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Transparency and Authenticity
THE TERMS TRANSPARENCY and authenticity have become quite the buzz terms lately. There are so many courses and workshops available out there that claim to teach you how to be your authentic self. The level of irony this speaks to is so high that I really don’t know where to start with it. You do not need a consultant to teach you how to be yourself. Issues and challenges often do arise when you set out to decide where to draw the line with being yourself online and in business. You need to understand the difference between authenticity and transparency.
Authenticity in business is all about realizing that your strongest asset in your company should be you. When you stop trying to pretend to be like other people and focus on your own strengths, you bring authenticity to the table. Outsource your weaknesses and the things that you don’t like to do and remember your strengths. Your competition cannot be you.
Authenticity is easier. It is so much simpler just to be yourself. You never have to worry about remembering what you said about something to make sure you aren’t contradicting yourself. Some people call being authentic “personal branding,” but I just call it good business.
So where do you draw the line at being authentic? What is too much information or opinion to give out when it comes to your personal thoughts and life? This is a really important question to think about when you are using social media to promote your business or connect with your market.
It relates to an experience I had a few weeks ago. Somebody with whom I have built a relationship at conferences and in social media retweeted (repeated on Twitter) a link that somebody had sent out opposing gay marriage. Everyone is entitled to his or her own views and opinions, but you need to understand that if you choose to be authentic you have to be prepared for the results.
Even though I have a business relationship with this person, it is still a relationship. Their views are not ones that I personally share, and that way of thinking is not something with which I want to be associated.
Even if you are not the person who originally sent out a message or video, you are embracing and endorsing it by sending it out to your followers on Twitter. Besides, I don’t really care about religion or politics; this is the real reason that I never discuss either anywhere. People will even argue with me about being agnostic, both religiously and politically. Don’t reveal something for the sake of authenticity that you don’t want to see on a billboard with your name, your face, your phone number, and your company logo on it.
Transparency in business and marketing really means being honest. In terms of transparency, sadly most people look to the FTC for guidelines (be sure to check what I’ve written previously on this). Transparency comes into play in all areas of business including social media, events, testimonials, and even best-selling books.
One of the biggest parts of debate around transparency is that it can be so subjective. It is defined by personal perspectives and our own value system. When you are faced with situations that call ethics into play, you have to do what you think is right. Just remember, other people including your market may have a higher standard than you because perception is everything.
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