Yesterday I reviewed who my blog readers were and which of my blog entries were most read and responded to in 2011. I learned that my blog is followed in 138 countries with the greatest reader populations being in the United States, Philippines, and Canada.

1. Talented Collaboration
The most read post was “Talented Collaboration” about the need for Christian filmmakers to emulate secular filmmakers in the area of project collaboration.

2. Truth Be Told – A Fox TV Movie Review
The second most read post was “Truth Be Told – A Fox TV Movie Review”. The film was one of the movies funded by P&G Productions in an attempt to bring wholesome programing back to families.

3. Game Time: Tackling the Past – Review
“Game Time: Tackling the Past – Review” was the third most read post and included my interview with Catherine Hicks (“7th Heaven” and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”).

4. Top 100 Grossing Movies Objectify Women
“Top 100 Grossing Movies Objectify Women” came in fourth and quoted the latest statistics from Parents Television Council and a study done at the University of California.

5. Desperation and Frustration
And, the fifth most read post was “Desperation and Frustration” and covered how to develop a movie character using moments of desperation and frustration.

Since my readers have leaned more toward these types of posts, I’ll be adjusting what I write to meet the reader’s desires. In 2012, I will be shifting back from three posts a week to two. I will also, in keeping with what my readers are interested in, change the categories of posts to Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Reviews.

I am also changing my blog to better meet the needs of my readers, which will include a new look and the opportunity to obtain training materials, wholesome programs, and more interviews from the industry. So, please be patient with our dust as we construct the new site and make sure you tell your friends about us once the site launches. The URL will remain http://cjpowersonline.com

Happy New Year!

CJ

Copyright © 2012 By CJ Powers

Photo © VBar – Fotolia.com

I’ve read numerous articles that point out how our society, with a plethora of social media, has become more isolated than ever before. The more we engage in social media, thinking that we are actually connecting with people, the more isolated we become.

If these comments are true, we are faced with a new requirement of our future leaders. The number one skill they may need to employ is inspiring people to become engaged in making a difference one step at a time. Persuading the common worker away from instant success and building toward longevity will not only become a requirement, but the only safeguard to protect the business.

Fighting this very skill will be a group of stockholders who are convinced that you can squeeze just a little more revenue out of the corporate fabric for this quarter, without a single care for the next. And, with some of the fat corporations out there, they are probably right. However, when the squeeze is put on, the upper levels of fat are seldom touched, as the cutbacks typically fall down the chain.

Unfortunately, what is good for workers and unity is many times the opposite of short-term quarterly results. But, the good news is that happy employees innovate, which can bring about the next growth trend for the business. Engaged employees will always create greater opportunities than anyone pushing for a quick quarterly result.

When I look back over history, I find that one person was behind every great innovation. I also see incredible corporations that pop up around innovators who can stabilize and streamline the ideas for consumption and profitable growth. So, if that is typically the case, why aren’t corporations spending time encouraging every employee to innovate?

The 2012 leader will be the one who trains his teams to make small innovations to streamline their departmental processes. Once that pattern develops, several of the employees will start to make creative suggestions that, if heeded, will lead to the next generation of products. This process will continue to grow until there is a think tank of individuals who brainstorm a decades worth of innovative products.

The 2012 leader will see this innate value in his people and will do everything in his power to encourage this type of growth. Not only will he be a thought leader, but also he will find ways to make his employees more important to the company than he is. Each person under his leadership will become more valuable than the corporation can afford to keep.

But he won’t be discouraged by it, as he will have built such a community that no one would want to leave. Only the corporations that don’t build value into their employees will see high turnover. After all, we all want to be a part of something incredible, something bigger than us – All while being a very important part of it.

Take a look at where you work. Does the top person in charge hold you in higher esteem than himself? Do they see more talent in you worth developing than you see in yourself? Or, do they drain you at every quarterly opportunity and never refill your emptiness?

The answer to these questions will tell you whether or not your leader is suited for 2012 and beyond, or just for this quarter. And, if its just for this quarter, you probably are viewed as a disposable product that the corporation consumes to move forward, rather than its future innovator.

At least you’ll know where you and your boss stands concerning the future and his perceived value of you.

Copyright © 2011 By CJ Powers
Photo © HP Photos – Fotolia.com