360 Degree Self

Musings on well-rounded living...

Archives for August 2010

Another Napkin and a Few Links

by

The dog days of summer are upon us and I’ve got myself an old-fashioned summer cold. In other words, I’ve been laying a bit low lately, but I continue to stumble upon interesting blogs and blog posts here are a few that stand out from the past few weeks…

  • As summer begins to wind down, Christine Kane shares an important post, 22 Ways to Squeeze the Last Drop of Summer Before it Ends, about how to make the most of the rest of the summer.  If you’re like me and you can’t believe the summer is almost over, you need to check this out.
  • At a time when customer service seems to be on the decline, it’s great to stumble upon a blog that recognizes good customer service experiences. Jodi Henderson’s A Pat on the Back is a source for some positive stories about customer service.
  • Call it a guilty pleasure, but I’ve enjoyed Allstate’s “Mayhem” commercials.  These commercials feature a perfectly-cast Dean Winters unleashing mayhem upon drivers everywhere.  Television viewers may remember Winters as the manipulative Ryan O’Reily in HBO’s Oz, and numerous appearances in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Rescue Me and 30 Rock.  See the mayhem here.
  • Have you ever wondered how your state legislators voted?  Do you want to know the status on a bill?  Do you ever wonder how often your state senator votes with his/her party?  If so, check out Opencongress.org.  It is a valuable tool that will keep you informed on a daily basis and most importantly at election time.
  • Do you enjoy jazz and kick yourself because you can’t make it to your town’s local jazz festival or that your town doesn’t have a jazz festival?  Well, your in luck…NPR has you covered.  Once again this year, NPR provided coverage at this prestigious music festival.  Click NPR’s Jazz at Neport page and you’ll find live recordings and podcasts from Ken Vandermark, the Maria Schneider Orchestra and numerous others.  This is your chance to load your iPod with live jazz.

How about you…how have you spent your summer vacation?  Do you have a favorite summertime book?

The Magic of Diagramming Sentences

by

It’s time for me to let out my inner geek…Back in the day I learned to diagram sentences from my junior high teacher.  In addition to that, I remember having to memorize 35 prepositions.  I wasn’t too happy to do all the hard work that went into learning English grammar.  Today, I’m very thankful.  Diagramming sentences really helped me understand all the parts of a sentence in a logical manner and has helped me to become a better writer.

I recently stumbled upon a video that touches on diagramming sentences.  It’s been so long since I’ve done this and brought back some interesting memories.  From what I understand, it’s been a long time since sentence diagramming has been taught in schools.

For more information about sentence diagramming, check out the Wiki entry about the topic.  For some books about diagramming sentences, check out Amazon.com (not an Affiliate link).

How about you…have you ever diagrammed sentences?  If so, how did you like it?

RAOKA: A Little Trust Goes a Long Way

by

This month’s RAOKA (Random Acts of Kick Arse) topic is trust.  Each month a new theme is explored.  To get involved, please visit Jane Be Nimble.

When it comes to making decisions about who I want to be friends with, which companies and organizations I want to do business with or which products I want to purchase…one word usually comes to mind for me: trust.  I don’t necessarily think about trust on a conscious level…but I know that my level of trust with a person, company, product or group is a major factor in my decision of whether I become more involved.

Trust, however, does not always come easy.  Often, it takes time to build and develop a sense of trust.  So how do you build trust?

First off, never say, “trust me” to anyone you want to build trust with.  And don’t trust anyone who says “trust me,” either.  Trust is built more from action than words.  If you want to build trust with someone, don’t tell them you’re trustworthy – show them.

I’ve spent a lot of time working with clients throughout my career.  I genuinely enjoy working with these clients and one of the first things I like to do is to develop that sense of trust when we first meet.  This trust can’t be developed overnight, but over time I do this by delivering the work that I promise, listening to their challenges and managing their expectations.  It’s a simple formula that has worked for me.

So what’s the big deal about trust anyway?

A little trust can really be powerful.  If you can demonstrate trust to a lot of people, chances are you’ll have more friends and/or better quality relationships.  If you can demonstrate trust in an interview, more than likely you’ll be hired for the position.  If you develop trust with your consumers, you’ll probably sell a lot more product.

I really love the word trust. It is strong, yet subtle…it is powerful and delicate…and when it’s present, trust can be quite magical.

Creative commons photo courtesy of The U.S. Army.