I’m addicted to Twitter. But I’ve changed a lot about my Twitter interaction, and most people who have been there for awhile already know this.
It’s not about what you say, it’s about what you hear.
In the beginning, it was a way to get out my message. I put my blogs on auto-tweet and walked away, coming back from time to time to see what was going on. Watched the number of people following me rise day by day, convincing myself that this was validation of some sort.
Nothing wrong with gaining a following, it’s good for the ego.
But one day I went to Twitter and loked at who the people were who were following me. Lawyers. Marketers. Bloggers. Moms. Dads. People. And then I looked at who was following them, and thought, “Well gee, these look like cool people. Let’s follow them.”
My world turned around.
Now, lots of my time on Twitter is spent looking at what others are saying – and how they say it. I’ve gotten to know some incredible people who have taught me more in just a few months than I could have learned in years otherwise. People who challenge my thinking, who entice me with pointed questions, who teach without knowing it (or maybe they do).
In return, I do my best to add to that conversation. I jump into discussions, offer whatever insights I have, share my experience and expertise, and generally do everything possible to give back.
And as I find myself being drawn ever more deeply into this mirocosm I realize that it’s not what I tell people. Rather, it’s what I hear from them and incorporate into my own business and law practice. It’s how I synthesize the knowledge, adapt it, add my own seasonings, and present it on the table upon which others feast.
So why does a lawyer care about this stuff if it doesn’t DIRECTLY put money in your pocket? Because it makes you a better PERSON, a more well-rounded individual, someone with whom others develop a bond of trust and confidence. To learn, and to give back to others. In time, they’ll see your true self and your knowledge.
And when that happens, their world will turn around too.
