Daniel Johnson, Jr.

These five words are some of the most common I ask in emails lately. Like anything done with repetition, it could be easy for them to lose their meaning.

But I’m serious.

How Can I Help You?

At your service (Photo credit: Cathdew)

You’re reading this now because you’re a regular reader, because you found it through searching for something, or because someone referred you here.

I write about things I’m interested in writing about, but I’m definitely interested in what you’d like to find.

Leave a comment below or contact me directly.

Should you like your own Facebook posts?

In December 2009 I wrote a post asking the same question. It remains one of the biggest traffic drivers to this site, according to Google Analytics.

Should you or shouldn’t you?

Almost 2-1/2 years have passed, and here’s where we are when it comes to Facebook.

Facebook tends to be a social network of people whom you already know, depending on your strategy for adding new friends.

When you comment or like someone on Facebook, it has a better chance to show up in your network’s news feed. So if you want to give your post a boost, then you might Like it.

Others may perceive this as narcissistic. If you care about what others think of you, then you may not want to give your own words that thumbs up. If you don’t really care, then do it.

Or you could comment on the post to clarify or add to the conversation. In my opinion, this comes across as more natural.

Different for Individuals vs Brands/pages?

I don’t think this matters as much for individuals as it might for brands. If you as a page post something and then like that post as the page, because you’re a non-human entity, that may further be perceived as egotistical.

I’m not the expert

I’m not a social media expert on this sort of thing, and I have no concrete data as to whether Liking your own Facebook posts has any effect on overall engagement or not. In my opinion, there are much more important things in life to be thinking about.

What about you? What do you think?

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I’m teaching a class on Interpersonal Communications this term at Antonelli College. It’s designed to reinforce and expand interpersonal communication as it relates to having a successful business in the world today. The context for the course encompasses psychological, relational, situational, environmental, and cultural communication. We’re learning how interactions and reactions have a direct connection in the professional setting.

The textbook, which we got from Cengage, called IPC.

Each week I assign for homework a journal entry about something we cover in class. I don’t require that they share it publicly since that may mean they choose not to be as vulnerable as they could be.

I also mentioned that I’m doing the homework along with my students, but I’m doing it here on this blog. As always, you’re welcome to join in the discussion.

Openness to other cultures and worldviews

In class this week, we talked about how culture and worldview affects us in our interpersonal communication.

How can you be more open to other cultures and world views?

Neighborhoods in the Greater Cincinnati area are organized so that residents don’t really need to leave in order to shop for basic necessities like groceries. This is especially true if you’re limited in transportation. Aside from work you probably don’t have even to leave your neighborhood.

The culture on the West side of Cincinnati is different from that on the East side. In 1990 after the Berlin Wall fell in Germany, Cincinnati Enquirer politicial cartoonist Jim Borgman did a about an “East-West Wall” that exists in Cincinnati. It’s among his personal favorites, and you can see the first in the series among the Borgman’s favorites page.

This isolationist perspective also extends to my country as a whole. Like it or not, many Americans like me grow up at some level thinking that the world revolves around the United States of America.

So when I think about how to expand my culture and worldview, I recognize that I need to get out of my neighborhood more often. Get over to the other side of town and see what’s going on over there. Get downtown more often. Get across the river into Northern Kentucky.

Moreover, it’s become more important for me to read and watch news from outside Cincinnati, Ohio and outside of the United States. One of the local PBS stations shows world news, and I’ve found myself lately following it. Hearing reporters talk about the United States as an outsider helps me appreciate that perspective more.

Finally, I’m thankful to be a part of one of the most culturally diverse churches in the Greater Cincinnati area. Spending time in this congregation makes it easy for me to see White, Black, Hispanic, African, Russian, Arabic, and other cultures together.

Interpersonal Communications Series

• Week 1 – Communication apprehension
• Week 2 – Misconceptions of others
• Week 3- Openness to other cultures and worldviews

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No one cares more about your cause more than you.

When I first got started as a community manager, this was one lesson I had to learn quickly. I often wondered why it felt like I was the only who cared about putting together a networking group and online community management framework.

Even now, many years into it, I’m extremely grateful for all the volunteers who put their time and effort into helping make the group work.

Some would love to do more if only asked. Others cannot.

Especially as volunteers in a community, everyone plays at their own level of commitment and involvement.

Be respectful of that fact.

Level Up letterpress (Photo credit: artnoose)

Last week I mentioned I’m teaching a class on Interpersonal Communications this term at Antonelli College. It’s designed to reinforce and expand interpersonal communication as it relates to having a successful business in the world today. The context for the course encompasses psychological, relational, situational, environmental, and cultural communication. We’re learning how interactions and reactions have a direct connection in the professional setting.

The textbook, which we got from Cengage, called IPC.

Interpersonal Communications Series – Week 2

Each week I assign for homework a journal entry about something we cover in class. I don’t require that they share it publicly since that may mean they choose not to be as vulnerable as they could be.

I also mentioned that I’m doing the homework along with my students, but I’m doing it here on this blog.

You’re free to join in the discussion, if you’d like.

Misconceptions others have about you

What are some of the misconceptions you believe others have about you?

This is a tricky question, when I consider it in the context of what we learned in Chapter 2, Communication, Perception, and the Self. The main theme is that we cannot always trust our perceptions. This means not only that others have misconceptions about me, but also I have misconceptions about their misconceptions about me.

Right?

All is rosy

I think one of the biggest misconceptions others have about me is that everything is great in my world. I don’t like making my circumstances be the most interesting thing about me, so I try to put on a good face.

It’s a dangerous thing.

Last fall, in a post entitled “Open Up and Get Real,” I wrote:

Whatever we say online builds the brand, the reputation, that others who pay attention to us see. We have a tremendous ability to influence that across so many different channels. It’s become easy to paint a picture that things are rosy, when in all likelihood they might not be.

Online and offline, you form opinions about me based on your interactions with me. It’s what personal branding is about.

I’m influencing your perceptions by what I publish online for you to see.
I’m influencing your perceptions by how I try to present myself when we meet in-person.

All is not so rosy

So I’ll be honest.

I’m going through some harrowing circumstances right now, yet I’m not convinced that this forum is a good place to share what those are. Even now, as I write this, I’m struggling with exactly how much to share. I don’t like my circumstances being the most interesting thing about me.

Feel free to reach out privately if you’d like to know more.

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