I don't receive a lot of comments on my blog. But, when I do, I'm so grateful when someone takes the time to stop by. And, I do my best to reply quickly to the comment. Here's a reader comment from my post / book review of David Meerman Scott's latest book, Newsjacking:
And, look how I responded. After reflecting, it makes me cringe!
Because here's what this reader saw. And, I've been completely blind to it for 2+ years:
I Study and Write About Social Media. And I Couldn't See This!
Why? Because My Crap = My Blind Spot. A humbling, eye-opener indeed. A real "Eureka" moment. Here was a reader who wanted to share my post on Facebook. And, I lost the opportunity.
So, Here's What I Did. I checked my TypePad Content Settings for Page Footer and Post Footer. Look how every item is selected:
Too Much Crap? Then, Get Rid of It.
Prioritize to Simplify. I prioritized only a few social sharing icons. And, I kept the FeedFlare social sharing hyperlinks active at the end of each post:
Less Is More. Why Couldn't I Clearly See That?
I Got Complacent By Buying Into My Own Crap. Look at the difference.
- Less clutter
- Less crap
- More impact
Thanks for sticking with me (despite 2+ years of my crap).
Tony, The fact that you honestly saw what you did and how your response may have come back as insensitive and then publicly mentioned it in your blog post goes to show your true integrity. Well done, sir.
Posted by: Markvanbaale | December 22, 2011 at 01:46 PM
Mark, thank you taking time to write your support comment. Your kindness means a lot!
Looking back on how I responded is a lesson I won't forget. And, I've learned from this experience the importance of remaining open-minded (especially when you're receiving feedback you don't want to hear).
It can be a little painful being truly honest with yourself. But, you come out better when you take the time to work things through.
Posted by: Tony Faustino | December 22, 2011 at 04:48 PM