Careful Believing Your Hype!
As entrepreneurs, we live and die by our ideas. Are they new and cool? Can we make them happen in real life? Do they have any commercial value? We answer these questions and others discover us.
It feels really good when someone describes you as brilliant, inspiring, or genius. When you or your business is featured in any media outlet, it seems like you can do no wrong and people act like you are a rockstar. So, what’s the catch?
If you are getting lots of attention, you have probably worked hard for it. It can be hard to remember that hype is simply a fun ride and you have to keep an eye on how much of it you actually believe. There was a recent
news story about Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook and his refusal to tolerate dissent. One theory is that he believes his own hype about his role is developing Facebook. So, Mr. Zuckerberg declared there would be no more dissent on his team.
Huh?! What is he thinking? While there may be a very good reason for this change in policy, it seems counterproductive for an organization like Facebook. And definitely counterproductive for Mark Zuckerberg!
So, how do you handle hype so it benefits your venture?
1. Keep your ego in check. Frankly, hype is intoxicating! It is easy to get caught up in others’ words, particularly if you have been seriously invested in making your venture into a stable business. Keep in mind that there are “flavors of the month” and you are It right now.
2. Know when to let go. While you are the rockstar, enjoy yourself. You have earned it! Just use your common sense. You will find other doors will open, other opportunities will come your way. The key here is to know when to play and when to work.
5. Remember you are still human. Y
ou still wear the same clothes and eat the same food. Do what keeps your grounded whether it is a spiritual practice, a hobby, or spending time with people “who knew you when.”
Let’s face it, anything that gets you drunk is bound to have a hangover. Maintaining a balanced ego takes practice and intention. You are a brilliant, creative person who is building a fabulous business! Just remember hype comes and goes. You and your business is are still there tomorrow.
2 Comments
Thanks so much for the link to the Zuckerberg article, Elli. How this guy hasn’t been thrown out of Facebook by his customers or his employees is beyond reason.
Let’s see – the Beacon fiasco where Zuckerberg and his crew thought it would be a good idea to tell your entire Facebook following what Blockbuster tapes you were renting and what Amazon books you were reading. Just a few lawsuits over that one. They later decided maybe that wasn’t such a good idea!
Then, they decided that you didn’t own your own information on Facebook – and if you wanted to delete your profile, they could still keep and do with your profile whatever they wanted to. Another firestorm of protest. And, another apology.
People tend to point out the apologies, saying that Mark is learning. But, my question has always been and still remains – “What was going on with these guys when they made those decisions in the first place?” Good grief, did anyone say anything like “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea?” Or, maybe they didn’t dare.
Michael,
Thank you so much for commenting! I think you illustrated so beautifully how believing your own hype creates the illusion that you are untouchable. It certainly appears that Mark Zuckerberg has created an environment where he is king (or even dictator).
That’s the thing about hype. It is like an intoxicant-seductive, it feels good, and there is a social aspect to it. Even on a small or local scale, we can act like Mr. Zuckerberg. It interferes with learning because you keep getting messages that you are doing the right things. It demonstrates how important self-management skills are to leading a vibrant, successful business.