Trolling.
It’s a hideous word for a hideous action. It’s a form of mental abuse, and trolls just want to hurt people and that’s what they thrive on.
We all know why people troll… unhappiness, loneliness, low self-esteem, the list goes on and it’s not a field I proclaim to be an expert in, so I will not continue the list. At the end of the day, it’s a sad but true fact.
Trolling is prevalent and appears to be getting worse.
After having the opportunity this week to share my voice multiple times on Channel 7 News and as someone that deals with individuals on a day-to-day basis on personal branding, personal development, reputation management AND the owner of a growth marketing company, I believe I’m uniquely placed to provide my own opinion on what we do to drown out these trolls voices and spread the awareness for a positive change.
This is a message not just for the sporting stars, but for the parents also. As parents, we all need to instil this into our children at an early age, ensuring we are giving them the best opportunity to be resilient if situations of negative commentary are encountered.
So what can we do to drown out these trolls voices, and spread the awareness for a positive change?
For the community:
- Think before you post. Is your comment adding value?
- If you’re posting, share your thoughts in a constructive manner.
- Are you adding value to the individual, team &/or fan base as a whole?
- If you spot a troll, add a positive comment to the thread, but not to the troll – we want to drown their voices with positivity.
For the Players/Athletes:
- Have an expectation that if you’re in the limelight you’re probably going to attract good and negative attention via people’s opinions via social media.
- Understand this happens to many people in your situation and you’re not alone.
- Know you may probably get trolled at some point in your career, so have a plan of what you will do when it does. Understand it’s them, not you.
- Work on your personal brand, understand who you are, what you stand for. This will give you the confidence and certainty of your purpose, and in our experience, it becomes easier to deal with trolls due to understanding yourself first, and why they do this second
- Here’s what other players/athletes have shared with us re: what’s worked for them: Come together as a tribe and stand up for each other online. When an individual is getting trolled, come in, comment in a positive and supportive manner to back that individual.
If this helps at least one person, then I deem it a WIN #oneteam
What suggestions do you have to drown their voices out?
Scroll the troll day.
Trolls Be Ashamed
