There are people who I’m leery of. Those who claim they never have to prepare for a presentation or a meeting. People who hate chocolate. People who watch reality tv and nothing else. Above all, I’m very leery of number whores. What’s a number whore? A person who connects online for the sole purpose of making themselves look more important than they really are. Now, I’m not talking about people who are popular and have a large number of friends and colleagues. I’m talking about that person on Twitter with 6 million followers and only following 2. I’m referring to the stranger on LinkedIn who lies about his or her affiliation just to get a contact. I’m talking about that Facebook “friend” who swears we were in the same kindergarten class.
This reminds of the guys I met when I went clubbing every weekend. At the end of the night, out of sheer desperation, these guys would go up to every girl walking to their car and beg for their number. As pathetic as that was, this is worse. Social media should facilitate constructive dialogue and meaningful interaction even under the influence of a few cocktails. I’ve regained friendships I thought were lost for good due to distance. I’ve reconnected with former colleagues who’ve offered advice and encouragement. I’ve made wonderful new friends that I may have never met if it wasn’t for social media. This blog alone has led to opportunities beyond anything I would’ve imagined. You see, this isn’t a numbers game to me. This is my life.
Association Advocacy Chick 
AND the organizations that think that attendance numbers = fabulous meeting or high membership numbers = good organization when, really, numbers are just numbers.
Then of course there are the US Federal Govt. Budget numbers…but I digress (easily.)
The Twitter accounts who follow 12 people but have a 10k plus following make me sick, too. What better way to see that the person doesn’t expect to learn much from the bulk of those who follow him/her.
I am so happy I have come to know you better through our digital handshake and beyond. You are definitely more than a number and I am thankful for your presence in my life…like you, I’ve learned many life changing valuable lessons through the friendships I’ve built through social media.
Joan – Right on with the conference numbers! You may have 10,000 attendees but how many actually got their money’s worth? This plus the membership number brings up an interesting and potential blog post. If I decide to write it, you’ll definitely get credit for it.
KiKi – My life would be dull if it wasn’t for you! Our meeting is the perfect example of how a digital handshake can turn into a meaningful experience. Hmm… I just had a thought about this. I’ll be in touch once I get my thoughts down.