Albany, New York is a great place, I’m sure, but I don’t believe I’ve ever been there. Here’s the weird thing. A bunch of people in Albany will be reading my book thanks to the very small world in which we live. Out of the blue, I recently learned my book is being used in a Business Communications class there. Who knew?
Have you had the internet or social media suddenly make your world much smaller? It happens all the time. A face from the past pops up when you don’t expect it. A far off old friend falls ill and your day changes because of the news. A promotion for a colleague suddenly opens new doors in your world. We are connected in so many ways that previously would have been unlikely, if not impossible. All of this connectedness requires us to think about how we look in the bigger universe. Let’s take a closer look:
How do you tell your story? All of us must consider how we tell our story and how we are perceived by the outside world. Knowing anyone in any part of the world could come across our information (someone from Goldman Sachs looked at my profile last week; who knew?) we need to be prepared for any level of attention at all times. How long has it been since you searched your name? How about freshening your profiles? There are two other Cary Pfeffers in the United States – what if one of them gets arrested? Yikes! (Okay, not likely. They both seem like solid citizens.) To be honest, before writing this I hadn’t looked myself up in probably six months. How long has it been for you?
Who Hears Your Story? Now consider who may see this information and what they might make of it. (The person from Goldman Sachs may have been looking for the OTHER Cary Pfeffers, but who knows?) Who would you LIKE to see this information? Fresh, quality content generated around your name is always valuable to the outside world. What are you doing to keep your brand fresh to anyone who might be looking? The professor in Albany, New York learned about my book from a colleague who had used it and, after reading it, it became part of her curriculum.
How Can You Help Others? Finally, how can you take all this connectedness and help others? If we really are all just a few degrees of separation apart, what are you doing to make the world a better place? Is there a non-profit you can raise up? Is there a cause you know about that needs support? Is there good news you can share? What expertise do you have which you can offer the world? Remember, the rest of the world is just a few clicks away. The stories of helping hands going viral happen every week. Maybe one of those is in your future.
So, I’ve never been to Albany – but maybe I should plan on making a side trip there sometime soon. (Actually, I may wait for the weather to warm up a bit. My goodwill only goes so far. Kidding!) Thanks for reading the Monthly Memo and allowing me to be a part of your day.
Favorite Business Read of the last month: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.I’m not a runner or athlete, but this is a great business read about how Nike became Nike.
