If they had to open their own fridge to a gallon of water and a box of frosted flakes…I’m sure the poll results would not be anywhere near that.

I figured that what is terrifying is not knowing how you are doing.

Lack of feedback is scary. Then perverse as human nature is, some people are so scared that they block off all feedback. It’s like hiding in a fire or from the rescue team when you are lost. Well known psychological phenomenon – when we are scared we put our heads “under the blanket”.

What we need to do is to show people how to get feedback through social media and then how to use it to get slightly different perspectives so they can triangulate and figure out what people are trying to say.

This is slightly different from just getting contacts – its finding out what people “mean to say”. Then we know what we can do. Then we are in control again. Then we aren’t anxious any more . . .

I heard from a social media consultant that his clients often throw major wobblies on the first day and start shouting that “he hasn’t done anything yet”.

We desperately want feedback but are terrified of it too. Our job, I think, is to help people find their way through it, get over their stage fright and learn to work with their audience.