There is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if there isn’t a choice about the work itself. We choose the attitude we bring to our work and our relationships. Conveying our message well makes for better interactions. What we say and do, says a lot about us.

Social Media is just another way for us to communicate ourselves and our business. Whether we speak for our individual brand or for our business, the mindset we occupy comes through loud and clear.

I was cleaning out my office the other day and came across a 12-year old book called “Fish”. You may remember this remarkable group of fishmongers from the Pike Place Fish market in Seattle. They live the credo “Catch the energy and release the potential”. The core message of the book is that a richer and more rewarding life may simply be a few choices away from where you are right now.

Making these choices requires us to get real. Being authentic in today’s world of online marketing doesn’t mean you should say every little thing that pops into your head. There’s been many a Social Media crisis where that was the case. Map out a plan before you take any action. Think before you hit send.

Being authentic in Social Media means you need to be yourself, but with filters. The reality is that there are some things that just aren’t appropriate to post online. Understanding the fine line between being “real” and being “too real” is the most important part of being authentic on Social Media. Show some personality, make them laugh, but always with an air of professionalism.

Whatever the medium, we always need to portray our business as a place where people want to buy. We want to be the place that everyone recommends to their friends and family. The miracle ingredient in creating a successful online presence is attitude – yours, your employees and ultimately, your customers. When you foster a positive, welcoming and informative attitude with yourself and your staff, customers want to engage with you.

I see many dealers today trying to take short cuts, not really recognizing how real things have become. A change needs to come from inside the store where the heart of your brand lives. In Mark Fidelman’s book, “Socialized – How the Most Successful Businesses Harness the Power of Social“, he points out the ways a business can build a strong Social Business culture by encouraging transparency. Transparency translates to trust and trust translates to passion among employees, customers and partners.

There are 4 principles outlined in “Fish” that help foster a great life at work. Take a moment to absorb these and see how they might foster a change in your culture:

Play: Work made fun gets done, especially when we choose to do serious tasks in a lighthearted, spontaneous way. Play is not just an activity; it’s a state of mind that brings new energy to the tasks at hand and sparks creative solutions.

Make Their Day: When you “make someone’s day” (or moment) through a small kindness or unforgettable engagement, you can turn even routine encounter into special memories.

Be There: The glue in our humanity is in being fully present for one another. Being there also is a great way to practice wholeheartedness and fight burnout, for it is those halfhearted tasks you perform while juggling other things that wear you out.

Choose Your Attitude: When you look for the worst you will find it everywhere. When you learn you have the power to choose your response to what life brings, you can look for the best and find opportunities you never imagined possible. If you find yourself with an attitude that isn’t what you want it to be, you can choose a new one.

Choose your attitude. Be fully engaged. Be present. Make your customers’ day. If you’re inspired, take action now. Don’t wait for someone else to lead the way. Attitude is everything.

Tagged as: automotive, business, management, marketing, social media, training