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[KS News & Resources] What’s All the Tweeting About?

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sarahurd
on June 26, 2008
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Keyway Strategies News & Resources

Have you discovered Twitter yet? If not, you may want to just head on over to see what all the fuss is about. What folks do on Twitter is considered “microblogging” - short posts of 140 characters or less. The question that Twitter asks when you set up an account and every time you visit is “What are you doing?” Far from simply being a navel-gazing status report (although some posts read that way), Twitter is quickly becoming a real-time conversation between colleagues, friends, and even strangers. The professionals who add value on Twitter succinctly point their “followers” to relevant and interesting information.

Although I enjoy the Tweets (the “official” term for Twitter updates) of several of the people whose feeds I follow (err… all 16 of them…), the person I follow that I think uses the platform the very best is Jeremiah Owyang (@jowyang). He uses a great mixture of providing helpful and relevant content, championing others, networking, asking questions to generate conversations, providing rundowns of events he’s attending, and laughing about life. I also want to point to Cyd Tetro (@cydtetro) as an example of someone who brilliantly showcases the business use of Twitter. Cydni and I went to High School together, but I only recently ran across her in cyberspace.

Warning: It takes some time to get the hang of Twitter, but once you’ve gotten your feet wet, you’re in danger of getting hooked.

As for my Twitter feed? Well, I can’t promise that I do anything brilliantly on Twitter, but I can tell you that if I want to share something I’ve come across, I’ll often not take the time to write up an article or blog post, but I will Tweet about it. To whoever is listening! @sarahurd

[SiH] On a Personal Note: Prayers / Donations Needed

Published
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sarahurd
on February 28, 2008
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Success in Harmony

February 2008 - Vol. V, Issue 2

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On a Personal Note: Prayers / Donations Needed

Once in a while, an opportunity comes along to truly help make the load lighter for someone. I’d like to ask you, as my readers, to consider helping with your prayers and/or donations.

This week, a dear friend of mine and her husband learned that the two beautiful children that they were adopting from Haiti were no longer theirs. Although the adoption was in process, the mother came back to the orphanage and demanded the children back. More than anything else, this little family could use your prayers. You can read more at countdowntohomecoming.blogspot.com.

One of my other dear friends from high school is receiving a wonderful gift from dear friends, if they can raise enough money. Steve has Multiple Sclerosis, and the disease has progressed to the point where he was confined to a wheelchair at age 30. Because their home is not currently wheelchair accessible, he often falls while trying to traverse the hallways. Friends of Steve and his wife, Teresa, submitted their story to Extreme Makeover - Home Edition, but did not hear anything back. Deciding to take the project on themselves, they began to reach out to the community to see if they could raise enough money to remodel the home themselves. Please read more at homemakeoveraf.com, and if you can donate (even a little bit!), please do. And, if you can pass the opportunity around to your own family and friends, every little bit helps!

*****

On a completely unrelated note: I am going to be changing web hosting–again! I will try to minimize site downtime, but if you click a link and it doesn’t take you where you want to go, try again a few days later.

[SiH] Feature Article: Executive Coaching is Perceived as High Value

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sarahurd
on February 28, 2008
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Success in Harmony

February 2008 - Vol. V, Issue 2

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Feature Article: Executive Coaching is Perceived as High Value

The Sherpa Executive Coaching Survey, 2008 Edition, shows that nine out of ten coaching clients and human resource professionals see the value of coaching as “high” or “somewhat high.” Coaching as a leadership development tool is becoming more and more mainstream. For further reading, see the full results of the Sherpa study.

The Executive Coaching Survey closed on December 15, 2007, and within 72 hours, preliminary results were published in the mainstream press:

The Cincinatti Enquirer, Business section
December 18, 2007

Poll: Executive coaches asked to develop leaders
by John Eckberg, jeckberg@enquirer.com

Companies that pay for coaching for senior executives expect results to focus on leadership development, according to the third annual international survey from Sherpa Coaching of West Chester Township.

The company, which teaches coaching as a profession to students at three universities, surveyed executive coaches from 35 countries, but centered on the U.S.

This year’s survey was co-sponsored by the Tandy Center for Executive Leadership at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. The survey, which has grown from 550 respondents in 2005 to about 1,300 in 2007, has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Sherpa offered university-level executive coaching programs at TCU, Penn State University and the University of Georgia.

“The industry is placing more and more importance on certification and more and more coaches are getting certified,” said Karl Corbett, managing partner at Sherpa, founded in 2004.

“We’re finding less and less ‘as-needed’ coaching. People are going to regular meetings. People also want a more limited scope - six months or less.”

The survey found:

  • Nine of 10 human resources professionals and clients see the value of coaching as “very high” or “somewhat high.” The number of business people who rate the credibility of coaching as “very high” or “somewhat high” was 74 percent, up 7 percentage points from last year.
  • The number of people in the discipline who report employers paying for services increased from 71 percent in 2006 to 78 percent in 2007.
  • More than half of practicing executive coaches believe that a standardized approach to coaching - similar to the standards created for the accounting and financial planning professions - is essential if the discipline is to grow in importance.

[SiH] Recommended Resource: JibberJobber, career toolset

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sarahurd
on February 28, 2008
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Success in Harmony

February 2008 - Vol. V, Issue 2

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Recommended Resource: JibberJobber, career toolset

This year, the United States seems to be in an economic slump. Employees feel that they have even less job security than before, if they ever really had any. It’s time to begin contingency planning, networking, and promoting your personal brand in the marketplace.

Luckily, there is an online toolset that can help you manage the complexity of activities that surround networking, career management and job searching. JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). JibberJobber is free for life with an optional upgrade. JibberJobber is a fantastic tool–it even allows coaching to link their accounts with their clients’ and monitor job search / networking activities. But one of the best features is the blog, which includes helpful tips from someone who has been there: Jason Alba, who designed the toolset during his own job search in 2006. It is quickly becoming the most important tool for career management.

From the About Us page:

If you want to learn more about JibberJobber you can:

  • Listen to a podcast interview (about 40 minutes) with Jason, by Peter Clayton. Peter is the leader in podcast interviews in the employment space.
  • Read a rather comprehensive blog post by Dave Mendoza, expert recruiter and consultant.
  • Read (and subscribe to) Jason’s blog, found at http://www.JibberJobber.com/blog

Sign up for a free account and consider upgrading to get extra conveniences when you really need them. To see what others are saying about JibberJobber click on the testimonials link.

On a related note, Jason is also the author of I’m on LinkedIn, Now What??? and I’m on Facebook, Now What??? Gotta love the three question marks; it seems to really capture the frustration that we feel when we’re told we should get a profile up but don’t really know what to do with it.

Want to learn more about blogging?

Published
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sarahurd
on February 19, 2008
in What's on the Web
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I’m evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they’re letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

  • The best blogging techniques.
  • How to get traffic to your blog.
  • How to turn your blog into money.

I’ll let you know what I think once I’ve had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it’s still free.

[SiH] On a Personal Note: Goals for the Year

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sarahurd
on January 31, 2008
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Success in Harmony

January 2008 - Vol. V, Issue 1

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On a Personal Note: Goals for the Year

One of my recent networking contacts, Jason Alba of JibberJobber.com, is a great example of “living out loud” by sharing his goals on his various blogs. He finds that the more he shares, it becomes more and more likely that people come forward with unexpected and wonderful offers to help.

My goals for the year are as follows:

  • find a good method to begin home schooling my oldest daughter. Get a routine in place so schooling is happening without a struggle. Create a good mix of work on our own and activities with other families.
  • find a good team of independent business owners to join me in my SendOutCards business. Initially, I’m looking for three good people who are interested in generating some residual income through a home-based business. Alternately, I can always use customers who want to use the fantastic service that SendOutCards provides!
  • find a few ways to extend coaching past the one-on-one session model–perhaps using group coaching, self-coaching through a step-by-step program, or informal teleseminars. Continue to provide coaching one-on-one to a few select clients.
  • keep myself, my kids and husband healthy and happy!

Let me know if there is any way in which you can help me, and I’d also love to hear about your goals for the year in the comments. Maybe there is some way that I can help you!

. . .

Last Sunday evening, a man I admire and respect greatly passed away. He was a great example of love, vision and good humor. Glenn Beck paid a great tribute to this man on CNN, and said, “We could learn a lot just by watching good examples from time to time.” You can read more on my personal blog, The Hurd Herd, and also see news items here.

. . .

On another note, I want to thank an anonymous reader who sent a baby gift to Miriam through Overstock.com. The gift message was blank, so either you intended to remain anonymous, or Overstock messed up! Thank you so much for your kindness! I want to also thank all of you who sent gifts or congratulations to us. Miriam is growing and smiling, so we’re doing well!

[SiH] Feature Article: Face Your Personal Energy Crisis

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sarahurd
on January 31, 2008
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Success in Harmony

January 2008 - Vol. V, Issue 1

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Feature Article: Face Your Personal Energy Crisis

Short on energy recently? Not only are we facing an energy crisis in North America because of the increasing price of fossil fuels, individuals in our society are facing a kind of personal energy crisis. The tendency is to run nonstop during the day, fueling the pace by adrenaline, sugar and caffeine. In the evening, because energy levels have crashed, the tendency is to vegetate in front of one screen or another until we eventually lie down in bed for a less than restful night’s sleep.

Maybe you’re not as bad off as the bleak picture we just considered. Good for you! Take a look at how you can use your energy to get the best possible return.

For the rest of you, it’s time to take some measured steps so that you’re experiencing a more natural energy flow and using your energy in the most effective way.

The first step is to begin to fuel your body with clean-burning fuels. Decrease the highly processed foods, like refined sugar and flour, that give you a temporary high and then leave you crashing after they’ve quickly burned away. Break from the addiction of caffeine. Eat a well-balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and good fats. In other words, a high-octane, clean-burning fuel will keep your engine running at peak performance.

Then, take a look at how you’re spending your time during the day. Do you feel “busy” all the time, but at the end of the day have difficulty identifying what you produced? If so, chances are you are running on adrenaline and jumping on all of the proximate, pressing matters that Stephen Covey calls “Quadrant III.” These are the things that are urgent, but not important. You are spinning your wheels! Begin to make time for Quadrant II activities (important, but not urgent). You know what these are; they are the activities you want to get to day after day, but just don’t. There are so many benefits to spending time in Quadrant II, but one great benefit is that you are preventing urgent and important Quadrant I activities and eliminating as many Quadrant III activities as possible.

Take time during your day for small snatches of self-renewal. Take a break by closing your eyes, relaxing your shoulders, rotating your ankles, stretching up to the ceiling, or whatever else will get your blood flowing. Take a walk around the building. I wrote about mini self-renewal breaks way back in 2004. Feel free to refresh your memory.

Take stock of energy patterns. As you cut out artificial fuels, you will have a more natural ebb and flow of energy throughout your day. There will naturally be times during the day when you feel more energetic than others. Pay attention to patterns–what are your high-energy times? When do you find it easiest to concentrate on mental tasks? When do you feel at your best physically?

Match your energy to activities to get the biggest return. If you noticed that you feel great physically in the morning, that’s a great time for exercise. If your mind quiets down and can easily focus on mental tasks at 11:00 a.m., that’s a great time to preserve for key projects. If you find yourself dragging a bit in the early afternoon, that’s a great time for a break, a snack, or another activity that regenerates your energy. Also, pay attention to whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. If being with other people drains you, you’re an introvert and a solo activity will refuel your energy. If being with other people energizes you, you’re an extrovert and connection recharges your batteries! Extroverts may find that picking up the phone to make networking calls in a low-energy time will be just what the doctor ordered.

So, remember these simple questions:

  1. What fuels your body?
  2. What is your natural energy flow?
  3. Are you using high-energy times for high-value activities?
  4. What are you doing during lower-energy times to recharge?

Break those habits that are causing your personal energy crisis, and start making your days crisp and refreshing rather than muddling through them in a haze. Your body and mind, not to mention your personal productivity, will thank you!

[SiH] Recommended Resource: Jott Yourself!

Published
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sarahurd
on January 31, 2008
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Success in Harmony

January 2008 - Vol. V, Issue 1

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Recommended Resource: Jott Yourself!

One of my new best friends is a service called Jott.com. Jott offers you a toll free number to call after you register your home phone number and cell phone number (so they can match your call to your account), and will translate your voice message into text. You can send a message (email and/or text message) to yourself or to anyone in your contact list. You can even “Jott” services like blogger.com, rememberthemilk.com, twitter.com, amazon.com, Google calendar, and many more.

The way I typically use Jott is as follows:

  • Something occurs to me, like something I need to take care of, someone I need to call, etc.
  • If I have my hands full and can’t put it in my PDA or Outlook right away, I call Jott.
  • I Jott “myself” with the reminder, and it ends up in my email inbox a couple of minutes later.
  • I then put the reminder into my task management system or calendar.

I find myself regularly using Jott when I’m lying down for the night and I remember something I need to take care of. Instead of pulling out my PDA, I just grab the phone that’s right by my bed and Jott myself. Excellent!

[KS News & Resources] Awakening to Purpose Relaunch!

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sarahurd
on January 8, 2008
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Keyway Strategies News & Resources

Awakening to Purpose Relaunch!

Whether or not you are aware, you are always on a path of discovery and awakening. Sometimes the path is bumpy, at other times it is filled with bliss. Looking at your own evolution, you uncover layers along the way that deepen your understanding of who you are and what your purpose is. And yet, we continually hear some common themes from those on the path.

Are you currently asking yourself any of these questions?

  • What is my unique purpose?
  • How do I engage in Conscious Dialogues around purpose, connection, and unity?
  • How do I more fully bring my purpose into my work, life and relationships?
  • What are my next steps?
  • How can I rediscover my bliss?
  • What can I do to improve my relationships, build intimacy and trust?
  • As a leader or business owner, how can I be more of an authentic expression of my purpose in day to day living?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, visit www.awakeningtopurpose.com and learn about a six week, breakthrough program that will walk you step-by-step through

The 7 Keys to Awakening to Purpose

This transformational 6 week teleclass is a powerful way to begin the New Year and my colleague and friend, Anita Pathik Law has put together just the most amazing content, models and over $1,000 worth of gifts from thought leaders (including a few teachers from The Secret) all designed to Awaken You to Your Unique Purpose - the reason you are here and have been given your unique infusion of gifts, talents, passions and life experiences…

Beginning January 14th, for less than a few dinners out you will be amazed at what you get! I attended the very first Awakening to Purpose and experienced first-hand its high quality. Check it out at www.awakeningtopurpose.com.

[SiH] On a Personal Note: Looking Forward

Published
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sarahurd
on December 31, 2007
in [SiH] On a Personal Note
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Success in Harmony

December 2007 - Vol. IV, Issue 11

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On a Personal Note: Looking Forward

I have truly been blessed in 2007, and I look forward to the changes and growth that I’ll experience in 2008. To recap:

  • My husband and I added another daughter to our family, for a total of three beautiful girls. They are the light of my life, and because they’re young and require a lot of care, fill up my days!
  • My husband took a new job last spring that required a completely different schedule for our family. Instead of having four days off a week from his full-time nursing gig, he now only has the normal weekends off. As a result, I had to reevaluate my commitments and wrap up and discontinue some business obligations. The great blessing is that now we have him at church with us and home with us on weekends and holidays all the time instead of half the time!
  • This past spring, I discontinued (at their request) a professional relationship with a company for which I had worked for several years. The process left me with mixed feelings. Although it was difficult, the break has given me the opportunity to use my time for business pursuits that will allow me to grow rather than remain stagnant. And I can also feel good that I remained in integrity throughout the whole process.
  • I aligned my business with two product lines: custom greeting cards by mail through SendOutCards, and books and other media through BookWise. These are both organizations and product lines that I feel passionate about because of their life-changing potential. SendOutCards especially has changed the way I do business and how I connect in my personal relationships. I find myself expressing gratitude and letting someone know I am thinking of them, not to mention celebrating accomplishments and remembering birthdays, much more often than I ever have before. My business and personal relationships have deepened as a result.
  • I rediscovered reading for pleasure instead of just reading for business! I made a lot of “friends” in Mitford and made Esther’s famous Orange Marmalade Layer Cake on Christmas Eve.
  • I switched web hosts twice and learned some internet marketing. I’m still learning and will be making more changes this year!

In 2008, I’ll continue to evaluate my commitments so that I can keep my husband and kids - and my own spiritual, physical, and mental wellness - my highest priorities while I take great care of my fantastic clients. I’ll continue to keep you updated!

I hope that your 2007 has been full of blessings and that 2008 will hold even more! I would love to receive updates from any of you about what you’re doing now. Feel free to comment on the website or reply to emails you receive from me!

With Love and Appreciation,

Sara Hurd