Monday, August 24, 2009

A Helping Hand Gives a Friend a New Job

Right now, I am brimming with so much happiness for a great friend of mine who told me he got a new job today!!! One big reason I am thrilled for him is that both him and I have been through so much at our current jobs trying to live out our passion and drive (taking from @dannybrown's recent post about having passion drivers in your life). We both have a deep passion for using social media to connect and interact with customers. Unfortunately, both of us have been shut down and chewed out many times for expressing our passion or sharing information with others in our company.

We came to the point where we knew it was time to move on and pursue our passions. I always keep my eye out for job openings that may not fit me but a friend may have the qualifications for it. In this case, I had a job interview with the hiring manager for a different position and the hiring manager told me she was looking for another person to fill a search engine marketing manager position. Immediately, I thought about my friend and recommended him to her. My friend connected with the hiring manager and he had two successful interviews. All he could do now was wait and see if his interviews were good enough for him to get the job.

Well, he sent me a tweet tonight and he got the job!!! It is such a great feeling when you refer a good friend for a job and they get it. In this case, the giving of this reference to my friend and hearing his good news made my day! Think about how you can help a friend looking for a job in these tough times. Even when you are looking, finding opportunities for others can pay you back tenfold in the end.

How will you help a friend today?

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Are You Engaging in Community or Shouting to an Audience?

Ok, so the inspiration bug caught my attention again when I read Chris Brogan's blog post from early June about Audience or Community. Reading this post made me think about my current work situation which you can read here in more detail.

In my current job, as a direct marketing manager, one of my main tasks is to work with our Market Research group to find customers that meet a set "audience" criteria for a direct mail piece we may be working on. So, words like target market, audience, and customer segment are often used to describe who we want to send our mailings. To me, defining individuals as a group consisting of an "audience" is impersonal in a way. As Chris Brogan pointed out, "The difference between an audience and a community is which direction the chairs are pointing" and I truly believe this analogy is accurate.

In direct mail, the main point is to get a message out about your product or service and many times it is directed to a mass audience. Sure, one can add some personalization like the customer's first/last name, product owned, etc. to a direct mail piece to make it more engaging, but do you really know this individual you are attempting to influence?

That is one reason why I felt I could not continue on in my current job role. I want to build "community" with others. As Chris Brogan puts it so smoothly, "Communities empower users of products or services, or people with like-minded interests to interact." As an INFP personality type, I thrive on reaching out and interacting with individuals to get to know them better and introducing them to others who can help them. I am a connector if you want to look at it in social media terms. That is one reason I hold people like Chris Brogan, J.T. O’Donnell, Ramsey Mohsen, Danny Brown, and many other brilliant minds in high esteem for what they do in connecting with others and reaching out to enrich the knowledge of so many.

My goal is to do more in interacting with others in a "community" setting and learning what needs they have that I can help with or connect them with someone who can. I want to build community and not just shout at an audience.

What about you? Share in the comments.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

New Adventures Await

It has been awhile since I posted on my blog and I intend to start posting my thoughts on here more often. The lapse of time for blog posts is due in some small part to changes going on in my life right now in my current job. That is the focus for this blog post.

A long time ago, I read this blog post by David Meerman Scott and it grabbed me in such a way that it seemed to speak to what I was experiencing in my current job. My love for all things Web and using social media tools to connect and share with people online has been a true passion of mine for quite some time. One main reason may be that I found out recently that my personality type is INFP (Introvert, Intuitive, Feeler, Perceiver).

INFPs have the following traits: Warmly interested in people, service-oriented ( usually putting the needs of others above their own), loyal and devoted to people and causes, future-oriented, creative and inspirational, want to be appreciated for who they are, etc. In addition, INFPs are curious about new ideas and tend to have insight and long-range vision. This would explain why I have always enjoyed looking down the road at potential opportunities that make sense in the work I do.

As David Meerman Scott's post about "Quit Your Job" caught my attention, it made me think about where I really want to take my career in the future. This statement in David's post was ground-breaking for me to read: "If your company wants to hold you back from implementing the ideas you know are right—after you’ve explained what you want to do and why, then maybe you need to find a new company that will appreciate your talents." And in a way, that is what I am doing now.

The company where I work gave me the golden opportunity to move on to something new when a voluntary separation package deal was offered to many employees. I consider this opportunity a God-send at the right time I needed it. I will admit that what I was doing in managing direct mail campaigns was not what I really enjoyed and in a way, I did not ask for this job role due to a relocation I took to the KC area 2 years ago. But, I made the best of it to see if there was potential for me to grow into this job change. But, my heart and passion for the Web always was there and I knew deep down, I wanted to go back to doing work on the Web.

I believe I have found my true strengths with social media tools and using them to connect and share with others. Unfortunately, my love for how these tools could be used in my company to reach out to our customers was blocked with comments that "I need to focus only on my main job responsibilities" and let others in the company "who have been designated owners of social media" to do this research into opportunities to use social media.

But, knowing that I am the curious type and had my mind set on exciting opportunities to better engage and interact with our customers, I could not simply let go. Due to my continued engagement with customers and sharing information with others in the company about social media, I was ridiculed and told I was "out of line." Give me a break is what I really wanted to say, but in the end, I knew it was getting time for me to move on to a new company that valued me for who I am and for what I could bring to them in my passion.

So, I am one of those "crazy types" who has elected to move on from my current job and jump into the unknown and find other new adventures that are out there for me to grasp. I am very confident in my decision and know I will find a new job that enables me to truly engage my passion and contribute to the company that takes me in.

I hold nothing against my current employeer for not giving me the opportunities to engage in what I truly love to do. I know everything that happened to me that I may have viewed as being wrong was for the best. I would not be who I am today without going through some of those difficulties and trials. I am a stronger, focused, person with determination to go out and find that job that allows me to take my career in the direction I want to take it. No longer stepping back and letting the company steer me in the direction they feel I should go, but taking back the steering wheel and turning on a new road.

As I end this post, I leave you with this visualization that I found on the Positively Present blog (highly recommended blog to read). It is called Walk Down A Different Street:

Stage 1:
I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.


Stage 2:
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in this same place. But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.


Stage 3:
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I fall in...it's a habit...but my eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.


Stage 4:
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.


Stage 5:
I walk down a different street.


Join me on this journey as I continue to post my progress in the days ahead.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

The Cross - story of Arthur Blessitt

Who is Arthur Blessitt and what did he do that was so significant? This and many other questions were answered when my wife and I went to see a documentary about Arthur Blessitt and his journey across the world carrying a wooden cross. Mr. Blessitt has walked around the world since Christmas Day, December 25, 1969 carrying a 12 foot cross for Jesus. He has done this for 40 years!!

Facts about Arthur Blessitt's journey:
--> Has walked now 38,102 miles (61,319 k.m.).
--> Walked through 315 countries, Island Groups and Territories.
--> Walked on all seven continents including Antarctica.
--> Been through 52 countries at war.
--> Arrested or jailed 24 times (Not for Crimes)
--> Of the journey he says, "Jesus did it, I give Him all the glory".
--> He has traveled constantly with his wife, Denise, since their marriage in 1990.

As I watched this amazing documentary and this awesome story about one man whose mission was to do the will of God and walk wherever God led him to preach the love of Jesus Christ all while carrying a large wooden cross, all I could think to myself was WOW! Arthur walked through war zones and faced danger, possible death, you name it through his 40 year journey. Yet God watched over him, kept him safe, and allowed him to complete his journey of walking through every nation in this world.

I had to smile to myself many times while watching this movie, as Arthur talked about how he had this defiant, yet gentle attitude that nothing and no one was going to tell him not to do this, if he truly believed it was God's will for him to do it. No threats of death, no persecutions, NOTHING would hold him back. Arthur's message was to spread the love of Jesus to anyone who would listen and he did so to thousands of people worldwide.

This documentary has not had wide fanfare or much advertisement about its opening, like other high-profile movies like The Passion of the Christ or Fireproof, but yet, I think that is how Arthur would like it. It slipped under the radar in a way, but it is truly a powerful, life-changing movie!

Watching what Arthur endured and his humble, gentle attitude really inspired me a great deal. It gave me hope and renewed enthusiasm for my own faith and for the calling God has on my life. I need to press on with the calling that God has placed in my heart and as long as God is with me, I will prevail. Man alone cannot stop what God wants to do in a person's life. No sharp words, criticism, or threats can stop what God has planned!

I will admit there are very close family members, relatives, and friends that I would so much love to see come to Christ and experience his never-ending love for them. There have been times that I have felt a heavy burden upon my heart after I may have tried to witness to a family member or friend about Christ and they did not respond in a loving way or ignored me. I used to let this rejection affect me in a great way and feel like a failure. But God spoke to me and said I can only plant the seed. I am not responsible for someone coming to Christ. It is that person's decision what to do with the message I give to them. God knows I have done all I can and I continue to pray for these loved ones that they will someday see that I am only trying to show them the love of God and the amazing life they can have if they only believe in Christ.

How does this personal story I share have anything to do with The Cross documentary I saw today?? It has given me a new drive and inspiration to share with others the amazing love and life-changing experiences I have experienced with Christ in my life. In days ahead, I will be sharing personal stories of things I have experienced that can only be tied back to Jesus and his touch upon my life.

The Cross is being played in select theaters and playing at the Plazzo in Overland Park at this time. If you are a Christian or just someone who may be curious about who God is and what he represents, I HIGHLY encourage you to go to see this documentary.

Read more about Arthur Blessitt and his CrossWalk journey:
http://www.blessitt.com/?q=fascinating_facts_and_figures

Friday, April 17, 2009

Time to Connect with Ag Customers Using Social Media? Yes Indeed...

I thought I would share this with you since you are in the select few who knows the passion and desire I have to connect with people using social media tools and doesn't think I am crazy for having this strong desire. Well, at least you don't mention it if you do think I am nuts! :)

Awhile ago, Dave P. (a manager at JD) told me he was working with the National Agri-Marketing Association board to get a social media panel set up for the annual conference. He asked me for any recommendations on who could come to Atlanta to participate on this panel and give a perspective on social media outside of Ag marketing. I immediately sent out a message to my followers on Twitter asking for interest and received a few responses. Within a few hours, I had a list of potential speakers who were willing to do it and sent this list to Dave. Dave and his contacts reached out to a few and decided upon Kyle Flaherty to come.

Kyle told me through tweets that he was excited to attend this conference and see how marketing is done via the agricultural industry. I was excited for him as I knew he would be teaching so many there the power of social media tools and would be a great voice for social media advocacy. As I saw the tweets from Kyle as the day grew closer to when the social media panel would be held, I could sense the excitement through his notes and he even wrote a blog post about it:

http://www.engageinpr.com/2009/04/14/social-media-marketing-agri/

A few of Kyle’s tweets:




On the day of the panel discussion, I was able to sign in to TweetChat (http://tweetchat.com) and enter in the #NAMA room to watch the various tweets coming from the NAMA conference as people were getting ready to check out the social media panel session. It was very evident that there are a lot of people from the Agricultural industry who are active on Twitter, Facebook, you name it. These people are “leaders” and they are leading those who will follow later once they do, hopefully, see the power of these tools to connect with people. Throughout the panel discussion, many took pictures of the crowd and posted them on Twitter so those of us who could not be there could see what was going on. Also, the panel took many questions and they revolved around how can the Ag industry use social media tools to effectively connect and interact with the general public about the importance of the Ag industry. @mpaynknoper (http://twitter.com/mpaynknoper) started a Twitter live discussion (#agchat) on Tuesday nights and there have been two of those to date. She is a “leader” who saw the awesome opportunity to connect with fellow Ag industry professionals and farmers to share stories and examples of how others are using the various social tools to learn from one another.

If you wish to observe or interact with this growing number of Ag professionals, feel free to come to the #agchat discussion that are live on Twitter each Tuesday night from 8-10 am EDT. Sign in to TweetChat (http://tweetchat.com) using your Twitter username and password and search for #agchat or #foodchat to get into the room to share and learn.

Since I do work for John Deere, I want to make a few points about our customers. John Deere customers are some of the most loyal, die-hard people around. They are very similar to Harley owners who live and breathe the Harley brand and many people who own Harley clothing may not even have a Harley, but they identify with the brand since it is tied to their identity in some powerful way and it speaks about what they stand for or who they are as a person. The same truth is evident for John Deere customers. So many of our customers are very loyal to the brand. They have a passion that bleeds green and yellow and they love sharing and learning from other people about their equipment. All one has to do is look at the vibrant discussions and questions asked in popular forums like TractorByNet.com under John Deere to sense the deep passion and desire to connect with one another and have that feeling of community.

Screenshot from the John Deere > Buying and Pricing TractorByNet.com forum:



I track mentions of “John Deere” through Google or Twitter alerts that are sent to me via e-mail so I can see what people are saying about our brand or if some have questions that I may be able to help by sending them in the direction of someone in the company who can help. I did start interacting with customers on the John Deere TractorByNet.com forum awhile ago and the main reason why I did this is because I saw that so many on there were looking for a voice from the company about some issues they wanted to have addressed. These are loyal customers who just want to be listened to from the company and understood. They don’t want to be looked at as only a person that the company can sell a piece of equipment to and then forgotten. Many praises go to our John Deere dealers who do amazing work in connecting and helping our customers before and after a sale.

One simple question I posted on the TractorByNet.com JD forum said the following: What encourages you to buy a John Deere? All I wanted to do was see the stories and understand what made customers love what the John Deere brand brought to them. As you can see, this question had 79 replies and over 7,000 views alone. They absolutely loved this type of question so they could share story after story of how they grew up on a farm with John Deere equipment or how a fellow farmer told them about the equipment, etc.





Some of the stories:







John Deere customers love the connection and shared experiences that so many have had in using the equipment. As someone once told me, farmers were the “original social networks” when they met in coffee shops and talked about farming, etc. This is so TRUE!

So, it is only natural that as more farmers and Ag professionals start using the social media tools, they are starting to see the tremendous value there is in connecting online with one another and continuing the tradition of the original social network.

-----Original Message-----
From: David P.
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 11:22 AM
To: Van Baale Mark
Subject: Thank you

Hey Mark
Thanks for getting Kyle to serve on our panel today. He was great! Super session...standing room only crowd that did not want to leave. The movement grows!
Dave

Saturday, April 11, 2009

WE PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM THIS EASTER

If there ever was a test of our faith – if there was ever a test of the motives of our worship – it is when a storm rolls into our lives. Sometime God calms our storms. Sometimes he chooses to ride them with us. He rode the raging storm with my family and I that we encountered 3 years ago this Easter when my Dad got extremely sick and was in the hospital for several months, many of them in intensive care. All we could do was place our faith in God and pray for God’s will to be done. I share this story with each of you with hope that you will read it and turn to God in your time of need...

It all started on April 11, 2006 when my Dad was admitted to the local hospital with shortness of breath and severe stomach pain. By the next day, April 12, it only got worse and he was moved to a hospital in Des Moines, IA. For several months afterwards, we went throught a very emotional rollar coaster of ups and downs as the doctors tried every test, everything they could think of to find out what the illness was that attacked my Dad's body. During this same time, Dad's organs started shutting down, he was on the respirator 100% of the time, and the doctors were starting to lose hope. They started to prepare for what they truly believed was the end coming up for my father.

The reality of what could indeed happen soon occured on April 26, 2006. Here is an email I sent to co-workers explaining what was happening. These are the exact words I wrote in the deepest despair I was facing at that moment...

"I write this email at a time where everything has turned upside down on us and went 180 degrees the other way. Late yesterday afternoon, I received a call from my Mom to rush to the hospital as my Dad was bleeding heavily from his stomach and they could not get it stopped. By the time I got there, they had managed to get enough blood transfused into him so he was not losing as much.

But, we were told late tonight the seriousness of the situation. Dad is in a very dire situation right now. They are at a point where there is not much they can do. Dad is bleeding from his stomach from multiple sources caused by complications of the pneumonia that he has been fighting for over 2 weeks now in the hospital. All we can do now is pray and hope the bleeding stops or stops long enough so he can be stable enough to possibly go into emergency surgery. The only problem is that he is not stable enough at this point to go into surgery. Right now, they said he has multiple organs that are starting to shut down.

I can't begin to express all of the feelings I have right now. There is so much uncertainty and fear for what is ahead. But, at the same time, I feel peace since I know God is in control, no matter how hard it is to deal with this helpless feeling.

All I ask from all of you is continued prayer that somehow, through a miracle, the bleeding will stop. My faith and support from family/all of you is my main source of comfort at this time."

It only became more real of what may happen on April 28, 2006 when I sent this email to co-workers...

"The last 48 hours has been unbelievable. When I wrote the last e-mail, they had given us the message that Dad was very near to dying. He was bleeding profusely from his stomach and it was not stopping. We have a massive covering of prayer over my Dad and somehow, the bleeding has stopped for the moment. Praise the Lord for this window of hope!!

Yesterday morning, the doctors came to us and told us that it was time to call extended family to come, since they did not know how long Dad would be able to hold on. We called family and my wife and son came also. Yesterday was a very difficult day, as we all prayed continuously and family met with Dad. The doctor also told us in his experience, he has never seen anyone come out of such dire circumstances and really did not give us much hope. But, we also know we have a God who is in control and can do great wonders if it is his will. We have placed our trust in God and I have peace with whatever God wants to do with Dad's life. Whether that is to save him and heal him or take him home to be with Jesus. I pray very much for Dad to turn around and be able to make it through, but I know it is in God's hands. This morning, the doctor told us he was surprised that Dad made it through the night. But, we are not, since we know God is there with him and sustaining him. Dad is on 100% ventilator support which means he is not breathing on his own at the moment and most of his organs have shut down for the time being. But, his heart rate is still pretty strong and his body temperature is stable. Those are very encouraging things, but I still know how delicate the situation is. He is still right on the edge, but fighting strong.

Please pray for healing and for Dad to turn around. I know this can still happen, if God has plans for him still here on earth. My faith is still very strong and I have felt God's presence throughout this ordeal."

The doctors gave up hope and told my Mom, sister, and me that we needed to face reality that Dad was not going to make it and it was decision time to let him go. BUT, his heart was still beating strong and we knew without a doubt that if it was God's time to let him go, he would allow it to happen in His time. We said we would not let go and we stood by that decision. As each day went by from that point forward, Dad got stronger and stronger each day.

It is amazing to me how much power and peace you can get from God when you are on your knees before God praying for a miracle to happen like I did when we were told back in April 2006 that Dad was not going to make it. We surrendered the situation completely to God and trusted that he would do what was necessary according to his will. To praise God even in the midst of storms that are thrown our way is truly humbling, but God is near us during those times and he longs to hear our prayers.

My Dad did make it through and he came home on September 22, 2006 (5 months after he was first admitted). It was God's will to save Dad to use him for greater purposes that he has planned for Dad. Maybe it is to show that God can still heal today and perform miracles. My Dad is truly a miracle.

Now, I know there may be a few readng this post and you are saying to yourself, how come God didn't save my parent, relative, etc. who may have been in a similar situation as my Dad. You have every right to question why this was the case. This is normal after you hear how God saved someone's life and not someone else close to you.

With this being Easter, I do want to let you know that God has done something for YOU that is a miracle in its own right. He SAVED YOUR LIFE. He died on the cross to cleanse you of your sins and allow you to live with him forever. In my Dad's case, Dad has used his new lease on life to be a "minister of God" and tell anyone willing to listen about what God did in his life. God wants YOU to feel his presence in whatever you are facing today. It could be a job loss, death of a loved one, uncertainty for the future, anything. The world we live in now is filled with anxious, nerve-wracking moments everyday. But, please hear my words... DON'T GIVE UP!! God did not give up on my Dad 3 years ago when everyone, except my family and God, had given up hope. We were flat out told that NO ONE had ever come back from such dire situations to live. BUT, we knew that GOD was greater than what was facing my Dad and he showed his power in an almighty way. I went down on my knees and cried out to God for his intervention. I gave up all control I thought I had to Him to allow him to do his will. When you get down on your knees and lift up whatever is pressing on your heart to God, he listens and will respond in his way. All you need to do is trust in Him.

This Easter, I wanted to share this very personal story with each of you as I felt God pressed it upon my heart to do it in this way on my blog. On Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose from the dead to GIVE US LIFE.

God wants to give you a "resurrection" of some kind to help you rise up from whatever you are facing and face the future with confidence and trust that you will make it with God's help. Please turn to God in your hour of need.

Someone once told me: "Nothing ever grows on the tops of the mountains. The real beauty that God has to offer is always found in the valleys." The valleys that we experience in life are the places where we really grow.

There was one song that my family turned to and it truly carried us through this whole ordeal with my Dad. I have posted the link to this song for you and the challenge you may be facing in your life right now.

Believe in its words: We Praise You In This Storm.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Don't Let Others Attempt To Crush Your Spirit And Passion

I was listening to a tape I have that is a speech given by Frank Peretti, author of several great books, who was talking with students and parents about a book he wrote called The Wounded Spirit. He gave this speech at a conference a few months after the Littleton, Colorado school tragedy. The focus of the speech: He told his personal story about how he grew up in school with kids picking on him, bullying him, and even years later, the hurt and pain that wounded his spirit still affected him to a degree. I could relate to him so well since I suffered through many wrongdoings from kids as I grew up and even today, there are incidents in the workplace that can affect a person. Sadly, it still seems to continue in the workplace.

I have a whiteboard in my cube where I write things that come to mind or things I read that inspire me.

Today's message is: "A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?"

Its message is primarily to those at work who believe they can tell me how I should behave, what I should think about, and how I should act so I please them. Do you want to know one reason why some people rebel or go up against people who insist they need to like certain things? Because many of those who rebel have a wounded spirit that they still carry with them. NO ONE should have to put up with others, no matter their title or rank in a work setting, who want to see someone do things that they feel this person should just accept. Each person is unique in how God made them and we should be accepted for what makes us tick, what makes us passionate, and what career path we want to take.

People say you learn what your purpose is in life over time as God reveals it to you. As I listened to the tape of "The Wounded Spirit" speech, I could sense something tugging at my heart. Yes, I can relate to the topic of people trying to run you over at work since I have lived it in the last 6 months at my company. My spirit has been crushed numerous times by those who insist they are only doing it to help me succeed and/or for my own benefit. Explain to me how putting me in front of HR and saying that I have been out of line in suggesting ideas for how we could benefit from interacting with customers is right. Explain to me how having your boss and his boss constantly watching your every move and getting on your case every time you talk to someone or share something that relates to your passion is right. Explain to me why certain people in the company who believe they have all the answers or are the "experts" feel it is right to call you out and make it public knowledge that how you are doing things is wrong.

I have been in marketing for over 8 years now and I know that in marketing, the main mindset engrained in people's minds is that our main objectives are to push marketing messages out to people we feel would benefit from hearing about our products and keep doing this same practice. Do it via direct mail, TV ads, radio ads, website content, magazine ads, brochures, etc. Just keep pushing our message out there about why people need to consider our brand. We don't want to hear from our customers about your true needs. We know your needs and you NEED to get our product is the company's perspective.

I may be a weird, unique person in a marketing role who has a different mindset that has come into play over the last 2 years. This new mindset is one reason why I have struggles at work and conflicts with those who insist my way of thinking is wrong. It is part of my DNA to help people in life. As social media has come onto the scene more and more, I have seen the tremendous value and benefits of embracing the tools that enable social communication to happen. I can see with clarity the value of using tools like Twitter, blogs, social networking communities, etc. to reach out and connect with customers who own our products. We have people who LOVE the equipment we sell with a passion like none other. Much like Harley owners, they want to wear our brand name and proudly proclaim they are tied to our brand. So, the question I keep asking to people at work is WHY are we not reaching out to them, allowing them to share their stories, and sharing their love for the brand so others can see that our company cares about what its customers think and feel. I want to so badly be in a role to reach out to these passionate customers, talk with them, and allow them to share their stories.

I read an article the other day that was so right on the money. Before you introduce or try to persuade people in a corporation to consider new technologies (social media, etc.), first there has to be openness and willingness in the company culture to try new things. Resistance in company culture is the number one reason why many well-meaning, passionate individuals are shut out and or told to shut up about what they love to share. Until management embraces these new technologies and really understands the true value of the tools out there to connect with real customers, the same "we have always done things this way" mentality will continue. And the spirit of those who really want to help companies move into the next frontier of two-way communication with customers will once again be crushed.

No matter the HR meetings, constant discussions about my perceived "behavioral problems," and meetings about how I am tarnishing the department or my superior's self-images, I would not do anything any different. I am only expressing what is true to me and who I am. I will not allow others to attempt to crush my spirit.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Inspiring quote on perseverance

“When you want a thing deeply, earnestly and intensely, this feeling of desire reinforces your will and arouses in you the determination to work for the desired object. When you have a distinct purpose in view, your work becomes of absorbing interest. You bend your best powers to it; your give it concentrated attention; you think of little else than the realization of this purpose; you will is stimulated into unusual activity, and as a consequence you do your work with an increasing sense of power.” -Grenville Kleiser

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Inspiring quotes for the day

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” -Mahatma Gandhi

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people that have come alive.” -Harold Whitman

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Inspiring passage for 2009

I came across this passage by George Bernard Shaw that inspired me and I wanted to share it with all of you.

In 2009:
To be used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one…I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brithly as possible before handing it on to future generations.