Truth, Lies and YOUR Personal Brand

I grew up in an era...time and place...where your word was your bond and the de-facto place for truth was your local library. If you were fortunate enough to be a wealthy family, you had a copy of the ENTIRE Encyclopedia Britannica in your house which was the closest thing we had to Google back in my day. Those folks had a leg up on the rest of us to be sure. They had access to information that we didn't have readily available and they were often more influential in the community.

Now...that doesn't mean that falsehoods, opinion and gossip didn't exist...it absolutely did. Anyone growing up in a small town knows that gossip can spread like wild fire and can take a long time to shake off. What you were able to do fairly easily was to track down the source and iron out the misunderstandings.

No matter what era you grew up in, I believe that your personal brand and credibility takes years to build up and is hard earned...never given. In my opinion it takes longer to establish a trusted personal brand than it takes to lose it.

So why does this come to top of mind?

I had a conversation recently with a colleague that really caused me to pause. It had to do with the moment we find ourselves in where anyone can go on to social media and make claims to the world...in some cases in trusted positions...that are not based in fact...or that have NOT been vetted or verified. It is their opinion...matches their narrative... or has elements of "what-about-ism" . It's NOT that it couldn't be true...but based on the role they are in...you have a certain expectation that they "have a full set of the Encyclopedia Britannica" in their house while the rest of us don't have access to that information. Surely with all the resources and people they have access to, it can't just be opinion or gossip like the rest of us regular people...right?? My colleagues point was that it was perfectly acceptable that no matter who you were or your position of power, that your information should NOT be flagged to give someone an indication that they "should pause and do more research". I think their point was "who get's to decide?" and "is that right?" which is a very valid point that no one knows the answer to right now.

I went on to ask..."Do YOU trust me when I give you information? When I provide context or guidance do you feel it is based in fact?" This person said "yes" and they went on to say that my "crystal ball" was often eerily correct. So my point was I am a nobody....I am not in a position of power but I live by the creed of "my word is my bond". It doesn't mean that I don't get things wrong...or I don't have opinions or read conspiracy theories that "fit my narrative"....it's that I am very careful about how I position or share that information. I pause...take extra time to cross check multiple sources to see if something can be verified (as best I can). I try to listen to the information that others are providing me and put it into context even if it doesn't align with my narrative. I also feel confident that it wouldn't take very long for others to "flag me" or hold me accountable if I started sharing information that continuously was called into question...and that would be completely fair and deserved. In fact, in moments where I am unsure I often flag myself and open with "this is rumor, folklore and myth..."

In Closing...

I know there is a lot of debate, fear, uncertainty and doubt about social media especially in the moment we find ourselves in. I believe this is what is holding a lot of people back from social selling and making the leap to digital transformation. They are rightly skeptical that platforms like LinkedIn are in the same category as applications like Facebook which are under siege and finding themselves with tough decisions ahead.

My guidance to others today about LinkedIn are rooted in a lot of my fundaments beliefs and mantras over the years...

• Don't peddle in gossip...half truths and insinuations. Know the source of your information and do your best to put it into context. Gossiping has been a time honored pass time and it never ends well so steer clear of it whenever you can.
• Cross check "facts" before sharing. I'll give you a small, seemingly innocent example. I recently binge watched "Ted Lasso" (which I LOVED BTW) and one of the exchanges that stuck with me was "What’s the happiest animal in the world?” asks Lasso. The player, puzzled, says he has no idea. “Goldfish,” Lasso replies. “You know why the goldfish is the happiest animal on earth?” Again, the player has no clue. “Got a 10 second memory,” answers Lasso. I was actually going to build a blog post around this but took a couple of minutes to research (given the source of the information) and turns out there is no evidence to support the 10 second memory span of a goldfish - it's just a made up fact to support a narrative. It's not that I can't still figure out a way to use an example to make the same points - I just won't be spreading half-truths about my fishy friends. The lesson: Just because something supports your narrative or point...doesn't make it true.
• Don't let emotion get in the way of making a good decision. No matter what's happening in your personal or professional life don't let emotion allow you to make a momentary decision that has long term implications. You may be hurt, struggling , stressed or upset which could cause you to post or share information that you wouldn't otherwise. Breathe....write it down if it helps...vent to others you trust but give yourself space to think clearly.
• Be the change YOU want to see in the world. It is easy to be jaded and simply choose not to participate or emulate the worst behavior because you think it will teach "someone else" a lesson. That never ends well and often causes harm to those we least expect to be listening. For example our kids are watching us constantly and how we respond impacts them. The bottom line is...YOU can't control how others will use their platform YOU can only control YOURS.

The debate will no doubt rage on from this point forward about information sources and accuracy. The ability to separate fact from fiction...myth from truth...opinion from certainty and how we provide caution...guidance and context so we can all make decisions and share information that is productive and helpful. I for one don't have all the answers but I am grateful we live in a world where we can talk about it!

Leadership Questions of the Week for YOU:

• Do YOU believe that people in a position of power, leadership or influence have an obligation to pause and be thoughtful about the information they share or to "flag" themselves as to not mislead those that choose to follow them?
• Is the obligation to share factual information higher for leaders than the rest of us or does it all equally apply no matter who you are?
• What is YOUR guidance to yourself or others when it comes to sharing information or participating on social media platforms like LinkedIn?
• How do YOU navigate on-line or in-person to have conversations where you are discussing a mixture of fact and opinion or information in-between? Do YOU have a way that easily "flags" or puts your information into context like my "rumor, folklore and myth" statement?
• How important is YOUR personal brand and credibility to YOU? Do you agree it is tied to your ability to be a trusted source of information?
• What advice do YOU have for social media platforms so they can continue to support free speech/opinions yet ensure that these can be discerned from verified sources or facts as to not mislead the public?

Thanks for reading….and remember…YOU make a difference!

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