Being Personable
People see my posts in The Proving Grounds, and think I’m a sarcastic jerk. They think I enjoy ripping people apart, and they think that’s all I am. They never say that I’m wrong in my analysis, they just sometimes object to the way I say things. They’d rather be let down gently than just be told they aren’t good and then have to deal with their feelings themselves.
The braver ones will email me, or they’ll interact with me on Twitter or Digital Webbing, and they’ll see that I’m not a bad guy at all. I try to be humorous, I’m always gracious, and I’m not afraid to share my opinion and have a conversation about things. I’m actually pretty personable.
Being personable on the internet is interesting. You have to make sure your words can’t be taken wrong, since there is no inflection online. All you’ve got are the bald words, and if you’re ham-fisted, that inelegance can cost you.
Don’t forget, it is very easy to come off as a raving lunatic. You may have a very good, very valid point or reason for why you’re doing or asking, but people are not mindreaders. We won’t know what you’re trying to get at. It’s up to you to use your words to best effect. And if you don’t know them, learn them. If Malcolm X got his education from reading books in prison, imagine the education you can get in today’s environment.
Being personable isn’t hard. You just have to know what is worth the fight, what isn’t, and stick to your guns, while not being overbearing about your beliefs. It may be a challenge for some, but for most of us, it isn’t that hard. You just have to try.
Start with me:
Steven Forbes at Digital Webbing
stevedforbes@gmail.com
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Category: Columns, The Daily Dose
