Digital Leadership Inspiration 66 | November UpdateÂ â˜”Â ðŸŒŽÂ â˜”ï¸Â

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Welcome to the 66th issue of Digital Leadership Inspiration

Thank you for taking the time to open the email, here are the past issues.

Selfie guide

We are never going to stop taking selfies sharing our lives on social media. Documenting our memories as an online diary is here to stay.

To give you some new ideas I’ve collected hashtags and stories you can tell by taking selfies.

A good selfie is a great memory. An ugly selfie may be even better. Read more here

Book me to speak

When I started speaking I said I will speak in any country I'm invited to. That's still my motto.

When I work with you as a speaker at your event, I will tailor and craft a content rich keynote speech or masterclass. What I share must be relevant to the audience, and your industry.

sofie@sofiesandell.com

Hello everyone,

I hope you have had a good week so far.

Last week I went to a conference that focused on sustainable leadership, a great and relevant topic. The spotlight was on the environment, and that you need to make up your mind to do something. One of the keynote speakers, Mona Riabacke, said that the most common way we make decisions are:

We wait.
We do as we usually do.
We copy what others are doing.

Humans are funny creatures, and I have found myself doing the above many times: I wait, I do as I always do or I copy others.

This year I made a big decision. I decided it was time to move back to Sweden, my mother country. It was a hard choice and I suffered from anxiety before I made up my mind. From now on I will be based there and I am looking for new opportunities.

On a business level, it means that I am not working as I used to with my clients in London, and on a personal level it means I now live with my partner just south of Gothenburg. Big decisions come with great adventures, and now I live in the countryside in the middle of a forest with a man, a cat and two sheep. A huge contrast from living in West London with all kind of facilities around the corner.

I would like to work with organisations that want to stay relevant in the smartphone age, and I am looking for work opportunities.

Do you have any tips

If you have any suggestions about what I should do, please let me know – all new ideas are welcome. You can send me ideas using this form.

I update my Instagram every now and then if you would like to follow me.

Digital Transformation

Last week I commented on a LinkedIn update. The person asked how people explain digital transformation. My comment was:

“Making many things in life better, simpler and easier for as many people as possible by using new technology in a smarter way. #DigitalLeadership”

There were many suggestions about what digital transformation means, and I think it’s crucial that you allow discussion and ask questions about what something means to you, your organisation, your customers and the world before you define an expression. Terminology can easily become buzz words meaning nothing. When things mean nothing to us few take action and it interrupts the decision process.

This week I had a new digital experience which involved transforming a service. I went to the doctor in Sweden using an app on my iPad. I felt a bit unwell last week, and then I got two big cold sores that were very painful. I desperately wanted anti-viral tablets to help me get better quicker. I called my local doctor, but had no luck and they suggested that I should try to get an emergency appointment which can mean hours of waiting. Instead I downloaded an app called Kry, and ten minutes later I had spoken to a medical doctor and they had prescribed me the medication I needed.

This made my life better and easier, saving me lots of time and energy, and is a great example of digital transformation.

I’ve learnt that they there are similar health apps for people on ships far from any harbour and people living in rural areas. Now it’s available to everyone in Sweden as well.

How do you describe digital transformation? Have you had any transformational experiences? Tell me about them: send me an email or share a comment on my Facebook page Digital Leadership.

False information - this is what you need to do

After the election in the US we have a future American president who says that it’s thanks to social media that he won the election. Then we have the problem with false articles and information floating around on the internet.

As consumers we need to train ourselves in media literacy so that we can tell what is true or false. We can never be 100% sure, but reading an article before distributing it helps.

Have a great weekend, and thank you for reading.

Sofie

PS. Download my 12 practical tips for how to use social media to build your reputation and share your key messages for some inspiration.

• Email: sofie@sofiesandell.com
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/sofiesandell

My CV in three paragraphs:
Sofie 3.0: It’s time to take the next step and work with digital development on a deeper level as a chief digital officer or digital ambassador. (Sofie 1.0 was working with B2B sales and management consultancy. Sofie 2.0 was focusing on the web, e-commerce and social media, and it was this that led to me speaking professionally about digital leadership.)

Have you seen my pillow with my poem Bridges on it? I feel as if the world needs to build more bridges right now.

Have a look at it in my Red Bubble shop, you can also buy it as different prints.

Forward

A personal story about crying, sadness and healing music

In the latest episode of Kropp och Själ (it means body and soul), a Swedish radio programme, they share one of my stories in the end. They were discussing the power of crying, and I shared a story with them over email, which they read out. Here it is in English.

Years back I had a huge need to cry. I had gone through a horrible experience. I felt empty inside and wanted a cry, a good cry, a healing cry, but it was hard to let the tears come.

During this period I was invited to a spring concert to see my friend’s daughter’s choir.

I’ve never been a big crier. Some of my friends cry all the time, and I envy them. I cry when I watch a sad movie or when someone I know has died. Now I was in need of healing tears, tears that would help me to be able to move on.

Read the full story here

Online course:
Strategies for membership based organisations

National Stress Awareness Day: Tips To Cut Down On Stress In Your Life If You Are An Activist Or Volunteer

It’s National Stress Awareness Day in the UK on 2 November. I would like to focus on the stress you can feel as an activist.

A big chunk of all activism takes place on social media, and if you are standing up for something that is seen as too politically correct you can expect that people will shout at you with loud and angry voices. You put yourself out there for criticism, and it can be exhausting

At a conference this summer I spoke to some feminists who have a big online presence about what they did to protect themselves when others abuse them. One said: ‘I hardly dare to open my email some days, I know there will be lots of threats there.’

Another told me that she often used alcohol to relax and unwind: ‘I feel the only way to kill all my feelings about the issues I feel passionate for is to have a few glasses of wine.’

When I’ve suffered online abuse in the past I was exhausted for days, and then someone will tell you that you are not doing enough for the women who are ‘really discriminated against in the Middle East.’ That’s not the kind of comment that makes you feel empowered.

I can totally understand people who do not bother to do anything extra in their life to help others. Being an activist and formulating new ideas that will create a better and equal society can be pretty draining.

To be able to stand up for what you believe in and speak up for others who may have no voice you need to look after yourself.

One way to ensure you have the energy to continue to your work is to nurture yourself and practise self-compassion. If you are not topping up own energy every now and then you risk suffering from stress-related health issues.

Five things you can start doing are:

Start learning about yourself and what you need to feel good physically and mentally. You set your own conditions for what makes you feel good and inspired.
Design your own Sabbath ritual and remember to take a day or a half-day off every now and then. To do this you don’t have to practise a specific religion, everyone can give it a try. You are free to choose what gives you time to reflect and unwind: a walk outdoors, spending a day in silence, not using any digital devices etc.
Value yourself and the work you have achieved so far. Dare to step away for a while if you feel that the work is draining you.
Stay away from social media and the news for a few days, it may help you calm down. Delete the apps on your phone. You are not here to constantly read news stories or entertain trolls and other people who are bored with their life; you need to focus on being you.
People will remember you for having lots of time and energy if you’ve been involved in activism as a volunteer, and they will ask you to participate again. You have permission to say no to new requests. It can feel as if you are the most egoistic person in the world by saying no, but it is okay. You are enough as you are, and you don’t need to jump on every opportunity that crosses your path.

Our culture glorifies stress and makes it sound like you live a good life if you live on the edge of being burnt out. Looking after yourself before you help others is not selfish, it’s smart and will make you last longer. The work you have done so far is good enough; don’t beat yourself up for not doing enough.

The world is not fair, and there are many movements that promote equality and better use of the world’s resources. To speak up and show strength you need to heal yourself and create space to concentrate on your own wellbeing.

Read the article on Huffington Post here.

About Sofie Sandell

Sofie Sandell is an international speaker who speaks about leadership, social media, marketing, branding and online communication. She is based in London, UK and Sweden. In 2013 Sofie published her book first book on Digital Leadership, exploring leadership, your ability to improvise and creativity as driving forces for new ideas in the digital world.

Social media and new technology have created new habits and new challenges. It’s a gift that we should use carefully and with the best intentions. Our understanding of ourselves and the world changes hugely when we connect with new technology.

We live one life, and our online life is weaved into our real life.

Sofie runs a popular social media Q&A that raises some of the big questions about life in relation to social media, you are welcome to email her if you have any questions hello@sofiesandell.com.

Previously Sofie studied behavioural science, and organisation and leadership at Lund University in Sweden. Sofie is also an award-winning leader in a non-for-profit organisation.