KM Today

Social Media & the 2010 Olympics

posted this in Web & Social Media on February 19th, 2010

Google Doodle for Olympic Curling

I just love what social media is adding to the 2010 Olympics!  From the thousands of tweets from the #Olympics Twitter feed, to YouTube videos, to Facebook, social media is definitely enriching my experience of the Vancouver Winter Olympics.  Amazing.

My favorite tweets so far are from the people calling curling “ice shuffleboard” but the number of tweets supporting the athletes is truly incredible.  On Facebook, I became a fan of Vancouver 2010 Olympics and last night right after the Canada/Swiss hockey game, they posted asking who had seen the game.  Within 4 minutes I and three hundred others had responded that we liked it!  Every time I refreshed my screen it went up by 50+ people and within 24 minutes over 1500 “liked” the post and a third had made comments.  After 10 hours, over 3,500 “liked” the post and 1,150+ had made comments about the post.  YouTube has a rich base of videos about the Olympics but several of my favorites include commercials about future young athletes and Canada’s first gold medal on home soil, but I also love Shaun White’s gold medal big air performance with amazing spins, flips and twists (all together!).

So social media is definitely engaging and bringing the world together over wonderful global events.  Yeah!

February 19th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , | Category: Web & Social Media | Leave a comment

Google Pics Bonanza

posted this in Uncategorized on February 13th, 2010

Opening Ceremonies

Interesting to see the new style of Google doodle for the 21st Winter Olymics and fantastic to see all the wonderful international athletes gather in my country — 82 nations are represented.  As my friend Stephen says,”with all their positive attitues and karma all in one place.  They set an example that everything is possible.”  I certainly believe that too!

How exciting to see how social media is affecting the games this year .  The twitter feed was amazing during the opening ceremonies — seemed like 1000 tweets per minute at #olympics.  I couldn’t keep up but had a good time reviewing some very funny comments!

Since my son used to do “spinny, flippy things” on a snowboard I particularly loved the beginning of the opening ceremonies with the snowboarder at the top of a pristine hill, racing down amid dramatic views, flying through a maple leaf llighted by many torch bearers, and culminating in the indoor venue (a first for the Olympics) of the opening ceremonies, B.C. Place.  I do hope that segment gets posted on YouTube, as I’d love to see it again.

However, it is also a very sad beginning to this great event with the death of a 21 year old athlete, Nodar Kumaritashvill.  Great to see that today’s Google doodle is indeed a luger.

February 13th, 2010 | Tags: , , , | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Olympics!! Watch, enjoy & learn – yep, learn

posted this in Leadership on February 12th, 2010

I bought a new TV for the kitchen last night. Yes, I did.  The “big screen” may be in the family room, but the truth is that we are often all parked with our laptops & homework/work at the kitchen island watching the 13″ little bubble.  Well, the Olympics starts tonight – right in our own country, and I don’t plan on missing much of it.  And, I want my kids to see the Olympians — the athletes & the coaches & the families — and to hear their incredible stories and maybe, just maybe, pick up something from these stories.

We all have much to learn from the Olympians; talk about having vision.  Talk about picturing that ideal state & working towards it!  Talk about perseverance, and building relationships to make things happen.

When “Six Things We can Learn from Olympians” landed in my Blogger, I was hi-5ing my computer (being careful not to hurt the screen, of course).  Here’s their 6 things with my musings:

1. Set a goal and break it down into tasks with timelines. Not a revolutionary idea, but, wow, libraries & businesses somehow get freaked by the big goal & forget that it’s just a bunch of little goals building on each other over time.

2. Cross-train. You use many skills along the way, and you need many different skills to accomplish tasks. Cross-train yourself & others.

3. Workout with Others. You can’t do it alone. Unhuh.  Work with & partner with others — others

Continue reading The Olympics!! Watch, enjoy & learn – yep, learn

February 12th, 2010 | Tags: , , , | Category: Leadership | One comment