Planning To Succeed

Twitter Shy

Always one to learn about the latest communication craze, I finally tried Twitter when someone informed me that it wasn't the side screens filled with text messages for panelists at tech conferences that were the buzz. It was all the Twittering that went unnoticed. Always on the watch for a hook-up or meet-up, the C-level audience is busy telling "the crew" in and outside of the convention center what they are doing now within 140 characters. Yes, Twitter says keep it short but interesting.

A social entrepreneur who launched Choose To Evolve dotcom came to my mind as just the right person to run with Twitter. After all she could show by example what it means to choose to evolve. Everyone that's on her weekly teleconferences could now get clued into her life through their mobile device, laptop or PC. I invited her to join Twitter so we could twitter together. Don't you know she was Twitter shy?

Rather than click on the URL sandwiched in her invitation e-message, she emails me to find out what this is. I explain the same thing the invitation said in my own words. Her response to my email was to keep her posted. I told her I could do that only when she starts to twitter.

Hey, does Twitter make you think twice about evolving?

Labels: communications, resisting change, society, technology, Twitter

posted by Unknown @ 6:16 PM 0 Comments

NYC Schools Have a Brief Scare

The Mayor told the Chancellor, so the Chancellor told the Principals. The Chancellor told the Principals told them that it would be just $500,000 cut from their operating budgets for the next school term.

The Chancellor shook in his boots and so did the Principals. But the City Council members of NYC didn't shake or quake. They roared. They roared with the Keep The Promise Coalition. The City Council reminded everyone that it was the Council that passed the budget and they weren't passing any budget that didn't consider NYC's youth. They wouldn't allow a $428 million cut from the Department of Education's budget in the face of a $4.2 billion surplus.

Though the Council members made their vows, the Principals didn't hear. They started working on budgets that didn't make sense--sort of like playing insane games with a mad man and trying to be realistic. June 29 in the PM, the NYC Council was victorious. Schools didn't get slashes; they got raises. Other youth programs got their money, too.

The lesson to this story is when in need, follow the chain back to the real decision-maker.

Labels: Bloomberg, Joe Klein, New York City, NYC budget, NYC Dept. of Education

posted by Unknown @ 5:57 PM 0 Comments