If you enjoy reading my blog, you can now subscribe to my posts. Each time I post something new a notification will be sent to your email. To subscribe to my blog look for an option to subscribe on the right hand side of the home page. Enjoy! BTM
Subscribing to my blog
June 1, 2010
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Posted by Bruce
Integration in social media
April 2, 2010THE CHALLENGE – When I started blogging on WordPress in 2008 it things were very different. I enjoyed the blogging and still do immensely. However, there were many challenges with blogging and interacting on the social media networks like facebook and LinkedIn. If I wanted the same material on my WordPress blog to also appear in my facebook notes, I had to post it again in facebook. I also joined the Twitter bandwagon and Linkedin and the experience was the same. If you wanted to post in each of these applications you had to log in separately. Nothing was integrated at that stage and it was very frustrating working in all these applications.
THE COMPETITORS – I wondered if all these companies who were in one way or another competitors could come together and do something that would benefit me, the customer and consumer of all their products. What would it take for WordPress, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter to be all connected and integrated?
SINGLE VIEW STRATEGY – I came up with a strategy that I wanted a single view of all my online and blogging activity. However, this would not be without risks. Did I want details of my personal life leaking into my professional life? Did I also want details of my professional life mixing with other information from my personal life? I thought it was inevitable that over time the lines between the two would get blurred. In preparation for the single view I had to revisit my facebook profile and get it ready for integration
COMFORT ZONE – Over time I realised that some of my friends facebook were not keen to go outside facebook to read my blogs. I was also unsure of inviting my readers on WordPress to become my friends on facebook so that they could access my notes. People were comfortable within that particular application and did not want to go outside it.
CONTINUED IN HOPE – I did let not my frustrations get in the way of blogging and posting on the social media platforms. I continued in hope, believing that one day it would happen. I would do a copy and paste between the different platforms. Today that this is no longer necessary.
THE REALITY – I longed for integration and it today it’s a reality. Today I also need to post in one application like LinkedIn and it will not only update my Twitter account but facebook status as well. For me it’s a dream come true. I post a blog on WordPress and it updates my profile in Facebook and my Linkedin account. We even have Facebook Connect now which takes the integration to another level.
LESS WORK, MORE FOCUS – The integration of the various social media means less work for me as a blogger and networker. I only need to work on one or two platforms and I am assured that the work will update on my other profiles in cyberspace within seconds. I can now focus more on actual content that I posted instead of worrying whether I have copied everything across. I am very excited about social media. BTM
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Posted by Bruce
Apostle Paul
October 10, 2009Apostle Paul
Whose portrait is on the wall,
In this great hall,
Was once a man call Saul,
Then to Christ he was gall.
One out to maul,
On a roll,
Ready for all to fall,
Then he had his call,
Which took its great toll,
On him as a whole,
And His soul,
And just about all.
He had his fall
He had to crawl
What a light,
So bright,
At that site,
For a while lost his sight,
Something he would always cite,
The experience would bite,
How could he fight,
When not he was right,
But the Lord who said his plight,
Yes Saul in His might,
Like one high up a kite,
Was cut down in height,
Maybe not quite,
But now he’s so pure, in the great light!
- Bruce Tendai Mubayiwa (BTM)
(I wrote this around January 2006)
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Posted by Bruce
Keep them in check! But if you make them keep them!
April 8, 2009Don’t make promises unnecessarily, Don’t break promises period! The damage done from breaking them is immense. Don’t be known as someone who breaks promises. This is a nasty reputation. People will stop taking you seriously. Your promise, your word is devalued! When that happens your promise means nothing.
If you are going to make promises, go for the easy wins, the ones you are sure to keep, all things being equal of course. Promise on the obvious, if there is such but not to the extent of being silly (for instance promising that the sun will rise). Underpromise and overdeliver. Promise to do things you know are already taken care of. Be conservative, be cautious when you promise. Do not raise expectations only to sink them again. Do not build something only to destroy it.
Before the age of voluminous and extremely detailed contracts came about, a handshake was enough. It was all that was needed to get things in action and even today it’s enough for some people. But for others signatures, witnesses, jargon and penalties are still not enough to ensure that a promise will be kept.
You know there is a problem when you are spending more time making promises than keeping them. You know there is a problem if after one breaking one promise, you make yet another, even more ambitious than the first one. My goodness!
If you are put on the spot to promise something you are not sure of rather be embarassed briefly for than a long time after breaking the promise. Take your time to promise but be swift in keeping it. Do what you can to keep it. Do what it takes to keep your good name. Sometimes your good name is really all you have. Look after it and treasure it.
Keep the promises in check but if you really must make them, keep them!
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Posted by Bruce
What works best for you? Know it and use it!
April 8, 2009What works best for you? Which situations, times bring out the best in you? To what extent do you know your own strengths and weaknesses? Whether from a personal or work perspective, how much do you know yourself?
Sometimes the reason why we are not excelling at what we are doing is that we are not creating conditions conducive to excelling. I believe everyone has got something they excel in, or said differently given the ideal situation, everyone will excel at something. Sometimes we simply do not know ourselves enough as individuals to make informed decisions in the course of our work and personal lives. It’s really sad when do not know that we don’t know.
How can we be fully effective with the unknown, unpredictable and distant outside world before we know and understand the ever present, intimate and the closest world of self? Before you start looking and working outside, you got to know and understand what’s inside. Then you are better placed to navigate the environment around you, the outside and better manage its impact on you.
The following are just a few questions that readily come to mind:
Are you a numbers or calculations person or bigger on words, ideas or concepts?
Do you prefer to focus on the bigger picture or would you rather get bogged down by the small detail, the nitty gritties?
Do you work best in the mornings or your efficiency increases towards sunset or beyond?
When you give presentations or addresses do you prefer to have as much detail as possible on hand or are you more comfortable with pointers on what you want to say. Would rather speak off the cuff or impromptu style or for you everything has to be prepared beforehand?
Do you prefer listening or would rather be doing the talking half the time?
Take time to know yourself! It is time well invested. Take time to understand what works best for you. Know it and use it! – BTM
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Posted by Bruce
Get your name out there and see what comes back!
April 8, 2009I was talking to a friend about making progress and advancing in the corporate world. He said to me, ” Get your name out there and see what comes back.” Do the best you can in each and every situation that you get into. Take every opportunity to market yourself. Remember you are a personal brand. It need not be aggressive type of marketing. Seek to leave a lasting impression when you interact with others and when you go about a daily business.
When your work is done, it will speak for you. When your name is mentioned the following will come to mind: reliability, excellence, commitment, dedication to mention but a few.
Go out there and do what you have to do. Get your name out there and see what comes back! BTM
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Posted by Bruce
Keep the team in place!
April 1, 2009Have you now got a team of people who will help you achieve your goals in your work or personal life? It’s up to you to decide how big or small the team is going to be.
Don’t disband the team after initial success. Do not let success get to your head. Guard against complacency at all times. There will be more success to celebrate in future if you stay together. Maybe the members of the team might change with the passage of time, with good reason, but don’t do away with the team altogether.
Don’t give up at the first hurdle. Together you will overcome. Divided you will be sure to fail. The lessons you learn at each hurdle will serve you well in future hurdles.
No finger pointing in times of failure. No need to make any member of the team feel bad, unwanted and costly to the team. However, everyone needs to learn from mistakes made. To err is human but to make the same mistakes repeatedly is folly. The team’s failure is temporary and in fact a pedestal to the next level which is success.
No one should take all the credit for success. Even if you have played a bigger role than others, this is secondary to the overall success of the team. Your level of contribution will vary with time. No need at all to give minor and major credit. Everyone deserves credit period!
Just as you fight together from deep in the trenches, so too will you celebrate from high up on the hilltops.
Keep the team together! Keep the team in place!
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Posted by Bruce
Your breakthrough!
March 30, 2009It’s going to come without warning. Any moment could be that point in time, when everything seems just right. When the iron is hotter than ever and there is no better time to strike.
The time when it’s ripe to take it to the next level. After all those hours of hard work and sacrifice, it is the time to start reaping the fruits. All the sleepless nights you pressed on with your vision in silence and solitude. Though so many doubted, yet you always believed and then you are vindicated. The doubters are silenced and those who kept the faith join you in rejoicing.
“That’s my friend, …that’s my son,… that’s my daughter!” I am hearing it all round! Suddenly everyone is proud to be associated with you. The acknowledgement that you fully deserved now comes your way! And more windows of opportunity will open. This is only the beginning.
Be ready for your moment on the podium. Seize the moment and throw caution to the wind when your time comes. Withstand the forces that against you but in rise in harmony with those for you.
Be ready for the big break when it comes. The breakthrough! – BTM
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Posted by Bruce
Tomorrow! Give it a chance!
March 25, 2009When the today ends don’t carry forward any hurts, don’t carry with you any negatives but take forward the positives, the lessons, the learnings.
When the sun goes down today, take the baggage down with it as well. Don’t wake up tomorrow with the today’s baggage. If you do so it will drag you down before the day even starts.There will be enough tomorrow to keep you busy without stuff from today!
Tomorrow is a new day! Rise and shine tomorrow just like the sun!
Don’t prejudge tomorrow, from the moment you will wake up, it will be completely unspoilt. Don’t mess things up.
Give tomorrow a chance! BTM
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Posted by Bruce
Get it behind you!
March 25, 2009There’ll be days when things could have gone better. That’s just how life is gonna be. No matter what there are going to be ups and downs. Nobody is going to be a high forever. And noone will always be in the dumps.
Don’t dwell too much on what is passsed. The milk is already spilt. Let’s not cry over it. It’s water under the bridge. Let it flow!
Let it go! Move on! BTM
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Posted by Bruce
