Social Media: My Trip into Outer Space

Connect with Christine Galli

All good ideas for a social media blog start in the shower (this one did) ….

Or a bike ride, walk or anywhere where you are capable of thinking without a thousand voices telling you “You have a (fill in the blank) due” or “You need to fix that 401K account for Client A”. No, it is hard to think and create a social media message when you have head junk. Imagine what type of space you would need to ask the most important question before creating any social media message. Who Am I?

I believe outer space is the only place to find that answer.

Outer space you say?? I am not an astronaut by nature or training so how would I get there? Ask yourself when was the last time you got absolutely lost (in space) in a book or a movie or some other event that you planned to be away from your phone, your computer and your head junk. You planned to enjoy someone else’s story. Now, it is time to create your own story, time to explore uncharted planets that have always been there but you haven’t ventured out of your office to land on them. Time to figure out who you are and what stories you want to share. And, if you’re a business, what do you want in return for sharing?

The Journey

In 2008, I found a quiet space in a cubicle and created a LinkedIn profile. Because I had heard that you could develop a profile plus find professional connections, I wanted to try my hand at getting my name out into the online world. I also knew LinkedIn was going to be an important platform to share where I was in my journey. It was difficult to describe where I was personally and professionally. A bit of a resume, but also a place to share visions and missions. Ironically, I will be teaching a class on LinkedIn and Twitter at our professional conference “Scaling New Heights 2017”. I hope to have a roomful of would be astronauts.

Ultimately, LinkedIn revealed its true purpose when I decided to find all of my college buddies and create a 30 year reunion at Homecoming the next year. That purpose drove me harder than anything else, at the moment, that I wanted to share and we ended up having 41 people show up for the tailgate from all over the Midwest (but I had connected with over 60). I felt a sense of accomplishment. I had a goal, I had the social media platform, I hit the launch button and we were on planet 1979 at Michigan State University.

What journey do you want to take in the social media world? Start with a walk and a question: Who Am I? If you’re attending @ScalingNH #SNH17, we’d love to explore this question with you and join your journey!