Using Facebook to Connect and Learn

By James McLuckie

When I say Facebook, what does it mean to you? Catching up with pals? Staying in touch with friends who moved to the other side of the world? Looking up people from school that used to send your heart all aflutter to see how much weight they’ve put on or how much hair they’ve lost?

Yes, Facebook provides the means to do all of that and it’s great entertainment. But did you know that many people use it to learn? To many, “learning” is the same as “education”, and in many people’s minds that means “school”. So why would we use a fun tool like Facebook to do something boring like go back to school?

Well, because Facebook, and other social media tools such as LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter, make it easy to learn. There’s a whole new world of information sharing, relationship building and knowledge building happening online right now, and these applications provide the means to do it.

I will give you an example. When I first dipped my toe into Twitter I was seriously unimpressed. The fact that I had to limit myself to 140 characters was, to my mind, an outrage. How dare this thing suggest that my big, beautiful thoughts could be condensed in such a crude fashion! But then I started to post questions there, ask for advice, seek out subject matter experts. Before long, my questions were being answered, advice was being offered and these experts in their fields started to become friends. People, potential and possibilities had opened up, and I was thrilled because I knew I could learn something new every minute if I wanted to.

All of the best learning happens when we don’t think “I am learning”. It happens when we communicate, explore, and ask questions. You see, learning is not school. Learning is engagement, motivation, excitement, development and, oh yes, it is fun. That’s why social tools are such great mechanisms for learning. They allow people to communicate and connect. Here’s an example:

Pauline updates her profile with “Loving that Ladyhawke single”. Keith replies, “Never heard of her. What’s she like?” Pauline describes her music as 80s pop with a modern twist but, meanwhile, Peter has gone onto YouTube, found the video for the single, and posted that on Pauline’s profile so that Keith (and everyone else) can hear and see Ladyhawke for themselves. Keith comes back and says, “Great track. If you like that, you’ll love this Empire of the Sun number.” And so it goes ...

Now replace “Ladyhawke” in that scenario with something to do with a film, book, sport, car, holiday, washing machine, piece of homework ... anything you are interested in. See how easy it is to share and interact about things that interest and inspire you? And exchanges like the one above happen every second.

That’s why I am so excited about the possibilities of social media tools. They’ve already made a valuable contribution to my life and, the great thing is, they are just getting started. If you need me, you can find me on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Oh, or I’ll be blogging.

(Incidentally, I would do yourselves a favour and actually do check out Ladyhawke on YouTube. “Paris is Burning”, in particuar, is a TUNE!)

Introducing Guest Blogger: Brian Murray

By Brian Murray

I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Brian Murray and I am one of 2 Directors of CarePro Consultancy Ltd. I joined the company, set up by my mother, Bernadette, in June of this year.

Basically, we are both from Care backgrounds, my mother is a Nurse with over 40 years (she won't mind me telling that) experience in nursing, the last 20 years of that being a General Manager of more than 10 Care Homes (all at the same time, she didn't go through one home every 2 years). Myself, well I started working full time as a Carer in 1991, I quickly became a Senior Carer before totting off to work as an Auxillairy Nurse in my local Hospital, during my 5 years in the wards I kept my links with the Care Homes by working part-time in the newly opened Korsakoff unit. After taking a year out to explore other areas (I worked for a year as Digital Satellite Installer) I returned to a newly opened Care Home to take post as a Services Manager. Seven years later and I had worked my way through my Level 4 Management and level 4 Health and Social Care as well as becoming a Moving and Handling Instructor. I applied for a job as Manager in a Residential Home and was delighted to get the post, I worked here for a year until the home was sold and I made my first attempt at working for my mother, circumstances did not dictate in my favour and I found myself unemployed for 2 months before a previous employer made contact and invited me to go and work for them in another Home they owned. I was a little unsure about this but gave it a go anyway and although it was enjoyable (at times) I knew I had reached a stage where I wanted to achieve more so I hooked up again with mum and since June we have been beavering away helping various Care Homes achieve higher grades, improve their paperwork, staffing, training etc.

My current project is 168 miles from home so for the first time in 13 years my wife gets the house to herself for a week at a time.

It's a rewarding feeling, working for yourself but it comes with a great deal of uncertainty, I guess I need to brush up on my marketing skills but hey, it's new, it's exciting and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Photo Above:  Brian Murray

Brian Murray

Can we inspire when feeling uninspired?

By Brian Murray



Working for yourself, or being your own boss, is everyones dream of perfect employment. Like most dreams though, the reality isn't far behind. So why do it if i'm going to moan about it?, well it's human nature to be suspicious of success or satisfaction. I wouldn't be where I am now if I hadn't spent years dragging myself out of bed in the morning and feeling that awful dread and knotted stomach wondering what horrors my daily work was going to bring me and it didnt get any easier when I finally made the transition to Management. "I know what to do. I can change everything, I can make it all better...." the pithy warblings of a wet-behind-the-ears manager until he comes face to face with the one thing that will stop him in his tracks: People. or Staff to be precise. I was always respectful of senior staff when I was a carer/senior carer, I always believed that to stick to your principles in the face of adversity would help you to success and achievement. It was some time before I realised what it really takes to succeed. Courage. Making hard decisons at the right time is where the success comes from, sleepless nights? not so much when you accept you can't be liked by everyone. I was determined, however, to move away from the style of management I had experienced in my life, the look over your shoulder only noticing when you've done something wrong kind. I wanted to illicit respect among the workers by leaving them alone to do their job, to this day I can't work to the best of my ability with someone looking over my shoulder so why expect others to do it? My mantra was 'take the freedom i'm giving you to do your job, but never take advantage.' I have to say most people went for it, if a director appeared and asked why staff were out having a cigarette when it wasn't an 'official' break I could confidently ask them to point something out that was'nt done or required immediate attention.

So why am I on my own now?, well there are still too many 'old school' directors out there who want a simple manager, not a leader. they don't believe in inspiring all of the workforce, just the ones they like. I can't stand favouritism or snobbery. I would see all staff as equals, as a manager if i had a day off sick there would be some extra paperwork when I came back but have a domestic or a carer off sick and you can easily watch the lot hit the fan. I remember my first care job paid £1.65 an hour, the domestic staff were on something like £0.95p, that was 20 years ago and comparitively it hasn't gotten much better. Don't get me wrong, I love the care sector and I am very proud of my career so far but now I've decided that I won't achieve the levels of greatness I expected within one workplace because I couldn't get the support or backing I needed and instead I offer my experience to anyone who cares enough about their business to see that they need to change but don't know where to start.

Next weeks blog - How to remove wings from wasps without being stung.

B Murray.

The Energy of Autumn –by Ayeshah Khan (Akasha School of Yoga)

In the fall, nature conspires to appeal to our senses. The brilliant colours, the rustle and crunch of dried leaves beneath our feet and the smell of autumn harvests. It is a time when the nights are drawing in and nature is slowing down with shorter days and longer nights. In nature, autumn reflects dryness and there is a feeling that the earth’s energy is truly gathering inwards in preparation for “letting go” for the winter. It is hard not to take in every moment.

Some Daily Habits to try for Autumn:

Tune into seasonal energy –Energetic theme of a typical Autumn day is about doing less and focusing inwards, be consciously aware of your thoughts and moods, monitor areas of your life where you might be pushing yourself or others too much, try and be enthusiastic and positive in your actions while holding onto your principles and keeping commitments.

Start the day with 8 FULL breaths –to energise yourself and your brain. Try this now -Close your eyes and observe mindfully as you take slow, deep breaths in and out through the nostrils. When you are done you will feel calmer, more centred and more focused. Your breath is a relaxation tool that never leaves you. You can access it at work, while running errands or whenever you feel stressed.

Mucus control –Avoid getting colds, flu’s and chesty coughs by matching the dryness of autumn within your own body. Avoid mucus forming foods. Start the day with a ginger and lime infusion.

Dry skin brushing/moisturising – work upwards towards the heart and moisturise with a cream with the least amount of chemicals in it.

Start to wear warmer clothes –skimpy clothes in the winter encourage the body to put additional fat onto it to keep it warm.

Eating in Season

Some Ayurvedic physicians warn that consuming genetically engineered foods could cause a "crisis of consciousness"—a stale, numbing effect on our senses. So this autumn try and introduce seasonal produce that match the Season we are in.

Diet:

Enjoy more spices to keep up the internal temperature and stop mucus forming.

Avoid sugar, wheat and above all dairy products and orange juice as they are mucus forming which is not good at this time of year.

A typical Autumn food list:

Apples, apricots, pears, carrots, celery, chestnuts, walnuts, grains, mushrooms, onions, turnips, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, ginseng

The cooking style for Autumn:

Prepare and cook foods for a longer time using methods such as roasting, pressure cooking, steaming or boiling

General fitness:

Lots of wide arm-opening stretches or yoga back bends to increase lung capacity. Work on yoga breathing techniques (pranayama)

Make your autumn exrecise routine a little slower and more refined.

Surrendering to Silence

William Butler Yeats once said, "We can make our minds so still like water that beings gather about us to see their own images and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps even a fiercer life because of our silence." Just being in present awareness, at ease in our own quiet hearts, can make us a reflecting pool, and those who gather around will tend to see their own images. There is a presence that transmits itself loud and clear, if we attune to it. Rather than straining to quiet the mind in meditation, simply relax into the quiet that contains the mind.

By Ayeshah Khan, Akasha School of Yoga (http://www.akasha.org.uk/)

Guest Bloggers Wanted

Hi Everyone,

I am looking for guest bloggers to contribute to the Murray People blog.  If you are interested in writing an article on something positively inspiring, or on anything that will empower other people to make positive changes in their life, then please contact me. 

I am also interested in hearing from coaches, learning and development professionals and mentors who make a positive difference in the lives of others.  I would also like to welcome real life inspirational stories from everyday people, or if you are raising funds for charity and want to blog about it that would also be great. 

You can blog about anything that has a positive angle to it and will make a real connection with others.  It might even be about your own life and how you have turned it around for the better. 

I want to create a positive culture and vibe in our community and I think it starts with you and your stories.  Please assist if you can.

I look forward to hearing from you bloggers, e.mail me at claire@murraypeople.com

Claire :-)

School Reunion

We all remember our school days good or bad, love them or loathe them but the memories however fresh or vague are with us in some way or another. Now, I will be truly honest here, I did love my Primary School days but wasn’t that enamoured by my High School years. In High school, for me personally, there was far too much pressure and I didn’t know the answer to that all important life decision question, “What do you want to be when you’re older?” this I really struggled to answer, “I don’t know, I’m only 14, help!!” But no one could help me, because the job that I do now didn’t exist 23 years ago!! That’s me in the photo below, 11 years old, with my friends from Primary School.

Above (L-R):  Donna, Sharon, Claire (me) and Brenda

But let’s face it, life moves on, and we find our own path based on our own choices and decision-making. So as I connected with friends from my younger years on the well loved Facebook, I thought it was really lovely and fascinating to catch up and find out what everyone has been doing for the last 21 years.

So better still I decided, together with some friends of mine, to organise a School Reunion from two of the local high schools in my home town. To my amazement and delight this Reunion has created a fresh buzz and excitement for all, I think just what we’ve all been waiting for. So we are going to have a Reunion Ball, yes, a right proper posh do, with lovely ladies in glamorous dresses, and dashing gentlemen in top hats and bow ties. Woo hoo this will be fun, fun, fun.

If you went to Taylor or Brannock High in North Lanarkshire, please come to the School Reunion. It is being held in the Avonbridge Hotel, Hamilton on Saturday, 5 March 2011. For ticket information send me an e.mail: claire@murraypeople.com

OR if you didn't, why not come along anyway, meet new friends and have a laugh OR better still arrange your own School Reunion and bring people together in a fun way. 

Are you a Drain or a Radiator?

You may remember back in September last year Liggy Webb wrote an article in my Company Magazine the Opportunity News on her book ’How to Work Wonders’. In this book Liggy talks about negative people (drains) and positive people (radiators). I created this fun poem to emphasise the differences. I hope you are a radiator and if not what can you do today that will help you to be more of a positive influence on yourself and other people?

RACHEL THE RADIATOR

Rachel is a radiator she always wears a smile

She radiates a positive attitude and goes that ‘extra mile’

When people around her gossip, she always walks away

She doesn’t let their negativity spoil her wonderful way

Her mindset is pro-active she uses that skill so well

She ‘talks the talk’ and ‘walks the walk’ an easy one to tell

Her circle of influence gets stronger day by day

She focuses on what she can do and her concerns just melt away

So take a tip from Rachel as her energy bursts out

She values herself completely and works from the inside out

DONNY THE DRAIN

Donny is a drain he never wears a smile

He gives of negativity and won’t go that ‘extra mile’

When people are around him he gossips even more

He relishes in the ‘grapevine’ which has no open door

He ‘talks his talk’ then ‘watches the clock’ until he hears the bell

He really can’t be bothered, everyone can tell

His mindset is reactive a bad habit he has formed

He fills his circle of concern so he can underperform

So take no tips from Donny stay away when he’s about

There is no added value when you work from his inside out



(by Claire Murray)