Yandlepedia

Chris Yandle is the Assistant AD for Communications & Public Relations at Georgia Tech. I am also the husband to the most supportive wife in the world (Ashleigh) and father to two beautiful and awesome children (Addison and Jackson). I believe that everyone has something good to offer others, and this is a blog of not only my life, but a blog to share thoughts and ideas in college athletics and social media.

[austinkleon]

That Steve Alibi bird/fart metaphor is here.

Ask me anything you can’t Google and vote for my book in the Goodreads Choice Awards!

[chrisyandle]

[chrisyandle]

"Because there is no effort without error."

[chrisyandle]

I'm Not a (Social Media) Expert

Let me first start by saying: I am not a social media expert. I have never claimed to be a social media.

I've been called many things in my 32 short years of life (judging by my physique, being late for a meal isn't one of them). I've shed many labels from nerd, to fat, to shy, to egotistical (still trying to figure that one out) to arrogant, to sweet, to mean...Yada, yada, yada.

I am flattered when people introduce me as "an expert" in my field. I appreciate the compliment. Maybe I am. I don't view myself as that. If you call yourself an expert, then you're not an expert. Your crowd/audience determines who is and who isn't an expert.

Personally, I am not a social media expert...nor (in my mind) is anyone - or mostly anyone - else. Out of the millions and millions of people I've seen online, I've only been able to identify one as "an expert" in my mind and that's Gary Vaynerchuck. That dude is smart.

99.5 percent of the people that walk around and say they are a social media expert are clowns." - Gary Vaynerchuck

So, where am I going with this?

Since I've joined Twitter in 2009, I've learned at least one new thing every day. For a relatively infant technology, social media is still growing...and we're still learning.

I'm still learning. I want to get better every day and there is no better way to do that than by learning in the greatest classroom at our fingertips - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn... (For those that know me, I refuse to use SnapChat, so clearly I can't be called an 'expert'.)

Every day, I see great examples of new useful applications of social media and how to apply them to sports. Tomorrow, there will be more. Next week, we can take bits and pieces from one another and create an even greater application.

I want to help others and better myself through my experiences on what's worked, what hasn't worked, and what has flat out failed miserably.

You can call me whatever you'd like. I've pretty much been called every name in the book, but don't call me a social media expert. I'm just a student learning in the greatest classroom available.

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Follow me on Twitter at @ChrisYandle. Check out my video blog - “Beyond The Y” - at www.youtube.com/thechrisyandle.

[chrisyandle]

Awesome being back in the homeland. Excited to be a small part of history as Tulane football returns to campus for the first time in 40 years

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After a two-month hiatus, my video blog returned Thursday night with Kevin DeShazo to discuss social media strategy and education...oh, and coffee, too.

[chrisyandle]

A Depressing Truth

If there were to ever be a movie made about my life (and why would there?), I had always hoped I'd be portrayed with the acting admiration of Philip Seymour Hoffman and the comedic genius of Robin Williams.

Unfortunately, the world grew a little less funny Monday with the unexpected passing of Robin Williams. He was a very, very funny man. And according to reports, he was also very, very depressed.

On social media, many said: "He was always so happy; how could he be depressed?" Or my favorite: "He was a celebrity, he shouldn't be depressed."

Depression is, in fact, a terrible disease that affects millions, yet carries the weighted stigma of 1 million elephants.

Since the age of 15, I have battled clinical depression. It's a war I still wage today, but I seek help. I've seen a therapist off and on for the last five years. In all honesty, if it weren't for my wife and kids, I don't know where I'd be.

Over the last 17 years, I have had many greats, many good days, many bad days and many dark days. For most of that time (before I was married), I was made to feel that depression was taboo. Like I was a leper.

Depression and mental illness do not discriminate.

It is not a coward's way out as Shepard Smith mouthed off on FOX News. It's not selfish either, Todd Bridges. Until you've battled depression for yourself, you have no idea how much pain you experience.

Sometimes we feel there is only one way out. It's a crippling pain. Not physically, but mentally. You tend to lose sight of those that love you.

Depression is a dark and powerful thing. There's no shame in admitting your pain. Your life matters. You are needed. Please tell somebody.

— Kevin DeShazo (@KevinDeShazo)

August 11, 2014

How many more people must suffer before the national stigma about mental illness and depression goes away?

Those of us battling depression are not crazy.

We are talented.

We are smart.

We are beautiful.

We are kind.

We are funny.

We are your friends, your family and your neighbor.

We need help.

Always tell people you love them and how much they mean to you because you never know when your words will save their life.

If you or someone you know is in suicidal crisis or emotional destress, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. It's available 24/7.

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Follow me on Twitter at @ChrisYandle. Check out my video blog - “Beyond The Y” - at www.youtube.com/thechrisyandle.

[chrisyandle]

I accepted the #ALSIceBucketChallenge

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Don't compare your behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel.

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There Are No Goodbyes

There are no goodbyes. Saying goodbye seems so finite. 

In our business, we will see each other again. Maybe at different schools, or a different city than now, but we will cross paths somewhere down the road.

This is my last week at the University of Miami. Two years ago, I made the 24-hour drive from Waco, Texas, to Coral Gables to join the Hurricanes team. Now, I'm taking my family to Atlanta for an opportunity with Georgia Tech.

Change is always inevitable, but it's never easy.

I moved around a lot as a kid and I promised my wife that I wouldn't gallivant our children all over the country. I want to settle down, so that my kids can have what I didn't - a normal life that didn't involve moving every 2-3 years.

We are excited for the opportunity to be in Atlanta for a long time.

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Louisiana, Alabama, Louisiana (again), Maryland, Tennessee, Louisiana (yes, again), Mississippi, Louisiana (and again), West Virginia, Louisiana (rinse, repeat), Texas, Florida and now Georgia.

Georgia, believe it or not, will be my ninth state I call home.

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These last two years in Miami were everything our family needed: sunshine, beaches, college football and professional development. We got a lot of that...and more.

Thank you to everyone associated with the University of Miami for the opportunity to be a part of the Hurricanes family. The good news is that I'll see many familiar faces every year when Georgia Tech plays Miami.

Miami and South Florida will always be a special place to me.

Always leave everything in a better place than when you found it. Hopefully, I accomplished that.

[chrisyandle]

It's official: I am excited to join the Georgia Tech team as Assistant AD for Communications & Public Relations. #TogetherWeSwarm

[fastcodesign]

These posters make learning about typography fun!

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Yup!

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Opportunity knocks every day, but do you answer the door?

[chrisyandle]

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel.

Steve Furtick

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Brand You

Your reputation is your brand and your brand is your reputation.

We live in a digital society where one click, one Google search, one anonymous message board post or one Yelp review can be the difference between the employed and the unemployable.

Google your name right now.

...waiting...

...still waiting...

...Seriously, have you done it yet?...

What are the results? Are they what you had hoped? Are they good or bad? Why or why not?

Look, I know that you can't control what others say about you. There will always be jealous and envious types that don't want you to do well and there will always be those that say awful things just because they are miserable people.

Our society has become very vocal and opinionated - so much so that some will anonymously post vitriol that could drive a small business owner out of business, or engage in "group think" about a person or persons.

I get it, but don't let those negative Google results affect you professionally...or personally. Google searches (which includes social media information) are common for employers when collecting background information on potential employees and potential clients. It's perfectly legal.

It's all about image.

So, what now? How do you create a personal brand? Here are five points to use as a guide:

What's your WHY? Clearly define your purpose.

Who's your audience? List what group(s) would be interested in what you have to say.

Have a plan. Decide which social platforms you want to use and how you will use them.

Listen, listen, listen. Listen to others on your social channels. Pose questions to your followers. Don't just talk about yourself.

Repeat after me: IT'S OK TO SELF-PROMOTE...in moderation. If you leave off the moderation part and just promote yourself 24/7, then forget anything I said about building a brand because your brand will be non-existent.

At the end of the day, all of us - and I mean, ALL OF US - that actively use social media are narcissistic on some level. But, hear me out on this: just because you have a personal brand doesn't mean you have an inflated ego. Too many people confuse the terms.

Your reputation is your brand and your brand is your reputation.

Take care of yourself.

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Follow me on Twitter at @ChrisYandle. Check out my video blog - “Beyond The Y” - at www.youtube.com/thechrisyandle.

[chrisyandle]

Thanks to Troy Kirby for inviting me as guest for his videocast.

[chrisyandle]

Is Social Media Making Us 'Anti-Social'?

Is social media making us anti-social? The answer is complicated.

Yes.

and no.

Huh? How is that possible?

I, for one, am guilty of sitting at a table in a public place, scouring through hours of tweets and social media posts - trying to digest everything I missed in the last 30 seconds of real life. It's a nervous tick. It's so annoying that my wife, my kids and even my dog will take my iPhone out of my hand to get my attention.

Social media offers instant gratification. It offers external validation. It fills a void that may or may not be healthy.

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Break social media down into two words: social and media.

We are now able to communicate easier, quicker and (in most cases) more effectively than ever. Social.

We consume and share news and information more than ever, easier than ever. Hence, media.

We are social beings by nature, but has the influence of social media really made us anti-social? It depends on who you ask. (Side note: read 'Stop Wasting Your Time on Twitter' by Matt Knisely)

I think we are so consumed by connecting with others that we may tend to forget the deep-rooted relationships we've already forged. Yet, we long for MORE human interaction. It's natural. However, as we get older, we tend to lose contact with acquaintances and casual friends, instead choosing to focus on family and really close friends.

Social media has tricked us into thinking we have to be in the moment every waking second of the day. It's not true. Live your life, don't tweet your life (said multiple times by Kevin DeShazo).

One of the cool things (and sometimes creepy, depending on the situation) about being so "social" on social media: going to conferences such as NACDA and COSIDA and meeting people face-to-face (finally!) after interacting for lengths of time on social media.

It's like we're all on a never-ending episode of Blind Date or Singled Out. When we see someone we "follow" on Twitter, do we go up and introduce ourselves?

How do we start the conversation?

What if he/she doesn't like the real me? What if they only like the social media me?

Sometimes I feel weird when the first thing someone says to me is: "I follow you on Twitter." I don't know what to say. But, social media opens endless doors to developing and maintaining meaningful, long-lasting relationships.

Don't be stuck behind a Twitter handle. Don't get hung up on how many "connections" you have on LinkedIn on Twitter.

Don't forget about what matters in life: Living life.

Let social media open the door, but you're responsible for making real-life relationships...real.

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Follow me on Twitter at @ChrisYandle. Check out my video blog - “Beyond The Y” - at www.youtube.com/thechrisyandle.