The power of crowdsourcing

Years ago the Jam published a song called 'In the crowd' with the lyrics 'when I'm in the crowd I can't see anything, my mind goes a blank...', However, today the concept of being in the crowd, thanks to social media is one of enlightenment, enhanced thinking, exciting challenge and connectedness.

The concept of crowdsourcing, where online communities are used to elicit ideas, opinions, content and information from a wide and diverse community, is being used widely. Evidence can be seen of its power, from IT organisations using it to develop environments like Moodle to Government bodies using the concept to gain input to Government policies. People taking part in discussion forums are contributing to the practice of crowdsourcing everyday and long may it continue. It is a great way of testing your views, seeking further information and sailing beyond your comfort zone. Are you brave enough?

Boxed in by Fear

This is Alfie cat, and as many cat lovers will appreciate, where there is a box (or a bag, or a drawer, or a cupboard) there is a cat hidey hole.

Alfie is a bit of a scaredy cat though, so will resort to hiding to avoid the unknown.

His recent dive into this box made me reflect on what makes me 'dive into my box'.




It didn't take me long to come up with a list which included:

• Things I don't know how to do.
• Things I might fail at.
• Things which if they go wrong will be BAD BAD BAD

This is all fear of the unknown kinda stuff and it often gets in the way of me starting things which, once I have begun the task seem to be so much less scary. So how do we conquer that initial fear. Here are my 3 tips:

• Believe in yourself. Think how often you have done something you didn't think you could do.
• Don't fear failure, embrace it. As Thomas Edison says, 'genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration'. Remember, to fail is to learn and to learn is to move forward.
• Step out of the hidey hole and be brave. You miss so much being stuck in a box, embrace the unknown and discover the endless possibilities it offers!

Feeling happy - is it natural or synthetic and does it matter?

Today the sun came out, the sky was blue and it was warm enough to sit in the garden with a cuppa. As I closed my eyes and listened to the noises of spring (birds singing, the occasional yap of a neighbours dog, distant music and plane flying overhead), I felt a genuine surge of happiness.Such simple things can bring real joy.

With this in mind I really enjoyed this TED Talk from Dan Gilbert on the science of happiness. Did you know there is a difference between natural happiness and synthetic happiness? I put my 5 minutes in the garden down as natural happiness but am I right. This research really makes you think about your own happiness and what we call happiness!

Una

Along the right lines...

Last Thursday Caroline (coloured scarf) and I (the other one in the middle with glasses) decided to do something different so we signed up for a London Literary Pub Crawl.

Well if you ever wanted to know what the great writers got up to in their down time, wondered where Fitzrovia is and wanted to chat to Charles Dickens or Virginia Woolf, this is your chance. Courtesy of the Maverick Theatre Company this was a fun, engaging and fascinating experience.

We won't issue spoilers in case you fancy giving this a go as a good night out with your colleagues, but it got us wondering how actors learn their lines. As L&D people we often need to commit things to memory so we can present ideas to others, so how do we do this? There are a few interesting discussions on the subject of memorising lines. Here are a few to get you thinking:


How do actors/actresses memorize their lines?
What Actors Can Teach Us About Memory and Learning

Actors Techniques on Learning Lines - BBC

Una

It's all about words in the West Wing

I don't know if it is a good or a bad thing that I have been loaned the entire box set of the West Wing. I am now hooked, good and proper.

BUT.....I am also very bemused and a tad irritated by a few things. Talking fast, very fast, in fact, so fast my ears cannot pick up all the words, seems to be taken as synonymous with showing intelligence. Scattering speech with acronyms and leaving things unsaid but accompanied by meaningful looks, all serve to make the case that if you don't understand, you don't belong.

It reminds me that corporate life is full of people enacting these sorts of behaviours and then we are surprised people misunderstand and that mistakes are made! So my plea this week is to KISS - Keep it so simple. De-mystify, de-clutter and 'de-clique-ify' your speech.

Una

Struggling with Focus

Ha ha. Thanks to +American Management today for the link to the Dilbert cartoon on working from home. Today being a Monday began with completing a task I had begun last Friday. A good way to start the week I thought. Tick one off the to do list and get the motivation to move to task 2. However, one look at my To Do list highlighted a problem, what should task 2 be. The scale of Urgent vs Important started to get drowned out by the interesting vs boring, which was also shouted down by the Must, Should and Could analysis.

So what won.... The 'dangle the pencil above the list with the eye's closed, circle it around a few times and then point' analysis has dictated a software amendment is needed. Thank goodness for scientific decision makeing eh!

That is Monday's for you!!

Have a good week.

Una

Learning through social media

Well I have to thank Lars Feldmann on Linked in for sharing this link to Jane Harts Blog. Having pondered earlier in the week what makes me click through on links I am sent, Jane's blog makes me add an additional thought - to learn more.

Jane shows a really catchy and inspirational way to help people learn through social media. I just love the thought. Thanks to Jane and thanks to Lars for helping me learn through social media!

Una