Pssst….  Here is a secret (I am not sure why it is still a secret)… Businesses must bow at the feet of the consumer- EVERY  stinkin’ one of us. Consumers are now kings and business must focus on direct interaction with their customers (YOU) or they will die like dinosaurs.

There are two truths that cannot be argued as the foundation for our consumer conversation:

• We ALL have a voice and people listen.
• People listen more effectively when our message is in writing.

How many people are friends with you on Facebook?   I have over 175.  Of those I interact with maybe… 50 on a regular basis.  Of those there are subsets specific to each area of my life-  local friends,  business people, industry people, friends abroad, etc…  Without having to pick up the phone and call a single person or talk to anyone face to face;  In about 30 seconds, I could let all those people know (at the same time) about an experience I had and they would listen to me and possibly tell others.  It is that simple.  You can reach at least the 50 – 250 people you have on your Facebook page today and start a conversation.

If you also have a My Space page and a Linked In account you could then tie them together using Twitter.  When you tweet something- it goes to all your message boards. The message is written for all to see and easily understand.  What does that mean???  Simple mass communication at a MICRO level.  Twitter- aka- micro-blogging site.

We need to understand why having a written message is important.  Ever see how a call from an attorney can get someone worked up-  but if they get a LETTER from the attorney …. see what happens.  Written words carry a finality that the spoken word has a hard time  challenging.  My Facebook message is difficult to misconstrue because it was IN WRITING. Putting my message into written words keeps the focus on the message I wanted and prevents the intent from being diluted as it trickles through communication channels.

Bow Down to Me! I Am the King! I Have a Voice!

I understand that there is something strange about how this works... Mass communication… and Micro-blogging…  does not compute….  how can something be large and small?…. err….

Breakdown in 3 parts:

1. simple, written  messages (Micro)
2. built for interaction (Community)
3. on a easy to distribute, global level  (Macro)

Whut?!?!

What this really means is that you now have a voice.  Companies and people have always known reputation and word of mouth are important, but now consumers have a platform in which to discuss their relationships with business and people in an open forum that allows others to spread their message- virally.  Not to mention- immediately.

If I love the local pizza place (AND I DO-  It’s called EJ’s. ) I blog about what a great time I had there with my wife and kids on Twitter.  My ‘micro-blog’ posts to Facebook where  three other people I have accepted as  ”friends” see what I say and happen to live near by.  Boom-  they want to check out EJs.  Because they trust me.  I have a micro-community.

Understand that companies ‘get’ what I just did.  They are trying to understand how to get their messages out at this level.  An insightful IndiaTimes.com article discusses the evolution of Social Networks and Micro-Blogging through research that was recently published. “Gartner also predicts that by 2014, social networking services will replace e-mail as the primary vehicle for interpersonal communications.” This means that businesses must adapt to how they communicate with one another and with consumers.  Companies are going to have to interact at a micro-level and do so in written text.

Smart company marketing departments know we can fast forward through commercials thanks to DVR.  We can subscribe to Internet based or satellite radio without commercials.  We can choose to use sites on the web that do not use ads or have pop-ups.  Companies cannot interrupt our lives as easily with their messages.   The rules have changed.  Messages have to have a meaning and be personal.  Marketing is at a micro-level.  It is time for consumers to use these new rules to our advantage.

If you enjoyed this article, I have discussed Twitter/Social Media before.  In my previous posts on Twitter- The first post discussed my initial interest in Web 2.0.   I dove deeper into social interaction and being engaged as the core to building an online community in my next post.

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Here I am again- sitting at the computer and trying to understand how a leader emerges…  how they work… where they find their energy… their patience… their knowledge…  I am looking for a map.  I need to get from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’…  I realize…  I realize… I realize….

I realize it is NEVER that easy or everyone would be a leader.

I think back on the great leaders of our time.  I consider the leaders I have known in my life.  I conclude that with few exceptions, there were fundamental, specific portions of their lives that attention and focus were always paid.  I can summarize these areas in a few bullets:

• Spiritual Health
• Physical Health
• Learning and Growing
• Having a Plan and Setting Goals
• Friends, Family and Your Spouse
• Personal Financial Security

I have been trying to focus on all these areas in my life at once for the last year or so.  Not that I was not already living these pillars in some fashion before, but I have recently focused all my energies on these 6 pillars above all else.  I will tell you that I have seen great improvement in all areas of my life.

WHAT! I'm the treasure? What a ripoff!

There are countless studies on the positive developments that people encounter when they employ a focus on just one of these areas in their lives.  The key for living leadership is to create a solid foundation for each of these areas and then create habits, making it easy to adopt your habits into a lifestyle.

Let’s take a look at how each of these areas can help you focus as a leader.

Spiritual Health - Evan Carmichael discusses spiritual health for leaders in his blog- “Belief in a higher power (whatever your devotion) propels an individual towards the ideal self. Spiritual beliefs provide a doctrine that forces us to examine our own actions and motivations against a core of morality”. Nuff Said.

Physical Health - It is no secret that you feel better when you are in shape.  Harvey Mackey from the Star Tribune in Minneapolis discusses some of the positive aspects of health on leadership in a recent article.  He quotes Maj. John Patrick Gallagher, “Self-discipline and being able to perform under pressure and exist outside our comfort zone would be the key that unlocked our success (as leaders).”

Learning and Growing - There is no need to quote anyone here.  We all know that the more you study, work and understand the great minds of business, management and leadership, the more effective you will become as a leader. I strongly recommend books on CD from the local library, setting a reading list in Amazon or borrowing books from other leaders you may know.

Having a Plan and Setting Goals - This cannot be stressed enough.  When you envision your goals you are more likely to achieve them.  A Mental Rehearsal study discussed by Wright State University examines basketball athletes who mentally imagine their shots as well as physically practice the shots.  ”Research has found that a combination of “imagined practice” and actual practice often results in better performances than those achieved with preparation that relies solely on actual practice.  In addition to athletics, studies have shown that imagined practice improves performance in diverse contexts that include communication, education and clinical and counseling psychology.”

Friends, Family and Your Spouse – People need people.  We are social animals.  It is critical for leaders to have a safe place to go and talk and unwind.  Most leaders have a strong system of family and friends.  It is true that some drive out their closest relationships as they dive deeper into their leadership role, but those are more often the exception than the rule.  Great examples of American leaders with strong families are FDR, John Kennedy and George Bush.

Personal Financial Security – Leaders cannot focus on their companies, constituents or teams if they are not able to take risks with their career.  It is critical that leaders keep their personal finances in order so that they can focus on the job at hand. Leaders should not worry about risk or money.  Being solvent creates a more stable marriage and allows for a strong family life.

Taking all of these pillars and implementing them into you life will take time.  But the more you act like a leader and make a little time in each day for all of these leadership fundamentals, the easier it will be to exude leadership and live the journey rather than search for the end of the map.