For the most part, the potential of social media is still wrapped up in the abstract. We talk about connectivity and community, and then go about our day-to-day social networking, content with the simple acknowledgment of this potential. But there is a juicy truth laid out as part of the social media spread that most of us don’t reach for because we have already filled our plates with vague idioms and collective assumptions.
Anyone who uses social media has the potential to gain the attention of anyone else. Bold, underline, all caps ‘anyone’ and ‘anyone’. The cultural structures that used to restrict our social climbing are gone. We can be nobody from nowhere, sitting anywhere and have the potential to be heard and even interact with the biggest of the world’s VIPs.
The communication channels have been blown wide open, and yet most of us are still only taking advantage of the amount we can communicate, not to whom we can direct our communications. It’s fantastic to be able to blog, tweet, post, etc and have thousands of other people read it. But social media gives us access not only to more people, but to specific people who offer huge potential for our personal and professional lives.
Now, while it is only a potential, you can water this reality down to manageable and applicable levels: if we want something, there is no reason we shouldn’t ask for it from the person who can give it to us. Social and professional class barriers now only apply to the people who don’t have the balls to ask for what they want.
We are all at the party, screaming and shouting to our hearts’ content. And while we all should enjoy the buzz and ride the high, the savvy partiers will realize they are at a party with some of the people who can provide the connections and opportunities to build professional success. Take a second to go find them and see if you can grab their ear for a few minutes. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
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