Pen to pad: Effective web writing

The web is an integral part of our daily lives. We seek out topics of interest on our favorite web sites because it is presented in a user-friendly, readable format. However, when we are charged with developing engaging web content, sometimes we get "writer's block" which will prevent great ideas from gaining traction.

Another major content development stumbling block may include "web content overload". This occurs when there are too many general topics which creates a laundry list of web materials, making the content manager feel overwhelmed. One way to tackle this type of barrier is to collaborate with a small group to brainstorm ideas and identify more specific topics.

Moreover, writing effective web content sometimes requires taking a step back and going "old school" in the development phase as well. For example, put the laptop aside and start writing down the overall goals for your web content. Your list may include:

• Target audience(s)
• Outline the web site's overall tangible goals
• Inform
• Educate
• Persuade
• Encourage action
• User reading level
• Determine specific topics
• Web content calendar
• Identify topic proposed writers
• Develop content layout and design
• Determine how often the web site will be updated
• Promote web content to the public
• Beta test the web to ensure it is functional
• Survey potential users about the web content to ensure the new web site will meet their expectations

Web Design: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

When was the last time you managed the redesign of your web content? It is an endeavor that may strike fear in the heart of even the most ardent web content manager.  Yet is a necessary evil. The need to update web content occurs for two reasons: some of the web content has become obsolete or your organization is migrating to a new content management system. Either way, it is good to be aware of all of your web content so you can readily make changes to improve the user experience.
How do you get started? One good way to get started is to take inventory of all of your web pages and links to external content. Then work with your web team and communications manager to refine the themes, messages and web content that will benefit your target audience.
However, be aware of the web review that may put your updates  "in-committee" and sabotage your project plan. If you are limited in making progress that will impact your ability to meet certain web update milestones by a specific due date, then you may need to consider reviewing pages in smaller groups. To avoid the your web project stalling, look for signs of unusual delays such as team members holding off on making comments until everyone mutually agrees. A true, 100% concurrence from all team members may not be a realistic approach to managing web updates. However, a majority agreement is sufficient to keep your redesign moving forward.
The ugly part of the web redesign process occurs when you have volumes of data and limited space to house it online. How do you decide what web content to keep and what to archive or move offline? There are several options:

• Leverage historical data to keep highly visited content in the main view for site visitors
• Consider re-packaging content as special edition updates, seasonal promotions or use it to support new initiatives
• Remove content that is more than 5 years old and replace or update it with more current web content
• Check your images to see if they still correlate to the remaining edited web content

Leadership evolution: a personal revolution

The opportunity to become a leader occurs in one of two ways: it is given to you or you take the opportunity to lead. Either way, the road to effective leadership is not one to tread lightly. When an organizational freelancer is given the opportunity to lead it may wreak havoc in their daily routine as well as present them with the learning opportunity of a life time.

Leaders are required to balance personnel needs, multiple deadlines, budgets, staff personal issues, workplace conflicts and more, all while displaying a calm demeanor. Let me be clear, looking calm is not being aloof.  When a person is exhibits calm leadership, it reflects focus on the desire to tackle each task or issue without showing any signs of stress.

Moreover, when a person continues to evolve their leadership skills a personal revolution occurs simultaneously. Formerly meek minded people, become more overt in their communications and collaborations. In addition, the importance of building and sustaining relationships on the job is also crucial to being an effective leader.

How can you ramp up your personal revolution? Check out the tips below:

Leadership Evolution Top 7 Tips:

1. Be sincere
2. Know the political landscape
3. Understand the each internal organizations' primary goals and how they are achieved
4. Talk to your staff about balancing their priorities in a constructive manner
5. Work with staff on troubleshooting challenges
6. Know the bottom line of each risk and project
7. Ensure all deadlines are met

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http://businessacumen4.wix.com/orgfreelancer. The new web site provides information regarding diverse technical writing, web site design and other organizational freelancer projects.

You may send comments or feedback to Organizationalfreelancer1@gmail.com.

Leading Edge: How to out pace your competition

     Transitions happen in every organization. Consequently, the results include co-workers and leadership leaving to join new offices on a regular basis. Some call it staff turn-overs or others view it as "staying power" if you decide to not move on.

Sometimes when people leave to take on new opportunities, it is because they out pace the competition with leading edge in a specific profession. How is that even possible? A person can work all day every day in their field and omit the opportunity to keep up on new trends, technologies, training and methods. When we focus too much on the daily routine instead of our professional development, we may loose our competitive edge.

The usual suspects are to blame for a lack of maintaining one's skills:

• Avoid updates to your 5-year career plan
• Ignore the signs that your peers are out performing you 
• Too heavy a work load
• Reduced funds for training programs
• Lack of creativity in identifying best cost/no cost training programs
• Refuse to acknowledge your level of complacency 
• Lack of motivation

One of the most important ways to ensure you maintain your leading edge in your profession is through professional development. This allows you to make a critical business decision about your future: invest in yourself as well as your professional growth. When you  take the time to gain some refresher or new skill development through training, you are also acknowledging that life is more than just completing tasks in your in-box. 

Meetings: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

     Organizational meetings are a critical part of work life because people learn about new initiatives, share information on exciting endeavors and build connections with their peers. Yet, each of us has been in a situation where the invitation to that one "weekly meeting" sends us into an immediate search for an exit strategy.

What can be so bad about meetings? Sometimes work gatherings can become overbearing or boring especially when they are unfocused or turn into gripe sessions. Not all meetings are destined for disaster.

For example, some meetings begin with good intentions and then quickly spiral well below the idea of productive, causing workers to run out of the room. It is easy to determine when your meeting is moving in the wrong direction because you will see people begin to text, look at their digital devices for no reason desperately hoping for a call or your notice your co-workers continue their winning streak on the app "Words with Friends."

How can you avoid such a workplace meeting conundrum? Leverage the effective meeting tips below:

• Solicit input on the agenda from the team
• Draft and distribute the agenda in advance of the meeting
• Engage everyone in the conversation so that even the silent types feel comfortable sharing their ideas
• Identify next steps before everyone leaves the room
• Respect your peers' time by ensuring your meeting stays on schedule
• After the meeting, share meeting notes, status updates and more with all participants as well as those unable to attend
• Continue to inform the team about project milestones

It's a matter of time management

It's Monday and it is time to create a mental list of your work priorities for the week. Then it hits you: How do I decide? You can always use old favorites such as "pressure from your co-workers or your boss" to determine how to plan your work day. However, if you use this process, then you will have limited control over your work schedule.

The other option is to focus on your time management skills. Also, when you rely on the old adage of "everything is due at the same time" as a reason to not prioritize your tasks, it reflects a lack of responsibility on your part. When you improve your time management skills, you become viewed as more dependable and worthy of recognition.

How can you turn the hands of time into a benefit for you at work? Try these trusty Time Management tips:

• Get to know your managers and their task level requirements
• Close out all the prior week's tasks as much as possible before leaving for the weekend
• Predetermine the new week's tasks and deadlines so you can plan accordingly
• Add a cushion to your submission deadlines to allow for last minute edits or updates
•  Know when to ask for support from your team mates
• Coordinate with your manager in advance when you need to take a "work time out" so you can be "off-line" to everyone in the office so you can finish your goals
• When multiple tasks are due simultaneously, negotiate a submission date change with managers you identified as flexible based on your work history