David Christopher« Don't let the social media train pass you by »
By now you must be aware that I am a huge fan of CC Chapman's podcast Managing the Gray which is all about life lessons and advice on positive thinking. Great podcast, if you haven't heard it you should check it out.
Anyway, whilst driving down to see my brother-in-law yesterday I was listening to the episode "You Are The Only One Standing In YOUR Way" which was talking about the barriers people put in their way to prevent them from achieving their short and long term goals and when you sit back and look at those barriers the only real barrier is you.
This then got me thinking about social media and the barriers people put up. Some just stick their head in the sand hoping that if they hold their breath long enough the social media train will chug on past them, others are happy in the way they work today with the more traditional methods so why would they want to consider using social media?
My train of thought (sorry for the pun!) then took me back to a few years ago when I didn't know how to drive and I was using public transport everywhere. People then were asking me why I didn't want to drive and my response was always the same - that I was happy getting public transport because I didn't know anything different.
And that's the point, how could I miss what I had never experienced. Yes, driving a car would get me from A to B faster, and I would not have to put up with late trains due to wrong sort of snow on the line or sitting next to unsavoury characters and nor would I have to put up with the good old British weather standing on platforms or at bus-stops. I understood the argument, I truly did, but I was happy with public transport despite all these advantages because I had never experienced driving before.
If was only the fact that my wife became pregnant that I decided to overcome the barrier of not wanting to drive and I'm so glad I did because I now LOVE driving! I drive everywhere (apologies to all those green people out there for my last comment, but I have done my bit for 15 years taking the train to work). I even go to Wales occasionally to just drive around Snowdonia. It's the most fantastic feeling driving along Llanberis Pass (North Wales), regarded as one of the most fabulous drives in all of Great Britain (even Jeremy Clarkson put it in his top 10 drives). I would never have been able to experience the feeling of driving between those enormous scree slopes, had I not overcome the barrier of not wanting to drive.
It's the same with social media. Just because social media is new and requires change in how you do things today, doesn't mean you can't benefit in your personal life or in business. Identify the barriers that are preventing you from wanting to use social media and if that barrier is you, then take the leap of faith and try it. Experience what it is like to be better connected to your friends and family, to be better connected with your colleagues and I guarantee you that you will reap the rewards.
Just because you are happy with the way things are doesn't mean that there isn't a better way of doing things. I cannot say you will feel the same exaltation I did driving along Llanberis Pass (North Wales) but in the same way I will not go back to dodgy train journeys to work you won't go back to the traditional communication and collaboration style you currently are so fond of.
Overcome your barriers to social media and embrace the change. You will be glad you did!
So have you come across people who put up barriers to social media in their personal lives or workplace and if so what did you say to convince them that it is ok to embrace change? Maybe you have put up your own barriers to social media? I would love to hear from you......
Reader Comments (3)
What a great story and I'm so glad that the episode resonated with you as much as it did. Always a powerful reminder that what I'm doing is helping people out so I keep producing the content!
great post david, your a fab writer! And even a comment from CC Chapman himself ! Wowzers
Great post and so true. Unfortunately we are creatures of habbit. For some, the jump to social media is HUGE; not only do they have to learn new tools (yes, some people really do struggle with getting Facebook to work) but they also have to completely change the way they think about communication. Therefore it is so much harder for them to see the benefits and even if they agree to try out using the tools, unless they can fully embrace SM, they won't be able to fully realise the benefits they have been promised and thus risk feeling they have been misled. I think it is a really tough challenge to convert some people.