Nov
5
The Real Power of Behance And LinkedIn
The Power of Behance is not only in the tool – it’s in the freedom it creates and the control it provides. Behance and Linkedin is a partnership which broadens the borders.
While caught up in my presentation delivery on the power of LinkedIn & other social media channels in driving the power of You3 (directing and controlling your brand), I delivered a major Faux Pas.
I think about it now and it makes my stomach cringe. I didn’t even realize it in the moment, even though it didn’t sound right in my head.
Behance. B-E-H-A-N-C-E. Not Beyonce. B-E-Y-O-N-C-E. Haha – what a goof. I am here to set the record straight.
First – the lesson of the day: Do not get so caught up in the passion of your topic, that you don’t stop to realize and correct a mistake.
Here’s the deets: An audience member asked about the LinkedIn application Behance. I knew about the app because I use it, and delivered the correct info about the app, but when another audience member asked about the spelling of it, well, stupidity kicked in.
I hereby apologize to my entire audience. To make it up, here’s the strength of Behance, why I like it, why I recommend its use, and finally, why you need to take control on your online brand.
I “connected” with Behance several years ago, because of their Action Method series of products and project management tools for creative (AWESOME!), as well as their Think Tank 99u (great reading and inspiration for making ideas happen). Their mission is to empower the creative world to make ideas happen, and give creatives control over their careers. Since then, I have been become a real fan. So when I saw they partnered with LinkedIn for a creative portfolio app, I immediately jumped on board (check out the portfolios of work there sometime – there are some really skilled people in this world).
First, I am a certified Project Manager, and am familiar with all the tools and techniques to run successful projects. Yet, something was always amiss for me. Deep down I am a creative, yet equally split with right brain and left brained skills. Based on well-meaning advice – I pursued the left brained world of Systems and IT. When I tried to apply left brain logic to my creative processes – I constantly ran up against my own resistance, and failure.
Enter Behance: “Don’t get in the way of your own success. It’s about creating work on your own terms. Unleashing your own potential. Don’t rely on chance encounters, don’t go unnoticed. Take creative control.”. See their Ode to Creative Work.
Behance offers a platform to showcase your creative portfolio, across different types of media. It allows you to showcase the projects you do. It allows you to connect with others, and allows you to be found for the visions you bring to life. It inspires.
Because LinkedIn is ‘business’ based, the partnership with Behance allows for a new level of professionalism and control for creatives. And others as well. I will show how to best use the Behance tools in future posts.
It’s time we all take control of our careers, our work, our future. No longer are we required to be pawns in a corporate game. We can work and play where and how we chose. We can showcase and highlight our work the way we want it. We can uncover leads and opportunities to further ourselves, and those for whom we wish to work.
We must become triple threats. If we see ourselves as the CEO of our careers or our professional solo-preneur / freelance businesses, we must leverage our speaking skills from the podium onto other mediums, other products, other platforms. This provides optimum control of our brand, our portfolio of work, and our opportunities.
All the world’s a stage, and all the world’s a project. And it all requires creativity. How will you use social media to become You3? If you are serious about the new world of work and creating opportunities for you, you are worth the investment.
Time to raevolutionize yourself, your career, and your business.
To your success,
Rae-Ann
