If I’m sitting in a meeting, or an airplane, or at dinner… I’m usually doodling. I’ve kinda refined my doodle’s to be a personal gathering spot for ideas, reflection, and fears. Last week I was traveling with Robbin Phillips to Austin, Texas and she spied on one my doodles. Robbin thought it was worth posting.

This particular doodle is a continuous doodle thought…

Photo by the Hotel Saint Cecilia pool via Geno Church and his trusty iphone

Okay. I woke up this morning – a gray day in Green Vegas – but the sun was shining in my heart. Can’t explain it really. Maybe it is because I am getting out of town.

Austin. One of my favorite cities.

And I have decided I might stay the weekend and play around.

With that smile in my heart, I read this direct message from someone on Twitter. I won’t give his name but I want to share.

Indulge me:

yrs ago, i sent my wife a link to your site and said, one day i’m going to build my company like that: “a tribe of true believers”

Those of you that read our blog know I blow very hot and cold on this twitter craze. Or daze.

Whatever you want to call it.

It is additive and sometimes weirds me out when I find myself getting completely sucked in. You got to know how silly I think it for people to twitter to each other at dinner. (Geez, as I write this I realized I did that with Geno last night. Shouted out to my friends that I was with Geno have a really cool little drink before bed. See, it sucks you in. Guess there are something you just long to share…)

And if you hang out here often, you probably know this about me too. I get my jollies by inspiring others to believe in themselves. I read somewhere that leaders create leaders. That is my job here on this planet. To inspire strong and powerful leaders to lift others up in life. To elevate and empower their employees and their customers. To find the shared passions. To connect people. To give everyone a voice and supportive venue to use their time and talents wisely.

Period.

So that message from Twitter only intended for my eyes is proof in a funny sort of way that it’s working. That Brains on Fire is a movement and and not just a place to work. Those kind words from someone I may never meet but we have inspired feels like “twitter love”.

Forgive me if this post feels like horn tooting. But see in a funny sort of way, I get it now. Connecting with people you don’t even know can be a powerful thing.

So today. I will love and appreciate the value of twitter. Silly, silly twitter.

Now you go: tell me your favorite “twitter love story”.

P.S. I actually wrote this yesterday but didn’t get to post until Friday morning. Now I am in Austin with the amazing + delightful @genochurch at one of the most soulful little hotels I have stayed in long time. Check it out. Hotel Saint Cecila. I recommend this to all my friends. All of you. Even the ones i don’t know. Yet.

Who’s heard of Robin Dunbar? For those of you who haven’t, his most widely known work as an anthropologist is called “Dunbar’s Number,” which proposes that the ceiling of ’stable interpersonal relationships’ that the average person can maintain is 150. Though his initial work studied groups of people offline, he has recently moved his research online to study the same principle in social networks.

Aside from being thought-provoking in and of itself, the variety of responses that Dunbar’s research has drawn is also interesting. Some people use the measure to decry the online frenzy of friends and followers, others use their idea of the massive influence of social media to discredit it. Many people approach their interpretation of the number through personal networking experience and some have even made it their goal to ‘beat’ the number.

One thing, however, seems to be consistent among both supporters and critics: the number of deep, meaningful, trusting relationships that you can have, either online or offline, is a much smaller figure than gigantic number of acquaintances you can achieve.

And I think many people (and companies for that matter) could be missing one of the most important lessons in the conversation. On some level, it doesn’t matter as much whether Dunbar’s number validates or invalidates connections in social networking, it’s a reminder that you can cultivate a core group of fans that have a vested interest in you.

It begs the question, what are you doing to fascinate, inspire, reward and engage that smaller number of people who have the closest connection to your company or brand?

Maybe you’re not in a formal ambassador program or even consider yourself an ambassador of, well, anything really. But when you start thinking about it, you might be surprised that you choose or not choose to be an ambassador every day.

Case in point, if you’re a runner and like to run outside in public places (like downtown), more than likely you’ve been stopped and asked directions by pedestrians or even drivers. At that moment, you have a decision to make. Because in that moment, you can choose to be an ambassador for your city. You can choose to take the time to stop and get them where they need to go and wish them well on their way. You just became an ambassador. You just gave that person a “customer experience.”

My point is that you don’t have to be involved in a formal program to be considered an ambassador. You don’t even have to be a loud and proud evangelist to be considered an ambassador. We make decisions everyday when we interact with others. And many times, brands are a part of those interactions. So take the time to become aware of your conversations. Because those are the same ones your customers are having. And each and every one of those are an opportunity to make both your lives better.

I have been thinking a lot lately. Maybe it’s the weather.

I’ve been thinking about my life. My family. And how I choose to spend my time.
I have been thinking about Brains on Fire and what success really looks like for us.
About how on earth can you fairly compensate such a wildly talented group of people who see Brains on Fire as a passionate cause and not a job.
I have been thinking about the work we do and the big opportunities in front of us.
It’s all sort of been running together for some reason.

So, yesterday I had an interview. (Yes, we have are considering a new hire and that feels good.) And when I asked this smart, bright lady if she had anything she wanted to ask me she replied, “What do you expect of me? What are your expectations?”

Hmmmmm….

I told her we are all in grad school now. Exploring new ideas. And the learning you choose to do every single day of your life is completely self directed. You’re driving the ship and collecting ideas and inspiration every single day. Read. A lot. Write. A lot. Think out loud and share with others. Even when you aren’t sure you’re right.

Let yourself experience life with your eyes and heart and mind wide open.

I know I am lucky and rare. I love what I do everyday. Especially the work we have found ourselves doing now. Connecting people. Lifting people up. Inspiring. Helping them fall in love with what they do again. Helping them find the shared passions that connect the dots.

Cordell has this great story about this lady he met in a bar many, many years ago. (I promise I’ll get him to tell it to you some day, he does a much better job than me…) Anyway he was well, intoxicated (Jagermeister was involved). And he was having a hard time hearing her. She asked him what did. And he said, “Advertising.” Then she looked at him and said, “Pretty trash.” So he said, “No. I am okay. I’m not trashed.” And then she said “You make pretty trash.”

Hmmmm.

Learn something new today.