susan lambe's posterous

Onwards and upwards - the next step

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:00:13 -0800

Well - it's only been about two months, since I 'moved in' here, and you may have noticed I haven't been around much in recent weeks. That's because I've been working on taking the next step to bigger and better things (hopefully).

I've set up my very own domain - The Big Speakeasy. Intriguing, no? Well - hopefully intriguing enough for you to head on over there and take a look. Most of my old posts from this Posterous blog have been replicated there, and I know you don't want to read them again, but I think the inaugural post, kindly contributed by the fabulous Jennifer Frahm, is worth a read. Okay - I know I'm biased (it's my blog, afterall!), but Jen has opened a discussion about the intricacies and the joy of lifelong learning journey. It's a topic very dear to me and I'd love to hear about some of the things that have influenced your learning journey along the way.

The Big Speakeasy is the next step in my journey. It's a place to talk about about words, writing and communication. It’s a place of self expression, proclamation and learning. It’s a space for speaking ‘easy,’ with a certain sense of challenging the norm and maybe – just maybe – being a little subversive.

I'll still come and visit Posterous from time to time - especially for the more random stuff. But for the next little while, my heart and soul will be with The Big Speakeasy. I'll hope you'll join me on the next leg of my journey - you've been great company so far!

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A dual existence

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

I’m living a double life - or at least a fragmented one. I put in my nine or ten hour day at the office and what’s the last thing I do before I leave? Schedule the work on my personal project for the evening: What tinkering will I do with my ‘secret’ – almost ready to launch - new blog? What post will I write? Will it be published on my Posterous, or will I keep it as fresh material for my new ‘baby’? What comments do I need to respond to from previous posts?

It’s a whole other place I visit. Like I’ve actually been sleeping all day, and wake up when I leave that world.

The point is though, that I’m torn. Not between two loves so much as between the dream and the reality.

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” - Ray Bradbury

Those of you who have been following my posts this year know that I’ve re-discovered my passion for writing and have made a commitment to honouring this - not only through writing and blogging for my own pleasure, but by finding a way to create an income doing what I love – however that might be.

And therein lies the rub.

It’s taken me all this time to wake up and see the patently obvious – to realise my passion – and now I just want to do it. I’m desperate to chase the dream. But of course, the reality is that I have commitments and responsibilities to meet. There’s no point doing what I love if it doesn’t pay the bills. So right now, I feel trapped in this disparate relationship between being true to myself and the cold hard facts of life.

This matters so much that I just have to get it right. And I will. I’m just impatient about the time it takes to do things right. I’ve spoken to and read about a few others who have dared to follow their dreams and been successful. So far as I can tell, this gig ain’t for the faint-hearted – but what a truly amazing and fulfilling reward for the risk!

But, I want to know more. I want more information. I’m curious about the journeys of those who have gone before me. I want to know about how you realised your dream. What was your ‘a-ha’ moment - or did you know all along your purpose in life? What was your career or life change from out of the blue? How did you do it? How did it feel? Was it tough? Scary? Or the most natural thing in the world? Was it an easy transition – or did you have to endure some duality? Did you get impatient waiting to start in earnest – or is that just me?

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Your personal brand online

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:28:00 -0800

Since setting myself the task of building my online presence, portfolio and brand, the conundrum of separating personal and professional personas has been making me increasingly uneasy. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. Karalee Evans has also been ruminating over this puzzle and echoed some of my own thoughts in her post “the PR of your online profile: does it matter?”

Initially it appeared straightforward. The general consensus seemed to be that it is important to keep your private self private, and maintain a separate professional persona - and I could see good logic in this policy. But now I wonder if it’s realistic, or even completely honest, to have such different – and maybe in some cases, conflicting – representations of yourself in the public domain.

Public vs private: Is there really a difference? Should there be one?

Of course, it’s well documented that pretty much nothing online is ‘private.’ The myth of ‘private’ online information, I think, has been well and truly de-bunked.

On the basis of the assertion that nothing is private, the importance of managing a personal brand online is significant. I don’t want to be seen to be blatantly and publicly bagging my employer - though I know I walk a fine line at times – nor do I want a potential employer wondering if I might cast them in a similar light. I’m also probably not that excited that my sister tagged me in photos from her fancy-dress thirtieth birthday party a few years back, even though it was harmless and good clean fun.

I admit to being conscious of my online interactions maintaining a certain tone, but I also have a strong belief in transparency: I don’t want to censor and sanitise my online presence into someone that I’m not.

For example – my potty mouth. Sure, I swear online from time to time – but you know what? I drop the F-bomb to senior management in certain settings and conversations. That’s me. I don’t want to have to turn up to work every day and put on a mask and speak and act in a way that is not authentic. I want to be valued and respected for how I perform and who I am – warts, potty-mouth and all.

Who are you?

Surely it’s only natural that I behave differently in the office to how I behave at home; on a netball court; at a barbeque with friends; at a family dinner; or at the pub on Friday night. I behave differently in all these situations, for different reasons – but it’s still me. It’s just different aspects of me. People have always behaved differently in various forums, but when we weren’t online, chances were that members of each of those forums would never be visible to each other, protecting the work persona from the pub persona – most of the time.

I believe in being human and authentic and I think that works for me - but I don’t have racy shots of me scantily clad, partaking in lay-backs at some wild party.

Those that do participate in activities less conservative than those that occupy my time may want to take note of the growing trend for recruiters to vet all behaviour and in fact reject candidates outright on the basis of inappropriate comments and unsuitable photos and videos discovered online.

Research of online behaviours

In December 2009, Microsoft commissioned research in the USA, UK and Europe to investigate how people manage their online presence. The results (overviewed by Neville Hobson) reveal some interesting insight into the effects that online behaviours have on the attitudes, decisions and actions of recruiters. The reality is: yes, your online behaviour may well prevent you from getting that dream job. Granted, we can’t just directly apply the results to our market in Australia, but I think it’s safe to extrapolate so far as to say it’s a growing trend.

Your brand – it’s personal

In order to act in the interests of both brand management and transparency – which I value equally - the only answer can be for an online presence to be a measured representation of the real person. Frankly, I want people to see all aspects of me. I want them to see that I can be professional on LinkedIn and relaxed on Facebook and thoughtful and articulate on Posterous. I’m comfortable for my employer to know that I can enjoy a few drinks with my mates on the weekend - and I probably wouldn’t want to be employed by a company that frowned on me doing that. I think the trick is in balancing the extent to which each personal aspect is publicised online.

How you manage your online presence can only come down to personal judgement – it’s really what you’re comfortable with - but we’d all do well to take a considered approach to the management of our online personal brand – even while staying authentic. Just one poorly considered tweet might be the difference between landing your dream job and being rejected without an interview.

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The gift of words

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:47:00 -0800

I have a suspicion. I suspect that we communicators forget - or underestimate - the value of what we do: capturing the essence of what others wish to say and expressing it succinctly, sensitively, appropriately, with clarity and flair. I think we sometimes overlook the fact that the ability to write well is a gift; a talent every bit as creative as painting, drawing, sculpting or playing beautiful music.

Finding another's voice for them

Of course, we all know we have a skill to exploit, but I suspect we get so caught up in key messages, unique selling propositions, and SEO that we discount the core of what we are doing: finding another’s voice for them. It may be the voice of a CEO, a corporation, a charity, a product or a small business, but regardless of the entity, it’s someone who, without us, will often remain mute and unknown. Or at the very least, misunderstood.

My suspicion of our collective oversight of our talent was raised upon reflection on a very special personal task I was asked to undertake for a friend. My friend’s mother is dying of brain cancer, and she asked me to help her write a last letter to her Mum.

Confronting, right? And daunting. What a hugely challenging, emotional and difficult piece to write. And what a privilege to be entrusted to write it.

"… it doesn't seem right
To look you in the eye
And let all the things you mean to me
Come tumbling out my mouth - indeed its time …" [Bic Runga]

My doubts have been overshadowed by the honour of being asked to help in this manner. To be able to assemble the words in just the way I know my friend would like to say them and capture, in just a couple of pages, what took her several hours (and a couple of bottles of wine) to try to get across to me out loud – to give her thoughts and emotions a voice, clear and true - is surely a gift. I am humbled to be able to offer this to her.

Just getting the job done - or true talent?

Of course, the stuff we write day in and day out is rarely as powerful, emotive or personal as my friend’s letter - and I’m not comparing it to ghost writing your CEO’s blog. However, just because writing is our job, I don’t think it should imply that it’s any less talented, creative or meaningful to totally nail a letter from the CEO to the whole organisation that prompts personal phone calls of appreciation from staff; or to write ad copy that increases enquires that are converted to sales, translating to bottom line profit. Without a good writer, those voices would never be heard and understood.

I don’t know – maybe I’m just blowing smoke up my own arse, but I can’t imagine being unable to express myself in this way – and there are plenty who can’t. I think this use of language is a gift, and maybe – just maybe – we as communicators need to remind ourselves (and others) the value (and the privilege) of giving voice to the mute.

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The realisation of passion

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:50:00 -0800

"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." Nelson Mandela

I never used to believe in this - well, I didn't think it applied to me anyway. I believed in fate and destiny. I believed that life offered many opportunities to which I had to be open and alert in order to grab them when they appeared ('opportunity knocks but once,' etc). I believed if you 'put it out to The Universe,' then The Universe would always provide. I thought it wasn't 'right' to be overly ambitious and that I had done reasonably well for myself, just going wherever the journey took me. And I believed I'd been particularly fortunate in the opportunities that have been offered to me, (I still think this), and that I shouldn't expect more. I didn't think of it as 'settling' - it just wasn't my place to want more. Why be greedy?

Life just isn't like that

I didn't believe in over-engineered career and life plans to which people stuck with grim-faced determination. I thought this was going against the natural order of things, and that these poor souls would be blind to the wonderful, unexpected opportunities that might appear as gifts outside the structures of their grand plans - such was the narrow focus of their blinkers. When folks talked to me about such a planned existence, I felt dismissive of their schemes. I was immediately dubious and questioned the purpose and logic. How could things possibly work out the way they planned? Life just isn't like that.

I have just one or two friends whose day to day work life is actually their passion. ''Imagine," I thought, "being able to make a living by doing what you love. Imagine going to work every day and being excited and passionate about what you do." I didn't begrudge or envy them what I perceived as their good fortune. I just figured they'd come up trumps with the hand dealt to them. Good for them - they were truly blessed.

The burning question

It was during a conversation about managing my current role and how I might achieve some wins that I was asked, 'what do you really want to be doing?' Simple, obvious question, right? It actually threw me bit - that wasn't what we were talking about. I paused and replied, 'writing. I really want to be writing.' It wasn't a revelation - not then. It was just a fact. The sub-text of my response was 'well I really want to be writing, but that's not the issue right now so can we just get back to what we were talking about, which is my current role.' I was impatient and totally focussed on solving the problems that were right in front of me, clouding my view. I was blinkered and the opportunity almost slid right by me.

Luckily that question and my response have stayed with my subconscious.

It's been a slow burn - not really what you'd call an 'a-ha! moment' - but I've (finally) come to the realisation that I really do love writing. Really. I really love it. I <3 writing.

AND guess what?? There's a way I can make a living from it. Really. My job can be writing. That writing thing I love. I can do it every day. And it will pay the bills. I can go to work every day and be passionate about what I do. Imagine.

Yes, I know - you already knew all this. And of course, it's bleeding obvious to me now as well. I guess my point is, sometimes what we are passionate about is so intrinsically a part of who we are, that we can't separate it from ourselves in order to see it. And sometimes, we're so busy getting on with the business of life that we forget about living.

From realisation to reality

I don't know exactly how it will happen yet, but it will. Because I know now that this is what I must do. This is the life I am capable of living - and I don't intend to settle.

Whilst I still resist the idea of sticking doggedly to a plan, favouring instead being open to all that there might be on offer in life, I now realise that once you know what you want - once you have realised your passion - there is virtually nothing that can stop you. Now there's a purpose to the journey - and a real opportunity to live a life less ordinary.

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Guest post from my muse

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:58:00 -0800

I knew I was well and truly overdue for a new post. I have a bunch of topics slated for this space - I just have to choose which to tackle next. And then a pair of hypnotising blue eyes gave me the answer. My constant companion; my Lily; my Muse ...

Hi - I'm Lily. I'm a (nearly) five year old Tonkinese. I figure I've been lumped with this responsibility 'cos Ma can't be f*cked writing anything serious - though she assures me otherwise (yeah, right). I don't know what it is she does with these computers - honestly, she sits tapping away 'til all hours of the night, with absolutely no consideration whatsoever for my feline biorhythms. It's no good for my routine, you know - no good at all. How on earth can I be expected to co-ordinate an indoor race-track at 04:30am sharp when she sits up so late?? And I can't leave her alone now, can I? You just never know what these humans will get up to! At least it means she's in one spot for an extended period of time, and accessible for the requisite level of attention for any self-respecting feline.

Sometimes Mum and Dad call me a 'terrorist' or 'Lily-Bin Laden'. It's most undignified. They say it's because I wreak havoc. Really, I have no idea what their issue is - surely those screen doors were invented for the express purpose of providing a climbing gym for cats. I love hanging from the top with just one paw. Dad pretends to go mad at me, but I know he thinks it's totally cool. It's our secret from Mum. As for the scratching of the lounge, it's just my way of telling them how much I love it. And the vomiting is the way I keep my supermodel figure. One must always look their best.

Mum calls me her muse. She thinks she channels good ideas through me. I sincerely doubt any of my thoughts could possibly translate into anything a human might be capable of comprehending - felines operate at a significantly superior level, you know - but she seems to appreciate the company late at night and find my supervision helpful. A gentle nudge to remind her to go to bed never goes astray either.

I have a 'sister,' Harper. Mum and Dad brought her home from some place called RSPCA. Sounds like some sort of cat jail from what Harper tells me. Harper's good company. She's always on for a game of tag, and she's good at helping take care of the humans, but she's not especially smart. I've tried to show her how to retrieve the miniature tennis ball (the humans love that) but she doesn't really get it. She's good value on the race track, I must say (though I always beat her), she's useful when I can't be bothered cleaning myself (it's important for subordinates to know their place), and I must admit a fairly handy soccer player.

Mum reckons I've said enough now. She said if my post is too long that you other humans will think it's just her, self-indulgently banging on about animals that she treats as surrogate children. Whatever.

See the full gallery on Posterous

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Network Connections (the human kind)

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:15:00 -0800

Networking, interacting, connecting. We all do it - whether its done with intent and design, or simply because we're human and that's just what we do. Conferences and workshops allocate time for it. Deals are made and broken on the basis of it. We're advised of the necessity of it for our professional future. It's how we come to join our social sporting teams, societies and book clubs. It's how we come to engage our professional service providers ... and yet, how often do we pause to really consider the impact and implications of our networks, both social and professional?

It wasn't until I responded to some comments on my previous post that it dawned on me just how significantly my networks, connections and relationships with people have influenced my journey. I most likely would not have entered the resources sector were it not for my connection with someone who has a network within it. Similarly I would not have joined my current organisation were it not for the recommendation of a colleague. Now, that just seems like basic recruitment on the surface, but I cannot shake the sense that my career has taken the course that it has thus far, not just because of who I know, but for reasons far more fundamental to the idea that we are all connected in some sense.

I would feel remiss to have a discussion about connectedness without mention of Iggy Pintado, who has made a business out of teaching others to connect, and is one of the top 25 most connected business neworkers in Australia. I should declare at this point that I am yet to read Iggy's book, Connection Generation, and it's certainly on my list, but I think I have the general idea (apologies to Iggy if not!). The book talks about connectedness primarily in the context of technology and social media and how connections made specifically through these media, to both people and information impact our lives. The potential networks on offer via technology platforms are virtually endless - but I'm talking about a deeper connectedness.

I am a part of all that I have met - Alfred Tennyson

Technology gives us the ability to connect with more people, over greater distances, faster and more effectively than ever before, but what I am fascinated by is the compulsion of the human condition to connect and how this connectedness drives our lives, helps us fulfil our dreams, influences our choices and actions, and how these in turn impact upon others. Iggy shared a fantastic video, 'We are all Connected,' on his Posterous page. It was produced by 'Symphony of Science,' and presents in a really novel way the premise that we are all connected biologically, chemically, metaphysically. It took me back to 'What the Bleep do we know?' the 2004 documentary that, despite the controversy around its science, captured my imagination through the suggestion that we are all connected at a cellular level.

My connections with people have surely impacted my life at multiple levels. My network impacts the way I think and do. To me, connectedness is about more than networking as a means to an end. Some of my connections have made me think about things I never would have considered before; say things I never would have dreamt of saying; and have influenced me to put in motion plans and processes that simply would have not occurred to me, that will fundamentally change the course of my career - and my life. The changes in my life cannot help but impact on others'. It's infinite.

Technology can isolate us by removing some of the need for face to face contact, but it also brings us closer together. It gives us the power of knowledge and the ability to reach out and connect like never before. Whilst there is no doubt that the internet and the huge variety of social media now available to us enable us to connect more readily, I like to think that connectness runs deeper than broadband, Bluetooth, wifi and fibre optic cables. I think that when I connect with you - even 'virtually' - that our link is about more than keystrokes and kilobytes. I like to think that our connection has some impact on the world and that together, like a butterfly flapping its wings, we are influencing something to happen - somewhere.

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Honey ... I think I've started a blog ... (or: what I did on summer vacation)

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:11:00 -0800

Writing. I love it - always have. I relished creative writing time in primary school. I wrote stories about my favourite pop group (when I should have been doing my homework) and shared them with my girlfriends in high school. If I had the option to write an assignment or do an exam at uni (didn't you just love 'flexible learning' format?) - you guessed it - I'd take the assignment. Every time. I enjoyed the process of researching and synthesising information to wordsmith a piece that was convincing and plausible. And the lecturers genuinely enjoyed reading my work (at least that's what they told me).

Language is wine upon the lips - Virginia Woolf

Helping boffins say what they mean

Why my career hasn't exactly been one of a writer, I'm not sure - but that's a topic for discussion at another time. My path has taken me in some interesting directions, never too far from language and sharing information. Lately I've found myself surrounded by highly technical people, helping them to shape, refine and polish their selling themes. Most recently, my role has been to craft and deliver stories and messages about our organisation to our own people, as well as to the outside world. I feel like, after twenty years of exploring various career opportunites whenever they came up, that I may have finally found my groove. For now at least.

Enter [stage right]: Susan in the blogosphere

So here I find myself stretching my writing muscles, having decided to foray into the world of blogging - and I'm excited. I arrived here, not on the spur of the moment, but after a reasonable amount of research and some serious consideration.

Whilst I'd been thinking about blogging for some time, the real push and focus came from my new-found colleagues, mentors, co-conspirators, support network and friends discovered with delight at Jennifer Frahm's Conversations of Change Retreat in November 2009. They recommended I start a blog not just for the indulgence of writing because I love it, but to create an online portfolio and gain some recognition. Their collective advice was, that if I've truly decided that Communications is the space I want to work within, I should be planning ahead and looking outside the walls of my safe, supportive, but inherently old-school and conservative organisation.

I poured over Problogger the book, by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett with pen and notepad beside me, as well as investigating their respective websites for any information I could glean on starting up a blog. I also came across Sarge via a re-tweet on Twitter and have been poking around his website, Beginner Blogger. There's such a wealth of information out there for those considering starting a blog - or improving an existing one.

I've looked at search stats, I've tried out a couple of names with friends. I've put under the microscope other blogs I read regularly and admire. I listed a bunch of sections or categories I think I'd like to have as part of my blog and I've listed potential posts within each of these. I feel as prepared as think I'm going to get - and besides, I'm just itching to write ... but something's holding me back ...

My Posterous

Why Posterous? To be honest, I'm still considering how I want my blog to be.

Part of me feels I should just get in and do it and learn as I go. I am naturally a kinetic learner, so this is hardly surprising. The cautious planner in me wants to wait until there's a clear picture of what it will be, how it will work, and how I will be representing myself to the world. But how will I know until I try?

This is my compromise.

Help me (if you can)

Okay - apologies to Aussies for the Farnesy reference, but I really do appreciate you being 'round [cue: groan] for your expert opinions and feedback.

Seriously - I plan to use this space to experiment with blogging. I'm looking for your feedback about what works, what doesn't; what's missing, what should I take out. As people who have been reading and writing blogs for much longer than I have (I'm quite the late bloomer), you are the experts - so critique me! Leave comments, make suggestions, give me advice.

So - what do you think of my strategy of experimenting and learning here with Posterous before I launch a full-blown blog? Let me know!

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