Friday, February 11, 2011

Pie Formula for Writing a Book




Many people through the years have benefited from the following formula I created for writing a book. I hope it can benefit you also.

Step 1: 30% - the crust of your pie. Just like you take time to create a good pie crust, take time to write a great outline for you book.

Step 2: 60% - Pour in the FED's - Facts, Examples and Details. The facts are all those great statistics and information that helps bolster the ideas presented in your book.

Examples are the great stories that help convey the ideas you present event faster in that they offer both tacit (implied) and expicit (self evident) knowledge. Stories really help readers wrap their arms around complex ideas.

Step 3: 10% - Finish with the garnishment. This is the unique part of the book--the heart of you--your voice--uniquely you.


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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Why Leadership

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Great Connections

My colleague, John Paterson, whom I am working with on a new book on social media just connected me with John Brunswick of Incunation who used to be from Chicago but is now in Boston working to foster a community of phenomenal talent focused on early stage ventures.

They hope to do great things for the entrepreneurial community and are forming partnerships with Swissnex (http://www.swissnexsanfrancisco.org/) and Boston World Partnerships (http://bostonworldpartnerships.com/).

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Have You Hugged an Elephant Lately?

What can I say but that I'm a sucker for a great picture, but, even more so, a great picture when it is of one of my children. Here is Graham, my first son, in Japan hugging an elephant.

Yet what is even more touching about this picture--and I am sure you can see it, is the happiness and joy in Graham's eyes as he hugs one of the most wonderful animals on our earth. Now, I could go on and on about my son as mothers can only do. I could show you pictures of him resting beside tigers or teaching his Japanese students at Yokoshiba Junior High School, but, most importantly, I just want to take a moment and say, "Thank you Graham."

Thank you for being in the world and making it a better place by helping all of us stop for just a moment and look into the eyes of someone just really beginning his life. Thank you for teaching us what living is all about and thank you for reminding us of what is most important in life--people and animals. We are all we have.

Once we've moved all the toys or electronic gadgets from our living rooms to closets or drawers somewhere in our homes; once all those new clothes we couldn't live without have become unfashionable and sent off to the Salvation Army; once all that food we overconsumed still rests on our hips or thighs, we will continue to look at pictures like the one above and they help us remember why we are here in the first place. It's simple. . . so very simple . . . to just be there for each other as often as possible.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Creative Leadership - Networking

Following is a good video on networking and creative leadership. I especially like Corey's comment that anyone you meet could become a "fan" or a client of yours.

Creative Leadership

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Behind the Scenes of Networlding

It all started here right before the holidays:

Hi Melissa,

As a new subscriber to your Networlding Newsletter, I am proud to tell you that I have purchased your book.

So in my most humble manner I am begging to get a copy of your E-Tips Booklet so I can get the most out of LinkedIn :-)

A copy of my paid receipt is located below.

Happy Holidays!

Matthew Stack

Portland, OR


And so I responded:


On Sun, Dec 28, 2008 at 5:04 PM, Melissa Giovagnoli <melissa@networlding.com> wrote:
Matthew,

All I can say is "wow." You get it. You really get it. May I put your
email up on my blog www.bestlinkedintraining.com. It is so good and I
think will help you connect with others like you. And, if you do want
to, yes, please invite me into your network.

Finally, please do join our Networlding Group on LinkedIn. We are in
the 1% of all the thousands of groups on LinkedIn and the #1 socially
responsible groups. I think you will really enjoy the group that has
people who are broadway and movie producers to top executives at
Fortune 500 companies to really great, passionate, make-a-difference
entrepreneurs.

Thanks again so much and please also feel free to call sometime! I
would love to know more about you. Finally, we will be starting a
four-month membership for people wanting to do accelerate their
learning around LinkedIn. If you want I'll put you on our newsletter
list and notify you of the time.

Thanks!

Melissa


Matthew's email back:

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

I will be sending you a LinkedIn request. I will also request to join your Networlding Group as well. And Yes I would also like to participate in your four month membership to accelerate my LinkedIn learning curve.

Additionally, you have my expressed written permission to include my comments here, and previously, on your blog.

Now getting back to your comments about the "wow" you get it.

(I am humble, but will embrace your comments)

My reply is that You get it. I just happened to recognize from your comments, and your professional career, that is the way to be, like you. I can do it this way by learning from you.

But I did not just up and e-mail you, and request to be linked with you. I knew that I did not merit taking that action yet.

I had to stop and let my discovery settle. I had to own what I had learned. Sure I could have ordered your book, and said how wonderful it was, and how I was benefitting, but that is not who I am. But I was "gonna" learn from you, and get the book to learn from it, as well as the comments you make on your blog and elsewhere.

Then I read where you were offering to supplement a purchase of your book with the additional 101 e-Tips booklet, and took that opportunity to complete my intentions. But before I could reach out to you with a LinkedIn request, I owed you work on your questions. Yet my process was accelerated when you replied to me and asked a specific question. Despite the book being still enroute from Barnes&Noble, we are having this conversation today.

Thanks again, and I will make a point of speaking directly with you, because that would just be wonderful.

Matthew Stack

Portland, OR

Friday, January 2, 2009

Doing Well by Doing Good: The Upward Spiral of Success




The table to the left displays a creative way to get what "Doing Well by Doing Good" is all about. 

Even more so though is that because everyone and everything is indeed connected, there were many  more things that evolved out of my efforts to do well for others--to help them really get how one small opportunity can lead to more and more. 

Further, the experiences all build off of one another. The learnings from one become the levers for the next and the next, allowing you to do more with each successive connection. 

It all comes down to "network thinking" which involves seeing things as connected.