Join a conversation about something you like
First of all, the KAConnect conference is going on right now. If you’re not following it on Twitter with the handle #KAconnect2011, then you’re just silly.
If you follow that twitter feed, read stuff by Seth Godin, Chris Guillebeau, Tim Ferriss, or have ever listened to advice about how to become a “thought leader,” then you’ve no doubt heard about the value of giving away knowledge.
You give, and you get even more in return. You get gratitude, loyalty, respect, retweets, and referrals.
But I prefer to think of this idea not as “giving something away,” but rather about engaging in a dialogue about something you are interested in, with anyone who cares to participate.
For instance, I’m really interested in two things: Figuring out how to spend less of my day practicing architecture, and figuring out how to enjoy that time a lot more.
In other words, even though I love doing architecture, I don’t think I need to spend 60 hours of my week doing it. I also love playing catch with my boyfriend, watching trashy movies, gardening, cooking, eating, sleeping, and gossiping with my friends.
The ego-maniacal love of pulling all-nighters that pervades architecture holds zero appeal to me, and I don’t care if you think that makes me a light-weight.
So that’s why I write about ways to increase our efficiency as an industry so that we can get cool buildings built, but still be well-rounded people.
And while we’re doing architecture, we might as well do it really well and enjoy it, right? That’s why I write so often about collaboration, transparency, and integrated project delivery. I mean, if you really like games that involve throwing people under the bus while covering your own backside…that’s cool. It’s just not for me.
Because these subjects interest me so much, I love talking about them with people and writing about them. I’ll talk to anybody, anywhere, at anytime (as long as it’s before 9pm because I really like sleep). Because I do that, great things keep happening to me. I meet wonderful people, I get business opportunities I otherwise wouldn’t have, I have my spirits restored every day, and I learn stuff.
The paradigm-shifting thing about the internet is that now, the whole world can be in on the conversation.
