Ever get your head so far buried in your work that you forget to look up and out?  Up for new ideas?  Out for new ways to connect?  Read on for a simple way of harnessing technology for good, that is to reach out and up.

Having your head down, your office door shut and being focused is a good thing …. but not when it’s preventing you from looking at your work in new ways, getting insights into new possibilities, and different ways to make a contribution through your work.  Not when you’re consistently working ‘in’ your business and never ‘on’ your business.

In a delightfully unplanned, organic way I’ve been having regular video conference meetings with two powerhouse women, both of whom help me look up and out.

Dyana Valentine, other than having the most incredible logo (look at her picture, see her hair and you’ll understand where it comes from) is a unique package.  She’s a dual edged dynamo because she’s both a keen listener, as she effortlessly ‘gets’ the ideas you spout out, and at the same time she’s able to volley a plethora of incisive ideas right back at ya.

Jodi Womack runs a company called No More Nylons (aren’t you disappointed you didn’t think of that catchy name?).  Her knack for social media and collaborating is pretty heady stuff.  She’s the genius that used a screen capture to take some pictures of our last video conference.  Jodi’s in the middle, I’m on the left and Dyana’s on the right.

The great thing is although we’re from different countries (Dyana and Jodi are both from the U.S., California to be exact) it costs us nada to connect, converse and generally whoop it up on IChat.  You can tell from our pictures that we’re at times pensive, and at times just short of guffawing out loud.

Too often technology gets the upper hand and becomes our master (ahem, how many times a day do you check email?).  When I’m video conferencing with Dyana and Jodi however I realize the power of working ‘on’ my business not just ‘in’ it.

I see possibilities, not just for being the master of my own technology but using it to look up, look out and all while helping to grow ideas for other business women and gather some ideas for myself.  Now that’s time well spent.

Arlene Dickinson is smart, savvy and easy to listen to.  She’s CEO of Venture Communications, ‘one of Canada’s largest marketing firms’.

At a recent talk she gave, she was asked for her top advice.  Here  it is, plain and simple.

‘Thank god you don’t live in Haiti [or more recently earthquake stricken Chile].  We are blessed to live in this country.’

More specifically:

- ‘opportunities exist to get through tough times, we have freedom and democracy, we have so much’

- ‘we have to look forward, that’s what entrepreneurs do, make it happen, there’s always a market’

- ‘it’s a marathon not a sprint – take care of your diet, sleep and exercise – stay healthy.  The average millionaire in the US dies at the age of 60′

Are you sprinting or in it for the marathon?  How do yo know?

Like this post?  Here are two more about Arlene’s business philosophy.