Why Would Anyone Want to Read My Blog? (or My Book?)--Trusted Advisor Blog

As I work on editing this blog for publication I ask myself, "Why would anyone want to read this blog or my book?"  What value have I added in the 243 posts that make up this blog to date?

When I first started the blog I wanted the discipline of writing a daily blog to create a book I could publish.  I've worked on several books ad went to a Book Expo in Chicago in 2001 with the intention of publishing and marketing a book.  To date, the only book I have published (in 1992) was my 502-page dissertation.  (Very few people read it, by the way.)

I have several books started and have a goal of writing some fiction targeted for young adults.  I've been an avid reader in that literature for the last six years to build-up a better understanding for the authors, the books, and the genre.

What is this blog about?  That's a challenge.  The blog is about many things.  Wikipedia.org has this to say about a blog: 

A blog (a contraction of the term "web log")^[1] is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic.  Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog.



This blog reflects what I was thinking about, "top of mind," on the day I wrote each post.  I have gone through the blog in the course of preparing it for editing and publishing and have identified categories that have related posts.  These are still "across the board." 

My primary role is as a "trusted advisor" and many of my posts contain information to be shared from that point of view about the topic included in the post.

This still a challenge for readership.  I'm adding posts each day to the blog and to the book until the day I publish it.  Blog posts made after the publication of the first book will be saved for a follow-on book.  I have a few friends who read the blog often.  (They should, many of their ideas and our discussions find their way in to the daily posts.)  I also have two subscribers to the blog--and I am one of them.

I've explored with other friends in the publishing and bookselling business to see how I can edit the content in a way that will make it compelling for others to read.  I'm still developing those ideas.

Another editing challenge I have is to make the links show-up in the published document.  On the website and the blog, the links work.  In print, they need to be spelled out.  Many of my posts include related links for more information and for examples.

What are your thoughts?

Books, Mentors, and Infopreneurship

In 2001 I became a protege of Robert G. Allen on the advice of a friend of many years, Jack Canfield (co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series). In March of 2001, along with many fellow proteges, I attended the Book Expo in Chicago where I met Lynn Pierce, a fellow protege who had just completed her first book and was promoting it at the expo.

I had started a book and did not have it ready for the expo.  In the morning of  September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon.  That afternoon I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  I had the cancer removed and devoted the next six years to teaching K-12 students.  My book remained unfinished and my development as an infopreneur didn't move very far.  I completed an additional masters degree and published several research articles concerning education.

I had maintained contact with Lynn Pierce over the years and have been aware of her progress in her infopreneurship business.  I started listening to Lynn's SuccessBlueprintRadio programs and signed-up for her SuccessBuildingSecrets program.

Nine years after the Book Expo in Chicago I am ready to edit my first book for publication.  This blog will be the content and I will begin organizing the posts into chapters based on the tags I have embedded in each post.  I hope to complete the editing soon and will probably publish using my connection with Lightening Source Press.

Diagnostic Tools for Organizations Available on eBay

In order to make diagnostic tools more readily available to organizations, DrM-Resources has put three survey instruments on auction at eBay.  Multiple copies of the surveys are available.  See the photo below for the names of the surveys. 

(Double-click on the image to see it completely and separately.)

These surveys are sold under the category Specialty Services, Other Services on eBay.

While designed as self-help instruments, each can be supported by optional services from DrM-Resources.

Why would organizations want to make use of such tools?  These tools can inform an organization regarding important business indicators and can help decision-makers in the organizations make more informed decisions.  They are relatively inexpensive and, if someone who purchases an instrument on eBay chooses to receive additional services from DrM-Resources, that person is qualified for preferred pricing.

Learning Needs Analysis--Prerequisite for Learning Design

A Learning Needs Analysis (see Workforce Training Needs Survey) needs to be run formally or informally as a first step or prerequisite for Learning Design.

In order to create a series of learning activities that invite positive engagement using and building skills and perspectives which are needed on the job, clear needs and related goals are needed to start the process.

Completing USA Tax Returns Refines Business Focus

While completing "Schedule C" on the USA Income Tax Return I needed to rethink and to redefine the business focus of DrM-Resources and Joelmonty.net.  While both are "sister companies," DrM-Resources focuses especially on Education Support Services and Joelmonty.net focuses on Internet Publishing, Virtual Coaching, and a host of additional, related services.

Having this refined focus will let me position both companies better in the market place, an unforeseen benefit from completing tax returns this year.

Designing a VirtualU Learning Event

For much of the day I was a virtual participant using VirtualU's 3D software and attending the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit.  My purpose in attending was to pull together my ideas for designing a VirtualU learning event.  VirtualU is sponsored by VirtualBeginnings and Digitell.

Many of my learning design ideas I have already published in this blog.  (See post 1, post 2, and post 3.)  In preparing for a Virtual University Learning Event, I want to incorporate the lessons learned from designing and delivering ELACOMM98--a 2.5-day learning event for 200 communications executives that was held in Cannes, France, in May, 1998.  That event was designed over 12 weeks with a team of subject matter experts and a few learning designers.  Strategy was developed to included learning goals, an integrated, hands-on-learning design, and a series of learning events in teams and in large groups created around workplace simulations that allowed participant to build and practice relevant skills in a very supportive context including practice and learning coaches.  Watch the video for a brief summary.

What I am learning from my virtual attendance at the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit and at three other VirtualU 3D conferences, is the importance of using what I learned from ELACOMM98 and integrating that with understanding of the 3D virtual world and its offerings.  I am an active social networker on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.  One concept from today will be to work with my contacts and groups on LinkedIn to ask what people want and to be sure to design that into the event I will be designing.  Based on the feedback from the panelists at the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit, I will be creating a community (group) on LinkedIn about the learning event and will be hosting some "Velvet Rope" communities (people who are willing to engage in helping develop some of the events before hand and who will have a closer interaction with key people connected with the event).  I have hosted Yahoo Groups for years and expect to do some of the work of developing this new learning event using Skype, Yahoo Groups, and possibly Google Groups, as well as the group and event resources on LinkedIn.

There's another day (tomorrow) to the Virtual Edge 2010 Summit and I expect to be adding more ideas to my plans for the development of the VirtualU Learning Event.  If you want to participate, leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

Workforce Training Needs Survey

In his State of the Union address on January 27, 2010, President Barack Obama mentioned that he wants to revitalize the nation's Community College system.  Job creation and getting the unemployed back to work is a priority for President Obama's administration.  Community Colleges have long been working partners in community education, workforce development, and job training.

In July, 2009, I began a pilot project to administer a Workforce Training Needs Survey at the Kiswaukee Community College District in Northern Illinois.  I was not affiliated with any other organization in starting this project.  I earned my doctorate in adult education and human resource development from Florida International University in 1992 and have been involved in designing this type of needs survey and collecting and processing survey results for years.

I offered my services, free of charge, to several Chambers of Commerce and to city governments in the community college district and two people joined me in working on the first half of the survey.  After July, 2009, I no longer had the free time to support the project.  I continued to develop the survey and have now made it available for purchase on eBay.

Organizations which purchase and use the survey are entitled to preferred pricing on many of the DrM-Resources services I provide in support of this survey.

Business Improvement Survey--a New Product

I just created a Business Improvement Survey using Adobe Acrobat.  It was a challenge to create, though it seems to have good functionality.  Working from a variety of client experiences dealing with organizational development and change, I developed a six-part survey to focus on core questions that need to be resolved for change to be successful and supported.

I decided to market this survey via an eBay auction to get people to try the survey.  The cost will be small and it can be used as a self-help survey by most organizations needing to deal with change.

Of course DrM-Resources will provide support for those people trying out the survey if they should wish extra support.  The survey will get clients preferred pricing on any of the other services offered by DrM-Resources.

This blog entry is more than a promotion for the survey (though that would be a good use of the entry, anyway).  This marks one of the first times DrM-Resources has partnered with eBay to help consumers get access to affordable tools they can use to help their businesses improve.  Not only can they get the tools on eBay, they will soon get preferred pricing on the other DrM-Resources services soon to be made available on eBay. 

DrM-Resources and Joelmonty.net already use PayPal for invoicing and payments, and Skype for webinars and other interactive events.  It is only natural to add eBay to the mix.

Virtual World Webinar Creation

When planning the design of a Virtual Worlds Webinar, it is important to know the capabilities of the Virtual Worlds so that participants in the Webinar can take full advantage of all of the capabilities offered.

I am in the process of creating such an event.  See this follow-up blog post regarding the design process.

NSB-Project

Yesterday I was approached by a former colleague who had volunteered with me on a CPR Sunday project we did for the American Red Cross and the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in November, 1991.

Her goal was to create a new community service project or event for New Smyrna Beach, Florida.  At this point it is just a dream and I agreed to help her get it started and planned.

DrM-Resources has set-up a collaborative project page and is posting discussion questions to start the brainstorm.  After watching Julie and Julia, I believe that the evolution of this community service project/event would be a good candidate for a blog, focused on the positive and on overcoming challenges.

The blog could both document the planning and be a resource to others considering taking on such an event.  CPR Sunday was based on a successful event held in California and the NSB-Project could be the start of a series of projects/events to benefit communities throughout the USA and the world.

We are at the planning stages and have only two people actively registered on the collaboration web site so far.

Communicating and Marketing Value

Communicating and marketing value are challenging, especially via the Internet and in today's economy.  Social Networking sites such as LinkedIn, FaceBook, and Twitter may help.  Search engines such as Google could help and, due to the sale of ad words and tags to make people rise to the top of searches, these engines may actually interfere with the ability of people to find the value they may be looking for.

Knowing how to adjust a website to offer a landing page that delivers value is a marketable skill.  Unfortunately, many people market this skill without having any particular skill to market.

One of my goals with DrM-Resources is to offer value.  I have a variety of interconnected websites and share information about what DrM-Resources offers.  Now I need to find ways to help people find it, even if this means creating another "landing-page" website that is more focused on the value people are interested in.

Collaboration Project--Practice for 21st Century Collaboration

In this first year of the second decade of the new millennium, collaboration is a key word.  How do we develop synergy and do more with less?  Collaborate.  What is an essential ingredient for collaboration?  Trust (slide 12). 

Social Networking is another buzzword for this new millennium.  Wikispaces is one of the tools which enables Web 2 interactive collaboration and communication.  Wikispaces has been recognized for its efforts on the part of collaboration for education.

In the past, many businesses were organized to reward individual effort and to downplay the benefit of true group collaboration.  Meetings were sometimes the only group activity and often produced  less than stellar outcomes considering the time invested in meetings.  For this reason, many companies have explored the use of Webinars--meetings held to share information with people working from their desks.

Wiki-style interactive collaboration is a different approach that has many potential benefits for business, education, and government. 

To offer an example of how to work with Wikis on a collaborative project, I've created a Collaboration-Project page on the DrM-Resources.wikispaces.com website.  I have started one sample project for a business and will be happy to create more for other businesses or for education.  These are examples of how collaboration can be helped by Wikis and there is no fee for participating in these example projects.

As people recognize the value of this type of collaboration, I am hopeful that more organizations will become clients of DrM-Resources.  We'll see how it goes.

Workforce Development--Determining Training Needs

Workforce development--this is a critical concept for today's economy.  What are the training needs of people in the workforce?  How are community needs assessments conducted?  In the Hispanic community, to what degree is more training in English or in Spanish important to the workforce and to the families of workers?

DrM-Resources is conducting a project on Community Needs Assessment.  There is a need for new chambers of commerce to be involved.

Chambers of commerce have access to their members and can gather important information that can be provided to community colleges, universities, and other vendors to support custom-designed workforce training appropriate to the needs of member organizations.