Launching The Pin Button Project
The button creation in action
As you may know, Embrace Disruption helped celebrate the launch of the new social movement called ‘The Pin Button Project’ in Toronto last weekend.
The Pin Button Project came from a stroke of genius by its creator, William Craddock some many months ago. While assisting at a gallery opening for the CLGA, William met someone who had identified a particular displayed archive button to have great personal meaning. After a lengthy and tearful conversation with the individual, it struck William that the thousands of buttons in the archives’ inventory could tell untold stories from many generations before.
Then came the AHA! moment, and William vowed to create a website where anyone could come and view buttons from the past to share their stories and comments. The launch on Friday, June 29, 2012 brought out crowds of people (from as far as Brazil!) to check out the buttons in person, view the new website, and even create their own buttons! This fall, The Pin Button Project will strike again with a larger exhibit highlighting the comments and stories that were shared over the summer – stay tuned for details.
Check out The Pin Button Project – you can comment, share or even sponsor a button!
For more photos, head to The Pin Button Project’s Facebook page.
Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants
Today I had the pleasure of speaking with the President of Mosaic People Development, Vanessa Judelman about a hot topic: the divide between people who grew up with computers (digital natives) vs. those who did not (digital immigrants). Interestingly enough, Vanessa is working on a film about this topic – and I was lucky enough to participate in the conversation!
Mom says it best.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been the person in my family that grandma (who is now on Facebook), grandpa, mom, dad and even brother have gone to when they have questions about digital. Perhaps this comes from a long history of toying with my Dad’s business computer growing up – and being personally responsible for its many crashes. I learned a lot through trial and error, and always seemed to pick up knowledge with each computer crash. I honestly can’t imagine what it would have been like to grow up with no PC in the home. Technology is ingrained in my generation’s identity, and because of this: it’s apparent that there’s a perceived divide between my generation, and the ones before me.
The question is: Is this perceived divide a reality? Working in a digital environment, I’m constantly surrounded by people who are technologically savvy. Yes, there are moments when my elder coworkers aren’t always aware of some of the current technology advances – but the door swings both ways. I’m part of a generation that has a need for speed – and a knack for multi-tasking, but we’re taught patience and quality by those who have come before us. I don’t think that there is a divide: but a fantastic opportunity for personal growth and development. We’re all human – and can leverage all skill sets with effective communication and understanding. The divide becomes more of an asset – as we now have an opportunity to learn from each other. There’s a great article posted by the Financial Post that I saw today, and I want to share with you the highlights of identifying how to embrace Gen Y.
Bend Most entrepreneurs are proud to change as their customers evolve; now they must shift gears as their workforce changes. If you don’t meet Gen Y at least halfway, you’ll miss out on the best and brightest of a generation.
GenY is impressed only by competence They don’t care about titles or traditional authority. “They want leaders who are inspiring, genuine and authentic,” Montalbano says. “They need to understand the ‘why’ in everything they do.”
Learn to collaborate, not dictate Employers tend to create a central strategy and then push it down through the organization. Gen Y-ers crave structure, but they want a say in creating it. “Get them involved in the business of the business,” Graff advises. Instead of telling employees what to do, break them into teams to develop their own solutions.
Help Gen Y succeed Gen X may be individualists, but Gen Y want to succeed within the organization. Encourage ambition, Graff and Montalbano say, by offering regular coaching and mentoring, training and cross-training, and formal succession plans. In Gen X, Montalbano says, “We all wanted mentoring and coaching, but we didn’t get it. Gen Y says that’s not acceptable: ‘I need to know exactly where I stand so I can move to the next level’. ”
Live your values For Boomers, it was all about the work. For Gen Y, it’s the meaning of their work. Who are they helping? What values does their employer represent, beyond making money? “With Gen Y, the reward is meaningful work,” Montalbano says. “They will work hard, they will work 24/7, if what they are doing is meaningful.”
Encourage collective work Millennials are loyal — but not to their employer. Raised on preschool, team sports and multiplayer online games, Gen Y are loyal to their groups. “Their peers are the most important part of their job,” Graff says. “They’ve been brought up with others; working by themselves is near death.” Involve more employees in the hiring process, he says: When peers pick their co-workers, an organization becomes “stickier.”
Focus on balance Boomers worked all-out to get ahead; Gen X introduced the concept of work-life balance. Gen Y makes it mandatory. “They are not living to work, they are working to live,” Graff says. Adds Montalbano: “They will not negotiate their extracurricular activities for work.”
Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2012/07/02/gen-yers-require-care-and-nuturing/
Reality is: I’ll always be excited to work with the generations before me, and those below. Collaboration is one of the key factors to success, and success is something achieved by every generation in one form or another. Plus, it’s kind of amazing that my Grandma is on Facebook. What are your thoughts? Do you think that there is a divide between generations?
The Power Gods Have Spoken
That’s right folks, the power is out at Embrace Disruption headquarters. As a result, today’s post is delayed. We will resume posting tomorrow!
5 Ways To Save Money While Shopping On The Web
I thought I’d provide you all with a few simple and easy ways to really save some of your hard-earned coins while using the power of the web. I’m always looking for ways to nickel and dime my way through things – and it’s time for me to share!
1. Shopcatch – Yes, I have personal ties to this site, but Shopcatch really is a great resource to look for all the top brand retail deals available in your area. From Gap to H&M, you’ll always know what’s on sale.
2. Amazon – This one may seem like a no-brainer. If you’re buying books or DVDs – or even just looking for gift ideas, Amazon continues to have the best prices around.
3. Retail Me Not – The ultimate source to find coupons for all the well-known online retailers. Find a discount for just about anything – even the food you’re about to order!
4.Well.ca – Aside from the obvious plus that they offer free shipping in Canada – Well.ca is a great spot to get all of your household products, beauty products, and even supplements at great prices. The best part is not having to cart home all those hand soaps and big detergent bottles!
5. Use Mint.com – Honestly, I’ve recommended the app – but the website is even BETTER! Get real-time results on where your money is going, and have assistance when setting out those monthly budgets.
The only other thing I suggest is making sure you price compare before you go out to buy. Even when it comes to those expensive tops, or fancy new hard drive – there’s always a better price somewhere. Google is your best friend!
Happy Shopping! Do you have any tips to shop online better? Share them in the comments!
What Brand Colours Say About Businesses INFOGRAPHIC
Ever wondered why Coca Cola uses red for their brand, or why Facebook and Twitter use blue? This infographic sheds some light on why certain brands are so strict with their colouring. Did you know that colour can influence purchase, attitude towards your brand, and emotion? Very interesting facts:
Can you think of any brands that may not have chosen their colour so wisely?
How To Read Twitter
There’s many people in the world who have yet to jump on the twitter bandwagon. I thought that it might be worthwhile to give you a quick and simple guide that will help you decipher the ‘twitter-code’ should you ever be faced with it.
A little background: Twitter is used to share information and converse with others in the online world. I always hear the popular ‘I’ll never use twitter, I don’t feel the need to share what I’m having for breakfast’ one-liner. Reality is: not many use twitter to share their meal details. They do however share recipes, relevant articles, news, and general information. The beauty of twitter is being able to follow whomever you wish – and get a constant stream of curated content. Nowadays, news can break on twitter before you even hear it on the radio or watch it on TV.
The 3 Main Functions:
There’s 3 main ways twitter is used.
1. Replies (@) – This is when you see the @ sign in front of a username, followed by a message. My username is @coryjstewart, so whenever you put that in front of a tweet, you’re tweeting directly to me. Remember: none of this is private, so the world can see what you say.
Lisa replied you’re welcome to me after I thanked her for sharing a post that day.
2. Retweets (RT)- When a user re-posts someone else’s tweet. Often I’ll use the retweet to share an article or conversation with my commentary on it. Identify where the retweet starts with the ‘RT’ at the beginning of the message.
My favourite tech-news site, @mashable posted a link to an article, and I retweeted (RT) them with my commentary.
3. Hastags (#)- Hashtags are typically used to sort information into categories. Any time a # is placed in front of a word, it becomes a hashtag. Typically conferences, events, etc will all use the same hashtag so that all communication can be found easily if one were to search up a hashtag within twitter’s search engine. If you click on a hashtag within twitter, you’ll be able to see all information about that specific topic that is being shared on twitter.
This tweet will be sorted into the #Toronto conversations, as well as the #NYC conversations.
There’s obviously plenty more to know about twitter – but this a starting point to understanding some of the basics. I’ll try to cover a little ground each week – so y’all are up to speed! In the meantime, what’s your username on twitter? Share in the comments so I can follow you!
25 Things Young Professionals Must Know Before 25
This post is from Jenny Fukumoto of PRdaily.com. I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with all of you:
Last month, I turned 25. Since becoming gainfully employed, I’ve made a lot of professional mistakes—and learned a few things, along the way. Here are 25 of them. Let me know if you agree, or what you would add to this list.
By 25, you should know how to:
1. Take rejection with poise.
By now you should’ve faced some sort of professional rejection. My favorite was having my résumé handed back to me after a job interview.
2. Do your own bitch work.
Empathy is an important trait for all managers. Knowing what it’s like to do the grunt work makes you appreciate those who have to do it after you. Assuming that you are not above anything will help you soar in your career.
3. Craft an appropriate LinkedIn connection invite request.
I don’t mind getting LinkedIn connection requests from random people, but it irritates me when they don’t have a tailored message and instead use the standard LinkedIn invite line. Here’s an idea for something that could work: “Hi Jenny, I noticed we both work in the Chicago marketing scene and wanted to connect with you. Maybe I could buy you a cup of coffee/tea in the near future to learn more about what you do?”
4. Ask for a raise.
When you’re worth more than you earn, you need to know how to ask for more. After being out of school for three years, learn how to broach the topic. Not sure how to do that? Read this.
5. Delegate work.
Delegating responsibility is underrated. By 25, you should know when it’s appropriate to delegate and how to do it. For example, if someone asks me to perform a task that is within my power, but I don’t have the time for it, I look for the colleague it makes most sense to perform that task regularly, and ask him or her to do it.
6. Pick your battles.
Not every battle is worth fighting; you should know which are worth your time and energy. Getting upset with the way someone sends incessant emails takes a backseat to someone who fails to communicate important pieces of information.
7. Unplug.
Once you answer that work email at 11 p.m., you set a precedent that you’re available 24/7. Unless it’s an emergency, try not to check your work email (or mark it unread and deal with it when you get to the office).
8. Put in your two-weeks’ notice.
If you’re lucky enough to have loved your first job out of college and are still there by 25, bravo! But you should know how to tactfully put in your two weeks’ notice, if you make a career move. This requires a written resignation. Here’s a great guide on doing the dirty deed.
9. Tactfully give your business card at a networking event.
No one likes the business card ninja who swoops in, throws his or her card at you, and leaves you stunned. First, have a conversation with someone. Find out stuff you have in common. Then offer your card as a way to stay in touch.
10. Avoid getting sloppy at a networking event.
An open bar doesn’t give you permission to act like you did at college frat parties. Have a few drinks to loosen up, but keep it professional.
11. Prioritize your time.
For example, tackle your bigger work issues toward the beginning of the day and save your smaller, less important tasks for the end of the day when you’re winding down. Remember: There’s always tomorrow.
12. Set professional goals.
You want accomplishments on your résumé, not just finished tasks. Setting annual professional goals will set you on track to advance your career. Meeting mentors in your industry through networking events and LinkedIn will help you realize what goals you need to prioritize.
13. Send an SOS.
Chances are you’ve felt overwhelmed by your workload at least once in your career. Knowing when and how to send a help signal to your manager and or co-workers is essential to preventing burnout.
14. Conduct an interview.
Knowing how to interview someone is an important skill. Not only does it teach you how to ask the right questions, but also it teaches you what skill set and personality you value in yourself and your potential co-workers.
15. Communicate.
Communication, when done well, sets you apart from other young professionals. Good communication is a strong asset, so learn it while you’re in the beginning stages of your career. For example, when emailing project specs, I copy as many people I think will benefit from the discussion. Bringing someone in during the later stages of development could mean painful—and unnecessary—back-peddling.
16. Handle being caught venting about co-workers.
It happens to the best of us. Your co-worker commits a major faux pas, and you need to vent about it to another co-worker. Then you get caught. Knowing how to turn it into a dialogue with constructive criticism—or knowing how to avoid it all together—is important.
17. Not sweat the small stuff (you’re not curing cancer).
Unless, of course, you are curing cancer. Then disregard. Ask yourself, “Will this matter a year from now?” If not, don’t sweat it. Acknowledge your mistake and learn from it.
18. Invest in your 401(k)—or at least think about it.
The numbers don’t lie. Someone who starts saving before the age of 25 accrues more interest than someone who starts saving at 30. Not sure how much to invest? This is a great guide.
19. Be a team player.
No one likes a selfish co-worker. Learn this healthy habit early in your career to get ahead of those who didn’t. You can operate under the “CYA” (cover your ass) mentality, just make sure it doesn’t turn into a “TUB” (throw under the bus) one.
20. Talk to the CEO of your company.
Get sweaty palms talking to authority figures? Nix those nerves now.
21. Lead a meeting.
You’ll need to learn how eventually, why not get it out of the way before you turn 25? Have a meeting agenda, and make sure you open it for discussion as often as you can so you’re not the only one talking. Also, you can take it one step further by following up with action items and decisions made during the meeting.
22. Ask for time off without feeling guilty.
You earn your time off, so it’s important to take it with a clean conscience. If you’re planning on having a “Treat yo self” day, look into local brewery tours, daytime trapeze classes, or some simple retail therapy.
23. Put together a visual report.
Putting information into a strong visual report speaks volumes more than just throwing the numbers onto a spreadsheet and clicking send. About 60 percent of people are visual learners, so it’s important to make your information pop with charts and graphs.
24. Give your elevator pitch.
Since I work for a small company, the question I get asked the most is, “What’s Ragan?” It took some practice, but I finally got my company’s elevator pitch down a few months after joining the team. Not sure what yours is? Listen to what your co-workers say.
25. Be a mentor.
By the time you’re three years out of college, you will have had at least one younger person ask you for career advice. Understanding the impact you have as a mentor is powerful, and the relationships you have with mentees can be some of the most rewarding ones you’ll have in your mid-20s.
Jenny Fukumoto is a marketing manager at Ragan Communications, which publishes PR Daily. She is also a self-proclaimed Mexicanese marketer, beer buff and networking nerd. A version of this story first appeared on Ragan’s Millennial Mafia blog.
What You May Have Missed In June
Today marks the first of July! Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian readers! June has passed, so I’m going to provide you with some of the top read posts (just incase you didn’t have a chance to read them)! Thank you so much for being a part of Embrace Disruption’s first month online – and here’s to many more months (and years!) to come!
Top 5 Most Read Posts:
1. How To Cover Your Social A$$: The Precautions You Should Take – a full list of the things you should consider when using social networks.
2. The Price Is Right: How A Bad Scan Means It’s Free! – Canadians are entitled to receive products for free if the scanner provides an incorrect price: here’s what you need to know!
3. Getting The Look (and Job) For Less: Guest Post by Robin Edwards – a few helpful tips and tricks to find great pieces for your wardrobe.
4. Meeting Amber Mac: My Spot On App Central – get a behind the scenes perspective from my appearance on Canada’s top tech TV show.
5. 40% Chance Of Rain: What You May Be Missing – a helpful guide to shedding a new light on irritating or upsetting situations.
Again, thank you to EVERYONE who has come to Embrace Disruption to read any of the daily posts and content. Be sure to leave a message in the comments, and let me know who you are!
Late Film Friday: Pinterest Done Right
Wow! We had a fantastic launch event for The Pin Button Project last night – I’ll share photos and coverage in the coming days! In the meantime: I stumbled upon this fantastic case study a few weeks ago, and thought this was a really good example of how Pinterest can be leveraged to create seamless marketing campaigns. Have a watch for yourself!
Have you seen any stand out Pinterest contests/promotions? Share them in the comments!
Your VIP Long Weekend Invite
Hello fellow disrupters!
As the weekend approaches, I’m sure we’re all saturated with exciting and fun activities to take advantage of! I wanted to extend a special invite to all of my VIP readers to come to an event that Embrace Disruption is assisting with.
As you may have read before, one of our clients The Pin Button Project is hosting a launch party tomorrow evening in Toronto. If you’re in the area, or feel like designing your own free button (while supporting a good cause) – stop in and say hi! RSVP: VIP@embracedisruption.com
