Yesterday, I was Twittering when I should have been writing. Fortunately, my procrastination was rewarded by a tweet from @etherjammer about Good People Day.

Some deliciously over-the-top wine guy had put out a call to action to tweet, blog, and talk today about the good that people do. If you’re looking for the bad that people do, go Read. The. News. Here today, there’s nothing but good :D

Finding Good People

From what’s usually in the news (which I avoid reading), it’s easy to believe the worst about the people around you. I don’t know the best places to find Good People in the offline world. Online, however, it’s easy to discover pockets of fun and helpful folks.

The key to finding Good People online is to go where the sharing is. Forums and listgroups and newsgroups and destination apps like Twitter are packed with people who love to answer questions, offer guidance, and give peeks into their world. To me, these are hallmarks of Good People.

I believe bloggers are, for the most part, Good People, based on their commitment to posting thoughts and ideas for the world to see. When I get a chance to interact with bloggers in real-time, it’s clear that they’re Good People in an everyday way, not only when it’s time to post.

Many thanks to the Good People who shared my blog, left the first comment, leave lots of comments, encourage me, and exemplify!

Good People in and around your business
Do you know where to find Good People for your business…those people you would like to partner with, hire, and serve? Equally important: Do you make it easy for Good People to find you?

Do you have criteria to assess the Goodness of the people you find? It can be super-simple, like my “Those Who Share”, or a detailed dossier, as long as it accurately and consistently determines which people are Good for YOU.

Being Good People

Surrounding yourself with Good People is only part of what it’s about. The other bit is being Good People. One way to become Gooder than you currently are is to behave like the Good People you know. Don’t be inauthentic, but do “try on” characteristics that are common to people you consider Good.

As an example, when reflecting on a post about managing my Twitter-verse, I realized that while I intently follow @doshdosh, @problogger, and @SHurleyHall because they share great links, I hadn’t often shared links in my own tweets. That bit of unintentional selfishness was easy to fix, and when I began adding value like the Twits I admire, I was rewarded with more Followers, blog visitors, and subscribers, an invitation or two, and some nifty conversations.

The get back from being Good
Being Good People is about giving, not getting, but we can’t ignore ROI when it comes to your business. Recommendations are the best advertising that money didn’t buy, and are the unmeasurable benefit to being Good People for your customers, employees, coworkers, and family.

When word gets out that you’re Good People, other Good People will find their way to you.

The bad news about Good People

Something I’ve noticed about being surrounded by Good People is Not-So-Good People stand out like poop in a field of poppies. I believe everyone has a seed of Good and it’s either nurtured or not. And while some people have a green thumb for their Good Seed, others seem to mow the little sucker down every time it sprouts into the light of day.

Does your business stand out in the right way?
So when it comes to your business, do you stand out as Good People when you stand among Good People? Or are you the fly in the pudding…someone who makes promises they don’t keep, writes checks they can’t cash (literally and figuratively), and otherwise takes more than they give?

Because if you’re not nurturing your business’ grain of Good with positive actions, words, policies, and products, then you’re probably standing out in a Bad Way to Good People.

Where it’s all Good, all the time

If this dedicated Good day is working for you, subscribe to Happy News and the Good News Network for a daily hearty helping of Good stuff. Also, use Google to find other Good People Day blog posts.

Et tu? From the lips of soul diva Chaka Khan, “Tell me something good!”. Take a mo’ to comment below on all the Good People that you know.

Photo credit: striatic