communication ball" (I should coin that, I just did!).
Logistics were not communicated, info was not transfered and people were frustrated. At one event this last week, 20 people didn't know whether to eat or not eat. One thing I've learned: never mess around with people's food!
So the "communication ball" got dropped. I usually carry that ball and run with it, but it got dropped while I was gone. Is this a good thing? Do I feel important and special? No.
This tells me it's still "My Ball to Carry" which means I have to do a better job of creating a culture of communication and train the "communication team" to carry the ball and catch it when I'm gone. Someone needs to be the point person on communication, know what this means (big job) and run with it.
Another lesson is not to play the "blame game". No one is to blame! The Communication Ball is to blame. The main thing again, is not to blame and make anyone feel bad, instead to call them to communication and following the line all the way to the end. That's what I'm going to do.
Good lessons...
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Rules of Power Point
Welcome back. You belong here.
I prefer Keynote, but rules still apply.
rules of powerpoint
optimal slides in a powerpoint is TEN
give slides in 20 minutes
most of the time, people need 45 minutes to get the laptop to work with the projector
optimal point font size is 30 points
rule of thumb: take the oldest person in the audience, divide their age by two and that's your optimal font
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
I prefer Keynote, but rules still apply.
rules of powerpoint
optimal slides in a powerpoint is TEN
give slides in 20 minutes
most of the time, people need 45 minutes to get the laptop to work with the projector
optimal point font size is 30 points
rule of thumb: take the oldest person in the audience, divide their age by two and that's your optimal font
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Friday, May 01, 2009
Getting in the Way of Progress
Welcome back. You belong here.
Leaders do get discouraged and sometimes even quit when the status quo gets in the way of change.
From a friend who recently quit due to opposition to progress:
"I'm sorry you didn't know that I was leaving. It has been quite the fuel for the gossip fire lately. I resigned because I love... and still want to hang out and be part of the community.
There are people and organizations in .{AUTHORITY}... that are determined to stall any progress or change in .{AUTHORITY}.... I'm a lover not a fighter and I cant take it anymore...I don't have any words of wisdom or suggestions to be honest. Please continue to work with...{AUTHORITY}.. You are awesome and I appreciate all your support!"
How painful.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Leaders do get discouraged and sometimes even quit when the status quo gets in the way of change.
From a friend who recently quit due to opposition to progress:
"I'm sorry you didn't know that I was leaving. It has been quite the fuel for the gossip fire lately. I resigned because I love... and still want to hang out and be part of the community.
There are people and organizations in .{AUTHORITY}... that are determined to stall any progress or change in .{AUTHORITY}.... I'm a lover not a fighter and I cant take it anymore...I don't have any words of wisdom or suggestions to be honest. Please continue to work with...{AUTHORITY}.. You are awesome and I appreciate all your support!"
How painful.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
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