Participating Is Never Enough

Going to a party and waiting near the door to be noticed or approached isn’t being a “partygoer.”

Going to a networking meeting and simply handing out a stack of cards without connecting with anyone isn’t networking.

So how can anyone equate SEO to social media marketing, or typical social media marketing to authentic engagement?

You can participate socially, or at mixers, or in social media, without sharing anything of value. But what’s the point, when it’s so easy to move beyond participation to engagement? It just means turning the “flashlight” of your attention from yourself and what you need, to those around you.

When you get thirty seconds for self-introduction, use twenty of them to celebrate or recognize someone else in the room. Follow your grandmother’s advice and listen twice as much as you talk. Share an intriguing idea or funny story and make yourself memorable.

Online or offline, separate from the crowd to get meaningful results. A leader doesn’t try to disappear into their crowd of followers, he or she stands out and brings more value than anyone else. Be special and you’ll make the people you meet feel special too. Nearly instant celebrity!

As crowded as things get in the world (virtual or real-life), participating simply means standing still. Soon you’ll be surrounded. But the faceless, uncaring people who surround you will take you where they are going, not where you want to go. Stop wasting your passion, your gifts, your uniqueness. Stop settling for participation and move down the path to leadership and real success.