Becky Robinson's Blog, page 81

Hack Your Way to the Future

I spent some time this morning with Mike Myatt’s just-released book, Hacking Leadership.

As we near the end of the year and look to a new one, I find myself evaluating progress we made this year, considering lessons learned, setting goals for the new year, making plans, and looking to the future.

But Mike’s words challenged me this morning to look to the future in an even bigger way.

Here are some ideas that particularly resonated with me:

If you do not “win” the present, you will have no ability to “win” the future. @mikemyatt #hackingleadership Click to Tweet

Focus only on the aspects of the present that lead you toward the future. #hackingleadership @mikemyatt Click to Tweet

If you want to lead more effectively, shorten the distance between the future and the present. #hackingleadership @mikemyatt Click to Tweet

A leader’s biggest struggle is not the routine of the familiar, but the journey of the unknown. #hackingleadership @mikemyatt Click to Tweet

Great leaders can connect the dots that seem disconnected to others. #hackingleadership @mikemyatt Click to Tweet

Don’t cater to the past, but focus on the future! @mikemyatt #hackingleadership Click to Tweet

To listen is good, to watch is important, but to understand is essential. @mikemyatt #hackingleadership Click to Tweet

Your actions in the present will determine what type of future you and your organization will have. #hackingleadership @mikemyatt Click to Tweet

If leaders are stuck in the past, their organizations will be forced to travel a very rough road to the future. #hackingleadership @mikemyatt Click to Tweet

The future is constantly refreshing itself — second after second, after second. @mikemyatt #hackingleadership Click to Tweet

Here’s the conclusion I drew after reading this chapter, and the lesson I will take into my year-end evaluation and planning: If I cannot see the future, I cannot move toward it.

If you are looking for a guide to shape your leadership journey today and into the future, I encourage you to buy a copy (or several) of Hacking Leadership, today

 

 

 

Social Media and Story Marketing: Good Alone, Great Together!

Story marketing is a big buzzword in marketing circles right now and deservedly so. I think the reason stories work so well for business is because they speak to your client or customer on a human level. As humans, we respond to stories, we connect to their messages.

The truth is that story marketing is nothing really new, just a different spin on what’s always been a primary driver in marketing – creating an emotional connection with your clients or customers. But story marketing is particularly effective for social media – and let me give you three reasons why.

First, people buy from businesses they “know, like, and trust” and social media provides multiple venues for your prospects to meet you in a comfortable place.

So one key aspect to social media strategy is finding out where your “peeps” are in the social media space. Not everyone is comfortable in 140 characters. Others prefer to communicate with photos instead of words. The point is that once you know where your prospects hang out, it narrows your marketing focus so that your business stories can stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Second, from my point of view as a content producer, story marketing is great in solving the plaintive cries I hear from clients trying to produce their own tweets, blog entries, and posts: “What do I do? What do I say?”

One answer is to turn your focus around when creating content. Yes, technically, it’s “your” story, but really the story is about your customers and clients, the benefits you provide to them with your books, your programs, services. So changing the point-of-view from, “we offer this, that, and the other” – to, “your life will be better because of our widget and here’s how” – is a more appealing route to reach your prospects.

And if you approach social media from a story marketing perspective, you’ll realize that you have hundreds of stories to share – about your company, your clients or customers, your employees – and that’s just to start. New products are coming online, new books being written, new customer success stories created – there’s always going to be something you can share.

Finally, social media and business storytelling go hand-in-hand for providing content that drives people to your website so you can start a relationship and make a connection.

Think of this as traditional storytelling. Your client or customer has a challenge to solve – and while it may not be dragons invading the kingdom, it’s important to them!  Your book, product, service – the hero of the story – helps them solve the problem and get great results. Voila! Everyone lives happily ever after.

The “bite-size” nature of social media makes it ideal for sharing “teaser” pieces of the story and then sending them back to your website to read the whole story. Share the challenge – “After a year of internal review and policy changes, ABC Corporation still faced very low employee morale. And then they called us….” Or share part of the solution – “ABC Corporation reports 25% increase in employee productivity over six months – and we helped!”

If you’ve ever been stopped in your social media tracks, not knowing what to do or say, remember all the stories you have to tell, stories that can engage website visitors, add subscribers to your ezine, and promote your books, services, and products. And then go and write them – don’t stop with just one! 

Tell me something! What story can you share with your audience this weekend?

 

 

Karen Kanakanui is a content marketing consultant who helps businesses create engaging content that builds trust and drives sales. Visit her at www.CopyVox.com to learn more about how she can help you tell your best stories, put your best foot forward, and reach out to your customers. Connect with Karen on Facebook, Linked-In , or Google+ . She also blogs at www.StoriesTasteGood.com .

 

photo credit: Mike Shaheen

Featured on Friday: Bob Tiede

The online world often seems like it is more self-promotion than promotion of others. We talk about our blogs, our holiday plans, our latest and greatest achievement – it’s the nature of being social, I suppose. However, isn’t it nice when someone offers to let you shine in their space? When they promote you on their social media channels and send out tweets about you? Isn’t it more fun to have other people tell their friends to read your posts?

I celebrated a birthday this week, and it was such a nice surprise to log on to Facebook and see a kind post from Becky. It’s a truly lovely gesture to know that someone else thought enough of you to share; her early morning post was one of the nicest birthday gifts I received, which proves that it really is the thought that counts. And speaking of people who are more about promotion of others than promotion of self…

Meet Bob Tiede

Bob Tiede “curates wisdom” from his fellow leaders. Twice a week, his blog is updated with guest post content from leadership authors; content that has been personally helpful to Bob in his leadership journey, and that is worthy of sharing with his audience. Bob’s motto is that “Leadership is not as much about knowing the right answers, as it is knowing the right questions!” The first time I met Bob in person (earlier this year at the Barrett-Koehler Book Marketing event in Atlanta), he started our conversation with a question – working to get to know me by asking the right questions. Bob is a promoter of others, which is rare – and refreshing – in this world of me-centered online life.

Bob has been on the staff of CRU (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ) for 42-years, where he currently serves as the Director of Global Operations Leadership Development. Bob and his wife live in Plano, TX and are blessed with 4 children and 6  grandchildren.

Find Bob Online

You can find Bob on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, and connect on LinkedIn. And don’t forget to sign up to receive the Leading With Questions blog posts, delivered straight to your inbox!

Fun Bob Fact

When I met Bob this summer, he shared his theory that all people are either dogs or cats. The idea intrigued me, and actually hit fairly close to the mark.

The “dogs”  (like Bob) love being with people. They can’t get enough of people. They can spend all day with a group, and then “wag their tail” just as soon as the next new person walks in the room. I know quite a few people like that, both on the Weaving Influence team, as well as in real life.

On the other side of the coin are cat people (like me). “Cats” will take people on a case by case basis, and if the “cat” isn’t feeling up to being sociable, they will retire to the windowsill and regroup before coming back to be social. We can be loving and outgoing, but we also need our space and are perfectly happy on our own.

You Tell Me! Is Bob right? Are you a DOG or a CAT? 

{Dog/Cat Image: Yukari}

Using Curation to Shape Your Book Category

Like it or not, publishers, booksellers, readers, and the media think of you and your book as part of a category—they associate you with other books, authors, ideas, styles, location etc. My primary category, for example, is listed right on the back of my book: “Social Media/Marketing.” While this is absolutely accurate, it isn’t the only territory into which my writing ventures. There’s a fair amount of media criticism and even futurist thought in my book and on my blog. I’m not known for either kind of writing, though I’d like to be.

There’s a good chance you’re in a similar situation. You want to build credibility in other categories, too.

In nonfiction, perceived authority is just as important as book content. Many authors figure, naturally, that they can write their way into credibility by blogging about topics with which they aren’t yet associated. Content creation is certainly one component of a sound strategy. But building significant audiences through blogging is extremely difficult, and it’s a long process.

Readers (and journalists) prefer authors that consistently use social media to bring them value of the type they’ll find in the author’s writing. Your book was not written in a vacuum. You’ve surely been influenced by other writers, and perhaps you used some of their content as building blocks for your own.

That’s why I love curation: collecting, critiquing, building on, and sharing content that isn’t yours. It’s no substitute for blogging, but it can be a great method of creating visibility in another category.

Curation is a way to get more value out of what you’re likely already consuming. 

If you’re trying to break into a category, you’re probably reading blogs and articles from recognized leaders in that category, and encountering other interesting perspectives from emerging thinkers in the space. Instead of leaving those ideas in your brain, share them with others. If you do so with the right content, at the right frequency, you’ll become a resource. Buffer is a great way to get started—when you read something interesting, simply add it to your queue and Buffer will share it with your networks at ideal times.

Relationships with influencers and network growth can start with simple acts of curation.

The first step is to publicly recognize content creators whenever you can. For example, before I share a great article to Twitter, I’ll quickly search for the author’s Twitter handle, and I’ll include it in the tweet. This simple step has resulted in hundreds of new followers and scores of fascinating conversations with highly influential people. Plus, it helps your followers easily follow people they might not otherwise discover. When blogging, link to related work and quote relevant experts. Pingbacks and Google Alerts will let them know you’ve done so.

It’s always a thrill when someone you admire finds your blog this way, and then leaves a comment, subscribes, or shares your content.

Tell me something! How frequently do you curate content in your own niche?

 

Ian Greenleigh is a social media and content strategist, and author of the new book The Social Media Side Door: How to Bypass the Gatekeepers to Gain Greater Access and Influence  (McGraw-Hill Professional). He helps companies turn data, ideas, and relationships into true thought leadership. His words and ideas have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Ad Age, Adweek, Digiday, Ragan, Seth Godin’s The Domino Project, U.S. News & World Report, and elsewhere. From 2010 – 2013, he led content and social strategy for consumer insights network Bazaarvoice, Inc. (NASDAQ: BV). He writes and speaks on a wide range of topics, including changing consumer-brand relationships, the convergence of personal identities, and the radically shifting landscapes of access and influence. Greenleigh tweets at @be3d and blogs at daretocomment.com.

 

photo credit: keepps

Featured on Friday: Ralph Jacobson

At Weaving Influence, it feels like we’re always buzzing about one book or another, and that’s just the way we like it. If you haven’t caught on by now, our team is primarily made up of readers, people who can never have one too many books on their shelves. There is always a book (or 5) on my Christmas wish lists, and every night I try to squeeze in as many chapters as I can before my husband reminds me that work comes early.

Although so many books are available on the e-reader of your choice, I will always be a fan of the paperback. There’s just something about opening up a new cover and losing yourself in the pages. And I don’t care how exciting the e-reader display is, nothing beats the smell of a bookstore. But, where was I? As you can see, a passion for books can quickly carry us away, which is why I love what I do. And why I am so excited to introduce you to today’s author, who also happens to be the focus of our buzz this week!

Meet Ralph Jacobson

On a personal level, Ralph is a nice guy – laid back and easy to work with, but he is also one of the top leadership developers and coaches in the United States. Focusing on leadership and organization change, Ralph is the Principle of The Leader’s Toolbox, Inc. In 2000, he published Leading for a Change: How to Master the Five Challenges Faced by Every Leader, which went on to be named as one of the top business books by mgeneral.com, and eventually created the framework to build The Leader’s Toolbox® methodology. With advanced degrees in City Planning, psychology, and human resources, Ralph currently teaches in the Physician’s Leadership College as well as the Executive Masters of Healthcare Administration program at the University of Minnesota. We have had the honor of working with Ralph on the launch of his newest book, Getting Unstuck: Using Leadership to Execute Paradoxes with Confidence, which we’ve been buzzing about all this week.

Where to Find Ralph

Training Magazine Network – Webinar (registration required)

The Strategic Learner – Guest Post

Amazon – Getting Unstuck

Connect With Ralph:

Visit Ralph’s website, follow him on Twitter and connect on LinkedIn.

About Getting Unstuck

{From Amazon} Humans are naturally wired to solve problems. Implement the right solutions and the problems generally go away. Paradoxes are quite different. They consist of opposites that do not appear to be able to coexist, but must. Most of the issues that keep organizations from achieving strategic success are not problems, they are paradoxes. Getting Unstuck: Using Leadership to Execute Paradoxes with Confidence will teach you how to balance key paradoxes to achieve greater long-term growth and enhanced sustainability than those who rely on financial data and problem solving methods alone. You will learn how to see conflict with a fresh set of eyes, how to redefine your roles, and how to become more effective professionally and personally. If you have experienced trouble implementing strategic objectives, difficulties getting people from different parts of your organization to work together; if you want to achieve a higher level of success, if you feel stuck, then read this book.

You Tell Me! What books made your holiday shopping list?

The Power of Kickstarter

I always knew I wanted to write children’s books but needed a way to fund the project to make it happen. My dream became reality when I discovered Kickstarter and started my campaign.

Founded in 2009, the website serves as a meeting point for artists to find project backers. Kickstarter has already connected more than 5 million donors to contribute over 800 million dollars to 51,000 projects around the world. Helping independent artists, musicians, film makers, authors, and all sorts of creative people, I knew it was my way to get self-published.

Having published 20 books to date, I am excited to share with you a few best practices for planning your successful Kickstarter campaign.

Deadlines

Deadlines are an important part of Kickstarter. They are an all-or-nothing funding system. The project creator must raise 100% of the funds needed to get funded. Project creators who do not meet 100% funding do not receive any funds. People who backed (pledged financial support for) the project will not be billed if 100% of the funding is not met. I find deadlines to be motivating. They encourage me to take action immediately.

Social Media

Social media is one of the best ways to gain attention. Some unique products go viral on Kickstarter. The project spreads like wildfire on the internet, television, and social media like Facebook and Twitter. I have not had major world-wide viral explosion with my projects (yet).

Kickstarter also has an email newsletter in which they suggest three awesome projects each week. This newsletter is sent out to many people and increases the likelihood that more people will know about your project and potentially back it. Great projects are more likely to get this kind of attention. Based on my experiences, I have had to reach out to my own network. Broadcast reguarly and don’t be afraid to share with all of your social networks!

Tribes

Enlist your tribe. Tribes, as coined by Seth Godin, represent a group of people who are connected to each other.* Successful project creators are leaders of their tribe.

Here is an example: a band that has played several shows monthly for the last several years may have built up a group of followers who would pledge financial support for a new CD. They have a tribe of followers. Think Dead Heads following the Grateful Dead, or Parrot Heads following Jimmy Buffet. If Jonny-Nobody releases a CD, he will have a more difficult time getting people to pledge because he does not have a group of followers. The tip is to become outstanding in your field, wether it be writing books, playing music, creating a fashion line, making a movie, creating a video game, etc.

Authors need a tribe. Famous people like J.K. Rowling, Dean Koontz, and  Suzanne Collins have their own group of people who follow them. People will line up for their next release. The rest of us have to start working on building a group. It can start small (for example, 10 people that consist of similar interests). I have a small group of followers who back my creative book projects on Kickstarter. Most people have backed more than one or all of my book projects. I send out free information to people in my group through social media like Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot, and email-newsletters, that people who love books are interested in knowing about. It would do no good for a Country Music Band to reach out to a group of people who are not interested in country music. It is best to create social media pages and newsletters based on one main topic.

Do you know your topic, niche, or specialty?

Once you know your expertise area, you can start building a social media platform that will help you to become more successful at raising funds for creative projects.

Best wishes in giving Kickstarter a try and creating a group of backers!

 

 

Danny Pettry is a book creator. He loves coffee and conversation. He also loves reading dystopian novels. His favorite food is cookies. His nephew calls him “Uncle Cookie.” He lives in West Virginia. Danny invites you to receive his book club/book therapy email newsletter and access to download several e-books that you can print and use. Connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook to ask him questions about his work.

*Godin, S. (2008). Tribes: we need you to lead us. Portfolio

photo credit: Barta IV

Featured on Friday: Black Friday Shopping Edition

If you’re like a large section of the American shopping public, you’re out there today, fighting the crowds to find a deal. Or maybe you’re like some of the folks on our team who prefer to avoid the after-Thanksgiving madness and do our shopping online. If so, then we have some great suggestions for you to add to your online shopping cart today (or at least, this holiday season!).

Please note: we have launched a number of books in 2013, and we think they would all make wonderful gifts, but for the sake of time, we’re only sharing five of them today. 

Bill Treasurer – Leaders Open Doors

Looking for a leadership book that cuts right to the bottom line of the leadership issue? Something so simple even your 5-year-old could understand it? Well, since Bill’s 5 year old son is the one who came up with the initial concept of Leaders Open Doors, we think this might be the book you’re looking for. Better still – you will be giving a gift that will help others. Bill is donating 100% of the proceeds from Leaders Open Doors to help children with special needs.

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  iUniverse  |  800 CEO READ

Chip Bell – 9 1/2 Principles of Innovative Service

Chip is the master of customer service. If you’re looking for a great book to gift your sales team this year, we highly recommend picking up a copy (or 10) of Chip’s most recent book, 9 1/2 Principles of Innovative Service. Written as a timely reminder that tough economic times call for a new approach, and packaged in gift book format. you can easily take care of your team list with a few copies of this book wrapped and ready to hand out at the office party.

Bulk Buy (U.S. Only)

Mark Miller – The Heart of Leadership

Mark’s book, The Heart of Leadership, is number four in his series on what makes a great leader and a successful team. In The Heart of Leadership, Mark focuses on the fact that title and position in a company do not make a leader. In fact, you can work an entry-level job and be a leader, just as you can sit in a corner office and be lost when it comes to knowing how to lead. Short enough to read over the weekend, but profound enough to make a difference. As with all of his books, Mark is donating 100% of the proceeds to charity.

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Berrett-Koehler  |  800 CEO Read

Mike Myatt – Hacking Leadership

Hacking Leadership is one of two book launches we are gearing up for in December. Available for pre-order now, and in bookstores everywhere on December 16th, Hacking Leadership covers the 11 gaps every business needs to close, and provides a roadmap for how to get there. Written for leaders at any and every level, the lessons in this book are helpful whether you work in a cubical or find yourself with “CEO” behind your name. Perfect for everyone on your team to help get 2014 off to a great start.

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Bulk Buy Offers  |  800 CEO Read

Ralph Jacobson – Getting Unstuck

The other book we’re buzzing about in December is Getting Unstuck, by Ralph Jacobson. If you want to achieve a higher level of success – or if you want your team to experience success – but you’re feeling stuck, then this is the book you want to pick up for the holiday office party. While the holidays are a time when you want to think positively, the fact remains that it’s not always easy to get people to work together, but Getting Unstuck could be the key to making 2014 the year of success, both for you and your team.

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  800 CEO READ

You Tell Us! Are you giving books to your team this year? What’s the best book you’ve read in 2013?

How to Use QR Codes for Your Business

Most of us have probably seen these abstract images, consisting of black and white squares, and it’s becoming a common occurrence to see these squares used everywhere. Rather impressive, considering that they have only been around for 20 years.

Originally designed in Japan in the 90′s for tracking car parts, they are more multi-purpose than barcodes, and that’s why they offer even more opportunities for business. So, let’s check what we can get by using them.

What are they and how do I use them?

QR – short for quick response code – is a two dimensional barcode with coded information of any kind: text, business card, link to the website, and so on. All you need for decoding these mysterious squares is mobile phone with a QR code reader and Internet access. After scanning, the information contained in the QR is displayed on the smartphone screen.

How can I get one?

There are many free QR code-generating services online, including the-qrcode-generator.com or goqr.me. You can choose the type of the content for your code and state your preferences about what the code should look like. It’s really that fast and easy.

How to use them for business?

QR codes have a wide range of applications for business. The most common ways to use them are:

Placing the code on your business card. Then, in addition to knowing your contact info, people will have an opportunity to visit your site straightaway.
Put it on your printed ad. The ad, in this case, should be intriguing and encourage the reader to scan the code and know more.
Offer a discount or attractive proposition for everyone who scans the code. This will draw more people’s attention to your business as well as traffic to your website.
Promote your social media page. Create the code especially for your page.
Offer a code to scan in your shop. Place the code in a visible place near the entrance and offer a discount or some kind of prize and, chances are, nearly everyone will scan it.
Use a QR code to promote your special offer or an upcoming event. Give a hint so everyone who scans the code will see the detailed information.

As you see, there are lots of opportunities to make the QR code work for you. If used correctly, it can be a good promotional tool, and creating the code and checking its features is definitely worth your time.

 

About the Author: Paul Smith is an experienced writer. He enjoys spending his time traveling and writing articles about health, business and social media. Paul also writes essays for Clever Paper Writing Services, and you can find him on Google+.

Featured on Friday: The Thankfulness Edition

On June 28, 2012, just under two months after I started working with Becky, I wrote a post for Weaving Influence in which I shared how practicing daily gratitude had changed my outlook on life. If you follow my personal blog, you know that every Friday I write a post about thankfulness. If we were friends on Facebook, then you would know that every day that I am online, I use my status to give thanks for something (I use the hashtag #iamthankful). The bottom line is that gratitude has changed me as a person, causing me to recognize that I am enormously blessed.

As we head into the Thanksgiving week and busy holiday season, I’ve asked several members of our Weaving Influence team to share a few things they are grateful for. It looks like we are a team who is thankful for our families, our jobs, and our coffee!

Christy B. I am thankful for my father. We were told three times this year that he wasn’t going to make it. I’m grateful for every moment I get with him. And for my beautiful son who never ceases to amaze me. He’s got the best heart and I want to grow up to be just like him.
Rachael D. I’m thankful for healthy children, God’s provisions for our family, and a wonderful job that is accommodating with a busy family.
Joanna J. I am thankful for new life (baby due soon!), for health, and for God’s provisions, including our new house after 5 years of living the apartment life! I’m also thankful for Chick-fil-A, pumpkin spice lattes, and Bluebell ice cream.
Amy D. I am thankful for the blessings God has given me in my husband and children, for work that is flexible, fulfilling and fun, and for the opportunities I have to serve others through volunteer work and caregiving. And donuts. I’m very thankful for donuts!
Elizabeth J. I’m thankful for a husband who faithfully loves me, the power of encouraging words, the unique beauty of each season, and COFFEE!
Megan C. I’m thankful for my husband, Frank – amazing, good looking, smart, and my very best friend. A loving God who is always there for me, and His creation, in particular, my pets – they add to our lives and make us smile. And Brooke’s Running Shoes – can’t run without them!
Becky R. I am thankful for mentors/coaches who see, support, and encourage my journey, for opportunities to make a difference, and for a tremendous team of dedicated people who bring their best to serve our clients; and I’m grateful for a supportive husband and wonderful kids who make it all possible! More? I’m thankful for peanut M&Ms, dark chocolate covered pomegranates, and mochas.
Amanda H. I am thankful for my hardworking husband! He works long hard hours to provide for our family. I am thankful that even though I have 2 special need kids my family is pretty healthy, for 2 jobs that I love, my aunts who help me out all of the time, and for all 3 of my kids.
Rachel R. I am thankful for my family (they keep my life fun & exciting), my church (they keep me centered), and extra hold mousse (I’d look like a lion without it).

And me? What would make my thankfulness list today? 

Carrie K. I am grateful for my faith, without which I could not get through life, and my husband, who is an incredible gift to me. I’m thankful to be blessed with a supportive family, good books, the opportunity to travel, and God’s financial provision through good jobs. And, if you know me online or in real life, it should be no surprise that I am also thankful for pumpkins, coffee, and Dunkin’ Donuts!

As we head into the rush of the holidays, I encourage you to take time out each day to give thanks for the blessings in your life. It may be good health, it may be good medical care. It might be time spent with family, or it might be extra large cups of coffee to help you make it through family functions! Whatever it is, count your blessings today, and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Do You See?

I love connecting virtually, but there are limits to how well someone can know you when they only see your life displayed online.

Sometimes, that’s because we only choose to show the pretty parts, the shiny ones, the happy ones.

We pick and choose what to share. We brand ourselves and craft our updates to reinforce the choices we’ve made about branding and positioning.

Even when we let people get a bit deeper with us, through phone conversations or by sharing a bit more openly, they are still limited to seeing what we choose to share with them.

And though I tend to be an 0ver-sharer at times, I still think there is no way to really see another person’s life until you live with them, walk with them.

This week, I invited Susan Mazza into my life for a few intense days of infrastructure building and planning for my company.

She arrived late on Tuesday night, at a time not-that-late for most people but long past the hour during which I typically crash out on the couch.

She’s now seen me at the end of an 18 hour day and seen me this morning, beginning another. She’s seen my kids at their cutest and their crankiest. She’s had the complete tour of my house and even seen the mess in my master bath cupboards. She’s gotten to know my spouse, the folks who help out around my home and office, and my favorite baristas at Starbucks.

We’ve known each other for years and I’ve cried on the phone to her during some of the lowest moments on my journey. She’s rejoiced with me in the happy ones as well.

In the quiet of this new day, I am wondering, and wanting to ask these questions to Susan:

Now do you see? Do you see who I am?

Does sharing my space help you know me better? Or did you see me, truly, before?

Is face-to-face required for genuine relationships or can we effectively and authentically share our lives through virtual channels?

Face-to-face matters, more than I’d like to admit, especially since most of my life and business is built around virtual relationships with clients, colleagues, and team members.

We can see each other and understand each other much more effectively in real time, sharing space. And the more we share, the more we can see and be seen.

But until that day when I can meet you face to face, I’ll keep trying, through words scratched here and posts shared there, to let you see me. Do you see me?

Tell me something! How successful are you at building authentic relationships through virtual channels? How much do you allow people to see through your updates online?