The Leadership Context

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The attributes which make for effective leadership depend on the situation and which the leader is functioning. There are no traits that guarantee successful leadership in all situations. the leader of the University faculty may have quite different attributes from the commander of a military attack team. the qualities required of a legislative leader are not those required of a religious leader. This is not to say that the setting or context is everything and the attributes of the individual nothing. What produces a good result is the combination of a particular context and an individual with the appropriate qualities to lead in that context.

John W. Gardner, On Leadership

Why are some people compelled to cheat?

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The fear of losing something appears to be a greater motivator to cheat than the lure of a gain.

Kerry Ritchie, who researches how to improve teaching at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, says the majority of academic cheating is conducted by high-achieving students, (60% of offenders earned grades 80% or more). While cheating in education is not the same as cheating during play, if there are similarities it's that those at the top feel a pressure to maintain their status. Players are more likely to behave dishonestly if they can say that it benefits other people as well as themselves.

William Park writing in BBC Future

A Social Media Makeover (part 1)

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(Answer the questions in blue)

PERSONAL BRANDING: A SOCIAL MEDIA MAKEOVER (PART 1)

Your online reputation is your reputation. Taking these steps will give you control of your social media brand. Companies want personal brands that run parallel to their own, not brands that compete with their social media reputation.

Google magnifying glass

 WHAT DOES GOOGLE KNOW?           

The first thing a prospective employer may do is Google you. So let’s find out who Google thinks you are.

Open an incognito browser window (so that your Google search is free from any personal customizations or saved search elements) and search for:

·       Your name, first and last (or the name of your business)

·       Variations of your name

·       Your full name, nickname, middle name, etc.

·       Any misspellings of your name

·       If your name is common, add other elements that might help define you like your occupation, your employer, your school, etc.

Are there inappropriate photos, rants, politically divisive or offensive items that do not fit with the brand you want to offer to the public and particularly to potential employers, clients or customers? This includes negative opinions about a company you’re about to interview with.

Tools to help you clean up your act (or keep it clean): Google Alerts and Socialmention. 

 YOUR NICHE

SET YOURSELF APART

What sets you apart from others? Here are some ways to get to an answer: 

·       What is the “one thing” that everyone says you rock at?

·       What are your passions and interests?

·       What do you read about most often online?

·       Will you still be interested in this particular area six months or a year from now?



YOUR HEADLINE

Keep it to 160 characters so it will fit into your Twitter bio.  For examples of what not to do (because some descriptions have been overused), check out the canned (and funny) TwitterBioGenerator.      

Think of it as a headline that would go on an ad for “Brand You.”  But remember: People want to connect with people, not a brand. It might be catchy and unique. Some examples:

 Consider loading it with keywords. Example:

Innovative CMO, Extensive retail experience from start-ups to major global brands. Fluent English, French, Mandarin

It might be a power statement that defines your personal brand. Example:

Helping Companies Find Breakout Ideas and Transforming Them Into Global Technology Brands

The best profiles tell a story, a career story or a personal story. Something that ties all the pieces of your journey together in a narrative.

If you are focused on job hunting, look at job descriptions of the positions you’re after. Look for keywords and treat them like your resume.

Aim at somewhere between 450 and 650 characters.

Walk the reader through your work passions, key skills, uniqueness.  Include the skills you want to be known for.

Consider including:

·       One professional description (your bio should be accurate)

·       One word that is not boring (your bio should be exciting)

·       One niche descriptor (your bio should be targeted)

·       One accomplishment (your bio should be flattering)

·       One hobby (your bio should be humanizing)

·       One interesting fact or feature about yourself (your bio should be intriguing)

·       Your company or another social profile (your bio should be connected)

       Avoid:

·       Insider jargon

·       Clichés

·       Overused buzzwords (such as creative, driven, innovative, hardworking etc.)

·       General statements (Be specific. When possible, include numbers and case studies that prove success)

Write as if you are having a conversation with someone. Inject your personality.

          

MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS 

Slides, videos, infographics, photos--photos you have taken or photos of you doing things?

If you’re in a creative field, there’s no better way to flaunt your personality, design aesthetic, and vision than through a personal social media profile.

Ask yourself this: Based on what I post, do I look like I’d be awesome to work with?  

Estranged

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Whoever protects himself against what is new and strange and thereby regresses to the past, falls into the same neurotic condition as the man who identifies himself with the new and runs away from the past. The only difference is that the one has estranged himself from the past, and the other from the future. 

CG Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul

How your Attitude about Age affects your health

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Recent findings suggest that age beliefs may play a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Tracking 4,765 participants over four years, the researchers found that positive expectations of ageing halved the risk of developing the disease, compared to those who saw old age as an inevitable period of decline. Astonishingly, this was even true of people who carried a harmful variant of the APOE gene, which is known to render people more susceptible to the disease. The positive mindset can counteract an inherited misfortune, protecting against the build-up of the toxic plaques and neuronal loss that characterise the disease. 

David Robson, The Expectation Effect: How your Mindset Can Transform Your Life

 

Four kinds of self-stories

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Ontology is the study of being. Therefore, an ontology of the self is a person's account of how he or she came to be. Hankiss finds that young adults 10 to use four different kinds of “strategies” in constructing their ontologies of self: the dynastic (a good past gives birth to a good present), the antithetical (a bad past gives birth to a good present),the compensatory ( a good past gives birth to a bad present), and the self-absolutory (a bad past gives birth to a bad present).

Dan McAdams, The Stories We Live By

Earned success

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Earned success gives you a sense of accomplishment. Employers who give clear guidance and feedback, reward merit, and encourage their employees to develop new skills are the most likely to give you those feelings. Look for a boss who acts that way—and if you have the opportunity, be that kind of boss. 

Arthur C. Brooks writing in The Atlantic

Setting realistic goals to change habits and create new ones

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I became a more frequent flosser by taking the package of floss out of my medicine cabinet and sitting it next to my toothbrush, where I could always see it. I used to procrastinate on washing dishes, but now I do them every day like clockwork, thanks to a Bluetooth speaker that I use to listen to podcasts while I stand at the sink. Having a clean kitchen, in turn, means I cook more—an activity I really enjoy—and resort to expensive takeout orders less frequently. I figured out what was stopping me from doing some of the things I knew I could do, and I tried to eliminate the obstacles I could control, to reasonable success. Figuring out how to do something a little less or a little more is likely to yield the best results for most people, even if it’s not going to turn you into a different human.  

Amanda Mull writing in The Atlantic

10 virtual & free media/journalism/writing panels in the next month

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Wed., Jan 12 - Producer Academy  

What: This webinar is for students interested in pursuing careers in newscast and digital news producing. Topics include:

  • How producers can contribute creatively to the content gathering process

  • The Investigative approach to producing

  • How to create unique stories on digital platforms

  • What a producer’s first year in the newsroom may be like

  • Tips on applying for newsroom jobs

Who: TV News Directors and Producers from Sinclair news operations

Cost: Free

When: 11am - 1pm Central, 9-11am Pacific

Sponsor: Sinclair Broadcast Group

More info: eepiereman@sbgtv.com

Thu., Jan 13 - Op-Ed Crash Course

What: Everything you need to know, with insider tips, on how to craft and place a compelling op-ed. Upon request, participants will be matched with a professional journalist to support you as you craft your own op-ed related to student press freedom for a professional daily (or national) newspaper. 

Who: Author & Veteran CNN & New York Times Journalist Steven Holmes

Cost: Free (limited space)

When: 7 pm Central, 5 pm Pacific

Where: Zoom

Sponsor: Student Press Law Center

Register

Fri., Jan 14 – Pitch Tips from Journalists

What: Want to learn how to send fewer story pitches but land more media coverage? This panel of journalists will provide insights on what they are looking for and feedback on your current story ideas. 

Who: Associated Press reporter Julie Watson who covers U.S.-Mexico border and military affairs;  San Diego Union-Tribune biotech reporter Jonathan Wosen; The Filipino Press publisher Susan Delos Santos; KPBS news editor Gina Diamante.  

When: 3-4pm Central, 5-6pm Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: $5

Sponsor: Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

More info

Tues., Jan 18- Google Tools for Journalists 101

What: In this hour-long virtual training, you will learn the fundamentals of the (free) Google Tools you can use to find and vet sources, verify user-generated content and even get beat-related content delivered straight to your inbox. The session will focus on making Google Search, Trends, YouTube, Maps and Alerts work for you. Plus, a quick overview of what data you can find and use as free, embeddable graphs.

Who: The session will be taught by founding Google News Initiative trainer Vix Reitano, founder + CEO of Agency 6B, a Forbes #Next1000 2021 Honoree,

When: 7pm Central, 5pm Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Society of Professional Journalists, NYC Deadline Club

More info

Wed., Jan 19 – Understanding News Media Bias

What: This session will help you think more clearly about what causes bias in reporting, what it looks like in coverage and what you can do when you encounter it in your news diet.

When: 1-2 pm Central, 11-noon Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: News Literacy Project

Registration

Sat., Oct 23 - How newsrooms are shifting strategies to better serve communities

What: This panel will discuss how local news ecosystems can evolve to be more relevant, responsive and relied upon by the communities they serve.

Who: Charlie Sennott, CEO of GroundTruth Project and co-founder of Report for America; Anne Galloway - founder and editor, VTDigger;  Crystal Good - publisher, Black By God;  Candice Fortman - executive director, Outlier Media;  Tasneem Raja - editor in chief, The Oaklandside; Moderator Victor Hernandez, WBUR chief content officer

When: 5:30 pm Central, 3:30 pm Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: WBUR, Boston's NPR News Station

More info

Tues, Jan 25 - Careers in Science Writing

What: Thinking about a career in science writing? Hear from professionals in journalism and communications about various career paths during a virtual panel.

Who: ·Heather Buschman, director of scientific communications and media relations at the Salk Institute; Katy Stegall, investigative assistant at KPBS; Jared Whitlock, freelance journalist, MIT Knight Science Journalism fellow; Jonathan Wosen, biotech reporter at the San Diego Union-Tribune

When: 10-11am Central, 12-1pm Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsors: Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Science Writers Association, San Diego State University,

Register

  

Wed., Jan 26 - Responding to Press Freedom Threats Through Advocacy

What: Whether through censorship, regressive legislation or bad policies, student voice is under attack. Learn how student journalists have changed the press freedom landscape in their states, and concrete strategies you can take to work with legislators and other decision makers to restore and protect the freedom of the student press.

When: 7 pm Central, 5 pm Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free (limited space)

Sponsor: Student Press Law Center

Register

Thu., Feb 3 - How to Tell Your Story and Be a Spokesperson for Student Press Freedom

What: Effectively advocating for student press freedom means connecting with others and offering an authentic account of what motivates you to be a journalist. This fun, interactive workshop will turn you into a pro in telling your "story of self" and provide you with skills that will be valuable in many different areas of your life. 

When: 7 pm Central, 5 pm Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free (limited space)

Sponsor: Student Press Law Center

Register

Thu., Feb 10 - Using Social Media as a Journalist & Advocate

What: Social media is a powerful tool that enables almost anyone to have a platform. In this session, we'll explore how journalists can be advocates for student press freedom online and break down the 2021 Mahanoy Area School District v. BL Supreme Court decision.

When: 7 pm Central, 5 pm Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free (limited space)

Sponsor: Student Press Law Center

Register

And the prison door will swing open

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In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu wrote, “Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.” He no doubt intended it as a dire warning. But as the years have passed, I have come to interpret it as more of a promise and an opportunity. 

I have learned that the prison of others’ approval is actually one built by me, maintained by me, and guarded by me. This has led me to my own complementary verse to Lao Tzu’s original: “Disregard what others think and the prison door will swing open.” If you are stuck in the prison of shame and judgment, remember that you hold the key to your own freedom.

Arthur C. Brooks writing in The Atlantic