Doing What You Think is Right

Never a bad idea but a central theme in the chapter entitled "Take the Heat and Never Compromise" to build power and influence in this changing world. The reference here is regarding the expanding harassment of companies and company Chief Executives by Internet “blogs” and bulletin-board sites. This has become so prevalent, it is to be expected, but not taken sitting down. One must react, respond, do what’s right - - “be the man or woman in the arena,” so to speak, even if not a CEO. Everyone's a potential target of harrassment on the Internet. It's how one responds that counts.

One must overcome “malevolence” at every juncture. People will use information technologies against you. One method of building power and influence is by getting positive information out there about you or/or your company to counterbalance the inevitable negative statements, even hundreds or thousands of them. Going after every online statement wastes your time and can even be counterproductive (where there’s smoke there’s fire/you protest too much?). The author claims to have more than 300,000 bits of information out there about himself. (Imagine trying to respond to each comment!)

Person and company web sites serve as tools, not end all or be all’s. You need these, but they must be interactive and serve a purpose, such as broadcasting a recent speak or positive information. Naturally, your messages need a consistency and frequency to succeed.

Second, your associations with fellow professionals, organizations and community causes must be positive in nature. These might help build positive messages regarding your personality and values. It’s a “brave new world” out there, he chides, pulling a memorable Aldous Huxley phrase from long-gone title from 1932. One needs to be prepared to “suffer losses, humiliation and embarrassment” in this blogophere new world. Keeping one’s dignity and self worth in mind pays dividends.

If nothing else, turn to God (oh, heavens, the G word one never mentions in business). This can bring additional personal strength and resolution, he notes, especially when trying to determine “the right thing” to do. Turning to God seems to work out better when you're already on the winning team in your business, of course, but this relationship can build that missing inner strength and courage to take the next steps as your fast-moving company evolves, it seems.

Finally, the convergence of emotions, ambitions, expectations and technological change can help one become truly powerful while mastering surrounding events.

This all sounds good and overdue for a trial, building power and influence or not. Just living and responding better to life’s many challenges and changes.