As 2012 draws to a close, I have taken the opportunity to sit by the warm fire on this snowing New England Sunday and identify my top ten posts of the year.
I decided the top posts would be selected by my readers – by whether they felt a post was important enough to share with others and whether they were moved to comment on it. Also, I only considered posts that were first published on my own blog.
Having some extra time on this cozy day, I decided to turn this into a scientific project. I created a formula where I totaled the number of shares on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. I then assigned a weight to the number of comments and factored that in.
I’ve listed the top 10 posts below, and I am now mulling over what it was about these particular posts that made them the most popular. Here are some of the patterns I noticed:
- One of the things I usually do in my posts is translate theory into practical action. Five of the posts fall into that category.
- Two of the posts are primarily conceptual, offering only general guidelines for action (Leadership Lessons from Kindergarten and 8 Things Collaborative Leaders Know). That’s a surprise.
- Also interesting, I wrote three posts this year that clarify concepts and all three made the list: the difference between a goal and a vision, between a manager and a leader, and between a charismatic and a visionary leader.
- I often write about purpose, vision and values. Last year 80 % of my top posts were on that topic. This year only 30% were.
What do these patterns mean? What do they say about my writing or about what readers are most interested in? I need to mull this over before drawing any conclusions. And if anyone has some thoughts, I’d love to hear them.
Meanwhile, I hope you’ll check out the list below. And if you find some you’d like to read, I hope you enjoy them and find them helpful.
Warm wishes for a healthy and joy-filled new year.
~ Jesse
A fantastic list. Thanks so much for your contribution to the online leadership community.
Thank you, Karin. I’ve enjoyed connecting with you this year and appreciate your contributions as well.
Thank you so much for posting your top 10. Jesse, you are one of the best and definitely one of my favorites to read. I appreciate all you do to help others.
Happy New Year and continued success in 2013. Take CARE.
Al
Thanks so much, Al. That means a lot. Wishing you a healthy and happy new year.
Just come across your blog at a good time it seems. Some very interesting reading there and I’ll definitely be following you in future. Thanks.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Mike. I hope you’ll check out some of my past blog posts as there is content I have not repeated that is all part of a larger picture. Best wishes for the new year!
Wonderful choices 🙂
I may not be a regular person to comment on your posts but I assure you that I never miss reading any of your posts Jesse 🙂
Wish you all the best in the coming 2013 year.
Happy new year,
Khalid
Thank you, Khalid. That is so nice to know. Wishing you a wonderful 2013!
Jesse, your thoughts have an impact on all of us. Thank you for the work you do and all the best in the new year.
Carl
Spark The Action
Thank you for letting me know I am making a difference. Cyberspace can feel pretty empty without feedback. I really appreciate yours. Warm wishes for the new year, Carl.
Jesse, I just want you to know that I value and appreciate all the gifts you share with us as a ‘cyber’ community. Many of your posts have been in alignment with what I have been ‘growing’ through this past year. So they really helped provide a more thorough framework to consider my own values/vision. Some, which have become crystal clear to me. Others still in the works! 🙂
Happy New Year Jesse!
~Samantha
Happy new year and thanks to you, Samantha. Your thought-provoking comments have helped further clarify the thoughts and enriched the discussion.
Thank you for your consistently great posts throughout the year and especially for the insights about your top ten. I await many more in 2013,
Thanks, Alan! As you know, I am a fan of your blog and I am always grateful when you share your wisdom here.
I missed some of these posts, so I appreciate this list. Keep up the great blogging work!
Also, I appreciate your formulaic approach. You didn’t seem to use traffic, but instead shares. Interesting! For my own, I couldn’t figure out a system that would be fair because the posts in December would have little chance against something in January.
As you leave 2012, know that you inspired many. That means we have even greater expectations in 2013! All the best to you.
Thanks so much for you kind comments, Skip. Best wises for a wonderful 2013!
Jesse, I think your clarifying posts are great b/c your average reader might not be as specialized as you are (thus, the need to follow). It helps because some concepts get all bunched together sometimes. Also, a lot of your posts have 3 or 5 or 12 “things” that help explain something. That’s concrete and it’s helpful.
Enjoyed following you in 2012 – looking forward to the new year!
Thanks so much for your specific feedback, Nathan. It’s helpful to know what it is that works for you. Here’s to a great 2013!
It’s always interesting when you look at the data rather than the gut feel. Given at the back end of the year you also started sharing on Google+ I am curious to know if you had any shares in that space or it was not material enough for the exercise?
Looking forward to more of your post Jesse
The interesting thing about the data is it depends on which data you use. My number 4 most viewed post was not one of my top 10 shared posts. Vision Statements That Work: The Long and Short of It. I’m at a loss in explaining that.
Great question about Google+ I didn’t “get” it so I decided to spend more time there. I can honestly say, I still don’t get it. Curious what your experience is. If you have any advice, I’d love to hear it.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful 2013, Thabo.
Jesse-
These are all great, but I really enjoy “12 Things Collaborative Leaders Do” and “How To Influence Without Authority”. I’ve really appreciated your blog in 2012 and look forward to learning much more from you in 2013. Thanks for taking the time to write!
Thanks so much, Micah. Great to see you here. When you have a chance, check out the TedTalk by Don Tapscott in “8 Things Collaborative Leaders Know” and watch it all the way to the end. Guaranteed you’ll be glad you did.
Warm wishes to you for the new year.