promotion

Ok, if you want to scale your business you really don’t want your employees to need you that much. Bottom line, if they need you, aka, can’t make a move without you, you’re in deep pooh. Look around, survey the landscape, this it is, this little slice of business heaven. You will never grow, expand, move onward and upward. BUT that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt a little, especially if you’ve been part of the training process. Everyone wants to be needed, at least most people. I always thought I did until the needing got a bit much. That, however, is usually just growing pains. Every major shift requires a tug, then you break free, people fly and you do too, onto the next challenge. It’s part of the game. If you don’t have the stomach for the rollercoaster you may as well not ever get into this thing called business. 

                                                     I had two of my top people jump ship last winter for greener pastures. Hey, it happens. No hard feelings, I have a tremendous amount of respect for them both. But, of course, this meant my job just got a bit harder, because instead of hiring above my AE level gals we decided to promote from within. One of the VPs who left was an EXCELLENT manager (I get teary-eyed just thinking about her skill, she’s going to be a great mother one of these days). Now, I had to get in and fill her shoes AND run my business and boy that wasn’t fun. But good news, the ladies were up for the challenge, the heavy training is over and they don’t need me nearly as much anymore. Yes, it makes me sad, but glad too. And they are doing amazing things! Hey, in the end, it’s better to have someone want you than need you anyway. Lol.

I am making a bold step and “exposing” a little bit of myself in this blog… so here goes.  For the last few months (!!) I have found myself involuntarily thinking and processing my life events in 140 characters or less: “Kelly often wonders why people on the streets of NYC act like people can’t see them when they are picking their nose in public.” “Kelly knows the day is going to be good when the trains on the morning commute are totally in sync.” “Kelly wishes she was outside enjoying the amazing September weather today.” This happens regardless of whether or not I actually post the information in my status.  My internal editor processes the content and then it goes through the “is this interesting enough for an actual update” phase.

I was secretly ashamed that I have been so overtaken by my social media (and a little worried that I might be going a little loopy) and thought I must be the only person that is doing this. The internal pressure to be clever, inventive and “create reaction” was almost overpowering. Then, breakthrough. In a casual conversation with friends the subject naturally came up and my friends admitted that they were doing the exact same thing. I at once let out a big sigh of relief and we all half joked about how Facebook, Twitter and the likes have changed the way we process our life experiences… what is too much to tell your network of 300+ friends? What is funny and are we really becoming “too social” when broadcasting all of our virtual dirty laundry?

It is undeniable the power of social media and for the hundreds of millions of users in the world it has created a platform for not only information sharing but for self-expression and promotion. I am not an anthropologist, philosopher or behavioral scholar, but it seems very clear to me (at least in my own head) that the “status update” mentality will forever change how we think and share information with our friends/followers.

Source: buildamovement.com