As I finish this week’s list of best of links, we’re watching another snowstorm dump inches and inches of snow. We had so much snow in December and it stayed for so long. I’m not a happy camper. Part of the reason is that, regardless of the flake factor, the work goes on. Part of that work for my students is their blogging project! Yay!
This week’s links are a bit of a hodgepodge. You can learn more info about these “linky loves” and the background on the students’ assignment here.
I can’t pretend that I don’t respond with amusement (and bemusement, for that matter) when a student says that he or she wants to do “entertainment PR.” I know it comes from our celeb-obsessed culture and they hope it means working on red carpets, setting up press junkets and coordinating with the personal stylist to ensure the dress and jewels are fierce.
I know that there’s plenty of that for the select few who rise to that level (and we’ve all seen the awkward publicists hovering and herding on the red carpet at awards shows).
Continue reading “Celeb PR Not All Red Carpets and Paparazzi: Ask Scarlett Johansson”
At this point in the term, we’re all finding our groove. We’re far enough into the quarter to have some routines established and expectations for each class calendared out for the term. I’d say that “in the groove” for me this term is more about learning to dance with new partners to new music than to finding routine. But I’m starting to get the hang of that, too.
In my strategic public relations writing class, students have been blogging for two weeks, so they’re finding their own groove. You can learn more info about these “linky loves” and the background on the students’ assignment here.
Continue reading “We’re in the Groove, Now! Week Four Linky Loves”
Is it possible for time to both speed up and slow down simultaneously? This time in the term, it both amazes me that we’re already a third of the way through the term (we’re still finding our groove!) and yet, somehow, how is it only week three.
This is our second round of “best of” posts for my students in Strategic Public Relations Communications. You can learn more info about these “linky loves” and the background on the students’ assignment here.
On with the links!
Winter term is always my favorite in the academic universe. Students seem more focused, I seem more focused and productive. We could probably blame the dreary weather — after all, what else do we have to do in Oregon in January and February in Oregon? It lacks the distractions of Spring and is more settled in than Fall.
This term, I’m teaching Strategic Public Relations Writing (J452) for the first time in two years. In this class, students blog twice a week for the duration of the term.
Continue reading “Back in the Saddle with the First Herd of Winter Term Linky Loves”
This is the last in my countdown of New Year’s resolutions.
I love to read. I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on. I consistently read above my grade level thanks to my parents encouragement of my love of books.
Then grad school happened. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, academic reading and writing trumped reading for pleasure. Then my professional career. Then kids. Then… life. And, I kid you not, over the last 10 years, I’ve probably read two books a year that were totally and completely for my own pleasure. Half of those were probably audio books. I’ve read trade books, professional books, academic texts, too many blogs and articles to count… but reading for pleasure has definitely taken a backseat.
In the last five years, I’ve learned that I need input. In fact, it’s one of my top five strengths in the StrengthsFinder system. In crave input. I need it to feel strong and confident in my work. I’ve relied on the input from business, trade and academic press, but reading for fun is also part of that.
(You can learn more about how I feel about StrengthsFinder here. The short answer is that I love it.)
This quote from Stephen King, who often writes about writing, also resonates with me. I’m a writer. Strong writing is widely the number one skill required of a public relations professional. I’m working on a book and I (quite literally) write sun up to sun down in my day-to-day work.
Continue reading “New Year’s Resolution #1: Read More for Pleasure”
This is the fourth in my countdown to my number 1 New Year’s resolution. You can see number five here, number four here and number three right here.
Just about every New Year’s resolutions list includes exercise among the top ten. You can add my voice to the choir. Exercise seems like it belongs a personal improvement list, though, not a professional list. But here’s why I’m including it:
Exercise Boosts Brain Power
In the book Brain Rules, the first rule for making your brain work better is to get moving. Regularly. Like more than once during the day. Sit on a stability ball, get a standing desk, take a walk around the block. Just move. It helps you think, helps you retain information, spurs creativity – all sorts of good things, right?
This is the third in my countdown to my number 1 New Year’s resolution. You can see number five here and number four here.
I can be a little bit of a control freak. It’s not that I’m a perfectionist, per se. I’m really not. I have high standards, but I’m also ok with the idea that perfect is the enemy of the good. I do, however, struggle with the idea that someone else might be able to do the project in the same way that I can. Reality is that someone else can’t — but that’s not necessarily bad, right?
A colleague described trying to help me on a project as the pit crew watching a race car speeding around a track, just waiting for the driver to stop. The crew wants to help and has to hope the driver stops in time to get help.
If I can stop at the pits just a couple of laps earlier and give everyone time and enough info to get up to speed, the race will have a better outcome.
I’m looking at adding some different responsibilities to my plate this year and I need to give myself time to ask for – and get – help. Waiting to ask until I’m coming from a place of panic doesn’t help anyone.
People need two types of help — the first is when you don’t know how to do something and the second is when you have too much on your plate and need to do a good job delegating.
I struggle more with the latter than the former. I’m pretty resourceful when I need to figure out something new and tend to be able to recognize when I don’t know what I don’t know.
So my resolution is focused on doing a better job delegating and getting help to meet deadlines, project goals and my own expectations.
This is the second in my countdown of New Year’s Resolutions. If you missed the first, you can read it here.
I’m really, really bad at saying no. Really, really bad.
I like to say yes. I like to help. I like to do things I’m good at and I know I’ll do well. I am also very good at feeling responsible for, well, everyone.
And I will still do all of those things. But I must, in the name of all that is holy, say “no” more.
I have to remember that there are degrees of no. No doesn’t necessarily mean eff off. It may mean, “I can’t do that for you, but here are a couple of potential solutions.” Or, “I am not able to add that to my plate right now, but let’s brainstorm together over a cup of coffee.” Maybe even, “I’m not the right person to help you, but I know who is; let me connect you.”
So, here’s to saying “no” more! Or at least venturing into to “no” end of the spectrum.
Any tips?
This is the first in a countdown-style series of my professionally-oriented New Year’s resolutions.
I love to learn. I am insatiably curious, even when I don’t want to be (or have time to be!). I have a mental list of things that I wish I knew how to do but don’t necessarily have to for my day-to-day work. So this year, I’m going to start checking some things off that list. I’ll start with these two.
Continue reading “New Year’s Resolution #5: Learn Something New”
