“Despite its revolutionary promises, Facebook can turn our everyday lives into that wedding
we have all heard about: the one where the bride chooses her prettiest friends,
not her best friends, to be bridesmaids.
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It can feel like a popularity contest where being Liked is what matters,
being the best is the only respectable option,
how our partners look is more important than how they act,
the race to get married is on, and we have to be clever all the time.
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It can be just another place, not to be, but to seem.”
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― Meg Jay
Are you in the Top-1% (kudos) for Social Media metrics… or the Bottom-99%?
If you’re in the Bottom-99%, how do you feel, during those times when you are a lot more popular?
If you’re in the Bottom-99%, how do you feel when (what you believe to be) your valuable content…just isn’t popular?
In case you’re wondering; yes, I’m in the Bottom-99% and am highly likely to stay in that category. Most of the reasons for being in the Bottom-99%, make legitimate, rationale sense. Just maybe, it’s because who I am personally and what we do professionally, just isn’t that popular… it’s actually quite unorthodox.
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Personally; asking people courteously in your Inner-Circle… to be Amazing or for them to spend their time where they fit in better and are happier, may sound harsh. Is it really? For many, just maybe, “Good” is plenty “Good Enough” and the holistic effort needed to be Amazing, is just too demanding, too risky and not worth the effort! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being “Good Enough” and fitting in well. It certainly makes fitting into the mainstream much, much easier!
Professionally, we help companies save $ Millions so they can donate a % to Non-Profit causes. Again, most leaders have egos too big to “permit” an outside firm from coming in to save them $XX Millions… because less-than-stellar leaders think someone might not look good. Fortunately, 100+ F500’s have used our teams’ services over the years to save $1.5+ Billion and donate to various Social Impact initiatives they support. Intelligent Leadership!
Again, what we do isn’t, oddly enough, popular. Most companies’ goals are to “Look Good Enough”, not to actually optimize their Social Impact! For most companies and Executives… it’s about them… not Social Impact.
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Social Media is fascinating, not so much in observing what gets put on Social Media; rather, working to understand why the “content selected and how it’s presented”, are so popular.
For years, and to this day, advertiser on Social Media platforms, TV, etc., have understood what gets people’s attention. Now, everyday people, who want to elevate their positive feedback, use a similar model to what TV has used for years, whether they acknowledge it or not. Don’t you just love the people who believe it’s their content and not their ______ ?
Look closely at the content that gets significant positive feedback. Compare all aspects of the content to that of an effective commercial on TV. See the similarities? This is smart advertising, but…
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When we look at LinkedIn for example, a professional platform for talent to share its… talents… we see similar dynamics, to every other media for advertising, taking place. One of the key differentiators between TV and Social Media, is the ability for 2-way conversations. Imagine if you could directly tell the person in charge of your (one-way) TV commercial, that the advertiser offended you and the advertiser’s content would not show on your TV anymore.
Here are a few categories of interesting participants on Social Media. How do you handle each of them?
+ Pushers – People or organizations solely committed to spewing out information that makes them look good, but have no interest in helping you. Companies looking for positive PR are notorious for doing this. Can you blame them? Companies have been doing this for decades. However, they’re duplicitous in their communication when they either don’t change for the better or cover up their less-than-stellar decisions, by promoting the 10%, rare positive occurrences they actually do, to help offset their bad PR.
+ Emotional Non-Profits – If you follow the objective Bell-Curve, 84% are “Average” or “Below Average”. Thus; 16% are “Above Average”. The key to determining whether a Non-Profit is in the Top-16%, is quite simple. Just find out if they’re committed to their cause or if they just want you to send them money.
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There are many ways to help Non-Profits, but 84% aren’t really interested in generating the optimal amount of Social Impact. Let’s not get confused on where the $’s we send get used. The first donation money goes to paying the staff salaries and benefits. When’s the last time you heard about a Non-Profit, “not making payroll”? The rest goes to the cause. Thus; if the Non-Profit’s expenses are $5.0 Million and the Non-Profit is already bringing in $20.0 Million… just watch how hard (not hard) the staff is willing to work to get an extra $1, $21 or $101 Million… knowing (for most) that $0.00 will be helping their personal finances? Harsh… sure! And yes, I too didn’t realize this until we started helping Non-Profits… Sigh! The Non-Profit’s committed to their cause will love our Intelligent Social Impact model that raises $ Millions at $0.00 net cost. It’s all about Non-Profit Leadership!
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The genuinely committed to their cause Non-Profits, are out-of-the-box leaders, actually doing new things to raise more money and change 1,000’s of more lives!
+ People Looking to Be Popular – People providing content that helps them be popular, but it’s tough to do anything with their content to help you improve. This includes pictures or videos of attractive (themselves or others) people that get 100’s or 1,000’s of reactions; but, you really can’t do anything productive with the content. This is similar to TV advertising with attractive models. There’s an interesting twist you’ve probably observed. In order to create more popularity, the outfit selection is often, not exactly “professionally conservative”. I’ve never commented on anyone’s looks, and typically disconnect from the ones who are clearly using physical appeal without content to increase their popularity.
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+ Woe Is Me – People talking about how tough life is and the wave of sympathy pours in… but very few people actually do anything to help the person. The ones on the Mental Health Spectrum (and there are as many as 1 in 3, per research) are quite serious about their need for mental health initiatives. I’m not a medical doctor, but it seems that surrounding yourself with people that help you optimize your mental and physical health, should be a priority… and 100’s of reactions from people who don’t actually do anything to help you… just doesn’t seem to be more than a temporary nicety.
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+ I’m Important… and Who Are You? – These are people who are similar to “Pushers”, who are trying to grow their following for self-serving purposes and really have no interest in collaborating with you. As a matter of fact, they’ll even try to quiet you if you ask them for help or don’t agree 100% with their content. They seek “affirmation” not “information”.
Bringing this back full-circle; why are you using Social Media? Is it to artificially amplify your self-esteem; or, is any amplification of your self-esteem, merely the byproduct of your great content shared with the spirit of helping others?
Only you know the truth in your heart… not your head, because it just tells you what you want to hear.
Are you a boring, talented and genuinely High-Quality Leader… looking to make a Significant Social Impact in other people’s lives?
Would you like to create $1+ Million for each of Your Favorite Non-Profits?
DM me on LinkedIn or directly (jim.roncevich@ipgsocialimpact.com).
Who changes the world? I believe it’s almost exclusively the Top-7%. They are the only ones with the Talent Portfolios and social consciences needed to actually implement significant positive social impact.
If you believe you’re one of these executives, we’d love to explore possible opportunities.
Get MAD! Get Making A Difference! ~ JR
