by Matt Mattson
This post was on my Facebook Newsfeed yesterday, and it made me smile. Social Excellence DARES us to engage with not only the people around us, but also the society around us. A line in the definition of Social Excellence reads, "The deepest level of societal participation and contribution."
So, at this vital juncture in our time as Americans, will you choose to engage? Will you choose to talk to your neighbors, representatives, family members, classmates, co-workers, and friends about the future of our society?
If you’re new to engaging with people about the important topics of our time, try some of these questions (you’ll note that none of them are, "So, who are you voting for?")
This election feels important, what issues are most important to you?
If you were in charge of the country for a day, what impression would you want to leave?
Who are the political leaders that you really admire?
How can we get more people in our [neighborhood, school, workplace, club, etc.] to vote?
We know it can be a bit scary to talk to people during election season — with all the sharp tones, accusatory mailers, incessant political phone calls, and attack ads, the tone of public discourse is not exactly pleasant — but that’s why Social Excellence matters right now. Will you talk to the people in your life about THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION? Our nation requests your service in this regard. It is what we’re founded upon. Just do it in a Socially Excellent manner.
Go talk to people. It is your civic duty.
by Matt Mattson
“I’m a part of an organization on campus that’s about networking and leadership . Part of our goal is to meet all of the highest performing students on campus. I’m trying to meet the best of the best people here. Who are 3-5 people that you think I should meet?”
That’s what I say to pretty much everyone I meet on a college campus when I’m recruiting for an organization. You should say it too.
by Matt Mattson
I am an introvert . I don’t thrive off of large groups. Spending time alone gives me fuel. Quiet solitude is where I find some of life’s greatest joys. My natural tendency is to separate from the crowd… or at least seek a very small group of people to spend time with. I am an introvert.
Also, I am a professional speaker, trainer and coach. I work with large groups of people nearly every day for a living. I teach people social skills, I urge social engagement, and I co-authored a book on SOCIAL EXCELLENCE . My work requires extraordinary amounts of social interaction, and I love my work.
It seems like those two preceding paragraphs couldn’t both be true about the same person. I promise they are though. 100%. That’s me.
I’m reading a book about introverts title, "Quiet " by Susan Cain (see her TED Talk here, and read a recent NY Times editorial that she wrote here). I’ll reserve my review of this book for another time, but I will share that it really got me thinking that there are probably a lot of "introverts" who hear our message of Social Excellence and assume it’s not for them. "I’m just not a people person," they might think. "I do my best work alone," they might even say.
I would offer, however, that the way we interact socially with the people around us is a) a choice, and b) the determining factor in our level of influence on the world around us. While I might do my best work when I’m alone, I can’t share that work, those thoughts, those insights, with the outside world while I’m in my introverted bubble. No matter the life path, I must eventually engage socially for my work to mean anything. Are there exceptions to this? Probably. But most of us, if we want to change people’s minds, sell our wares, recruit new donors or members, influence others, or BE A LEADER, we must do so through other human beings . We are social animals living in a SOCIETY. Our interactions with each other are the conduit through which that society flows.
I might be an introvert, but I make a choice to be Socially Excellent. Do I take breaks, go quiet, disappear into the safety and warmth of alone time occasionally? Yep. And I’m proud of it. In fact, I would recommend that to everyone who values a little quiet space. But I also deeply understand that the more hands I choose to shake, conversations I choose to have, and relationships I choose to build, the greater my potential to learn from others, be exposed to new ideas and experiences, have more people to support me when I need them, and influence others.
I might be an introvert, but I also want to matter to the world when it’s all said and done. I know that the best way for me to do that, the best way for me to make a big impact, the best way for me to create the change I wish to see in the world is through my relationships with others.
Plus, once I started to choose Social Excellence as a lifestyle, I had better stories, more fun, and more success.
Yes, introverts can be Socially Excellent.
by Matt Mattson
Want to multiply your influence x 150 today?
Want to give yourself a 150% better chance to change minds?
Want to learn 150 x more about the world immediately?
Want to have a chance to fund raise from, sell to, learn about, or recruit 150% more people into your group right now?!
Well, here’s the secret. Here’s how it is done. Here’s how you, yes YOU, can multiply your influence x 150 (or more) right now!
Shake one hand. Have a conversation. Build a relationship. With one person… Just one will do it.
See, for every hand you shake that turns into a relationship, your level of influence is multiplied by around 150!
Dr. Robin Dunbar has done research for at least 20 years on the size of social networks. His research has suggested that the upper limit of close relationships someone can have is around 150 . This is called “Dunbar’s Number.” While that mostly refers to the maximum number of close friends one can likely have, our suggestion is that a person’s circle of influence goes beyond their closest friends. In fact, in today’s digitally connected world, we have much wider circles of influence than ever before since so many of us broadcast to an audience of followers (Twitter) and friends (Facebook) amongst others.
In fact, your average friend on Facebook probably has around 359 “friends” according to this article from BBC News (that article also contains this fascinating little tidbit that encourages Social Excellence , “A study of 10,000 US students over a period of 35 years suggests the wealthiest people are those that had the most friends at school. Each extra school friend added 2% to the salar y”).
For our college student readers, because of your proximity to one another, and the likelihood that if you’re reading our blog you’re connected to organized student groups who all congregate and interact with one another, it is likely that your social multiplier is even higher.
Here’s the point: Every time you choose to shake a hand, have a conversation, build a relationship (be Socially Excellent), you are expanding your potential circle of influence by a factor of nearly 150! That stranger walking by isn’t just one stranger — that’s 150 people that you could be connected with, that you could influence, that you could recruit, that you could learn from, that you could gather together around your cause.
So, choose to shake some hands today…
by Matt Mattson
First year students are arriving soon. College student organization leaders are giddy. It’s time to get to work recruiting these freshmen into the organizations that will shape their college career. Let’s go get ‘em!!!!
…Whoa, tiger. Wait a minute before you charge out the door on the hunt for fresh-meat — I mean freshmen. Take a moment, before you give them your smooth pitch, your cool promotional items, and your well practiced handshake/wink combo move. Do you remember when you were in their shoes?
You were nervous.
You were trying to figure out what the new “cool” was.
You were scared.
You were clueless about how the new social scene worked.
You were secretly trying to impress the people who impressed you.
You were really missing that small group of close friends you had back in high school.
You had no idea what organizations like the one you ended up in were really about.
You were overwhelmed by all the colorful t-shirts, sidewalk chalk, banners and posters, but never really read them.
You were only really interested in the groups that had people in them that you already knew — or the groups that your friends were joining.
You barely knew how to navigate campus, much less navigate the process of joining a life-changing student organization.
You just wanted to be listened to.
You just wanted to feel included.
You just wanted to feel important.
You just wanted to be cared about and loved.
Put yourself in their shoes… Strategize accordingly.
by Matt Mattson
Still not sure what your fall recruitment plan looks like? Want to make sure you’ve thought of everything? There are a lot of considerations that go into a great plan, but you can simplify the whole process by answering (in as much detail as possible), these 5 questions.
Boy oh boy do I have a lot more detail to add under and around each one of those questions. But if you focus on answering those five questions with as much creativity, detail, and effectiveness as possible, you’ll be on the right track. Hint: The right answers might not be the answers your group has come up with in the past.
Want to know the answers that GET RESULTS? Learn more about Dynamic Recruitment . Phired Up has availability throughout the rest of this summer and fall to help you build your recruitment strategy. Contact us today.
by Matt Mattson
Do you try to impress people or serve people?
Does your organization attract members, volunteers, donors and fans by… trying to impress people or trying to serve people?
There are two ways to promote yourself, recruit people to your organizations, or position yourself socially. 1) You can try to impress people. 2) You can try to serve people.
Let’s break this down. Imagine two organizations that both need more members.
The ABC Club just launched a major re-branding initiative complete with a snazzy new online presence, cool new signs, a whole poster and T-shirt campaign around it’s new theme, "ABC Club: Unbeatable, Unsinkable, Unmatched." They have a booth set up on a street near you and they’re handing out pretty cool water bottles with their logos emblazoned brightly across the front. They’re all wearing brightly colored polo shirts with their new catchphrase printed on it. They hired 6 professional promoters (models) to work the booth, shake hands, and to repeat their catchphrase as often as possible. The passersby are stopping, taking a water water bottle (in exchange for their contact information), hearing the catchphrase, and smiling politely. ABC Club is impressive. Very impressive.
The LMNOP Group just started a major initiative of their own. They have a booth set up down the street near you too, but their booth is not nearly as impressive or shiny. They have 6 regular looking people dressed neatly but not exceptionally. Everytime someone walks past their booth volunteers are doing two things – 1) finding some way to make the passerby’s day (high fives, jokes, smiles, a welcoming handshake, an interesting question), and 2) asking the passerby about their needs related to their group’s cause. The passersby are generally stopping, talking for a while, exchanging contact information, and leaving with a smile. The LMNOP Group doesn’t have any giveaways, they aren’t wearing matching bright colored clothes, they don’t have a catchphrase (they have a list of powerful questions), and their signage is professional, clean, and simple, but not really exceptional. The reason people are engaging with them is because of LMNOP’s focus on the passersby’s needs. They’re listening and caring. They’re serving. They want to help.
There are two ways to do business. Two ways to do sales. Two ways to recruit members. Two ways to make friends. You can impress or you can serve. Both have advantages.
I choose to serve as often as I can. Maybe that’s just because I’m not that impressive I tend to think it is a better way to approach the world. But some mix of the two is probably the right answer. Which would you rather do?
Do you try to impress people or serve people?
by Matt Mattson
I sometimes find myself stuck. Do you ever feel that way? You look at your organization, you look at your role in the organization, and just feel stuck. What do you do next? How do you push forward? How do you improve? How do you lead?
Then I remember, "Oh yeah, dummy, the SYSTEM holds the answer." It’s weird, but true. Every time I wonder what I should do next to push the organization/group/company forward, I remember that between Social Excellence and Dynamic Recruitment , the answer is there. The system works if I choose to work the system.
See, we’re all a part of membership organizations, and membership organizations are made of… (wait for it)… MEMBERS. Therefore the quality of your organization (and everything it does) is determined by the quality of its members. Want to get better? Want to advance your cause? Want to make a difference? Want to truly lead? – Start with the core ingredients of your group — people and purpose. Bring in more of the right people, who will focus on the group’s purpose, to make a larger higher quality impact.
For me, when I get stuck, I go back to doing the Dynamic Recruitment system while living Social Excellence — it lays out my answer for me. If I do the Dynamic Recruitment system while living Social Excellence, I’m doing my job, I’m leading, I’m doing results-producing work, I’m making a difference.
For example… something I’m really proud of is that we have built our company to be very successful by doing the Dynamic Recruitment system and trying our best to live a Socially Excellent life — that’s been our whole business plan. Cool, right?
Here is a snapshot at some of the core principles of Dynamic Recruitment, if you’re not familiar…
People Join People. All organizational members can point to the one person who is responsible for bringing them into the organization. Relationships, interpersonal comfort, and shared personal connections are the determining factors that can influence a person to invest their time, resources, energy, reputation, and money into the organization. Slogans, T-shirts, banners, advertising, and events have very little impact when it comes to convincing the best of the best people to join an organization. People join people. Organizational recruitment is about relationships.
Quantity Drives Quality. This simple statement reflects the core of Phired Up’s recruitment philosophy. In other words, because you can’t recruit who you don’t know, the larger an organization’s social network, the larger its potential. The larger an organization’s network, the more people it has a chance to recruit. The larger an organization’s network, the more people it also has a chance to select from – thus increasing the probability for higher quality members. Everything starts with an organization having specific, practical, detailed guidance on how to grow its network of “friends of the group.” Phired Up teaches specific, practical, proven (in some instances scripted) techniques to grow an organization’s network through authentic relationship building.
Interpersonal Skills Development. Handshakes, powerful conversations, listening skills, remembering names, first impressions, body language, approaching new people and groups, eye contact, getting contact information, powerful questions, authenticity, vulnerability, and confidence. Phired Up’s recruitment system is about personal connections and today’s young adults (especially) need practical, experiential, detailed guidance on all of these “skills.” Dynamic Recruitment depends on members’ abilities to adopt a sense of interpersonal excellence within their social interactions. To learn more about Phired Up’s Social Excellence message, click here .
Product Knowledge. When a prospective member wants to learn more about the organization, every member should be prepared with not only the features and benefits of membership, but also powerful personal stories and insightful questions to help potential members emotionally connect to the organization. In Dynamic Recruitment, “knowing your product” is about having the ability to help others realize how the group could dramatically change their life for the better.
Behaviors of the Best. Phired Up teaches specific behaviors of high performing networkers, salespeople, statesmen, and recruiters. These are every day patterns of behavior that provide access to a larger pool of people to interact with than most organizational members have. Some of the core messages of the “Behaviors of the Best” include: You have to give to get (how to get contact information and how to get access to others by providing something of value to them). Ask the rest to find the best (how to engage everyone around you to identify high caliber prospective members). Follow-up or fail and Eat a bunch of lunch (how to build relationships through small activities not big events). Make ‘em prove it (using a Values-Based Selection Process). Give the gift (re-framing recruitment to be about sharing the gift of membership with deserving others instead of trying to “get people to join”).
Audience Understanding. Often members struggle with a lack of perspective. No matter the organization, often members only think of a small pool of people as potential members, when the actual pool is always many times larger. Many fraternity/sorority members in particular believe their recruitment potential is limited to the people who participate in “rush” or "formal recruitment." Phired Up’s curriculum helps expand the context of organizational leaders to understand the actual recruitment potential for their organization. Having a greater understanding of how big the organization’s prospective audience is, where they are, and what they’re looking for results in “ah-ha” moments for most participants.
Names List. With a new understanding of their true audience, and with a firm grounding in the principles of: You can’t recruit who you don’t know. People don’t join organizations, people join people. And Quantity Drives Quality. It then becomes obvious that for an organization to reach its full potential, it cannot depend only on the people that its members currently have a relationship with – it must build a larger network. To manage that network and to keep track of its members’ progress as they bring their acquaintances through the recruitment process, an organization that practices Dynamic Recruitment uses a Names List. A Names List is a dynamic, living, continually updated database that measures the amount of and the quality of relationships with potential members that are being built by the chapter. This is not just a list of people the group is wishing would join the chapter – this is a list of the chapter’s entire network because Quantity Drives Quality.
Values-Based Selection. As an organization increases its network through positive, proactive, social interactions, it has the opportunity to be more selective. Once the opportunity for increased selectivity is achieved, the organization must then select members not based on whether they’re a “good guy,” or "a sweet girl," but on measurable, objective standards that match up to the core values of the organization. Each organization that practices Dynamic Recruitment builds a written set of membership selection criteria to ensure only the highest quality people are invited to join. This is a key to true values-based recruitment.
Horses vs. Mules. The old 80/20 principle holds true in nearly every organization we’ve ever worked with. For most groups, about 80% of the results are produced by about 20% of the members. That small handful of “workhorses” can choose to try to motivate their unmotivated members (a.k.a. “mules”) to participate in recruitment, or they could just gather the horses and get to work. After all, horses recruit horses, and mules recruit mules. When faced with a lack of motivation or apathetic members with regard to recruitment, don’t ask “How do I motivate my members to recruit?” Instead ask, “How do I recruit with my motivated members?”
by Matt Mattson
Are you on Twitter? Even if you are, it can be hard to keep up with all the coolest tweets and tweeps. We thought we’d share some particularly awesome (in our humble opinion) tweets we’ve put out over the last few months. You’ll find tweets about #SocialExcellence and #DynamicRecruitment . You’ll also find tweets that are directed to our Phired Up Fraternal , Phired Up College , and Phired Up World audiences. Please share, stay connected to our hashtags , and make sure to follow us @PhiredUp .
Take a moment to RE-TWEET your favorites! Enjoy and we’ll tweet you later!
#betheperson who can help others find their spark. Light the Phire of the people u meet. #socialexcellence
#betheperson who wonders aloud. #socialexcellence
#betheperson who seeks everyone’s deeper story. #socialexcellence
#betheperson who asks, “What is your real passion? How can I help with it?” #socialexcellence
#betheperson who goes to the meetings. Does extra work. Brings others to the group. #socialexcellence
#betheperson who helps others change the world. #socialexcellence
#betheperson who raises the level of discussion and focuses on making things better. #socialexcellence
#betheperson who gets that others have legitimate points of view despite the difference from yours. #socialexcellence
Honesty does not require meanness. Candor and truth are better received through love and generosity. #socialexcellence
Don’t manipulate others into working for your cause. Connect with them. Help them achieve their purpose. #socialexcellence
#betheperson who doesn’t complain, whine, or bemoan 2 others. Discuss, solve, and work with others instead #socialexcellence
Coffee and lunch are the greatest recruitment strategies in the world! #dynamicrecruitment
#betheperson who has the courage to intervene when things aren’t right #everydayhero
If you have the COURAGE to connect w/ppl, you have the POWER to change the world #socialexcellence
A movement is beginning. Handshakes can change the world. #socialexcellence #betheperson @phiredup
#socialexcellence starts with the person right next to you. #betheperson who chooses curiosity, generosity, authenticity, vulnerability.
Ppl+Purpose=Organization. Organizations change the world. Gather ppl around ur purpose. #socialexcellence @phiredup
“Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world” -M. Mead #socialexcellence
Handshakes>Conversations>Relationships>Collaboration>Organization>ChangeTheWorld #socialexcellence
Choose perpetual generosity, curiosity, positivity and openness to limitless possibility #socialexcellence
Intentionally connect with others 2day. Engage in deep, meaningful conversations. #socialexcellence
Believe that everyone you meet is remarkable, heroic, and magnificent. #socialexcellence
Authentic kindness breeds trust. Groups, movements, society are held together by trust. Be kind. #socialexcellence
Participate in society. Start with any stranger. #socialexcellence #betheperson
#betheperson who makes today more fun for someone. Surprise them with joyfulness #socialexcellence
Be interested and interesting. #betheperson who asks fun questions. #socialexcellence
“The world would be better if…” movements, rebellions, and revolutions are birthed from that sentence. Speak it. #socialexcellence
All leadership is social. Lead through relationships and human connections. Caring inspires followers. #socialexcellence
What is the best version of you? #socialexcellence
Can you be more curious today? #socialexcellence #betheperson
Can you be more generous today? #socialexcellence #betheperson
Can you be more authentic today? #socialexcellence #betheperson
Can you be more vulnerable today? #socialexcellence #betheperson
Can you be more socially bold today? #socialexcellence #betheperson
“I love my computer bcuz all my friends live in it.” not #socialexcellence
Awkward isn’t bad. Just own it with confidence. Authenticity will reward you. #socialexcellence #soundslikeafortunecookie
Build relationships. Inspire your relationships with passion for your purpose. Grow your organization. #dynamicrecruitment #socialexcellence
Shouting loudest won’t win members, donors or fans. Caring most will. #dynamicrecruitment #socialexcellence
I don’t care about your organization until you care about me. #dynamicrecruitment #socialexcellence
Every individual is an organization waiting to happen. #socialexcellence
Recruitment doesn’t start until you know them and can contact them. Meet more people, give ur org a bigger chance. #dynamicrecruitment
Static recruitment waits and hopes. #dynamicrecruitment pursues and inspires.
You don’t have a chance to recruit that person until you’ve shaken their hand. Start there. #socialexcellence #dynamicrecruitment
High quality people are attracted to high quality things. #dynamicrecruitment
What tweeps do you most want to shake hands with? #socialexcellence
#betheperson who inspires others with their willingness to seem a little weird in pursuit of deeper connections #socialexcellence
Don’t just seek members. Inspire participants, donors, and raving fans. #dynamicrecruitment
Choosing from 500 is better than choosing from 50. Meet more people. Quantity drives quality. #dynamicrecruitment
Quality organizations are only built by quality members. #dynamicrecruitment
Ask 10x more questions today than usual. Listen intently. #socialexcellence
Everyone has experienced the greatest joys and the lowest sorrows of life. U have too. Connect authentically. #socialexcellence
When u are 100% generous or curious there is no mathematical room left for fear. #socialexcellence focuses on others.
by Josh Orendi
Have you ever heard the parable of the bricklayer? An Australian company launched a campaign using an online children’s book and an old fable to move people toward their cause. Before going on, read the short fable here .
That got my wheels spinning. A series of questions came to mind:
How do we communicate with our members and prospects? For that matter, what is the dialogue in our own minds about the daily things we’re doing on behalf of the organization? Suffering bricklayer? Laboring volunteer? Grateful contributor? Perspective is a powerful thing.
The same activities (paperwork, Names List, recruitment meeting) can be defined as menial painful tasks or critical next steps toward the purpose of the organization. What we choose to believe becomes our reality, impacts our productivity, and draws/repels people to/from our cause.
Bonus Thought: How would the story of your organization be told through a Children’s book? If we could only communicate our recruitment message through a children’s book, what pictures and words would you choose to tell our story? Or, here’s a blended fun zone and deep zone question: How could the story of YOUR organizational experience to be written in a real children’s book that you would someday read to your own children?