Struggles of Change

You Mean I have to learn something ELSE?

If you just go down through the entries in this blog you can see there are gaps.  Some BIG ONES!  And of course for a lot of reasons:

1) I am busy with work life.

2) I am busy with home life.

3) I CAN’T THINK!

Strategy?

When you own a business or have a demanding job, it is easy to get trapped in the major task that must get done- NOW.  Then the next day there are several more things that have to be done – NOW.  Then months of things having to be done NOW.   In the meantime, family, friends or unplanned disasters occur.

It is even easier to get trapped in thinking about bailing out the boat as opposed to the best way how to bail a boat.  Sure you may have a dixie cup handy, but perhaps if you can take a minute, you may look up and see a big bucket that is within reach that really gets the job done.  The challenge is  being willing to “look up” and see something outside your peripheral vision that makes the difference between bare survival and success. Winning!

Seth Godin and Chris Brogan

Seth Godin is a famous guy with cool glasses that I listen to and read a lot. Same with Chris Brogan. (Chris doesn’t wear the Godin glasses but he is very cool.)  And each have an amazing gift in seeing things from the 20,000 foot view.  And not only do they see it, they can talk about it in a way that I can relate to-even if it takes a while.  And for me, it has, you know why?

Because I am busy bailing out the boat with a dixie cup!

Seth talks about” Tribes.”  Chris talks about “Community.”  Even before I realized how disconnected to our “Communities or Tribes, ” all this free media available to us, is making us.

10 Years Ago

There was no Facebook for Business, no Pinterest, no Twitter, websites were mostly brochure style and few blogs.  As businesses we were not competing for all the places people were hanging out online, because they weren’t mostly, Netflix and YouTube were fledglings. What hasn’t changed is people have the same 24 hours then that they have today. And they didn’t have smartphones!

Then using traditional methods was OK.  We still reached people using print, tv, radio.  Since then,  we got access, free access to all these media opportunities, kind of a “roll your own.”  And so did our customers and clients.  And in the meantime, we had to learn how to use all this free media.

Did We Get Lost?

In this struggle to learn technology and multiple platforms, while trying to run our businesses, did we lose focus on what we were ultimately trying to do?  Find and communicate with our customer?  Our existing customer, the new one? Where did they go?  Or better yet, where did WE go?

 

Survival Instinct, Communication, Social Media and The Trust Factor

WOW what a mouthful that title is, huh?  Certainly either I lost you with it or I have you wanting more.

When beings are in survival mode certain chemicals are released. It results in certain ways of thinking and actions. The “fight or flight” instinct. The more threatened something feels, the more defensive it gets and of course the more ugly it can get.  If it is you, you are fighting for your life.  Thank Goodness, most of the time we aren’t actually fighting for our lives but certain chemicals are released even when we feel angry or stressed that result in the release of these chemicals in our bodies and brains.  OK enough about physiology…

Jason Falls

A few years ago,  I attended an event where the writer, speaker, trainer,  Jason Falls spoke where he talked about his recent book, “No BullSH*T Social Media   as well as many other amusing and helpful things.  I loved his delivery, I loved his no nonsense style and many parts of what his message was about, still resonate with me.  None more than his segment about, “We cannot lie anymore.  We can’t lie because we will get caught.”  There was much more to this message so taking two sentences is hardly fair, but it is true.  With so many platforms to use and so many of them integrated as well as GPS and cameras everywhere, it is difficult to say we are doing something or are somewhere if we aren’t. Or ARE when we shouldn’t be!

It All Boils Down to “Trust”

At least in my opinion.  For example, if you get a text from someone you really love and think they are funny, if autocorrect interferes or the length of the text is chopped off, you probably give your friend the benefit of the doubt or laugh it off and maybe tease them about it.

On the other hand, someone you may be angry at or have had a disagreement, or just don’t like in general,  posts something on your Facebook wall, how do you take it?  Chances ar,e if you have an element of mistrust or anger with that person, even if they post something that seems completely benign, you may interpret it as negative.  Are they are trying to make up to you in a cowardly way by posting on your wall something nice instead of calling you and flat out apologizing and admitting they were wrong?  Or you see or hear half a story and  you find you fill in the blanks?

What You See Is What You Get  (WYSIWYG)

It is hard for some people to take things at face value without mixing a bunch of emotional baggage in with it.  But social media and anything that is less than “Face to Face” adds an element of doubt to any situation under the best circumstances.  The least number of senses involved in communication allows for the mind to get suspicious if the”wheels are turning” to begin with.

John Wayne

A famous quote by John Wayne is “Shoot First and Ask Questions Later.”  But don’t, step back, take a breath and consider the fact that there is information missing and perhaps a little time will save a lot of trouble.