Conversation Agent - Valeria Maltoni

Creativity is a Learned Process

Creativity has always been essential for our cultural growth, but there are still many misconceptions about this elusive process. Extrapolating from the video interviews/segments below. If creativity can be learned, then what are the steps in that process? increasing capacity for uncertainty -- poet John Keats called this negative capability, or the ability to stay in a space where you don't really know what is going to happen next being willing to chase down ideas -- and to understand that not all of them need to lead somewhere... as I am often reminded, ideas are steps upon which to build... Read more →

Businesses Should Treat Technology Like a Special Effect

“Businesses should treat technology like a special effect. If you’re James Cameron and you’re doing a movie like Avatar, the issue is, “What kind of world am I trying to create?” Then the question is, “So how do I get the technology to do that?” The leading question is not, “Gee, how do I make a cheaper movie faster?” [Michael Schrage] +++ Valeria is an experienced listener. She designs service and product experiences to help businesses rediscover the value of promises and its effect on relationships and culture. She is also frequent speaker at conferences and companies on a variety... Read more →

What Was, What is, What Could Be

Making Sense: What Was A Look Back At Why Blockbuster Really Failed And Why It Didn’t Have To. Digital Tonto: For all the excitement surrounding online social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, we really haven’t scratched the surface on the networks we encounter in real life: The networks of consumers that make up our brands and industries as well as the organizational networks that determine how things get done—or don’t get done—in our enterprises. And it’s imperative that we start thinking about them more seriously. 3 Mistakes That Ran Sears' Business Into The Ground. Business Insider: "Sears’s culture became... Read more →

CMWorld 2014: the Year Marketing Becomes a True Platform

It was the best of times and it was the most challenging of times -- it was the year content marketing becomes a true platform. I've written the official notes of CMWorld 2014 at the PM Digital blog, linked above. So if you waited until now to send your boss some key take aways on trends and themes from the global summit, feel free to use the ones I shared. Of course now you see why I said "The brainchild of Joe Pulizzi, this global summit turns the whole of Cleveland orange on an annual basis." Shoe & content genius... Read more →

A 100-Point Checklist for Social Interactions

From the most amazing connections you can make, to the weirdest and most inappropriate question asked in public, here is a 100-point checklist on social interactions: step into the conversation realizing that not everything needs to be more dramatic online be alright with the idea that relationships may be temporary don't let judgment guide the next step all the time share experiences, in moderation use multimedia for learners and readers with different styles/preferences use your content and smarts to build something become a secret ally to strangers (makes it easier to get to know them) care help your readers, audience,... Read more →

Urgent vs. Important

We all face the issue of whether we tackle the urgent vs. the important daily. People often ask me how I manage to produce so much content and to be (seemingly) everywhere, while holding a full time job. I have no life. Seriously, though, let's take a look at definitions and go from here: Urgent - adj. Compelling immediate action or attention; pressing. Insistent or importunate: the urgent words "Hurry! Hurry!" Conveying a sense of pressing importance: an urgent message. Important - adj. Strongly affecting the course of events or the nature of things; significant: an important message that must... Read more →

How to Give Your Company Service Deadlines

Usually it’s the customers who give you deadlines - and sometimes ultimatums - on service. Needing something done by, support within “x” time, service at “y” time and place. What would happen if you turned that concept on its head and gave yourself a deadline instead? As Karen Leland wrote in a guest post at Zen Habits#, “A recently study by Dr. Piers Steel, a professor at the University of Calgary concluded that procrastination is on the rise. According to Steel’s research, in 1978 about 15 percent of the population were considered moderate procrastinators. Today that number is up to... Read more →

Intrinsic, Appropriate, Original

Making Sense: Intrinsic Marketers regularly use over 100 software programs. ChiefMartec: Most software programs we use are what I call ambient software — they’re either invisible or you don’t consciously think of them as software when you use them. [...] It’s the opposite of convergence into a handful of software providers. It’s ubiquity — we’re hurling towards a future where every company is a software company to some degree. A message from Tim Cook about Apple’s commitment to your privacy. Apple: A few years ago, users of Internet services began to realize that when an online service is free, you’re... Read more →

Work through the Arc of One's Life

One specific part in Ed Catmull's Creativity, Inc. -- the whole book makes for an interesting, strike that, fascinating learning experience -- one part most resonated with me, toward the end. When Catmull describes his thoughts on Steve Jobs with whom he worked for more than a quarter-century. He says: Perspective is so hard to capture. I worked with Steve for more than a quarter-century -- longer, I believe, than anyone else -- and I saw an arc to his life that does not accord with the one-note portraits of relentless perfectionism I've read in magazines, newspapers, and even his... Read more →

CMWorld: Hottest Thing in Content Marketing

I gave a brief interview [click through for the video] last week at Content Marketing World. When done well, 1.) creating original content in support of audience needs -- to genuinely help people do what they want to do, make it easier to understand their opportunities from using your product and service -- 2.) acting as an intelligent filter for industry news and advances based on your domain expertise, and 3.) providing tools and ways for your customers to identify what is real -- including calling out what is bull, earns reputation in the long run. Good reputation is an... Read more →