Apr 7, 2010 | blog
Here’s another learning from my recent travels across the country. It has to do with community, and regional participation.
I happen to live near and work in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota area, and we have a very good, active social media community. Because of this, its been easy for me to focus locally and (kind of) forget how many other large and small urban centers also have great communities. That’s been the biggest learning as I’ve meet folks from all corners of the U.S. and around the world.
We all have vibrant social media communities, but they’re all different. Some areas seem to be better at marketing, some better at technology or funding. Regardless of the size of the city, the interest and enthusiasm always seems to be bigger than you’d think… and that’s the really fun part.
So my question to you this afternoon is what you’ve been doing to support that community and help it flourish. The benefits of understanding what social media can do for individuals, businesses and your physical communities is growing at an impressive rate. Its more than simply mainstream usage, it’s about people (society) adapting to new ideas and tools that support those ideas. It’s cultural change which can be challenging for some organizations and individuals, and this is where you can help your community.
Getting involved in your local community is the best way to make things happen. Find out what the need is and work on filling it. It may be getting people together at meetups, answering questions, or maybe training. In any case, participating with your local community is as important as keeping up with the new ideas and tools that come out every day.
Picture courtesy Sri Dhanush
Apr 1, 2010 | blog
It’s been a long time coming, but there are significant changes taking place here this week. The first change being a new look
* and updated layout here on the site. The current design was done almost two years ago by
Mykl Roventine, a great designer & creator of things ;-), and has served this blog well during that time.
The next evolution of this site, needs to support the evolving needs I have online and in working with clients and organizations. More information on resources, ideas, offerings, services, and such are part of that plan, and I think the new design is going to fit those needs nicely. In addition to that, it’s just time to freshen things up a bit to go along with that new direction.
The other portion of the refresh is around opportunities. The growing
Social Media Breakfast community here in Minneapolis & St. Paul is one part, but also the national organization is working together as it grows. The education needs of our communities are growing, the number of businesses both large and small in need of advice & direction is expanding along with the opportunities to mentor folks who need it. All these things are part of my thinking in this redesign and direction for the future.
So when you ask? This week I say! Much of the new design is ready to go and I’ll be working into the wee hours here & there to bring it live, but it will be done by the end of the week. Gotta go now though, still much to do, and still more to share later.
🙂
Mar 24, 2010 | blog
I was amazed a couple weeks ago when a younger coworker engaged in a conversation (um… debate) about whether Facebook was a viable business tool. Now, somehow I got baited into this discussion, probably on a quest to figure out why a Gen Y type would think Facebook didn’t belong behind the firewall.
During the conversation, I started to identify what was really going on. The problem wasn’t the tool (I knew this going into it), but again was perception. You see, the corporate information technology industry has done the same thing as every other professional industry. They’ve put blinders on and have had years and healthy budgets to define what “professional” conduct looks like. Moreover, because they can point to years of supposed successes in fighting (gasp!) antivirus, malware, and (more realistically) external facing security vulnerabilities, they have the gravitas within organizations to make (dictate) business policies in the boardroom.
Through all of this, the real needs of the business get molded and formed into highly structured processes that can more easily be measured or manipulated. Of course, I have to admit these methods allow businesses to conform to compliance and regulatory requirements more easily – an unfortunate reality. Because everything is so structured, the perception is that everything in business needs to be as organized and controlled. The problem is that communication is not the same thing as information.
Communication needs to happen quickly, getting to the right person at the right time to make a difference. This need is impeded by too much structure, too much process. You can see that already on the marketing & PR side of social media. The traditional release isn’t as powerful as it once was (though it hasn’t been negated either) because of the nimble adaptability of online sharing tools. This is one of many places where IT simply gets it wrong. The idea that communication and the sharing of ideas needs to be managed is a sure sign that the organization is fighting itself.
So what was the outcome of that conversation with my coworker? He still thinks Facebook isn’t a viable business tool. What it really boils down to is that he didn’t like the idea that his “professional” life could so easily collide with his “personal” life, that people could actually discover he had fun in college. Heck, who didn’t?
Photo courtesy ant.photos
Mar 23, 2010 | blog
Sometimes its hard to listen to someone telling you the truth. Deep down you know they’re right, and that’s why you don’t stop them in their tracks. You know you need to hear it even though you don’t want to. It’s good for you.
The reality is that we often need to have our perceptions reset, and that means we need to listen. It also means that we need a network of closely trusted peers that can tell us we’re full of it, and be able to remain close because of it. If you don’t have that kind of network, then you haven’t been working hard enough in your personal social networking efforts.
Learning that the great idea you have is crap, or simply needs a few easy tweaks is as important as the ideas themselves. The ability to listen to people who care about your success and take that knowledge forward to make what you do better is a learned skill that true professionals embrace at every opportunity.
One of the things I learned from SXSW this past week was that I had been neglecting a portion of my network. Many of the people I had connected with years ago, I hadn’t kept up with and my future has been impacted because of it. That was my realization of truth, pointed out by a friend while in Austin. It’s not a mistake I’ll make a second time.
Now, what have you learned this week from a friend?
What have you done to help a peer succeed?
Picture courtesy of slowdevil.
Mar 19, 2010 | blog
![wordjam #2 [read and create] by the|G|](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_lossy,ret_img,w_240,h_180/https://rickmahn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/3709881283_05229464f33.jpg "wordjam #2 [read and create] by the|G|")
The amount of time I’ve wasted of the last several months not creating content for this blog is simply silly. When we all have so much to share and so much to say, why do we find it so hard these days to create content for our blogs?
We’re so connected to nearly instantaneous interactions on Twitter and Facebook, or IM & Skype that we forget how groundbreaking a blog actually is. Our nuggets of wisdom have been shortened to 140 characters or less and thrown into the rushing stream of status update consciousness.
Yes, this knowledge is out there, shared, and searchable, but how does it track back to what we represent to other folks?
I keep thinking about these things as I miss the opportunity every week to write content for this blog and share things I’ve learned or that I think would be useful to other people. That’s the frustration I’ve had with Twitter and other status update services or tools.
I know I’m not alone in this, many I talked to at SXSW this past week had similar comments, and we’ve read this online from many others. What I want to do is to get back to a regular blogging schedule where I’m sharing things I’ve learned through the week. There’s so much going on all the time, and it’s a shame not to be able to create content around that knowledge.
At least, this is one of many things that SXSW woke me up to. The rest I’ll save for more posts.
Picture courtesy of the|G|
Mar 19, 2010 | blog
It’s amazing, sometimes, how easily we forget how big, how expansive our country is. The time it takes to drive across one state or another is not inconsequential and each time the scenery is worth paying attention to. The diversity of the landscapes always impresses me.
From the sweeping agricultural plains to the industrial and commercial centers of urban life, to the majestic mountains or coastline it never ceases to teach. Every trip I take, I learn something new. Either about the area I’m visiting, or the region I’m traveling through, the history and culture of the area presents a new opportunity to learn more about my fellow countrymen. It gives me a better idea of how the things I do fit into the world, and how we all relate to each other.
The other thing is the opportunity to travel across rather than over. While flying is faster, it’s certainly not rewarding. The hassles of security stops and checks is inconvenient, especially with the false sense of security it provides. Traveling on the road can be much more rewarding if you have the time. You get to see the country, meet the people, and experience the contours of the land, something that’s lost at 40,000 feet.
Another perspective is the people. You learn so much from the characters you meet and where they’re from. It can help look at things from another angle and learn what kinds of perceptions exist and why. These help us build better products and provide better services. Not just because they’re cool, but because they are useful. Because people need or want them.
I write this on the return leg of a road trip to South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, TX. Over a week on the road getting a full dose of fresh perspective has reset my direction and attitude. The results are the only thing left to focus on, and I need to thank this experience and the trip itself for the bulk of that new thinking.
Have you done a long distance road trip lately? What have you learned that can help others?
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