A Social Superpower

When I was three years old I would often stand perched on the arm of my parents over-sized couch, arms stretched in the hope that on my next attempt at flight I would be able to soar. This super power, I was convinced, came from the brightly colored Superman pajamas and vinyl red cape attached to them. I imagined what it would be like to fly. Where would I go? What would I see? What would flying around the planet teach me about the world? Could I use the power of flight to rescue cute kittens from the treetops? To slide down the chimneys of unsuspecting neighbors to enjoy the cookies they left out for Santa? A moral dilemma that any three-year- old might struggle with.

As the creator and teacher of North Broward Preparatory School’s Personal Branding and Digital Communications course, I speak to my students about Superman. A man with extraordinary super powers. Speed, strength, and flight…the guy has it all! With such great powers Superman has the ability to shape many lives and reach opportunities that may have been otherwise unattainable. Should he rescue a damsel in distress or show off his powers with a harmful assault or major heist? His only real choice is a moral one. He could listen to his moral compass instilled in him since childhood or he could decide to use his super abilities for his own in a way that is destructive and immature.

Eventually my students understand that the “Brand” of Superman is based as much on his morals as it is on his powers.

As we teach our children the differences between right and wrong we are shaping their moral compass in the hopes that when faced with tough decisions they will act in the best interests of themselves and of others. While teaching these lessons our children continue to grow and at some point trade their bright red Superman pajamas for a smartphone, iPad or laptop. Once in their possession, these complex 21st century devices allow for access to the some of the greatest powers on Earth. We can choose to use these powers to be destructive and with a disregard to better judgement or to create, learn and share the story of ourselves.

The Internet provides billions of people a variety of superpowers not much different than those of Clark Kent. Our speed improves as lightening fast fiber optic cables and 4G services become more available. Our strength and speed improves thanks to devices like FitBit and the iWatch. And we are gaining the ability to lift off from our favorite couch and fly around the planet thanks to Google Earth and a variety of Virtual Reality headgear. Despite the awesome capabilities of these tools, few would argue that the most super of the powers provided by the Internet comes from social media sites such as Youtube, Twitter and Instagram because of the ability they provide us to communicate with anyone and everyone in an instant.

At first, these powers can be overwhelming and some may even be reluctant to use them. What a shame that would be! Imagine if with all of his powers, Superman refused to use his abilities, afraid that something could go wrong. It is true, that when we speak to our children about appropriate technology use we must remember that we are speaking about tools that have the ability to change lives. The ability to connect with our peers across the globe and mentors that seem unattainable offers opportunities that fifty years ago would have been impossible. But it is not the tools themselves that will determine our future. It is how we use them that will determine if our lives are better or worse off.

There are many social media sites out there and keeping up with them can sometimes feel like an arduous task. Students as young as ten years old are signing up for and utilizing the powers available to them, as granted by app developers young and old. They are communicating in ways that make it hard for parents to monitor and stay in the know. But is the issue which site they share on? Does the specific system actually matter all that much? Most would agree that the real danger of social media lies in the specifics of what they share and the damage it could cause to their digital footprints. Why are top notch kids using social media to share less than a top notch digital image? There are many reasons why people share things online that might be seen as self incriminating or hurtful. Some do it for attention while others are struggling with insecurity and self worth, Most I believe just do not realize the value of their digital footprint.

I love technology and I love social media and like most, they are deeply sewn into the fabric daily life. At the same time, I am not blind to the fact that many people have found themselves in hot water because of the things they share online. But why? Perhaps, lack of education? Can you remember back to kindergarten, when your teacher handed out scissors for the first time? Did she carefully teach you how they should be used and handled? Of course. She even made sure that you only used the rounded ones. And what would have happened if a lesson on safety did not accompany a nice tool made of sharply pointed metal? I can see it now, dozens of three year olds running makeshift beauty salons while the rest are one stumble away from disaster. Your teacher understood the dangers of sharp objects but rather than banning them, taught proper use. When you handed your adolescent their first smartphone, did you spend time helping them to understand the proper way to use it? Do you check up on them from time to time to make sure all is well? Are you willing to take away these devices if your rules are not followed? Access to social media gives each of us a voice. Understanding that your voice matters is a powerful, sometimes life changing moment in life. So how should we use our voice?

• Do: Create professional profiles on sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+
• Do: Share images that make you look great!
• Do: Use social media as a way to learn more about the things you love,
• Do: Keep your accounts on public so that others can learn from what you have to say.
• Don’t: Share pictures or words that Grandma would be embarrassed to share with her Bingo friends.
• Don’t: Forget that everything on the internet is out there for all to see.
• Don’t: Join sites that allow users to remain anonymous.
• Don’t: Compromise your morals in an attempt to impress those who may not be worth impressing in the first place.

Over the last four years it has become my mission to teach students three lessons. First, to love themselves and discover their passions. Second, to understand the benefits and dangers of our shared online communities. And third, how social tools, when used appropriately, can become a force for learning, creating and sharing - leading to the creation of a strong online brand that will most certainly pay off,

Be passionate! - We are all passionate about something and some of us are passionate about a lot of things. Before I ever ask my students to “get social” I take them on a journey designed to discover their passions. By exploring their past experiences, present self and future goals, students quickly realize that the art of personal branding is truly a personal journey. I ask my students to create presentations that tell the story of these chapters in their lives so that they can begin to reveal their passions and personal journeys through life.

In a fantastic TED talk, Andrew Stanton describes a folded up piece of paper that the late Mr. Rogers once carried in his wallet. It read, “Frankly, there is no one that you can’t learn to love, once you have heard their story.” And so that is what I ask my students to do. Tell stories! Anything from traveling to photography, video games to equestrian riding or baseball to the performing arts - use your passions as your focus. Make these your focus when you spend your free time, when you chat with your friends, and when you decide who to follow on Twitter. More importantly, keep these passions in mind when you create, share and learn. If the choices that you make are based on your own individual passions you are more likely to keep life interesting, appropriate and more importantly professional. Your real friends and your followers will inevitably will fall in love with you and more importantly, you can be reminded, to love yourself.

When building a professional digital image or personal brand the ultimate goal is to use social networking as a way to create a personal learning network. Social Media in general, but especially sites like Twitter allow for the opportunity to connect not only our peers but our mentors as well. By searching for “tastemakers” in the fields that interest me, (education, technology, business, marketing, etc.) I can gain insight into the minds of the best individuals and companies in these related fields. The reason that I love Twitter so much is because in general, you do not need someone’s permission to follow them. In other words, you can learn from your "A list" even if they do not know who you are! I have used this approach to learn from leaders in education, technology, business and the many other interests that I have. Imagine a dinner party in which you, President Obama, Bill Gates and Justin Timberlake are all invited. For many of us this seems like pure fantasy while those of us using Twitter understand that this is indeed a reality.

Creating and than sharing positive and interesting digital content, will improve your chances of gaining a great reputation on social media sites. Share something funny or something a bit more deep. If you are an architect perhaps you recently read an interesting article in the latest issue of Architectural Digest - a strategy perhaps that is revolutionizing the industry. Why not share this information, along with your original thoughts on the subject with your followers? Perhaps you can spark a debate, shed life on a new topic or even show off your expertise in the field. If this becomes more than just a one time event, but a habit of your social media use, than over time people will begin to recognize you as someone with a wealth of knowledge and original thoughts.

Let's consider five key steps to developing a strong personal learning network.

1. Be passionate 2. Crowdsource 3. Create 4. Share and 5. Reflect

Following  these steps can allow anyone to harness the power of technology!

Visit again for a future article examining these five areas further.

Ultimately, the question is not, should we use technology and social media. Rather, how we use these powerful tools to express the best of ourselves, learn from others and connect with those we hold in the highest regard? Like Superman we need to decide on how we want to live our lives and which values we will expect our own children to abide by. The powers are serious business and can make or break our dreams.

Always remember the words of wise Aunt May,

“With great power,

comes great responsibility.”

If you would like more information on this topic, please feel free to contact me at jason.shaf@gmail.com or visit my website, www.mybrandprofessor.com