“They say you want a revolution…” John Lennon
Dr. John Bohstedt taught me about revolutions. A University of Tennessee history professor (and hero for stopping a mass shooter at his church in 2008), Bohstedt explored three revolutions in his World History 101 class: The American Revolution, The French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution and the effects they had on the world. To his credit, he helped me see how big mass changes affect the little man.
Not sure if Dr. Bohstedt still teaches, but I’d have to believe if he did, he’d add a new revolution to his list: The Internet Revolution. Between it and trade deals like NAFTA, we’re no longer competing in our own hometowns. We’re competing on a global scale. The Internet has been the ultimate disrupter. Just ask the music business. Or the media. Or the former manager of Blockbuster.
Not saying that’s all bad. (Well, it is to the manager of Blockbuster). Obviously, our world has become smaller, but it has also become better. You have a world of information at your finger tips. We have the ability to become smarter — if we choose to be. We can Snapchat until our eyes bleed.
But like I said, it has been a disrupter. A tidal wave of change has swept away longstanding traditional institutions. We the people now control the channels (well, and the Internet providers). You no longer have to impress a gatekeeper to become successful. You have to impress the world. You have to learn to surf.
Piece of cake, right?
I think that’s something I keep in mind on a daily basis. We all have to hone our personal brand every single day. And that doesn’t mean you have to sell yourself out to be great (some people try that route and eventually fail). No, you have to be yourself — and darn good at it.
I had a friend who asked me about personal branding and thought it meant selling your soul by self promotion. “No!” I said, “just the opposite!” You need to make sure people know what your soul stands for. When they see your name, what do they think? What does your work mean to them? It means sticking your head out of the foxhole and taking a few shots. It means being a great storyteller. It’s serving other people with a passion. When they see your name, they think “I want to take a look!”
If you’re a teacher, how can you be unique and make a difference in your student’s lives? If you are a politician, how can you uplift your constituents, not scare them? If you are an accountant, what makes you special as compared to competitors halfway across the world. Are you a policeman? How can you serve the citizens better?
What makes you unique in this world?
I can tell you right now, it’s not price. Not unless you hate to eat. You have to be an event. I remember walking into stores in the Galleria Mall in Houston, Texas. I could have bought the stuff in there on the Internet for half. But each store engaged all five of my senses. Each was an event.
We have a lot of good tools to work with. Social media is a great way to tell the world who you really are. Are you a narcissist? Do you provide information that uplifts and challenges people? Do you make people think? Do you engage in conversation? Or do you just project out into the world.
I’m writing this today because it’s on my mind. I’m thinking about what I need to do better. I’m also going to be talking to students at a national collegiate journalism conference. They’re going to have to understand how to develop their own voice. Their own brand. It’s about getting useful information out to a distracted public in an engaging and entertaining way. They are walking into a landscape that is changing daily. Will they be able to adapt?
The tools are out there. All it takes is a little creativity and a lot of hustle.
Dr. Bohstedt helped me see how the Internet has changed my world. I see the revolution. Now to improve my game to adapt to it.