Please welcome Meghan M. Biro, this week’s “On The Go” Guest Blogger!  Meghan and I connected over Twitter originally over “staying productive” , and I’ve have grown a professional admiration of her and her company “Talent Culture“.  Today, Meghan shares her thoughts on Personal Branding, Student Affairs, and how graduating seniors can successfully start their next phase of life.

Here in this little corner of the Northeast, college commencement season is just about concluding.  Boston is full of beaming parents, rowdy extended families, giddy students who look as though the weight of the world has been lifted from their shoulders as the reality of graduation sinks in. Grads holding diplomas search for friends for that last photo, tweet (ok, maybe not the last tweet), even as family members eager for lunch, a drink, and some peace drag them off. People hoot and howl as though the Red Sox were leading the division, sure that their graduate is the most important person on the planet, sure that their voice raised in praise is the most important voice to be heard.

At a recent commencement I heard lots about beginnings and endings from both faculty and students. Through it all ran a constant pulse: expectations. Many expectations were being met, and just as quickly new ones were being formed.

It turns out life is not so much about beginnings and ends as it is about holding fast through the middle. To do that, we need to set expectations for ourselves, honor the expectations of others, and strive to meet the expectations of parents, faculty, and friends. Most importantly we have to find a way to manage expectations as they form, are met, shift and reform. To do that requires not only persistence and intelligence but also some notion of who we are – it’s the key to how we will manage all these expectations.

You might think that after four, six, or eight years of higher education most students would know who they are. But helping the world recognize you requires more than showing up and doing work. That’s a partial solution to meeting expectations; it’s like meeting the minimum requirements for graduation.

One way to manage expectations is to develop a personal brand. How can that help a recent grad manage shifting expectations? I tell people a personal brand can transform them from being a student – someone who is learning how to meet someone else’s expectations – into a producer: someone who sets and meets her own expectations, as well as those of others.

Student affairs professionals and mentors owe it to students to help them think beyond graduation and on to the day when expectations will be less exact and more fluid. We can point the way to developing a brand that will survive many beginnings and endings, one that will help people find their way through the middle that is often complex.

Here’s how I explain it:

A personal brand is your personality, plus the attributes that make you a good prospect for a career, be it scientist, economist, teacher or marketer. With a personal brand, you present the world with a context in which to see you as someone who can set and meet expectations in a way that is authentic and true.

A personal brand includes a set of resources:

• Personality type: go-getter, thinker, doer, dreamer – there are many self-assessment tools that can be used to discover this ‘type’
• A vocabulary that can be used to describe the student in action verbs and definitive nouns and new media storytelling that supports this via blogging, etc.
• The student’s interests – beyond classes and into hiking, biking, music, sustainability, digital media, you name it.
• Skills –occupational, such as accounting, and life skills, e.g. coordination, critical thinking, or the ability to problem-solve
• Values – faith, family, volunteering
• Ethics – the answer to ‘what is the right thing to do?’ is the place to start

With the resources of personal brand gathered, a grad is ready to look beyond the expectations of graduation and forward to the expectations of living and participating in the world – and prepared to seek culture fit with an appropriate organization/social community.

The end of school is the beginning of a career and another stage of life. It’s right in the middle of lots of things: personal relationships, deciding where – and how – to live, and realizing that every day will be filled with new expectations. Our own, or somebody else’s; it’s how we manage them that will be remembered. Personal brand is the framework that allows us to manage expectations through the long middle periods. Enjoy the ride. Find your culture.

I couldn’t help but be drawn into the Masters this past weekend.  As an avid golfer, watching the drama unfold and seeing Phil Mickelson win his third Green Jacket, reminded me of the most important life lessons that I live by.

1.  “Chance Favors The Prepared Mind”

Louis Pasteur’s quote is a famous one throughout leadership development circles.  However, preparation only takes you half way, it’s what you do when preparation meets opportunity that speaks volumes.  The biggest example of this at the Masters was Mickelson’s second shot on the 13th hole.  Standing in pine straw behind two big trees, Phil hit the shot of his career:

As he prepared to hit the shot, I yelled at my TV (as many weekend hackers did), “What are you thinking Phil!?!  Take the safe shot!”  But, when the ball landed safely on the green, 4 feet from the pin, two thoughts jumped into my mind:   First:  he has practiced that shot a thousand times.  At that level, golfers don’t just hit balls off the tee, they’re hitting it from the sand, dirt, and pine straw.  Second: that preparation gave him the confidence to believe that he could do it.  It was all a matter of execution.

Imagine how many opportunities we would be ready for and take advantage of if we were proactively prepared.

2.  Character is Defined by How You Deal With Failure

Life’s certainties are death, taxes… and failure.  Everyone deals with it differently, but the true test of character is if one can overcome it and see it as a learning opportunity (virtual Yield Sign) instead of a reason to pack up and quit (virtual Stop Sign).  On Sunday, Phil was far from perfect.  He had his share of errant shots, missed putts, and general frustrations.  However, he did not allow these things to stop him from playing on and staying focused on his goal: winning.

How have you allowed failure to hold you back from achieving the things you really want in your life?

3.  Success is Not An “Individual” Achievement

As I watched Phil walk off the 18th green, hugging his caddie and finding find his family, I was reminded of all the people in my life who have helped me get to where I am.  You cannot do it alone, and making sure you ask and take help is crucial to sustained success.  In the craziness of our day, it’s easy to channel our tunnel-vision into our own one-person show.  Find time in your day to figure out how to include others in your plans.

When is the last time  you thanked your “team” and payed that feeling forward?

4.  Leave No Doubt

I was reminded of the film “Remember the Titans” and Coach Yoast’s inspirational speech to his defensive football players.  On the 18th green, Phil stood over his birdie putt, already knowing that he had won the 2010 Masters.  He was about 12 feet away and could have easily just two putted for the win, but instead, drained the putt, leaving no doubt.  When you have opportunities to succeed, do it with no fear and complete passion. 

Be the best at whatever you do and success won’t be far behind.

How about you? What are your most influential life lessons?

A month ago, I shared a very personal story and I wanted to write a quick follow up.  After posting it, I received an outpouring of support  as well as ideas and feedback on what they would do if that same scenario happened to them.  Many of you also stated that this opened up conversations with your colleagues about “Ethics”, which I’m glad happened, since more of these conversations need to occur, especially in our Higher Education Graduate Programs.

Having said this, I wanted you all to know that I received a handwritten letter from Jodie.  I’m still not sure if it is in response to or independent of my blog post, but needless to say, it came as a surprise.  When I got back from my NYC trip two weeks ago, it was sitting in my work mailbox.  The letter was forwarded to me from my friend who made the initial contact in person with Jodie last month in jail.

The letter was well written and gently tugging at my heart strings.  She expressed complete remorse for her actions, recognized the fact that she needs help for her addictions, and is on her way to reaching out to some key people that she wanted to personally apologize to.  I still have the letter and have read it over and over again to try and gain some perspective on my old Mentor’s state of being.  It is all so surreal.

After all the advice and feedback I received, I was still on the fence of what to do and it wasn’t until I had an insightful conversation with a former student of mine that really cemented my plan.   In that conversation, she told me that she was in Jodie’s corner because she understood how powerful addictions (gambling, alcohol and other drugs) can be, since she lived through it growing up.  She hammered home that trying to “wrap my brain around the why’s” of  her actions would do me no good.  She encouraged me to reach out to Jodie, forgive her, and move on.  She made me realize that no matter what I did, Jodie would still have to live with her decisions and spend the rest of her life making amends.  For those of you who may have experienced addictions first or second hand, I’m sure you can empathize with  this train of thought.

So,I’ve decided to practice what I often preach and that is to “Build a Bridge and Get Over It”.  I’m writing her a response letter and get everything off my chest. I’m using this as a cathartic process so I can move on.  I’ve already started the letter and feel better.  I can’t even begin to imagine what she is going through daily.  However, I do believe that pieces of my old mentor are still in there, and I hope that someday, she can rise above all this and live the life I know she can.

Who in your life do you need to “build a bridge” for in order to “get over it?”

I appreciate the support and feedback you all have given me with all this.  Thank you!

(This is a cross post with the The Student Affairs Collaborative Blog!)

I never thought that I would be so interested in the BLOG WORLD.  Since joining Twitter last year and starting “On the Go”, I have been introduced to a whole new world of thoughts and opinions that I never knew existed.  I should have known better, really.  I had heard about the popularity and growth of them, but never paid them that much mind since I considered them the “minor leagues” of news and information.  Well, this has all changed.  I realize now that blogging is one of the best forms of personal and professional development out there, and for the most part, it’s FREE!  Here’s why:

1.  BLOGGING forces you to STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING:  In the craziness of our lives, we rarely stop to think about what’s happening around us.  In order to understand the impact of what is going on in our lives, periodic thoughtful reflection give us proper perspective.
2.  BLOGGING gives you NEW IDEAS: My best creative spurts of new ideas have come from the shower, silent car rides, and now blogging.  When you allow your mind think freely, whether it be through the serenity of water, the powerful sound of silence, or free form writing, you would be amazed at what your mind comes up with in these settings.
3.  BLOGGING allows you TO LEAVE BREAD CRUMBS: Whether you’ve ever kept a journal or wondered how you could share all the great knowledge you have in your head, when you blog you do both.  I can now share the most frequently asked questions of me and their answers here, assuming at some point, someone will ask me again.  Blogging allows you to to leave your legacy in a place where friends, family and others can find that piece of you.

Want to Start Your Own Blog?

Two of my favorite blogs are currently doing very cool things to help:

1.  Shannon Albert at http://shannonalbert.me (@shannonalbert)
She is setting up blogs for FREE right now until mid-February.  Details here.

I enjoy Shanon’s blog, a lot actually.  She’s real, funny, and her posts are fantastic.  She’s recently added video blogs as well, which has made connecting with her even easier.  She opens up a lot on her blog, and I admire that about her.

2.  Jamie Varon’s “A Life in Translation” (@jamievaron)
Do you have a blog already that could use a face lift?  Jamie is running a contest right now where you can get your blog tricked out by @shatterboxx (@jamievaron and @nicoleisbetter)!  Details here.

I read Jamie’s blog because I appreciate her style, both aesthetically and in her content.  As you read it, you feel like you’ve known “her” your whole life, and you’re finally getting inside her mind to understand her better.  She’s cool people and makes me wish I liked whiskey more.

In addition to the two blogs above, here are more blogs that give me inspiration, information, and reflective thoughts every week.  If you’re not following them and their fantastic Twitter owners, you need to!

3.  PostSecret: The largest ad-free blog in the world, PostSecret is an ongoing community mail art project, created by Frank Warren, in which people mail their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. Select secrets are then posted on the PostSecret website, or used for PostSecret’s books or museum exhibits.  It is an unbelievable expression of the human spirit. (@postsecret)

4.  Life Without Pants: Matt Cheuvront (@mattchevy) sees his blog as a metaphor for putting life into a less restricted perspective. Loosening your belt, exposing your “true colors” so to speak, and going commando. Ultimately, it’s about challenging reality, rebelling against the norm, and reinventing the status quo.  He makes me think and inspires me not to take myself so seriously.

5.  Dude to Dad:  Are you a father or will be soon?  If so, Hugh Weber’s (@hughweber) Dude to Dad (@dudetodad) blog is a must read!

6.  Kenn 2.0:  Do you know who the hippest “Dean of Students” is in Web 2.0?  It’s Kenn Elmore (@DeanElmore) at Boston University.  If other Student Affairs offices out there are trying to find out how to do Social Media integration correctly, look no further.

7.  Dreamin’ The Life – Karen Hill’s (@dreaminthelife) blog has been a favorite of mine since I started exploring the Blog World, and I’m not the only one.  She has consistently produced solid personal development content, mixed in with amazing personal stories.  It’s really hard not to like her!

8.  PR Sarah Evans – Sarah Evans (@PRsarahevans) is bonafide Public Relations rock star.  Her blog and company strive to engage and employ the use of emerging technologies in all communication, which connects her with a rapidly growing base of more than 40,000 people every day.  If you want a PR role model, she is it!

9.  Penelope Trunk – Penelope (@penelopetrunk) is the founder of Brazen Careerist and her blog has over 40,000 subscribers.  At the core, she talks about the intersection of career and life, but her stories and writing style are what evoke an emotional response that keeps people coming back.

10.  The Student Affairs Collaborative – Of course this list wouldn’t be complete without this blog that I contribute to regularly.  Thanks to the work of Tom Krieglstein and Debra Sanborn and the team at Swift Kick, this blog, along with its corresponding weekly #SAchat has been a great professional development tool.    It’s the best collection of Student Affairs practitioner stories and advice out there.  If you know someone who works at a college, not on the academic side, this blog is for them.

How about you?  What BLOGS are you on your “must read” list and why?

This fall, I’m serving as a Mentor in a new program at Bridgewater State College called Portfolios of Excellence, sponsored by a grant from Project Compass.  There are five Faculty/Staff Mentors and close to 100 students enrolled.  I’ve been assigned 20 first-year students who fall into any of the following categories:  1st generation, low-income, or student of color and I’ve met with over half of them and so far it’s been an amazing experience.  I haven’t had as much student interaction since I was promoted to Director of the Rondileau Campus Center over a year ago, so this experience brings me back to the reasons why I started in Higher Education over 12 years ago.  All of these students are eager to learn and ready to succeed, and I’m thrilled to be working with them all.

The first phase of the program was our kick-off meeting at the beginning of this month, where I got to meet most of my students and we took care of some small business and had initial “get to know you” conversations.  Next, I went through the challenge of scheduling them all for our initial meetings.  In these one on one meetings, I tried to get to know each of them by going through general questions about how they were adjusting to college life, how their classes were going, and how commuting or living on campus was going.  We also covered our goals and expectations for the semester, and finally proceeded to setup their online “Portfolio of Excellence”.  Other schools, such as Eastern Connecticut State University, provide opportunities for students to create an online “snapshot” of their student’s academic progress and examples of their work, and our student’s portfolios were modeling theirs.

All of my students have been encouraged to do journal entries on their portfolios at least once a week, based on a topic that I send out each Monday.  In our scheduled meetings (which happen weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly depending on the student) we talk about what they have written/blogged.   I have also encouraged all of them to meet and talk with their professors outside of class time to build that relationship and to utilize our Academic Achievement Center for even more help if they need it.  The idea is to build their confidence early and give them the tools for success.  The first six weeks of school are vital to their first semester in college and my main goal is to exceed their expectations by serving as a support system for them.

We made the decision to use Google Sites as our “host” for these portfolios since Eastern CT State had done the same and had success.  I created my portfolio as an example for my students, and since meeting my students, I’ve linked all their portfolio’s as well, so they can read each others journals and comment on how each other are doing.  Our hope is to get together at least once  month as a group to reconnect in person.

For those of you who work in Higher Education, does your college/university do an online e-portfolio of one’s academic life and work? I’d love to hear more ideas, topics of conversation, and other examples!