Advice: Viva le revolution – the future is here (just thought you might like to know)
Not sure if you’re aware of a minor revolution in the world of technology in recent years, but if you’ve ever experienced one of those devices that begins with an ‘i’, then you already know what I’m talking about.
With the advent of the iPhone some 2 years ago, and now with the introduction of the iPhone’s big brother, the iPad, earlier this year, there’s been a significant shift in the way we mere mortals use the internet.
Not only do you see the uptake/market saturation of these button-less devices (iPhones proudly displayed on coffee shop tables), or the ease of use/intuitive controls (young children taking to them like a duck to water!), but there’s now solid proof of the ramifications of their increased usage: new reports show that 1 in 10 searches on Google is now on a mobile device. iPods, iPhones and iPads are both the market leader and the thought leader.
Let’s look into this new revolution a little bit further…
Advice: Leet 101 – a guide to what Gen Y are typing
LOL R U a n00b at leet? Don’t panic! If you *are* a noob (newbie/new to the scene), then this little guide may help you translate a little bit of what anyone under the age of about, oh, 35 or so is probably typing right now.
With the rise of instant messaging (IM) programs, text-based chatting, SMS, IRC and in-game virtual world chatting, your fingers sure do get a little weary of typing common phrases over and over again. Yes, yes, you could pick up the phone and *actually talk to someone*, but when you’re stuck in the cyber world with only a keyboard as your means of communication, shortcuts rule.
The following is a short list of the some common Leet words and their plain-English counterparts. Feel free to use them at will in your next SMS, but also feel free to keep on typing your SMSes in full words, with punctuation and grammar. Old school is still cool.
Advice: What Happens When You Die?
Don’t panic – I’m not talking medical nor theological here – I’m talking purely about you and your business. If you were looking for the medical or theological aspects, try Wikipedia.org, Google, or even progressbaroflife.com.
The phrase ‘what happens if you die’ is one that I’ve heard a lot in my business. To date, I think every major client has asked me that question at some point in our partnerships. While it’s kinda nice that your clients are enquiring about your long-term health and your ability to cross the road without getting hit by a bus, they actually have a point – what would happen to their business if I dropped off the planet – and what would happen to *my* business, and my family, if I wasn’t around?
Lots of things to talk about, namely: chain of command; systems and processes; and the concepts of proprietary vs open source. Still here? Good. No-one’s getting any younger!
News: SMX 2010 in review – blogs/tweets/photos/resources
There’s already a few blog posts and photo galleries appearing, following the success of SMX Sydney 2010. This list is simply a quick attempt to aggregate any resources or post-conference analysis of some of the topics covered. Feel free to shoot me any info, and I’ll add it to the list.
News: SMX 2010 – Day 2: Site Clinic & Harbour Cruise
Wrapping up SMX for 2010 was the famous (infamous??) site clinic – an excuse to get all the speakers up on stage and pick apart a series of web sites for ways to improve their search engine rankings. And also something fun to do to begin to wind down after a very hectic 2 days! In the gallery below, you’ll see the presentation of the iPad to the lucky attendee; the official conference photo; and the ‘Under the Bridge’ Harbour Cruise.
News: SMX 2010 – Day 2: Morning & Afternoon Sessions
So many photos, so little time… Below is a quick Wordpress Gallery of Day 2 at SMX Sydney – the morning and afternoon session up to, but not including the Site Clinic and Harbour Cruise – that’s up next. Enjoy!
News: SMX 2010 – Day 1: Afternoon Sessions & Networking
Photo highlights from the afternoon sessions, Day 1, SMX Sydney 2010
News: SMX 2010 – Day 1: Morning Sessions
Photo highlights from the morning of Day 1, SMX Sydney 2010.
News: SMX 2010 – Night 0: Tweetup
Photo highlights from around Sydney, then the Tweetup at the Marble Bar (under the Sydney Hilton) the night before SMX
Advice: Management Styles 101
Managers and business owners, gather round. Not sure if you realised, but we all fall into some pretty set routines with our ways of working. Some of the tasks we do can’t be changed, and we’re literally wearing paths in our carpet. Other things we do are varied from day to day – never the same.
To quote some Monty Python, “we’re all individuals” – and yet, we’ve already been ‘classified’ as to the types of managers we are. Management theories list at least four basic styles of management, plus a compliment of industry-specific styles.
What’s important about the following list of management styles is not so much in identifying which style sounds the most like you, but in looking at the other styles, to see if there could be benefits to you, your staff, and your business.