Eric Qualman, the writer of Socialnomics, is a great living example of keeping your personal brand true amongst the noise of success. Recently at a TEDx talk in Nashville Eric gave a talk on ‘My Digital Stamp’. It alludes to looking at the digital footprints you’re leaving over the carpet of your business, client relationship and of course your personal space. Eric helped give focus to doing a personal review with the acronym of ‘S.T.A.M.P’ Take an 18-minute morning break to watch this video and ask yourself what your Digital Stamp portrays.
Simple is a call to clear the clag from your life and keep the main thing the main thing. Developing a sense of personal calling helps you define why you get out of bed in the morning. If you could put only one goal on the wall in front of you what would it be? Try not to take the Miss Universe approach and say “Bring World Peace”. Instead, develop a personal simple mission statement.
True reminds us that in business and social environments we often try to mould ourselves into groups. Instead of developing unique and what we perceive to be attractive personas, we should remind the person in the mirror to be true to ourselves. One of the strengths of the digital social networking space is the power of transparency. Sadly many use the guise of being transparent to actually be someone else. Be True!
ACT – Similar to our first step of simplicity the call to ACT asks us to consider value over activity. As you look at the work on your desk ask yourself how many of these tasks are about throughput and how many leave productive fruit on the table. Checking email five times a day and social networks every five minutes is fast food productivity. Stop, think, invent and come up with a high-class meal of results.
MAP – in order to develop your business or your own identity you need a MAP. Like the old story of the woodsman who takes time to walk out of the forest and sharpen the axe, you can be more productive by stepping way back, having a look at the situation and writing a plan. It might be a six-monthly item to add to your calendar for the business and a weekly or monthly whiteboard routine for your personal workspace. MAP the road ahead.
People should always be your focus over activity, systems or products. Recently I’ve come up with the catchphrase; “Relationships Last, Moments Don’t”. That’s not to say relationships will always last well but they last. Thinking about how your Digital Stamp activity will affect long-term relationships helps you to consider people over outcomes. The end result is that you develop an advocate in relationships over a ‘sale’ where you simply buy a consumer.
Leave positive Digital STAMPs in your personal and business life. Pause, Rewind, Review!
