To Herd Or Not to Herd? That is the Question…
How do you feel about being one of the herd? The people who are most drawn towards me tend to be either writers or entrepreneurs, and I’ve noticed a huge difference between the two groups. The entrepreneurs, on the whole, are desperate to network. They love making new contacts, extending their reach, and becoming part of different groups, gangs, tribes and all the rest. Writers? Not so much.
Again, within the writing category, there are differences. Non-fiction writers NEED to network, because they need to research all the latest events to make sure that their books are current. Novelists and poets though are a different breed. They are gradually moving out of their caves, blinking into the sunlight, and attending tweet ups and the like. For the most part, though, they seek out the fringes. They observe. They draw comparisons and analyse. They think about stuff. Mull it over. Ferment.
Baaa!!
Now, I’m a bit of an oddity, in that I possess the brooding and analytical garret-dwelling nerdish hermit idiosyncrasies of your everyday tortured novelist. However, I kind of like parties and I have a sneaking suspicion that most people might actually be pretty cool if you got to know them. The part of me that loves to think big thoughts and stand alone on windswept hills - contemplating whether word and meaning really are as indivisible as two sides of the same piece of paper – struggles with the ‘ra! ra! ra!’ concept of the herd. Thousands of identical beings, moving together with world domination on their minds … freaky stuff! Freaked me out enough to write a novel about it, in fact.
Here’s the thing, though. Groups only look weird from the outside. When you’re actually IN them, they’re lovely, safe, inspiring and … bigger than what you have to offer as an individual. Perhaps.
I have an American friend who was tattooed with the letters of his fraternity. Branded forever. Mind you, it’s a lifetime commitment so it may not be a big deal, but if you’re a bit of an MLM junkie and you brand yourself with the symbol of every business you hop to … what happens to the integrity of your hide? Not very pretty.
Who Will You Allow to Brand You?
So, how do you get around this conundrum… that groups provide strength and better support, reach, and visibility than you could have on your own, but the branding iron doesn’t wash off if you hop around?
- Don’t hop around. Easy. Pick a business that is right for you and fits with the person you already are.
- If you are a freaky ‘outsider’ eccentric with your own style, embrace that. It doesn’t mean that you can’t be part of a group. In fact, it means that you can bring something to the group that nobody else can. Don’t be scared to ‘baaa’ when everyone else ‘moos’ (or vice versa). You might find that the founders of the company hear you and change things. Don’t do it all the time, though, or you risk not learning anything from all the others in the group.
- If you’ve always roamed with the herd, and found that ‘safety in numbers’ proves true, maybe you could consider being a little less safe. Next time you feel the group is moving in the wrong direction, consider speaking up. Nothing that bad will happen to you, and people may appreciate that you are finally stepping up and making a contribution. Unbeknownst to you, people DO actually notice when you’re always the ‘yes’ man. It’s a bit lazy… and you know it.
- BRAND YOURSELF. Grab a branding iron and shove a massive great big brand on your hide, so big that there’s no room for any other branding. Be yourself in all things. Take your true self into all scenarios. Bless the room with your presence, BUT allow others also to bless you with theirs. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and when a group of individuals with a common goal unite, there is a wattage of energy that your one lightbulb cannot emulate, however hard it tries.
Love your Blog. Branding is the name of the game. Your brand is your business. When you set yourself up as a valuable brand, you can generate income at will.
workwithtomcoleman.com recently posted..A Friend’s Story…
Thank you. Absolutely right about branding.
Branding is the name of the game in everything.Look at Nike, MacDonalds, Pizza Hut, etc.I am a video marketer so I use video more than anything. Great post!
Beverly Monical recently posted..What Kind of Hand Shake Do You Have?
Thank you. I’m going to leap into the video and audio marketing pool more over the next quarter. I keep remembering that having an English accent’s probably a bit of an asset… and I’m not using it. That’ll change.
Don’t be scared to ‘baaa’ when everyone else moos… gotta love it!
I think I am in the freaky outsider group yet I always draw everyone in to play:)
Great post Word Nerd!
Freaky outsiders are the coolest! Thanks Shelly.
Branding is what it’s all about, Rebecca. Great way of explaining it from an author’s point of view.
Rodney Daniely recently posted..MLM Leaders: Just What Is It About Them That Makes Them So Successful??
Thanks Rodney.
Rebecca Woodhead recently posted..How do You Build an Author Platform?
Rebecca, I want to thank you for this article. Firstly, I’m weird, because I am the networker, and the aspiring writer.
Secondly you voiced what I have been feeling for a while, but is difficult for others to relate to. I don’t fit any body’s mold, and not comfortable bearing any body’s brand. It is a longer process to design and implement your own branding iron, but in the final analysis, you have to stand out. I love it. Not one of the herd.
Great name! It’s definitely worth your while to be your own brand. Once you have a brand and a receptive email list, everything else is flexible.
It’s like Jim Rohn said about not being able to control the weather, but being in control of how you set your sails. If you think about it … if you were on a boat or ship, wouldn’t you want to be able to determine your destination? If you allow others to determine the destination for you, then you’ll end up where THEY want to be rather than where YOU want to be. Your brand is your boat and if you’re not captain of that, then you’re not the one controlling the sails.
If you have your eyes set firmly on your destination, though, and you are in control of the steering wheel and the sails, then all the side projects you have are like cool destinations on the way to your own personal island. Some of the people you meet on the way will end up on the boat with you all the way there. Some won’t. None of that affects the boat. You’re in charge of the boat, and you’ll be the one who makes sure it reaches its destination with you – and whomever else has stayed with you through the journey – ready to step off and celebrate that achievement.
Both sides have their benefits for sure! As humans we all have
a sense of wanting to belong for the most part.
Get with a good group AND stand out.
Love your thoughts here Rebecca!
Vanessa Van Horn recently posted..7 Top Reasons Entrepreneurs LOVE Facebook Fanpages
Thank you Vanessa.
Rebecca Woodhead recently posted..How to Spring Clean Your Business
Rebecca,
Branding my hide with an iron sounds extremely painful.
Love your message though!
Rasheed recently posted..Bringing Value to the Table (AKA Competing with Gurus)
Branding your hide with someone else’s iron is worse!
Rebecca Woodhead recently posted..Author Stuff and Books
Rebecca, love this… being an individual, and being part of a crowd is a balancing act. Being receptive to what others bring, while staying true to yourself brands you as a leader. Love the baaa/moo comparison!
Val Heisey recently posted..How to develop a Brand Image for your business…
Absolutely. That balance is key. Glad you liked it.
Rebecca Woodhead recently posted..How to Spring Clean Your Business
Rebecca, I found you through Jo Barnes. I really like the way you write and especially your #4 BRAND YOURSELF assessment. Success to you always!
Cool. Jo is a legend! I’m glad you found my blog.
Rebecca Woodhead recently posted..How to Build an Author Platform – The Movie!
What a great postt Ms Wordnerd! I think everyone has bits of all, but the most dominant is who we are at that moment in time!
Sometimes I feel all grown up and want to BAAA!
Other times I feel like some re-booting and some rah rah is fun – but only a little bit!
Now though, Im feeling some branding iron action approaching!
I lurve your writing ! thank you again!
Ursh Finn recently posted..Did Dan Kennedy Really Write About Justin Bieber?
As humans we already have a lot in common: Oxygen, eating and sleeping etc.
However sometimes we have a need to feel like individuals. Distinguished.