Sabona Means I See You

Take 10 min to watch the Serendipity Engine talk by Chris Brogan about listening.

From the Web 2.0 Expo in New York

Sabona Means I See You and is anchored in the Zulu culture where reconciliation is a fundamental element for progression as a person and as a society.

Twitter Gifting

My first antidote to the "I-ness" issue is something called Twitter Gifting.


Look at your list of followers. Who are they? What information or entertainment can you send their way? How can you acknowledge them? Engagement begins with acknowledgement and to make a friendly thoughtful gesture is the best way to open up a conversation.

We Aren't Our Numbers
The Dunbar Number intrigues me and there does seem to be an upper limit to how many people you can hold a meaningful conversation with. However, the numbers game is fruitless, people jockeying for the most amount of followers annoys me, we aren't competing for who has the longest contact list. It's about the discussion. Who are you influencing? What information are you sharing? What conversations are you starting and nurturing?

Let's talk quality. Let's build a resource. Let's connect. My first suggestion is Twitter Gifting.

1. bring something to the conversation

2. show that you care, that you looked at who they are, that you listen

3. wrap it cleverly and with care

a. include their @username
b. make your Tweet a bit short for easy retweeting
c. use is.gd or a link shortener
d. give hint to the content, use descriptive language

4. Words to the wise. Always view the complete item before you forward.

Twitter Gifting is our first in a list of antidotes to the issue of "I-ness."

Now you are Ready To Go and become part of the conversation.

How to Search Twitter Real Time

Twitter's saved searches open up the Twitter-verse. By searching for your keywords you can connect with the conversations that you are most interested in. Connecting and building via shared interests builds a dynamic community which not only gives you a platform to spread your message but also keeps you informed of new information and new networks to explore.

You are now Ready To Go!

Join the Twitter Conversation

But I don't care what breakfast cereal you are eating at the moment ...

When I hear comments like that I cringe. Not because I don't share the sentiment but because they are missing out on the amazing opportunities available from Twitter. But to get the goodness you must join the conversation.

Here are three simple steps for you to start taking part.

On your Twitter home page in the upper right hand corner right you will find where this magic takes place.

1. Check your @'s
When people send you messages and address you in conversations it is addressed as @yourusername. To make sure you are hearing people be sure to check your @s.



                                                            




2. Check your DMs



DMs (Direct Messages) are the private chat of Twitter. You may only receive DMs from those you follow. DMs are private messages and are not seen in your time line.





3. Twitter is search. Real live action search of what is going on in the collective consciousness. Set searches to find conversations about your interests to plug into the conversations of your choise. If you are searching for a two word phrase use quotes to find that phrase.

Enter your keyword or keyword phrase, add quotations to search for that combination of words by pressing the image of the looking glass.

Save searches for easy reference and consistent monitoring. They will appear in the right hand column of your page for your convenience. You will be able to monitor and stay track of conversations involving topics of your choice at the push of a button.

Rinse and repeat. You are now Ready To Go.

Join the conversation. See you on the interwebs!

Conversations: the E's and I's of It

The E's and The I's
Have you ever heard of the Myers-Briggs Personality Test. We have found it really interesting. Whether I take the six point quiz on Facebook or the longer more elaborate questionnaires I always end with the same result, ISFJ. Darin consistently is labeled an ESTP. The Myers-Brigg evaluation is expressed in four different quadrants where our personalities range between two qualities. The letters stand for that quality.

Extroversion / Introversion
Sensing / Intuition (N)
Thinking / Feeling
Judging / Perceiving

And I was thinking about the Extroversion and Introversion element. I see evidence of Darin's "E-ness" and my "I-ness" all over the place. This doesn't mean simply that Darin is an Extrovert and I am an Introvert, that isn't it. Extroversion in the Myers-Briggs test describes the personality who's primary interaction with the world is expressed externally. Action, interacting with others is what feeds them. They live externally and their primary experience is of things external. The absence of action and external stimulation depletes them. Introverts, the I's, their experience is an internal one. They recharge with reflection, thought and contemplation.

Our activities online really reflect this dichotomy. Darin is very chatty and part of many conversations and groups. He instigates action and reaches out immediately. Darin often jokes that he has been Twittering his whole life as his email are characteristically short and to the point. My activities tend to be more reflective and contemplative. Much more the listening side.

This year's Blog World Expo was a lesson in engagement and that first lesson for me was one of reciprocity. I follow a lot of the same people as Darin. I look through their streams and Darin and I speak of our Twitter friends like we speak of any one we know IRL (IRL = in real life). But I don't always reach out. What has developed is that I have a group of individuals that I have only engaged with on one level. One half of the conversation does not a conversation make. I am listening but how would they ever know?

We probably all fall to one side of the spectrum or the other. The Extroverts of the world will naturally be more comfortable initiating relationships and enjoying the speed and brevity of microblogging. Introverts may feel more fulfilled having longer more elaborate blogs. While they may excel in listening there won't be a conversation or a relationship unless action takes place. Because unlike in real life (IRL) on the internet if you don't comment or let them know you are listening they just don't know.

The conversation has to be reciprocal. That takes action. Give and take. Yin and Yang.

I will be sharing my antidotes to my "I-ness."
The E's out there may find them helpful too.
And then I will have some adventures to share with you.

;) Lisa

I-ness Antidote: Twitter Gifting