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I am writing an article about great Twitter Home Pages.  Please send me your recommendations to @tracylindsay so that I can keep track-

Thanks and Rock On!

You're in good hands with Tribbles.

I love Star Trek!  the old one and the new one and everything in between.  I have always wondered why they do not have an IT department aboard the Enterprise. Come on- my MAC at home crashes all the time.  I am always yelling at those MAC commercials.  Come to my house and fix that dang computer.  But seriously folks.....  We are in a new age. Obama won the election on the communication platform, the Iran protests are being reported on by Twitter.  The next big thing out there is Wave, whatever that is.  I am still trying to wrap my brain around it.  Is your Trade Show Program in the Communication Age?  There are so many tools out there to harness to kick your program into NOW.  I have been doing a lot of research and listening to people who are successfully implementing this new frame work.  It is a change in perception and usage.  Want more- give me a call.

Lunch Break

Just hanging out at lunch and got an idea.  I tend to sit at my desk for lunch and fiddle with Photoshop or cruise the web.  I like to day dream.  I think thinking is underrated and people should do more of it.  I used to work for a Japanese manufacturing plant BF (before kids) and I learned a lot while I was there. My favorite skill was to sit and dream.  Our offices were nonexistent and we were all in one big room with the Japanese president in the middle.  You would often see him sitting there in silence staring off into space.  He was thinking. 
When I work with a client I first try to remember to keep my big ole mouth shut.  My client knows what they want or what they want to do.  My job is to listen and help them develop their idea.  To ask good questions and help pull the info out.  You can't do that if you are yipping away all the time. 
This also reminds me of the social media.  So many people are yapping into the bullhorn when the great thing about social media is that it is a great place to listen. 

So today's lesson for myself is the gold you can find when you shush.

Alice what do you see in the looking glass?

I have been learning about social media lately.  I love twitter (follow me at TracyLindsay), I blog, I facebook for family and I do linkedin.  I go to events and listen to podcasts to learn.  I really want to do a great job linking social media and trade shows.  Plus it is fun.

What have I learned?  Social Media is a mirror.  Social media is your own personal focus group that is with you all the time.  It doesn't matter what tool you use as long as it connects you to whomever you want to be connect to and does whatever you want it to do.

Is looking in the mirror hard? Well, I admit it is a little intimidating at first.  Like a 7th grade going to my first dance.  Now as an adult you know that the 7th grader needs to jump in and show her stuff.  And when she falls- she needs to laugh or apologize and move on with intent.

With all of this in mind, I have listed Lindsay Exhibit Group on Yelp   So if you have a comment feel free to post it for the world to see.  Whether it is a sweet note carved into a tree or you are laughing at me with toilet paper hanging out of my pants (yep, done that.) Go ahead. 

I invite you to write a review about me or Lindsay Exhibit Group, Inc.  I will pat myself on the back if it is good and I will learn from it if it is bad.  And I thank your for the effort and time. 

You all are my continuing education.

Past President of Ann Arbor Ad Club

Last week was my final event as President of the Ann Arbor Ad Club.  Today I talk to the new president about what his duties are, where we finished and what needs to be done.  Along the way I learned a lot about myself and leadership.

1.  I ain't all that but I ain't half bad.   I am what I like to call a managing woman.  My dad taught me to stop and think before I act and we have a long family tradition of managing everything.  My  husband and butted heads a lot when we first were married.  I was just used to being in charge all the time.  My calling was to teaching and there I learned that good teaching was more about listening then talking, I find the same with leadership.  I tried to focus on a direction with the Ad Club, have group discussion and consensus and then let the Chairs do their thing.  I learned that most of the time it works very well but occasionally someone will get stuck and need assistance.  Myself included. 

2.  Short term decisions are made with long term plans.  Not every short term decision looks correct at the time to everyone but it is leaders job to communicate the big picture.  I have so much more empathy for those in charge. 

3.  A good support person is worth their weight in gold.  Sometimes you don't recognize them either.   I know myself- I think big picture and am thankful for our groups accountant in keeping the me and the paperwork in order.  She is an obvious support person but then there are the people who help in the less obvious way.  The person who catches every little mistake and tells you- This person is necessary!  The person who does what needs to be done with out any discussion- This person is usually overlooked because the make no noise.  The person who is a stickler for consistency- This person knows why things are done in a certain way and will keep you safe.  Thank you to all the people who helped me and kept me standing straight.

4.  It really does take a village.  The Ann Arbor Ad Club is a volunteer organization and we are only as good as we contribute.  There are many people in the club who give hours and hours to the club and I would like to thank them. Thank you!  We have a purpose and a job to do in the Ad Club.

5.  Being a member is fun and being President was a gift to me.