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The Castaways of Survivor SxSW Austin: How to Find ADOS Immunity at a Huge Conference

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Off to the Island We Go

I was still a young pup when I discovered the key to conferences. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in. They’re arranged, funded, and attended by people. People at conferences seem to fall victim to the same behaviors. By the end, the folks leaving can look like they’ve lived a season of Survivor — Take for example this recent conference: Survivor SxSW Austin.

People were off to the island of Austin. Soon enough SxSW castaways realized that their ties to home were gone. We started saying hello; finding common ground; seeing who had a SxSW badge, forming our teams. The people of the town, the people of restaurants, the people in the cars, cabs, and hallways become like so much scenery — we only interacted with them when we needed essentials — food, clothing, and shelter (well, mostly food.)

Survivor SxSW became Reality 2.0. Anticipation was high. Possibilities were higher. Intentions and expectations were everywhere. “Do everything” looked like the only option between now and home. Survival required focus and follow through in the alien environment that only a huge conference can be. The folks who came without training were at a serious disadvantage.

The 3 questions on the Survivor site were heard throughout the week.

  • Who’s most under-estimated?
  • What’s the wildest moment so far?
  • Which castaway seems most out of their element?

Who would be left standing at the end of a week?

It’s easy to feel alone. No one gets automatic immunity. You have to find your own.

The Castaways

Huge conference after huge conference the cast doesn’t seem to change. Let me introduce you to the folks I always see. They were there last year … but like a new season of Survivor, they seemed to be the same people with different names.

  1. The first timer: She was glad to be there and overwhelmed that everyone knew what she didn’t — that just because you know 100 people at the same conference, it doesn’t mean you’ll see any of them. She’s was soon wishing she’d come with comfortable shoes, with a plan, with a friend to keep her company.
  2. The up and comer: He went for the win. In a few hours, everyone knew him. He was networking until the cows came home, or at least back to his hotel. You’ll know him by the number of flickr pix that you find tagged with his name. Do you have a copy of his book? Wait, he hasn’t had time to write it yet.
  3. The information junkie: Her head was in the panels. She could quote chapter and verse of the keynotes and blogged every question. Her program was worn to shreds from handling by Day 2. She exchanged cards with every speaker, but didn’t really have a conversation the entire week.
  4. The party monkeys: Each morning they built alliances on the list of parties they’d attend that evening. The next day they spoke slowly about how long the lines were. They lost their voices and their hearing by bits with each new sunrise.
  5. The rockstar: She showed up for appearances, did her gig, smiled at fans, shook their hands, and disappeared almost as quickly. She might have gotten off most easily because her unreal fame fits the unreality of the conference with a resonating rhythm.
  6. The social jockey: He decided what to do and which people to spend time with based on whether they add to his visibility. You know your star is rising if his kind spoke with you this year.
  7. The sponsors and the sponsored: They worked their butts off and hardly had time to talk. They made everything happen. When they had downtime they talked business or partied like the attendees.
  8. The camera crew: The camera crew was busy with their cameras. They are not allowed to interact while the cameras are on. They’ll experience the conference when they look through their flickr accounts.
  9. The pros: They treated the conference like a Twitter stream — taking part in what they found valuable, letting the rest go by. They did business. They attended some sessions and events. They skipped others for quality conversation. They got sleep every night. They kept their feet on ground and their thoughts in perspective.

Lots of regular folks were there too, by Day 4 they were easy to identify. They were the ones who were still awake and itching to find their own pillow. A Survivor Experience can wear on the most grounded psyches. These are the folks who disappeared from the interwebs when they got home.

How to Find ADOS Immunity at a Huge Conference

Lots of great things happen at conferences. SxSW is outstanding for what it offers –incredible opportunities to expand your network and constant input to move your thinking to new levels. You’ll meet great people and if you try, you’ll get a chance to know them. To be successful, you need to find immunity to an extreme case of ADD that someone called ADOS — AD-oooo shiny.

Five ground rules will help.

  1. Build your network before you go. Meet people via email and telephone long before you get to the “island.” Huge conferences are more valuable if you already have a connection to the people you’re going to meet. You’ll also find that more of the meetings that you plan will actually take place.
  2. Invest in a goal. That will give your conference a direction and a basis on which to make decisions about what to do next when unexpected opportunities jump in front of you.
  3. Only plan 3 – 5 things each day and be lethal about getting those done. Interruptions and opportunities to explore people, places, and conversations will be everywhere all day long. If you find you have time to do more than you planned, you’ll be ahead of the game.
  4. Make time for at least one important conversation daily. Go to lunch with smart people. Talk about smart things. A week of continuous small talk can make any person feel shallow, insecure, and a little lost.
  5. Make time for sleep. Don’t think you can do everything. No one will notice if you missed that third party on Tuesday. Everyone will notice if you look a wreck and can’t think by Day 3.

Those few strategies can help keep your balance. You’ll accomplish your goals, get a return on your investment, and learn plenty from just being there. You’ll head home a Survivor, feeling like the tribe was worth every minute you spent in their company.

What do you do to survive huge conferences?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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50 Blue Feather Tweeters: Talking about People Who Talk With You

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A new guy at the local pub asked me, “What is Twitter?” He said he couldn’t make sense of it, but he supposed his niece could. She has a blog.

I finished what I was tweeting and walked over to show him. I held out the public timeline on my iPhone and began talking about what folks were talking about. As we looked down the stream, I “introduced” him to people in the avatars. We talked about what each tweet showed about the ways people use Twitter.

I pointed out the huge audience of lurkers and listeners and told the man in the pub that I preferred the folks who talk. The folks who talk make the tool a mutual resource. People who talk share information, ideas, and insights. From them I learn, I laugh, and I connect to new people and new ideas. Questions get asked answered by the folks who talk. It’s like networking offline with the speed and reach of the Internet.

The man in the pub was shocked and awed …

The man in the pub came to mind yesterday when I read Lonnie Hodge’s Blue Feather Tweeters.

So, I thought “How about a list of the top 20-30 nicest people to meet and tweet on Twitter?” Here are my first picks for Blue Feather Friends–who actually talk to you….

Lonnie’s post and his idea to celebrate friends who actually talk to you … so inspired me. I want to offer you some of my favorite tweeters too — the folks who help me learn. Certainly these aren’t nearly all of you, but these ones I think wouldn’t mind a a new person starting a conversation.

Just a Few of My Blue Feather Tweeters

  1. @lonniehodge He started the idea of blue feather tweeters and I’ve been reading his blog for almost 4 years.
  2. @amyderby Listen in at night when she and I are designing t-shirts.
  3. @rickmahn Ask him what LoL really stands for.
  4. @zenaweist About as wise as they come and even more fun than that.
  5. @jimpeake His conversation can be about anything. You’ll never be bored.
  6. @DivinePurposeMV Listen to what she says, it’s always uplifting.
  7. @AaronStrout A truly decent human being who knows business and tweets with professional generosity.
  8. @BeckyMcCray Wit, style and everything about small town small business. Ask her about rush moment.
  9. @JimStorer Lovely, kind, intelligent with a wicked mischief in his smile.
  10. @JennFowler Fabulous sense of humor and fabulous hair.
  11. @roberthruzek The original cowboy hat wearing gentleman of Twitter.
  12. @carole_hicks Energy, enthusiasm, and so much honesty. Ask her about socks and social media.
  13. @ahoffmann50 Always checking in to see how things are — if your life is a rollercoaster he knows all about them.
  14. @eeUS Every morning she greets Twitterville with a smile.
  15. @rainesmaker He speaks in brilliant sentences and often they’re hilarious.
  16. @DebNg Soft words and a sly clever way of saying them. She’s a natural community manager.
  17. @gassho He knows that reflection and silence matter. His words show it.
  18. @joanna young The smile in her latest avatar says it all.
  19. @CCSeed Intelligent, soft-spoken, and often profoundly insightful in 140 characters
  20. @amypalko She’s extraordinary. Ask her about soaring.
  21. @davepeck This is a guy worth meeting! Just say, “OMG it’s Dave Peck!” to him.
  22. @heatherrast Every morning she greets Twitterville with a smile.
  23. @markdavidson Twitter maven who’ll answer your questions and make you laugh while he does.
  24. @_Deb She’s picturing us with tha camera. Tell her it’s time to sort her sweater collection.
  25. @toddsmithphoto Always look when he points you to his latest gallery.
  26. @northernchick Gentle and funny … and oh so smart.
  27. @starbucker Positive in his world view. You will be too, especially if you sing along.
  28. @rosasay Every bit of Rosa is leadership with aloha. You hear smile when she talks.
  29. @shashib Truly a connector who wants to help and share what he knows.
  30. @lorelleonwp She’ll talk anything “W” — WordPress, Woopra, what she’s wearing.
  31. @BrentLeary He can talk about almost anything — maybe it’s his skill at interviewing.
  32. @YaelBeeri She gives good tweet.
  33. @remarkablogger Works hard, plays hard. Tweet like a pro.
  34. @AlliWorthington Charming, funny, and graciously good humored.
  35. @tojosan He’s relational. No doubt about it.
  36. @websuccessdiva She’s genuine, generous, smart, and engaging.
  37. @colderice His energy is beyond inspiring … It’s contagious!
  38. @christammiller A whining new start worth every word that she tweets.
  39. @VincentWright Chief Enthusiasm Officer and the nicest, wisest power connector.
  40. @hartsook Awesome, smart, and thinks big thoughts. Inspiring.
  41. @JasonFalls If he says it’s so, believe it.
  42. @debworks Likes to talk with smart people about smart ideas because she has so many of her own.
  43. @CCSeed Intelligent, soft-spoken, and often profoundly insightful in 140 characters
  44. @heatherjstrout It’s so easy to talk to Heather and so fun. Don’t let that fool you. She’s sharp!
  45. @barrymoltz Barry cares about folks succeeding. Asking him how to bounce.
  46. @retheauditors A brilliant, straight shooting, sharp-witted Chicagoan.
  47. @paisano He thinks therefore he’s fun to tweet with.
  48. @momofteenstwit2 Everything she does is filled with generous energy. Get to know this one.
  49. @Ron_Hudson Loves social media, making things happen, and people.
  50. @neenz An alltop favorite of the Internet. Make sure you tell her I need some stickers.

Of course before we talk, it’s always a good idea to listen first. Then do tell them I said, “hi.”

What Blue Feather Tweeters do you know?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: Mark Davidson on The Art of Self Promotion

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Join Us Tonight

JOIN US TONIGHT AT 7PM

Guest host Mark Davidson, Social Media Promoter

Man about Twitter, Internet strategist, and social media manager, Mark Davidson, will be here to talk about nuances self-promotion and Twitter.

Oh, and bring your questions and sample links with you.

The rules are simple — be nice.

Do be nice. 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Beach Notes: Advantage of a Bird's Eye View

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by Guest Writer Suzie Cheel

In any business there is an advantage to be gained in every now and again stepping away from the details of what we are doing and all our tasks, however essential and urgent, so that we can look at our challenges and the business itself from a more “elevated” perspective – a bird’s eye view.

Not an original thought, but how many of us do it? And if we do it, do we do so often enough?

The thoughts and the questions were prompted by seeing a new structure – a kind of observation platform made of scaffolding materials and a sheet of corrugated roofing – at our local beach, Rainbow Bay.

Every year about this time we have the week-long spectacle of the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro surfing championships at Rainbow Bay , or as surfers probably think of it, the famous Snapper Rocks break. The whole end of the beach, in the area surrounding the Rainbow Bay Surf Lifesaving club building, becomes a kind of instant tent city, with temporary shops, cafe, exhibition space, media center, and what appears to be a large chillout area for competitors. The event brings champion surfers, men and women, from around the world, and pumps large sums of money into the local hospitality industry.

We love it!

It also brings hordes of photographers, who set their tripods or other camera props up on the beach or on the rocks, to capture the performances of the competitors.

The observation tower at the other end of the beach is a new development this year. We spoke the other day to the guy in it, who was set up with still and video cameras, in a position commanding a totally uninterrupted view of the whole beach and looking straight down to the area where the surfers are doing their stuff over the coming days.

There is no question that he will have a better overall picture of what is happening than will his colleagues/competitors on the beach. Some of their photos and videos might be more striking than his, but he will be able to take pictures that they can’t take from the level of the beach or the rocks.

He has a bird’s eye view.

Have you been able to get a better picture of your business by stepping back and getting a bird’s eye view?

Any tips you would like to share, about how to do that most effectively?
Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh

The FIVE Ps of Irresistible Social Marketing

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Last year at SxSW, I told Richard at Dell that I thought the time of Brand You was over and the time of Product You had begun. What I meant was that brand is an interpretation of the “specs,” whereas product was the actuality. My point was that to build a career on concrete we have to build on the values and traits that are truly and always our own.

Now I’m thinking of traditional marking — the Four Ps: Product, Price, Place, Promotion — and in social media I’d add People.

In social media marketing, the view has shifted campaigns are about people not products. So lets start with the people.

People

It used to be these beings were outside a company. They were studied, feared, occasionally consulted, targeted, but considered “other” than the enterprise. Called buyers, customers, clients, eyeballs, users, and some terms less dignified, their value was often best understood by how they showed up on the bottom line. Many companies actually spoke of “customer proofing” their products, because they thought of their buying public as not too nimble or clever.

Now it’s people that we want to attract, connected and engage. It’s people who provide our best ideas and our most interesting content.

Product

It used to be that the product was what drove campaigns and the brand. Just putting a cool product in front of people hardly attract any more. Creatively featuring it, hardly makes enough single to get a mention if more interesting, informative, or intriguing conversations are nearby.

Now the product sits alongside to the ideas and actions the product enables or represents. Those ideas and actions are what connect people in conversations to form communities of fiercely loyal fans. The connection to has to be meaningful … the conversation has to be both intelligent and worth our time.

Price

The price was once derived solely from the cost of delivering a quality product into the people’s hands. Now the price is value. Value is based on the experience of being able to participate in the community, being able to meet with folks who can answer questions and who share the stardards and values the product represents.

Place

Place used to be where the product was offered — the footprint and location in relation to of ther products of the same ilk and kind. Now place is more about where people find the product helping other people and how we help customers find a place for the product in their lives.

Few of us need much more than we already have. What we’re looking for are things that give us more time and make our lives more efficient and meaningful.

Promotion

Promotion has turned inside out. It’s about showing and attracting, not telling and pushing.
Make a product that connects people with meaning and value that fits easily in their lives and they’ll it irresistble — so irresistible that they’ll tell their friends about it.

That’s social marketing.

How do you make your social marketing irresistible? What’s irresistible to you?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Share a SOBCon weekend learning with Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
Brian Clark Liz StraussBrian Solis Kali Evans-Raoul KD Paine Geoff Nelson and Chris Aarons Denise Wakeman Wendy Piersall and David Bullock Stephen Smith and Michael Martine Glenda Watson Hyatt, Karen Putz, and Stephen Hopson
Saul Colt and Terry Starbucker Glenda Watson Hyatt, Karen Putz, and Stephen Hopson
The value — priceless.

How's Your Relationship with Yourself?

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The theme of SOBCon09 is the ROI of Relationships. To underscore the importance of relationships in business and to have a chance to make and celebrate a few while we’re doing that, I’ve opened up this series by successful and outstanding bloggers like you.

Communicating with Yourself
by Karl Staib

To get yourself to the next level of your career, the most important development is to be able to communicate with yourself so honestly and effectively that every choice improves your life.

Wow! Every choice?

Yes, every choice can add or subtract to or from your career.

I’ve made many mistakes with my career, but one thing I pride myself on is the fact that I never settled for less than what I really wanted. I wanted a career in teaching and I found it. I wanted a creative career I landed it. I wanted a people interactive career and I got it.

They all built on each other and helped me get to where I wanted.

I’ve found a job that requires teaching, creativity and interactivity. These are the tools that have aided me in my present career. Is this the end?

Probably not.

I’m ok with not knowing whether of not this is my final destination. That’s what honesty does for you. Chances are, you won’t ever see the complete picture. There is no way of seeing the whole picture from just one set of eyes. But you can add to the picture, step back and effectively pick your next direction.

Think of your career as a giant scroll that can never be erased, but the most important part is the last sentence. It’s this sentence that is the present you. Hopefully the happy you. If you aren’t happy then keep improving your story.

Never Stop

You must keep adding to the “story” that is your career. We all have so much potential to change the world. We can do this only through work. What? I can change the world in many other ways. I ask you to name me one way in which you can make change without putting in a little work?

You can’t.

You need to create motion to generate change.

Without action it’s just thoughts.

The number one reason why people are happy at their jobs is because what they produce resonates with their soul. They believe so wholeheartedly that they are doing good that it lifts them to a level of happiness that sets their hearts on fire.

I watched an animal show that highlighted Steve Irwin’s (Crocodile Hunter) pet hospital. One employee sleeps in her office to care for the injured Koala bears. She is so dedicated to saving these animals that she will forgo sleep to feed a Koala every two hours.

Finding this fire is not easy. For 99% of us this takes many years, but that means never settling for second best or third best. We need to keep adding layers that build our career foundation. With each layer we gain more perspective, strength and intelligence, which allows us to communicate with ourselves more honestly and effectively.

So ask yourself: What could I be doing to add to my personal development?

My two favorite methods are:

Meditation/Contemplation

Just sitting in a quiet room and answering the question, “What work am I doing now that I enjoy? And what could I be doing to add to my career?”
There are many methods that can help you build on your present career or switch to a new one. You can try anything, from volunteering at a local organization to creating an event that involves the community.

When you give yourself questions to answer, you can avoid the loop of thoughts that prevent you from fulfilling your vision of your “dream career.”

Asking Friends

Your friends are a treasure chest of information. They have formulated many ideas of who you are and why they like you.

Ask your friends, “What are my best talents?” and “Do you think I’m using them to my advantage?”

Don’t take these answers personally. Some responses might hurt your feelings. You are doing this to grow, so you must accept the idea that the situation might be a wee bit uncomfortable, but a valuable experience.

What other methods have you used to listen to your soul’s career needs?
What jobs have you had that you didn’t like, but later you understood how they helped build your career?

his own blog: Work Happy Now! If you enjoyed this article, you may like to subscribe to his feed, follow him on Twitter or

Karl Staib writes about unlocking and kicking open the door to working happy atWork Happy Now where you can read one of his most popular articles, How Does Google Create a Great Atmosphere?
His twitter name is @workhappynow