Transformation

You may not think this has much to do with business because I’m talking about me. But, bear with me and see how you feel.

There are two things I have always detested - social media and networking. I’ve never been able to get my head around why people take pictures of their cup of coffee and post them. I’ve also never understood why people subject themselves to attending meetings in cramped over heated rooms while wearing name tags that say “Hello, my name is John” and talk nonsense to other people they don’t know.

But, this post is about transformation and I am, if not fully transformed, at least passing through the larval stage.

Someone I respect very much (name check Chris Williams at King St Advertising) annoyingly pointed out to me that there is no way to get a business like Regeneration HQ off the ground without being on social media.

Well, I’ve never been one to do things by half measure, so now I have my blog on the web site, then there’s Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. I couldn’t think of a single thing to do on Snapchat so I’ve left that alone but I have threatened my daughter that I might just do a Regeneration HQ Tik Tok, which has horrified both her and her Mum.

I don’t have an objective view of the quality of my posts and tweets and nor do I really know whether the things I share and retweet and comment on are any good.

But, I’ve gone into this social media thing with one objective. Without intentionally offending anyone, I want to present an honest glimpse inside my world and the world of Regeneration HQ so people can get a feeling for who they might interact with and what they might get.

I know some people use social media to create a best life scenario and I know some people who do that and when I look at their real life, I can’t recognise it as it is portrayed.

If I were to post a photo of my office right now, you would see a catastrophic mess of chewed tissues, water bottles, blankets, bits of garden dragged inside and the remnant of the toys young Frankie the puppy has stolen from the cats. This is my best life.

Back to the transformation thing. I have realised that across social media, there is choice. I made the mistake of following a number of people in the MAGA world for a few days and then had to delete them because I don’t need tin foil hat wearing, anti-vaxxer, conspiracy obsessed rascists in my feed. It’s not that I only want to hear and see “positive” stuff. I just don’t need to be dragged into ugly, dark passages.

I’ve discovered some reasonable arguments that don’t immediately fit with my liberal, left leaning instincts, but a well crafted case is a well crafted case and must be honoured as such.

I’ve made a decision that my own dark side doesn’t need showcasing in front of the world. The times that I look at something and have a searingly sarcastic take down ready to launch, I take a moment and never send it.

A good example is with NZ politics currently. I mix largely in circles that are naturally conservative and when I see Judith Collins emerge as leader of the Nats, I have many thoughts and few of them can gain any distance from the coldness of old National social policy. But, I wish her well and that’s what I post. I mean it. This country will fall apart socially if we become like USA and become rabidly partisan. We have to understand, empathise and work together. Sometimes we agree and sometimes we don’t but I am adamant that I am not indulging in the cheap shot that social media makes so easy and utterly without consequence.

Similarly, I feel compassion for Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett. I feel no affinity for their politics, but I can feel for what it must be like for them. I even feel real concern for Todd Muller. He did it and has paid the price for what he did, but he will be hurting and I don’t like to see pain and anguish in others.

So, I’ve been “reaching out” (as we say) to people on all forms of socmed. Some because I am interested in them for business reasons. I’m quite open and honest about it. I want to connect because you might be able to help me. But anyone who knows me knows, I will always endeavour to give back more than I receive because that’s how I’m wired.

Some people I follow because I admire them for the social justice warriors they are. I’m talking to you Mihi Forbes and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. Some because they have really interesting perspectives. That’s you David Farrier. Some because they just make me laugh out loud. I’m looking at you Sarah Silverman.

This world I’ve entered has light and dark and grey and every colour imaginable. For me I want it to be a place that I get inspired, amused, knowledge-enhanced, connect with people I like and people who I can do business with.

For that reason alone, my view has been transformed. I may still do a Tik Tok if I can be reasonably certain that Lily and Nicki won’t disown me.

Now, networking, or pulling teeth with rusty pliers as I have always known it. I declare I am hopeless at it and Nicki swears I’m really good at it. I’m pretty sure I’m right here, but once again, I swallowed my phobias and attended a networking event the other night.

Much to my cynical pre-judgement, there were the Hello, I’m… stickers and bad wine in plastic non-recyclable cups, but I put myself in network mode and talked to people. Some of them were interesting to me and amazingly, I seemed to be interesting to some of them. I’m even meeting a couple for coffee next week to talk business.

Right then. Let’s reassess things here. I’m a regular on social media, I attend events designed to make people talk to other people and none of it has killed or maimed me.

Call it what you like. I call it transformation and it is what Regeneration HQ stands for. Boldness, honesty, confronting barriers and issues with integrity and humour.

I would just like to say to anyone that reads me here on the site or anywhere else, thank you. If you would like to hear a perspective on some particular subject, on any media, I’m open to suggestions and requests. To anyone I may have offended, I am sorry. It was not my intention.

Until next time.