I’ll never tire of folks emailing, DMing, Facebook messaging and calling with geek/productivity/PR questions. It’s amazing what a little perspective and encouragement will do for a person; I’m honored to be someone you call on when you need that.

Here’s the thing though: you seldom ask your question in the comments on my blog(s) or on Twitter. You seem to like your privacy. That’s cool, but I’d like to encourage you to share the Q & A luv; that’s what makes the Internet so fabulous, ya know? Wisdom of crowds and what not. Read More…

I’m employed at a place where the facts determine every action and reaction; however, I’ve no data to defend my absolute belief that confidence in yourself and your purpose in the Universe will make you more successful in the workplace.

Confident people speak up, ask questions, aren’t afraid to take smart risks, can usually admit when they are wrong, and most importantly, can build the self-esteem of workplace colleagues without sacrificing their own.  They are not perfect. But folks who can see both the forest AND the trees do tend to be better managers of people and team players. They even eat healthier.

Unfortunately, way to many folks seem to be lacking basic self-confidence, which is so often a catalyst for optimism and inherent understanding of how good/courageous/smart/important/talented you are. Not cockiness; just a healthy dose of “I like me.”

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because of the flood of feedback regarding my latest Her Nashville column, “Spread Your News.” Readers seem to be thankful for the gentle reminder that they’re real contributors deserving of recognition. Well, of course you are, folks. And it pains me that you don’t know it.

I’ve written before about the importance of surrounding yourself with positive people.  A sincere pep-talk from a colleague/friend doesn’t mean you won’t have bad days or moments of despair — it’s that these challenges won’t break your spirit because, with help, you’ll keep them in perspective. It’s how people defeat Cancer, find valuable lessons in tragedy, and eventually, peace out of grief.

Training your mind to focus on the positive takes discipline, the humility to act on advice from other people, and the willingness to accept well-deserved praise. This cannot be done in a vacuum, nor in a negative and abusive environment.

Start today. Take inventory of your the company you keep. If they aren’t building you up, encouraging you to shine, offering constructive criticism, and celebrating your wins – no matter how small – you’ll need to balance out your dance card with folks who do. Your mind, body, spirit and career path will be ever so grateful.

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• How To Raise Self-Esteem in Others (howcast.com)

DC Flacks wrapped up our last happy hour of 2009 last night (we’ve got 68 members now – can you believe it?!). We had a great turnout and a surprise visit from Joe Flood‘s very talented (and delightful) friend Vincent, who took these FABULOUS pics of our peeps and their various appetizers.

Oh, and this hysterical shot of Team Newman in the wild:

If you are a PR or PA pro in the D.C.-area, we’d love to meet you! We simply gather each month to talk shop, meet new peeps and share a beverage. No big whoop. Join us here and follow our #DCFlacks tag on Twitter.

Humor me, folks; pretty please, take the quiz. I want to see how well this WP Poll Plugin works. Especially you, Feed Readers and mobile surfers: were you able to take the quiz in your reader? Or did you have to come to the site to take it? Phone folks: did it work for you?

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Just in case you think this post/poll has nothing to do with social media, public relations or online marketing: read this. See, thanks to playing around like I do, when someone asks me if I’ve ever inserted a poll into a blog post, managed a Twitter contest, or started an online Meetup — I can say yes!

What have you done to be your own guinea pig lately?

The good folks over at Green Buzz Agency gave me a chance to pen a guest post about the makings of an effective PR pro. The Green Buzz-ers are digital media strategists and fellow DC Flacks; thanks to the Internet, Tod and I have bonded over our passion for pixels (and basketball).

Here’s the original post as it appears on their blog; throw some feedback at me in the comments!

Three Signs You’ve Found an Excellent PR Firm or Consultant

Not all public relations practitioners (a.k.a. flacks) are created equal. I can say that because I am one. Day after day, I see folks out there giving my craft a bad name. Fortunately, there are many great PR pros who will ethically and strategically work to advance your goals. The good flacks serve as knowledgeable, curious and creative partners. Here are three signs you’ve found one: Read More…

I’m not ashamed to admit I love Taylor Swift. But for those of you who don’t like the way she sings, no worries. At least she’s funny:

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Good one, Verizon. Good one. But rather than go buy the Droid for Christmas, what this commercial really makes me wanna do is pile up on the couch, drink hot chocolate and watch the claymation Rudolph movie. Tonight.