Paper Hero

Paper Hero

Welcome back to the 21st issue of Disrupting Conversations! 

When you meet someone for the first time, what’s the first thing you do? 

Assess the interaction to determine whether it will harm or help you (as humans, we’re wired for self-preservation). 

Think about it: When you’re introduced to someone at a business event, you take in their body language and the strength of their handshake. You evaluate their facial expressions. Are they smiling? Do they make eye contact? What are they wearing? 

We do it automatically. And though we may not realize it, we’re trying to determine if we trust the interaction we’re about to have. 

It’s much harder to do that effectively when tech is involved, especially on social media. 

And that begs the question, “What’s real and what’s fake?” 

Let’s talk about what that means for trust and authenticity, two elements that are key to my approach in work and in life. 

Additionally, I’m excited (you know I don’t use that term often) to share my recent podcast episode discussing how we can kick the habit of holding ourselves back with psychologist and neuroscientist Dr. George S. Everly, Jr. 

Breaking Sales is my podcast to connect with those who are ready to break free from the chains of old sales methodologies that don’t work.

🎙 This is one of my favorite recent interviews. On this episode of Breaking Sales, I chat with Dr. George s. Everly Jr., a highly accomplished psychologist, neuroscientist, researcher, and author about what happens inside your brain when you make a decision. Think of it as a helpful guide to maximizing your cognitive power on and offline. 

Listen to Dr. Everly’s excellent insights on how to make the best use of your brain at the link below and be sure to subscribe to hear more from the Breaking Sales podcast.

Think Different: The Fallacy of Fake Followers 

You’re scrolling through LinkedIn and see someone with tens of thousands of followers. It appears as if they’re a real "thought leader" and influencer in their industry. They’re posting every day or two. 

But when you actually read what they’ve written, you realize they’re not saying much at all. 

If you’re looking to make an impact online, it’s enough to make you wonder, “What am I doing wrong?” 

Then, you look a little closer. 

The popular posts get 100 likes, but many clock in around two, ten, or sixteen likes. The numbers just don’t add up. 

What’s really going on here? Most likely, you’re seeing someone who has "gamed" the social media system through tactics like purchasing fake followers and other means of artificially inflating their metrics. They have managed to create the appearance of being a leading voice without actually having much to say.

Now, please don't misunderstand me: there are many people who have cultivated a large, authentic following through years of hard work and sharing genuinely valuable content and insights. But there is also a subculture of grifters and self-promoters who prioritize vanity metrics over substance. 

As someone who values authenticity and hates bullshit, this dynamic is more than a little disheartening to me. 

Social media was supposed to democratize influence, giving a voice to experts from all walks of life, not just those with connections or the backing of major institutions. But in many ways, it has simply created paper heroes: those who appear to be doing meaningful work based solely on their ability to self-promote, master the algorithms, and simply cheat the system.

So where does that leave those of us who want to provide real value instead of gaming the system? Unfortunately, it means more work. 

It means sticking to your guns, prioritizing quality over "clickbait.” It means being willing to say something unpopular instead of just telling people what they want to hear. It means being patient and waiting for results to accrue over time. 

Most of all, it means tapping into the source of what has made your work resonate with your clients. 

For us, it’s our willingness to have tough conversations, challenge assumptions, and help people navigate professional and personal struggles through authenticity and vulnerability. 

That's the type of value that no amount of social media trickery can replicate. 

Ultimately, there are no shortcuts to garnering true influence and respect. It takes time, effort, nuance, and a commitment to substance over style. 

While the get-rich-quick self-promoters are chasing the next shiny object, we'll be here, doing the actual work, and building real connections one thoughtful conversation at a time. 

That may not make for a viral phenomenon, but it's a blueprint for genuine impact.

Thanks for reading!

Want to know more about the work I’m doing? Follow me on LinkedIn.

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