| June 1, 2011 | | CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF |  |  | | | News for SmartBrief prospective partners | |
| What's Happening |  |  | | - Give membership the flash mob treatment
 Deirdre Reid, CAE, is a freelance writer who helps organizations create content and conversation.
"Why are flash mobs so powerful? They hold us in the present moment. The present, strangely enough, isn't a place we spend a lot of time. We're more likely reworking the past or planning the future. We live in the present when we're in the 'zone' or caught up in the flow, for example, while chopping vegetables, painting, climbing a rock wall or experiencing a great work of art.
"Flash mobs take us by surprise and allow us to share an experience together. We're knocked out of our routine, thrown a bit off balance. 'Wait, what the heck is going on? Who are these people? Why are they doing that here?' And then, 'Wow, this is pretty awesome.' You can't help smiling when you experience a flash mob."
Read more about flash mobs, membership and organizations at SmartBlog Insights and join the conversation about this post. - Top exec news and best practices across the .org world
The 10 most popular @SmartBriefScoop tweets from the past two weeks: - A new way to get your SmartBriefs
 After only a few weeks on the market, SmartBrief's Android application has garnered nearly 4,000 downloads in the Android marketplace with 96 ratings and an average of 4.5 stars.
Here are some of the newest comments from SmartBrief readers:
- "I've made smartbrief part of my everyday routine. Android application is stellar!" --Michelle
- "Very well done. Love the UI. Clean and easy on the eyes. Can't wait to start getting updates. Nice!" --Rob
- "Handsome and useful. Excellent work to make SmartBriefs even more useful and accessible." --Rona
The app is a hit! Make sure to tell your colleagues about the new way to save time and stay smart. Download it today.
| Leadership Focus | | | | - Oprah's 7 lessons for business leaders
The phenomenal success of Oprah Winfrey's personal brand holds important lessons for business leaders, writes Eric Markowitz. Winfrey used transparency to build a personal connection with fans, took plenty of risks, tapped regularly into a contact book stuffed with celebrities and, perhaps most important, was willing to quit while she was ahead. "The message is clear enough for entrepreneurs: don't be afraid to end on a high note," Markowitz writes. Inc.com (5/27) - Why good leaders use guidelines, not rule books
 West Point's disciplinary code listed hundreds of infractions until officials realized it was more effective to outline broad criteria for distinguishing "minor" and "major" offenses and let leaders use common sense in implementing the guidelines. Most organizations could benefit from a similar willingness to issue flexible guidelines rather than hard-and-fast rules, writes Mike Figliuolo. "You hire people because they're smart. Try giving them a little latitude to demonstrate their smarts and judgment." ThoughtLeaders blog (5/16) - 3 leadership lessons from "The King's Speech"
The movie "The King's Speech" offers powerful lessons for leaders about the importance of being humble enough to accept help from others, write Dennis Reina and Michelle Reina. Just as the stuttering King George VI needed speech coach Lionel Logue to help him emerge as the leader England needed, many modern leaders need guidance to help them unlock their potential. "People expect you to lead, and if accepting support from others will help you be an even better leader, it's your best course of action," they write. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (5/23) | About SmartBrief | | | | - What we do
SmartBrief publishes industry-specific e-mail newsletters in partnership with prominent associations, professional societies, corporations and nonprofits. More than 4 million executives and professionals rely on SmartBrief every day to stay informed and save them time. Visit here to view our partners, see samples and subscribe. For updates, follow us on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook. Want to explore partnering? Let's talk. | Media 2.0 | | | | - 7 ways to fuse SEO and social outreach
Social media and search engine optimization should go hand in hand, Lee Odden of TopRank Online Marketing said at a BlogWorld event. No matter how engaging and carefully crafted your social content, Odden says, you still need to make sure your users are able to find you; and, once users find your content, it needs to be engaging enough to retain their attention. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Social Media (5/25) - Avoid these shortcuts to social media failure
It want your social media efforts to fail, be sure to shut out input from anyone who doesn't work in your company's marketing division, writes Rebecca Corliss. Putting every post through a management review process and throwing in the towel after a few discouraging weeks are also sure-fire paths to failure, Corliss writes. HubSpot.com (5/26) - Digital growth frees the news -- and fragments it
 The pre-digital media universe, which provided daily news through a handful of channels for a price, made professional journalism possible and provided a common national forum for issues of the day. The new news model, online and free, opens the door to many voices but also makes it possible for readers to hive themselves off into a digital world of "truthiness." Data from the American Press Institute show that newspaper revenue fell from $59 billion in 2000 to $38 billion in 2009, with newspaper employees decreasing from more than 54,000 in 1997 to fewer than 42,000 today. National Journal (5/20) | SmartNugget | | | |  | | - 4 ways to start greening your supply chain
Building a sustainable supply chain isn't as simple as just "being green," write Doug Schrock and Gregg Anderson. It's necessary to take a broad look at your suppliers and other partners, develop meaningful metrics for gauging performance, and gather all the data necessary to make informed decisions about your supply chain. "The goal is to strike a pragmatic balance that accurately assesses critical economic, social and environmental concerns," Schrock and Anderson write. IndustryWeek (5/23) | |  |
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