By the Way, You're Not Johnny Cash

IMAGE BY JASON ROGERS

by Kim Niemi

What? But I wear black all the time!

That’s… morbid (or slimming, depending on your perspective), but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about walking the line (get it?) of social sabotage. Because sometimes you just may not be sure if what you’re posting qualifies.

And if you're not sure - your employees certainly aren't. Time to get THEM in line too.

Keep your posts light and on point to avoid social sabotage.

​Here’s a hint: if there’s any doubt, it’s probably ill-advised. But we get that sometimes the distinction can be subtle. Not every post will set off the same alarm bells that posting a photo of yourself licking a stack of tacos on the job might do, so for the next couple weeks we’re going to cover those behaviors that you may not realize count as social sabotage, but actually do.

This week’s focus? Using social media as your diary.

We’ve all been there—it’s been a rough couple weeks, months, years, and all you want to do is vent about how crappy your life is on Facebook or Twitter. After all, it’s only your friends who are going to see it. Why shouldn’t you whine passive-aggressively in code at your ex (like we don’t know who you’re talking about) that your son needs him? Or that you’ve been unfairly dumped on time and time again by that black cloud that seems to follow you around? Or that “Life sucks. I hate everything!”? Here’s why:

• It’s annoying. Yeah – that counts. If you’re trying to build a following for whatever other pursuits you have going for you, you’re going to find it very difficult to get people to jump on your Negative Ned or Nancy wagon train. In fact, you’ll probably be hidden, blocked, or send people running for the “unsubscribe” button. There are too many other uplifting/inspiring choices out there. 
• It makes you look unstable. Seriously, get a therapist, get a life coach, “spank your inner moppet, whatever” (thanks, Joss Whedon!), keep your venting and drama offline. 
• You never know who is watching – or when you might need them (especially if you have your privacy set to “friends of friends” being able to view your posts). You might need a job someday, or something else; you don’t want to alienate those potential connections by posting every crazy, cranky, or intimate detail of your life. 

So keep your posts light and on point, and you won’t have a problem. And leave the line-walking to Johnny.

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