Working Out Loud

This is the first time since January that I've come to this blog. I promised to write more regularly but haven't ... sigh.

However, now I have joined a work out loud circle and the next meeting will be the fourth, I thought it time to work out loud!

The first time I heard about this idea was from Jane Bozarth, she called it Share Your Work. I thought this a great idea and emailed myself a link to read more but never did.

More recently I came across Helen Blunden, Michelle Ockers, Simon Terry (the facilitator of my circle), Matthew Guyan and Vanessa North (participants in my circle).

Michelle instigated my interest when I saw a tweet from her asking for expressions of interest and if interested to give my email address. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing the work out loud circle was set up and a copy of John Stepper's book (in draft) Work Out Loud sent to me with a 'Read Me First' document and the first week's reading material. I love reading John's book. The idea that I think about what I can give as opposed to 'what's in it for me' was almost revolutionary. I quickly add that I'm not a 'what's in it for me' type per se but I don't think anyone had expressed such an idea in this way before where it hit me like a bright light after being in the dark.

In my earlier blog post I talked about the idea of rotation curation tweeting. Sweden was the first to do this back in 2011 where the @Sweden account was curated by a new Swedish person each week. Since then many accounts have sprung up. I follow quite a few now such as @wethehumanities, @indigenousX, @weTasmania, @weBrisbane. And by the way, I just noticed today, in gathering these links, that most of these accounts have a companion blog.

So, in my WOL circle I thought it would be great to learn more about this activity and to propose this in my job. However, since the last meeting, I have changed direction a little. 

Through my work I have become involved in the Queensland Community Alliance. What's that you ask? Well, I'm glad you asked. It's an alliance of unions, NGOs, faith groups and charities who work together to forge a better community. The alliance draws on the community organising tradition from the United States and is linked with the Sydney Alliance. The Queensland Community Alliance is just over 12 months old. At present it is building partnerships with those groups list above to begin building a better community. The second Annual Assembly occurred on 29/10/2014 where 480 people gathered to listen to people's stories and make commitments to take action over the next 12 months. A recent listening tour in Logan provides a great way to view how this process works. This work takes time as building relationships takes time.

Today, I read a post from John Stepper 'How a teacher increases her odds of finding meaning and fulfillment' and what that teacher does is inspiring. So inspiring that I had to sit down and write this piece!

Where is this heading? I think at this point I want to contribute my skills and knowledge of social media, rotation curation to the Queensland Community Alliance. I'm meeting with the Organiser tomorrow for a coffee. Stay tuned.

I'll also be able to report back to my WOL circle on Wednesday. This is so exciting.

2014 and I begin how I mean to go on ...

I have been in a state of flux over the past year or so.

I started this blog when I worked in a training and development environment. I came across Jane Hart who advocates for social learning as well as providing consultation and training in this area. I loved the idea of social learning using social media and other technologies. I started to develop what Harold Jarche calls PKM (Personal Knowledge Management - taking control of your learning through seeking, sensing and sharing) by connecting with like minded people on LinkedIn, following on Twitter and even Facebook (I follow both on Twitter). I even have a list called PLN (Personal Learning Network) a similar idea where I add people who offer inspiration, ideas, questions on a range of areas I find curious, humorous, challenging.

I have been using Twitter for two years now (a late starter, I know). I have spent most of this time observing the way people use Twitter, the hastags for topical issues or TV shows, the camaraderie and fun.

I have also spent time looking for people of note. One such is Rupert Murdoch. I have this odd fascination for his Tweets and find it is rare indeed for me to be in agreement. I find it wonderful that Twitter allows for interactions between the masses and those people of note. It's immediate and I'm hooked.

Recently I discovered the Twitter handles of @WeTasmania, @WeAreAustralia and @WePublicHealth. When I worked out that these are curated Tweets and read an overview of how this works my instant reaction was how would this work in my new work environment, where one of my roles is to monitor and maintain a social media presence? I'm in the early stage of this idea, haven't written anything about this but perhaps now is the right moment?

I now work as a Personal Assistant to the State Secretary of a Union as well as Office Supervisor of three Admin staff. I have spent the past 12 months coming to grips with the demands of these new roles and at the end of 2013 was feeling like a complete failure. Now I'm a little more optimistic!

I hope to maintain this blog a little more regularly this year. I'll be verbose, rambling and incoherent regularly but what a space to explore the thoughts going on in your mind? If someone reads this, offers a different perspective then that's a taste of social learning. Seeking, sensing and sharing.

Thanks Jane and Harold