I use Bloglines as my feed aggregator (that’s what lets me know when there are new posts to the blogs I follow regularly). Every day I read what’s new and add the entries that catch my eye into a clippings folder. Well, as much as I’d like to, it’s just not possible to comment about everything, so many of the things I think might be worth talking about end up being passed by and forgotten. Now that would be a cryin’ shame, because it’s a given that if it interests me, it should interest you! Um… right.

Well, anyhoo -

I’m adding a new feature here at the Middle Zone called “File Cabinet”. Each week, I’ll empty out the file cabinet and post every article I’ve deemed “clip-worthy” during that week. Expect a potpourri of subjects – I like a variety of sources to keep the ol’ brain filled with fresh perspectives. You never know – there might just be something here that sparks a brain cell or two. And yes, that’s a good thing.

This week’s clip file:

Telling Stories for a Living – “Telling stories is simply conveying your ideas, values, intentions by retelling something that happened that illustrates your points.”

Rules of the Road – “Did you ever stop to think that when we drive our cars we are utterly reliant on a vast number of people that we don’t know all conforming to a common set of expectations and rules about driving?”

Complaint… or Cry to be Heard? – “Our stellar customer service maven at MarketingProfs, Shelley Ryan, received a letter from a participant in a recent company event complaining about a typo in our collateral materials…”

Sensemaking Starts with Noticing – “Oscar Wilde once remarked, “there was no fog in London before Whistler painted it.” Wilde was referring to Whistler’s, Chelsea Wharf, and making the point that we can easily fail to see what’s staring us in the face until something or some experience brings it into sharp focus.”

The Long Tail of Reputation – “Today, at the GM FYI blog we have Gustav Hoffman with a familiar lament: why doesn’t anyone give GM the respect it deserves today? Here’s why. Reputations have long tails.”

The Introvert’s Path to Success: Learn to Act Like an Extrovert – “I’ve learned to live in an extroverted world and have even been called a “closet extrovert” because if someone brings up business as a topic of discussion I will end up talking for hours. But it always wears me out.”

Volunteer, not Conscript – “If you ask someone, or a body for specific knowledge in the context of a real need it will never be refused. If you ask them to give you your knowledge on the basis that you may need it in the future, then you will never receive it.”

Living Under a Rock – “Never underestimate the ability of the public to ignore you. They can and they will.”

P.S. If you have an article you think is worth sharing, email the link to me! (You can find my email by clicking on “View my complete profile” up there on the right.)