Celebrity, as Amanda Palmer reminds us, is about a lot of people loving you from a distance.
Community, it would then seem, is about some people loving you up close.
You don't have to choose between these two, but if you haven't got that second one, it can be hell to navigate that first one.
Asking is an art in and of itself. It requires risk, vulnerability, and trust. But it can be awesome. Let Amanda Palmer tell you about it.
I heard a work story recently where the new employee (who hadn't yet been demoralized) spoke up in staff meeting, challenging the boss on a policy. The rest of the staff sat, quietly mesmerized and inspired, curious as to what the boss would say.
And while no new policies immediately resulted, the staff finally saw that the boss could be stood up to, challenged with rationale and facts in the hopes of making a case for how work could be done differently (and better).
Speaking truth to power does this. Speaking truth may not result in an immediate about face from power, but speaking truth does inspire the rest of us to realize we all have a weapon in our arsenal that can equip us for battle against the power and authority over us.
We must be careful when wielding our truth, but brandish it we must. The battle will not be won immediately, but in the end, I've always found it goes to the truth-tellers.
It's easy to blast out a recommendation or suggestion via social media. We tweet: "This place is awesome!" or share a photo of a well-designed latte and leave it at that.
But real recommendation and endorsement is based on connection, not documentation. It's one thing to Instagram your way through dinner; it's another (better) thing to call or write a friend and tell them they may love going to that new deli because they're such a huge Reuben fan and what the deli does with that sandwich is unforgettable.
This is better than a mass message or even the newspaper critic's review because when you write me personally, I embrace it. After all, you know me and you know this place. You've made a relevant and unmistakable connection.
All it takes is the careful sixty seconds needed to send an email or make a call. The chef, singer, author, or owner may never know you made this connection, but they're thankful.
What will you recommend - and to who(m) - today?
I'm working with some friends on a new business idea. We're spending this month testing the concept and researching. As we put together a business plan, we're listing out our trigger events, stuff like:
This kind of if/then planning lets us not get too far ahead of ourselves while also (at least in our minds) preparing for future success.
Whether you're planning a conference, a new company, a family, a retreat, or a speech, using trigger events allows you to not bet the entire concept on a pipe dream and helps cement your work in reality. Likewise, trigger events let you capitalize on momentum to keep moving forward.
What are your trigger events for your job?
