I am currently listening to Seth Godin’s Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us on audiobook. I am not far into it but I am already finding it to be very interesting and thought provoking. So far, Godin is reaffirming a lot of what I’ve already been thinking about (which is always a good thing). The concept I’ve really latched on to by this point in the audiobook is realizing that access to powerful Social Media tools allows each of us the potential privilege of being a leader, and to think about who we are leading.

As 2008 comes to an end and you think about and plan for 2009, the strange and complicated times in which we live, and what you will strive to accomplish, I encourage all you Social Media users (casual, committed and those who use Social Media to market or make a living) to think about the answer to these questions: “Who am I as a Leader? Who am I leading?”. The more time that goes on, and the deeper I delve into answering these questions, the more I am surprised at where the internal dialogue leads- to new truths, self-discovery, and my need to advance toward my goals of finding and relating to great people with intention.

So, who am I as a leader?

I am a person who must be happy with what she does and who she works with. I know that life is too short to deal with assholes.

I enjoy bringing the few-and-far-between good people together. It is easy these days to feel like all the good people have gone away, but I know they are still around and I am collecting them.

I believe that the spice of life comes from being passionate about something- for me its people.

I use Social Media respectfully- My job as a marketer has intersected with my genuine and natural love for people and their ideas. Social Media just happens to be my preferred tool for communicating with a majority of my networks, both professional and personal circles, and the many of those which overlap. I choose to build a credible reputation for being a decent person, a source, who gathers and shares useful information on a number of topics, companies, services, and products. I don’t endorse just anything or anyone for a buck. So far, I’ve managed to make a pretty decent living at this.

Quality people look for and attract other quality people. I look closely at the things you say and who you talk to before I interact with you.

I think people can change. I also believe in “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice and your ass is blacklisted, bub”.

I think you just gotta give decent people a “hand up” when they need it, even when it is a sacrifice. I believe in good and bad karma. I believe in volunteerism and supporting your cause, whatever it may be.

I choose to remain positive in these difficult times, even when anxiety and desperation have taken hold in our society. I enjoy poking fun at how ridiculous life can be, and if you want to not die of a heart attack, you should, too.

I find it vapid and ridiculous when people celebrate the size of their network or the fact that they don’t have to interact with that network to garner the network’s interest (for instance, the few on Twitter who are so impressed with themselves because they are followed by thousands but follow none or very, very few). I strive to qualify the people I connect with and have some idea of what they wish to get out of using a particular Social Media channel so that I can communicate with them about the subjects we have in common. (by the way, it is time for you to stop following or trying to connect with those jerks who don’t see the value in interacting with you.)

So, who am I leading?
I don’t know entirely, yet. Anyone who feels the same as me, I suppose. I had a friend once tell me she was looking for “an even exchange of energy”, and the comment stuck with me. That’s what I want- an even exchange of energy. I am not looking to take from you without giving back, and I am slowly but surely weeding out those who take from me and don’t give anything back. I will continue to do this until I have a strong, shiny network of kick ass people that I can be proud of and accomplish incredible things with. 2009 is going to be an amazing year.

Who are you as leader? Who are you leading?