Duane's Dartboard

A co-worker recently referred to the communications budget as “overhead.”

While I understood the accounting term, I took exception because she used the word to imply that communications is a drain of organizational resources.

She then described the fundraising department as “revenue generating.”

That got me to thinking.

How would she classify the agricultural tasks performed by two farmers? Would the one who planted seeds and nurtured the crop be considered overhead? And would the one who helped to nurture the crop and then reaped the harvest be considered revenue-generating?

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“I don’t know what to write about.”

That’s often the first excuse I hear when I encourage someone to begin blogging.

There may be valid reasons you choose not to blog, but never let a lack of potential topics hinder you. We live in an abundant, colorful world. To begin writing, just start talking about what you see. Or what you’ve experienced. Or what you’ve learned. Or what you think. Or what you do, and how you do it.

Never forget that you have a special place in the universe. Your journey has been unlike anyone else’s. That gives you a unique vantage point from which you can write things that can best be said only by you.

I would love to read your blog, and here are some topics you could write about that I would find quite interesting.

If you are a student, your blog posts could be titled:

1. Seven things I hope to find in my first job.
2. Why I am pursuing a career in _______________. Insert the profession you’d like to work in after graduation. Trust me, writing this blog post will later help you ace that all-important job interview.
3. 10 things I learned on my internship that my first employer won’t have to teach me.
4. Things I know as a college senior that I wish I’d known as a high school senior.
5. Memorable quotations that inspire me.
6. Career advice from my interview with _______________. Insert a mentor, parent, professor, intern supervisor or professional you admire.
7. Words I’ll always remember from my favorite professor.
8. What I learned about life from my _______________. Insert an adventure such as a service project, a mission trip or a volunteer job.
9. How playing on a softball team (or whatever you like) will make me a better _______________. Insert a job title—writer, accountant, PR professional, sales person or whatever career path you are pursuing
10. Twelve commitments I can make to the person who hires me.

If you are a young professional, your blog posts could be titled:

1. What they didn’t teach me in college (that I needed to know).
2. 10 things I’d change if I was in charge.
3. What I learned from my first 90 days on the job.
4. Things my mentor has taught me.
5. How to find and keep a good mentor. Read the rest of this entry »

1. Blogging is best learned by blogging…and by reading other bloggers. George Siemens
2. Blogging is like work, but without coworkers thwarting you at every turn. Scott Adams
3. It doesn’t matter if anyone reads (your blog). What matters is the humility that comes from writing it. What matters is the metacognition of thinking about what you’re going to say. How do you explain yourself to the few employees, or your cat, or whoever is going to look at it? How do you force yourself to describe in three paragraphs why you did something? How do your respond out loud? If you’re good at it, some people are going to read it. If you’re not good at it and you stick with it, you’ll get good at it. Basically, you’re doing it for yourself to force yourself to become part of the conversation. Seth Godin Read the rest of this entry »