Comments on: Authenticity in work and blogging

By: Ryan Stephens

Ryan Stephens — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:42:19 +0000

@Ariel – I really enjoyed this post. I’m the kind of person (in the real world) that isn’t going to posture for anyone. I am who I am, a little bit funny, a little bit obnoxious, sometimes abrasive, but at the core very generous and really anxious to help people.

I yearn so bad to just let it all hang out the way Penelope does, but I just can’t afford to walk that edge where I work, where I have to be eloquent and professional in social media (where all our clients are, my co-workers, and my boss…)

And maybe I don’t have to, but I’m young and I suspect I start getting all the ‘wrong labels’ if I do so I’ll toil confined in my “good boy costume” for now and appreciate all those unafraid to be completely themselves, completely authentic.

Ryan

By: Ariel

Ariel — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:30:45 +0000

No worries! Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it.

By: JohnMcG

JohnMcG — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:28:30 +0000

Sorry — I had misread.

By: Ariel

Ariel — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:02:40 +0000

@John – it is important for people to like you – that’s what the link I posted led to, a post about that.

But you’re right, trust is so essential. One of the reasons I read Penelope’s blog and enjoy her writing is that she doesn’t hide that she makes mistakes all the time. She’s human, and doesn’t have a false veneer of perfection. I would trust her less if she had hidden the fact that that insult to her parenting values or skills made her blood boil.

By: JohnMcG

JohnMcG — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:49:46 +0000

It may not be important for people to like you, but it is important that people can trust you.

I would be reluctant to trust someone who would respond that way to a poorly-considered tweet.

By: Ariel

Ariel — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:48:15 +0000

Thanks Rebecca. I added you back on Twitter as well…and modite.com to my RSS reader!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:22:54 +0000

I love your blog design by the way. Clean, professional, fun.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:20:46 +0000

Great post. People like Penelope because she makes them think – it doesn’t mean you have to agree with her, her thoughts, OR her actions. Just accept that she does a great job at her job – pushing others to think differently, learn about their own values, form opinions, and create dialogue.

She’s good at helping others learn about themselves through voicing her own opinions.

Okay, so it’s a little obvious that she’s one of my inspirations too