Beware of the Googlerazzi
Voyeuristic Vehicles
If you're like most people, when you need directions to a place you've never been, you turn to Google Maps — or Waze if you don't mind getting lost. You can even conduct reconnaissance on the location with pictures snapped by Google Street View cams that seem to capture everything in the vicinity — even things they shouldn't.
An Argentinian police officer recently sued Google for using a picture of his house — and his butt — on Google Maps. The photo, which was taken back in 2017 and clearly showed his house, house number, and street name, literally put his bare backside on the map. Given he was just catching some rays in his garden behind a 6 1/2 foot wall he should've been safe, but I guess those creepy camera cars that canvas neighborhoods come equipped with periscopes in Argentina.
To add insult to injury, the gardener in the buff became the talk of the town after his bare derrière was broadcast on Argentinian TV and shared widely on social media. Naked and enraged by the persistent ridicule of his neighbors and colleagues, the officer sued Google for violating his privacy and dignity, and eventually secured a big booty — $12,500 — for his bare booty.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, unless it's an unapproved one of a mid-day moon and Uranus.
What Do You Do?
Imagine you're at a social event — a cocktail party, networking happy hour, a wedding — and you find yourself pleasantly engaged in a conversation with someone you've just met. When the conversation turns to work and you're asked, "So, what do you do?", how would you answer the question?
If you're like most people, you instinctively respond with your job title — "Oh, I'm a [insert profession] at [insert company]." And while that may technically be true, it may not be the most memorable or impactful response. When you mindlessly recite your business card, you miss the opportunity to paint a clear mental picture of how you affect others through your work.
We often get caught up on titles in corporate America because they can be indications of career advancement and financial status. I'm sure you can think of at least one person who lives life as their title because it defines who they are. But in the grand scheme of things, what's more important — the title you've been given by a group of people or the impact you've made on a group of people?
Imagine, again, your conversation with this new contact. When you ask them what they do for a living, which response would you find more intriguing and make you want to know more about them and their world?
I'm a lawyer.
OR
I protect average citizens from being taken advantage of by large, negligent corporations.
I'm a senior recruiter.
OR
I connect talented professionals with managers in need of talent.
I'm a marketing manager.
OR
I help businesses clearly communicate their value to target audiences.
I'm the vice president of operations.
OR
I have no idea what I do, and neither does anyone else in my company. But I get paid big bucks so, Life is Good!
Aside from that last one — apologies to any Operations VPs — the above sample responses put the beneficiaries of the work at the center of the conversation, not the person doing the work. Offering a more enhanced, yet brief, descriptive explanation of how your work affects people will not only help you make deeper connections with others, but it may also compel them to reframe their answer too.
Then, when more people focus on how their actions, words, and work impact others, by default, more companies will too. Imagine that.
So, with that in mind, again I ask, what do you do?
