I’m reading Small Is the New Big by Seth Godin – one of the most thought-provoking and entertaining business books I’ve read in ages.

The book’s premise: the rules for running a business have changed. The advent of social media particularly impacts the way we do business.

Whether you’re at the helm of a non-profit ministry, run a one-person business, or are the CEO of a mega corporation, acting big is no longer an advantage, asserts Seth. “If you want to be big, act small.”

In the coming weeks, I’ll post occasionally on what I’m learning about acting small. Today, I’ll kick things off by offering a series of “proverbs” Seth includes in the intro to his book. I invite you to ponder them and comment on one proverb that speaks loudest to you:

Consumers have more power than ever before.
Treating them like they don’t matter doesn’t work.

Multiple channels of information mean that it’s almost impossible to live a lie.
Authentic stories spread and last.

The ability to change fast is the single best asset in a world that’s changing fast.

Blogs matter. If you want to grow, you’ll need to touch the information-hungry, idea-sharing people who read (and write) them.

There are no side effects. Just effects.
Indulge short attention spans.

Aretha was right. Respect is the secret to success in dealing with people.

Do something that matters.