Written by: Vickie Sullivan | April 06, 2021
How to Break the Rules and Benefit
Now that attention is monetized, being a renegade is a popular option both in media and in thought leadership. The big question: How can we break the rules without getting blowback? As with most things, it’s all about context.
Here are two scenarios that allow you to break the rules and get attention—and not suffer negative consequences:
• Your story. Something about your background makes folks think, “Well, I don’t agree with this, but I can understand why they did it.” In media-driven figures, the story usually centers around adversity. With people like you and me, our track record of success can make rule-breaking look like changing the system for the better. So, think about how your background sets up your decisions.
• Your intention. This is closely related to the above but with different data. If your rule breaking serves a greater cause, folks who support that cause will give you a free pass. It’s a “means justify the ends” mindset. Again, your track record can prove your point. But linking rules with bad outcomes that need to be changed can work, too.
Listen: The Best Time to Be a Rebel
In the good ol’ days, you could break the rules with abandon. With cancel culture out there, you need to be more deliberate. Being a rebel without a cause won’t cut it.
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