Creative Commons License

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Winding Down 2014: The View From the White House :-)

As we write this, the ball has "officially" dropped in New York and it will be The New Year in California within the next few hours.      In the spirit of the mission of this Channel within the Outsider Network, we decided to release this published by the White House as it looked back to 2014.   Despite all the disagreements with President Obama's policies and outlook, what has been produced by the White House and led by Pete Souza is history and worth noting--

Happy New Year:

What happened at the White House in 2014? A lot. Click here to see our 2014 year in review.Watch: Chief of Staff Denis McDonough gives you his take on the most important parts of the year.2014 was a busy year here at the White House. See the wrap-up, then pass it on.



Winding Down 2014: Ideas To Motivate & Educate

As we wind down 2014 here in the network of "Outsiders", this advisory received from the team @ Give More underscored the implicit message of our mission for this channel--to create a road to constantly educate and empower.   This captures it all....as we gear up to "onward" and "upward" for 2015!!!

Happy  new year to all :-) 

In case we missed you... (what I think might be most valuable to you and your team in 2015)
 
 
The Quickest Professional Evaluation 
2 questions to help measure your professional value. (For me, this is everything.)
 
 
Pushing It 
Even the best in the business get pushed. That's where the magic happens. Don't let your ego get in the way of enjoying more!
 
 
Better Stories 
Behind every interaction you have and every experience you create, there's a story. What do you want it to be?
 
 
Cultivating Thought 
When Chipotle asked the question 'How can we make things better?' ... everybody won. What could you do?
 
 
Shine 
What if each of us viewed everything we needed to do as an opportunity to shine? A true story to inspire you and your team to keep two-twelving.
 
 
Regardless Of Circumstances 
A tribute to the late Maya Angelou. Until her passing in 2014, I had no idea she was such a bad@ss.
 
  


Friday, December 26, 2014

Winding Down 2014: On the Power of Music & The Kids of #Heartbeat

Heartbeat is an organization of Palestinian and Israeli Kids that has come together using the power of music. The clip (available on the heartbeat site @ heartbeat.fm) is a plea to be different and for a change for the better. When the kids were intereviewed on the BBC World Service as part of the BBC's 2014 review, it was remarkable how wise they were and how the "Education Road" is ever so long for the World to embrace and realize as we look to 2015. It is indeed an Oasis of hope in an otherwise dark scene in the Middle East right now:

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Happy Holidays From the #Outsiders

   





We here @ Outsiders wish all the very best on this joyous Season as we bid farewell to 2014 and embrace the advent of 2015....
Happy Holidays!!!!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Winding Down 2014 (Third in a Series): A Gift of Knowledge (Courtesy of the Team @ ExecuNet)

As we wind down 2014, we continue to share thoughts & ideas throughout #outsiders.  To live up to the mission & objectives of this #Outsider Channel, we wanted to report on this courtesy of the Team @  ExecuNet  which we hope all enjoy:

ExecuNet
"Innovation is different from invention. Innovation results in paying customers." — Adam Bryant

Dear Mike,

Stocking StuffersRight about now, most of us are in that yearly scramble for holiday gifts. If you’re anything like me, you’re nowhere near done shopping.

While it might be an easy present to guess under the wrapping, a good business book can make the perfect gift for a colleague, client, customer or yourself. Still, sometimes the right one is hard to find. Here are a few suggestions for the list-makers out there. These books can make a day at the office go from good enough to awesome, and take anyone’s career, company, and business life to greater heights:

Four Seconds: All the Time You Need to Stop Counter-Productive Habits and Get the Results You Wantby Peter Bregman
A handbook of practical wisdom we can all use to stop counterproductive habits and create the life, work and career results we want, without the stress. (40% discount for ExecuNet members)

Getting to Yes with Yourself (and Other Worthy Opponents), by William UryA lesson on how to get out of your own way and create the results you want. If you adopt the winning strategies in this book, you’ll come out ahead in business and in life.

How to Be a Power Connector: The 5+50+100 Rule for Turning Your Business Network into Profits, by Judy Robinett
A masterfully crafted guide to building authentic, powerful, and profitable relationships.

Business Without the Bullsh*t: 49 Secrets and Shortcuts You Need to Know, by Geoffrey James
James tackles essential workplace skills and techniques, including how to be a great boss and colleague (and survive bad ones); navigate office politics; ask for a raise; and deal with stress.

Improvise: Unconventional Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO, by Fred Cook
Fred is anything but a typical CEO. Filled with colorful anecdotes, his book also offers exceptionally insightful and practical tips on how to change your perspective at any stage of your career and use your rich life experiences to fuel your ambitions.

The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace, by Ron Friedman
Game-changing advice for working smarter and turning any organization-regardless of its size, budgets, or ambitions-into an extraordinary workplace.

The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work, by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer
Once you’ve read this book you will never return to the old and outmoded theories of employee motivation again. It’s a must-read for those wants to be good leaders, or those wishing they worked for one.

To your next success!
ExecuNet President Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson
ExecuNet President
Mark.Anderson@execunet.com

Winding Down 2014 (Second in A Series): A Gift of Knowledge (Courtesy of the Team @ GovLoop)

We here @ #Outsiders first got "wind" of GovLoop a number of years ago and began an engagement process that continues even today as the Public Sector continues to be challenged on all front.  These resources are a "gem" for both Public & Private organization.   

As Part of the on-going year end review here in the Channels of #Outsiders, we hope all find this of interest:


YOUR GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE
Thank you for making GovLoop part of your holidays this year and for sharing the Gift of Knowledge with a coworker! It's all the awesome people like you who help to keep the GovLoop community growing, active and engaged.

Here's our best guides, blog posts, infographics, and online training videos from 2014. Enjoy and happy holidays!

15 Government Instagrams to Follow
Government can be beautiful! See how agencies are creatively connecting with their constituents through the social platform.
#ReadNow
Set Yourself Up for a Stellar 2015
Let us help you help yourself. Follow these tips to set attainable goals for 2015.
Ready, Set, Goals!
The Internet of Things: Preparing Yourself for a Connected Government
How will the "Internet of Things" affect government and how is it already being utilized?
Get the 411 on IoT
6 Stages of an Email That Works
Are you taking advantage of the power of email? Here's how to leverage it for communication success.
Embrace Email
10 Benefits of Going Paperless
You don't have to be a tree hugger to appreciate the benefits of going paperless.
Go Green
Creating a Great Individual Development Plan to Grow Your Career
An effective IDP can drive your career forward; a deficient one can stall it. Find out the do's and don'ts.
Get Growing

You Know You're a Govie When...
…you have conversations in acronymns. We've got GIFs that define your life as a government employee.
Read On, You Govie
Your Citizen Engagement Checklist
Technology has disrupted traditional engagement tactics - read through 18 success strategies to better connect with citizens.
Get Engaged
From the State House to the County Clerk
If you're a state or local govie, these 15 success stories will inspire you.
State/Local Stand Up
Creating a Stronger Democracy: GIS on Capitol Hill
Maps can have a powerful effect on today's government by changing how lawmakers are visualizing and acting on data.
Harness The Power of GIS
Public Speaking Tips and Tricks
If picturing your audience naked doesn't cut it anymore, find out more effective ways to nail your next presentation.
Public Speaking 101
Work Smarter, Faster, and With Less Stress
Learn 20 valuable productivity tips to work smarter, not harder - without even breaking a sweat.
Stress Less
  

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Winding Down 2014: First in A Series

2014 is fast becoming history.    As we "wind down" the year here in #outsiders, we wanted to report on the highlights from +TED  that underscores a sense of wonder that the World has and how we hope to build upon it throughout the Channels of Outsiders in 2015:

TED
THIS WEEK ON TED.COM
DECEMBER 20, 2014

The Year in Ideas

8 minutes · Year in Ideas 2014
What were the most powerful ideas of 2014? Watch this video recap of the Year in Ideas — and click through to an interactive playlist of great talks from the past year.

 

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

View of the Week: On Productivity Ideas

As we bid farewell to 2014, we will continue to share thoughts & ideas that lives up to the envisioned objective of this channel: To Educate & to be a hub for ideas.    What we shared over Twitter earlierl this month is one example which is courtesy of the team at +Fast Company  which is ever so critical as all have increased demands on their time:


Sunday, December 14, 2014

On 2014 (First in a Series): On the Best Apps From the Apple App Store & Other Thoughts

For this edition of "View of the Week", we wanted to report on the latest from Apple's App Store.  The newsletter reflects their view of the Best of 2014 which we hope to evaluate and review throughout the ensuing number of weeks.    This is as We also wanted to note the article from +Inc. Magazine which is also noted for reference and can be accessed by clicking here.  It is just amazing how 5 years have passed since the APP Store was born:

Best of 2014
Nick Jr.
Space Qube®
Holiday Apps & Games
Angry Birds: Celebrating 5 Years on the App StoreLearn to Code

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Sunday, December 7, 2014

View of the Week: Briefly re: "Rosewater"

Rosewater is a film directed by the Daily Show's Jon Stewart.   Jon Stewart is well known as the King of Fake News, yet his insights have been invaluable to shape the narrative about America and the World.

He decided to take on Roseweater, the story of Maziar Bahari.   As we here @ #Outsiders hope to release a column on it soon, we wanted to share this "View of the Week" on the thoughts at the time as we were able to attend a preview of it which featured a post show featuring Jon Stewart and Maziar Bahari--hosted by Stephen Colbert: 




Post by Mike Pouraryan.

This is as negotiations continue with Iran on the Nuclear Question.    The yearning for peace is shared by many as epitomized by this collage put together by the team at the National Iranian American Council during Thankgiving in the United States: 


Will this transformation be realized? 

Friday, December 5, 2014

An #Outsiders Newsflash: #Orion Returns

#Orion is now coming back to Earth and there is live coverage on NASA TV: 

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream & #Orion just splashed down as it was fabulous to be Witness to History:

Thursday, December 4, 2014

On the Prowl w/Comments from SCOTUS Blog On Relist Watch

As the unrest in the after of the #EricGarner Decision and the continued fallout of Michael Brown, the US Supreme Court has been hard at work working through a number of interesting and challenging cases as noted in this very revealing updated from SCOUT Blog which we here at #Outsiders will be commetning on as targets as far and wide as the EPA, the American Disabilities Act & a number of interesting and challenging procedural issues.    Quite a read @:  Relist Watch

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

On the Prowl In the Spirit of #GivingTuesday: On What's the latest from #edX

#GivingTuesday 2014 continues.  In this spirit and in line with the "mission" of this #Outsider Channel, please note this we received from the team at +edX .    Over 350 Courses are currently available for free to all to review.   We here @ #Outsiders hope all have an chance to check it out.

 
The gift with infinite returns - share edX today!
This #GivingTuesday give the gift of education by telling your friends or family members about edX. Ask them to join you in a course, let them know about an interesting new course or introduce them to the more than 350 free courses available on edX.   
Starting This Week
The Science of Happiness
The Science of Happiness
UC BerkeleyX
Enroll Today

 
BerkeleyX Book Club: "A Christmas Carol"
"A Christmas Carol"
BerkeleyX Book Club
Enroll Today
The Civil War and Reconstruction — 1861 - 1865
The Civil War & Reconstruction: 1861 - 1865
ColumbiaX

Enroll Today
 
ISSCC Previews: Circuit and System Insights
ISSCC Previews: Circuits and System Insights
IEEEx
Enroll Today
Explore All edX Courses
Get a head start on your New Year's resolution.
Introduction to Nutrition - Food for Health
Intro to Nutrition - Food for Health
WageningenX
“You are what you eat”- learn the fundamentals of nutrition and how it can affect human health.
Starts: January 12, 2015 - Learn More
Share:   
The Body Matters
The Body Matters
McGillx
Did you know that physically active obese individuals live longer than inactive thin individuals?
Starts: February 25, 2015 - Learn More
Share:   
Jazz Appreciation
Jazz Appreciation
UTAustinX
Listen and learn about the artists, eras, and musical methods that make jazz a great original art form.
Starts: January 20, 2015 - Learn More
Share:   
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - BerkeleyX Book Club
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
BerkeleyX Book Club
Explore Mark Twain’s 1884 novel, Huckleberry Finn, which has an important place in American literature and history.
Starts: January 2, 2015 - Learn More
Share:   
Want to kick start your own business? 
U.Lab: Transforming Business, Society, and Self
U.Lab: Transforming Business, Society, and Self
MITx
Learn how to create profound innovation in a time of disruptive change...
Starts: January 7, 2015 - Learn More
Share:   
Entrepreneurship 101: Who is your customer?
Entrepreneurship 101: Who is your customer? 
MITx
You have an idea for a product, but do you know who will want to buy it?
Starts: January 9, 2015 - Learn More
Share:   
Innovation and Commercialization
Innovation and Commercialization
MITx
Taught by distinguished practicing innovators and covering human process of innovating to innovation ecosystems.
Starts: January 13, 2015 - Learn More
Share:   
Climate change to China — learn something new.