Today's Question: At times, is it OK to be a Sell-Out?

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Lady Gaga concert in Columbus. I wouldn't characterize myself as a huge fan, nor have I passionately followed her rise in fame, but I know her top hits, watched her on top news shows and kind of know her background.

What I wasn't ready for was her INTENSE following! She's preached to her fans about being true to his/herself--and believe me, they are!

What disturbed me was the juxtaposition of this genuine message with blatant product placement in the middle of the concert! After extolling her thoughts on being yourself, she whipped out her Virgin Mobile phone and called an audience member!

Really? Be true to yourself, but you'll name drop your presenting sponsor?

At first, I couldn't get over this, but the more I've thought about it, I suppose if is a necessary step for reaching the masses. Without Virgin Mobile, would millions of fans know or hear her message--probably not.

So, be a sell-out to deliver your message, but don't let your financial partner change what you have to say!

Today's Question: What Basic SCUBA diving principles can be applied to communications?

Yes, SCUBA diving in on my mind…I've just returned from the clear, blue waters off of Turks & Caicos. I swam with sea turtles, eagle rays and sharks 80 feet underwater...yes, in some ways we swim with sharks everyday in business. It had been a while since I was last diving so before I left, I took a refresher course. I was not only reminded of proper dive techniques and skills, but it also made me think of how this skills can be applied to the business world—especially when you have to give a big presentation.

• Equipment Check: In SCUBA diving, one of the first things you do before you hit the water is a thorough equipment check…again, another key factor when presenting. Having a faulty BC or regulator can quickly derail your dive, this same effect can occur if you walk into your presentation with an uncharged laptop or the improper connection cables.
  

• Always Check Your Surroundings: You need to be extremely aware of your surroundings and the conditions. How deep will you be diving? What will you be seeing? What's the bottom terrain? Having this knowledge will make for a much better time deep underwater and it gives you a sense of what to expect and anticipate. Aren't these some basic "must-haves" for a successful presentation?
  

• Continuous Breathing: Once you hit the water, you must always continue to breath…slow and steady breaths calm your nerves, conserve your air supply and also make for a more enjoyable dive. So simple, but so easy to forget. Slow and steady breathing has many advantages for SCUBA diving, just as it does to help calm nerves and allows us to gather our thoughts in stressful situations. I can’t tell you how many presentations that have felt like they have been completed in 30 seconds…or about one breath of air. That’s simply because I didn’t take the time to breathe, that or perhaps I couldn’t remember the content…
  

So remember, check your equipment, familiarize yourself with the surroundings and breathe deeply, that way, you can take the time to enjoy what’s going on around you…you don’t want to miss the shark whether it’s underwater or in the conference room.

Today's Question: Did You Participate in the Most "Social" SuperBowl Sunday?

I did...with the gusto of a "kid in a candy store"-thanks for that reference, Carmax. In fact, I got so wrapped up in tweeting and posting, that I nearly forgot that there was a professional sporting event going on.

The running commentary on Twitter and Facebook had me in stitches, from the flubbed up lyrics during the National Anthem to the A-Rod/Diaz feeding frenzy, those four hours of sitting in front of two screens (sometimes three) flew by!

But, it was exhausting. Today I realized that I missed some commercials, big plays and maybe even some quality one-on-one spoken communication with friends...instead I typed away, replied and posted my own thoughts on everything from commercials to the halftime show.

In spite of all of this, it was exciting to be a part-even if it was minor-in the most "social" SuperBowl Sunday and it proves that social media is a very powerful tool that can be used to organize groups of people, influence decisions and make differences in our world...and it is accessible to some many people.

Today's Question: Can You Be a Millennial at Heart?

Millennials have grown up experiencing major events in an entirely new way. They've witnessed and participated in uprisings in countries organized through digital media; had access to Facebook long before other generations; and aren't tied to geographical locations when connecting and maintaining friends. They knew about Skype long before I had my first smartphone.

But just like an "emo" high school student, a millennial is defined as mindset, not by age. So at 35, I've decided that I want my life experience coupled with a Millennial Mindset.

I want to workout (or have a private dance party) in my living room with my Xbox Kinect; I want to watch episodes of Glee while tweeting about the the celebrity guest stars; I want to get badges from Foursquare; I want to "untag" myself from photos on Facebook.

At the end of the day, it's really about connecting with people across all generations--no matter how they get labeled.

Today's Question: Would Today's Woman Have the Patience for Mark Darcy's Dating Style (and Vice Versa)?

In the world of today's 24/7 news cycle and the ability to get information at the speed of your Internet connection, today's woman would NOT have the patience for the courtship speed and style of Mark Darcy. Although women (this one included) believe that Mark Darcy is the ultimate romantic, who's got time to get dressed up for parties and not even talk to the interested person until the second or third outing. And, isn't being a gainfully employed, book reading, family raising, dog and cat tending, etc. woman accomplished enough for Mr. Darcy...probably not since one still might lack drawing skills, singing ability and foreign language understanding. "Dos cervezas, por favor?" would probably not be looked upon in a favorable light.

Finally, if you got past all of that--what would the entire dating scene look like? Could Mr. Darcy stand for texting abbreviations or smiley faces? A Facebook public status update about a date would be a major faux pas! It is evident to me that the Lydia Bennett-George Wickham relationship would be much more understandable in today's world!

So, for now, Mr. Darcy, I will resign to the fact that you will remain in my literary library, but not in my very social world.

Today's Question: Does Perception = Reality?

Unfortunately, for most people perception does equal reality. I was reminded of this after attending my first week of sessions with my personal trainer--for purposes of this very public forum, I will call him Rick. During my fitness assessment two weeks ago, you could see the frustration in Rick's eyes as I told him that I couldn't do one situp; at least that is what I saw. I went through the rest of the assessment grumpy and defeated and Rick seemed to casually write everything down with a look that said, "I will never see this chic again."

Much to Rick's surprise, I did return. The first two sessions I followed him around the gym and literally looked at him waiting to show me how to use every piece of equipment--once again, I saw a look in his face that could only be described as hopelessness. By the fourth session, I decided that we needed to have a turning point--I was at least committed enough to this to rub my sore muscles with Icy Hot, drink protein shakes and even come to the gym on my own time--so I confronted Rick and said, "I know you hate your job and the fact that you have to work with people like me, but I want to make this work and if you just had a better attitude, this will be better for both of us." Pretty bold considering that Rick is a mixed martial arts fighter.

Rick looked at me and said, "Well, this isn't what I want to do forever, but I like helping people and I know I'm the best trainer here. Some of my clients want someone with more energy, but they won't achieve the goals they want to--if you want to work out with Tony Little, then go find someone else." The thing was, I didn't want Tony Little, I truly believed that Rick was the best trainer, so I looked at him and said, "Yeah, well, start acting like it. My perception was that you didn't think I was ever coming back. Show some passion and people will perceive that you're the best."

My initial perception was that I was going to be looking for another trainer in a month, but in reality Rick and I will be working together for the next year. So, Rick's going to help me get into shape and I'm going to challenge his perceived emotions. I can tell this is the beginning of a great relationship.

Today's Question: Is Social Media Making Me Fat?

According to the fitness assessment I had done with my personal trainer (yep, I asked for this "gift" for Christmas), it has to be. Instead of burning calories picking up the phone or walking to a friend's house for a visit, I simply get online, post an update, comment on a photo and send a video link. I log on my laptop instead of logging miles on a pedometer and I'd rather be trekking through my Tweets then trekking through a park.

So, I've made a New Year's resolution and added "personal trainer sessions" to my outlook calendar for three times a week for the next 4 months! Perhaps this will only give me more energy to poke, tweet and message--but it had to be done!

I have to conclude that my obsession with social media is impacting my waistline. I'll keep you updated on my progress...thank goodness for mobile devices.

Happy New Year!