Are social networking relationships sustainable or situational?
I’ve seen a lot of skepticism expressed about how genuine relationships are, that are formed on social networking sites. This doesn’t surprise me, as this is an objection, which is raised anytime new technology comes out. People made those same objections when the internet first appeared and when chat rooms were used, and they even made those same objections with telephones, when they first appeared.
Any new technology is going to raise such questions, because people are usually set in the ways they interact with others, and as such prize the traditional methods of interaction over the new ways of interaction. and believe it or not, there is nothing wrong with that, because there is value in using a phone to talk with someone, or meet in-person with somebody.
But I think relationships developed on social networking sites are just as sustainable as relationships developed through other mediums of communication. What makes them sustainable is not the technology, but the effort each person puts into the relationship. In other words, a relationships is only as sustainable as the effort each person puts into making it sustainable.
I have people on my twitter that I comment to on a regular basis and as a result I’ve formed some connections with those people. I will admit that in some cases, having an in-person component has helped, which makes sense, because I open up a lot more interaction that way, but even without such interaction I can still get a sense of the person and develop a relationship with him/her.
I think it’s important to acknowledge the limitations of social media, but also be open to the possibilities it presents us, when it comes to creating relationships. In the end, it really is more about human choice and less about technology limitations that make or break a relationship.
Radio shows for this week
Listen to my interview with Pippa Arend of Pear and learn more about Pear and how you can help.
Listen to my latest social media coach show, where I try to define authenticity and examine how genuine relationships are formed via social media
Book Review: Go for No: Yes is the Destination, No is how you get there by Richard Fenton & Andrea Waltz
Using a narrative story, the authors tell a story of how a salesman learns the value of going for no. I was very impressed by this book and it helped me rethink how I think about the word no, in relationship to my business. I’ve already started to appreciate no more and plan for it, realizing as I do that no can actually inspire me to become better at my business Go for no offers a simple well-written message, which speaks to the heart of sales and shows you how to take your sales to the next level and use NO to get to Success!
Upcoming classes
Social Media Webinar: Successful Social Media Behavior
Social Media isn’t just technology. Social Media is a medium of communication and conversation. But many people who us it don’t understand how to excel at social media. In this webinar I’ll discuss social media behavior and how to be successful, as well as what not to do.
- The value of following-up in social media
- How not to be a spammer, and how to recognize someone who is.
- What successful social media behavior is and how to start doing it consistently
- When: Feb 24, 2pm to 3pm PST, 5pm to 6pm EST, From the comfort of your office or home
Cost: $45. To register, click the paypal button
Social Media Webinar: Blogs and Social Bookmarking?
Have you started a blog, but not known what to do with it, or how often you should write a blog? Have you heard of social bookmarking and wanted to know what it is and how it relates to blogs and websites? Blogs don’t have to be complicated. You can learn how to use them to create a credible resource and also drive traffic to your website.
- Learn what blogging is, what good blogging platforms are, and how often to blog.
- Discover how social bookmarking can help you improve your search engine optimization for your website and blog
- Come away with an understanding of good blogging behaviors that will get you subscribers and visitors to your site.
- When: March 3rd, 2pm to 3pm PST, 5pm to 6pm EST, From the comfort of your office or home
Cost: $45. To register, click the paypal button
Image vs. Authenticity
Image Vs Authenticity
As an author and a life coach one challenge I’ve consistently dealt with for myself and also encountered with my clients is the conflict that can occur between the image you present and the authenticity you have. An image is the face you present to the world around you, the branding you use for your company, and also sometimes how you present yourself to others. The authentic you, however, is someone who could be somewhat different from the image you present. And when people who have only encountered the image see who you really are, things can get ugly really quick. Just look at the lives of actors and politicians to see examples of what happens when a carefully cultivated image is revealed to be false compared to the reality of the person underneath.
However the authentic you and the image of you doesn’t have to be at odds. In fact, they can be one and the same. By choosing to be authentic, you can show people who you are and still cultivate an image for your company. That image is based on your authenticity…your ability to be true about who you are, as well as showing that to others. It isn’t always easy. I can definitely say that sometimes I’ve stumbled in trying to be authentic. And yet where we stumble is where we learn. Authenticity really occurs when we can admit we have stumbled and then can choose to accept the consequences and learn from them. People who try to cultivate an image of being perfect won’t be in touch with being authentic because they won’t know how to handle those moments when they made mistakes and the image was revealed to be an illusion.
The image of authenticity is the choice to be true to yourself and let that shine so others can see it. Image and authenticity aren’t incompatible with each other. Sometimes they go hand in hand and can help us be true with each other and ourselves.
How to publish, market and promote your book
Want to learn how to get a book published, market and promoted? This is the class. You’ll hear how Taylor Ellwood, the Creativity and Wealth Coach and a published author, got started in the publishing industry, made mistakes, learned from them, and how you can take that experience and apply it to your own writing and the marketing and promoting of it.
TELECLASS How to publish, market and promote your book
INSTRUCTOR: Taylor Ellwood, The Creativity and Wealth coach
DATE & TIME: Tuesday, July 15, 2008, from 5 – 6 P.M..
PLACE: from the comfort and convenience of your own phone
TUITION: Free!
REGISTRATION: Sign up at http://www.imagineyourreality.com/schedule.html
So WHO is this teleclass for? Anyone who is writing a nook or is a published author who wants more insight about the publishing industry.
WHY would anyone attend this class? Because this is a chance to hear
exactly how the publishing industry works and what you need to know in order to effectively promote and market your books.
WHAT will you learn if you show up?
* Insider knowledge about how the publishing industry works
* The importance of word to mouth marketing and promotion.
* The reason most authors struggle with making their book a success-and how
to avoid it completely!
* And more!
Is this class a good use of your precious time? You’ve got Taylor’s
famous “Three Cups of Coffee Guarantee”: If you don’t feel that this
is the most profitable hour you’ve spent on publishing, marketing, and promoting your book so far this year, he will gladly buy you (and two friends) a cup of
coffee.
Register at Imagine your Reality
Honesty and Authenticity
In a conversation yesterday, a friend asked me if I knew the difference between honesty and authenticity. I had to mull it over for a while, but all my experiences with life coaching provided me an answer.
Honesty is really about being true to yourself and with yourself and from there extending that to other people. Honesty involves being responsible for how you feel, what you want, and how you act, but also the consequences of all of those. Honesty is learning to face who you are and accept that person and then grow.
Authenticity is how you present that honesty to the world. Being authentic does mean being in touch with yourself, but it also means living that truth in your thoughts, actions and words, hopefully in a way that honors both yourself and others. When you authentic you are re-presenting the honesty you have with yourself to others.
The difference is fine. A person can be honest, but not authentic. For example you know you hate your job, but instead of looking at all the options you stay at that job anyway. That’s honest, but inauthentic, because you are denying that honesty…and ignoring it’s effects on you and others around you.
Taylor Ellwood
