May 26, 2010 | blog
As in all endeavors, there are many steps involved in accomplishing our goals. In transitioning from corporate social strategist to independent consultant I had a number of directions I was hoping to go. It’s finally time to launch one of those directions – I am now offering training courses through Social Media Breakfast.
While I’m working on additional courses, I now have the initial training session that SMBMSP is offering: Social Media 101 – Where to Start. 
While a large number of the Social Media Breakfast – Minneapolis/St. Paul members are beyond this level, we have a host of new members in the last several months from multiple disciplines. I think this course will be a good place for these folks to start, and subsequent training sessions will provide more in depth information as they grow and develop in the social media environment.
It’s been an interesting path to follow these last few weeks as I’ve been getting started on multiple initiatives – many taking more time than I had anticipated! Watch for more new things coming in the next few weeks.
Photo credit: erikaemergency
Apr 21, 2010 | blog
Lately I’ve been thinking about being comfortable, and how it leads one into complacency, into believing that everything is fine. That the world is fine, it’s understandable and that we know our place within it. I’ve been thinking this for a number of reasons and one of them is leading me to realize how hard it is for organizations to change.
As individuals, we know change is hard – we struggle every year to improve ourselves. We go so far as to ask peers to give critical feedback in the desire to find something to improve on. Something to make us better than we are. Seldom do we seek another path.
Often, another path is the dangerous choice, at least that’s how it appears. Its something we’re not comfortable with. It’s filled with challenges that we believe we’re not equipped to deal with. The chance for failure is higher. Perceptions can change without realizing it’s happening – brand authenticity is challenged with little warning.
What does an organization do when they feel like they’ve lost control of the message? What if they don’t understand that control is an illusion? Can change occur without destroying some portion of the organization, the control structure, or at the very least perceptions of such things?
Of course these are simply questions of those in denial.
The reality is change. Knowing what to look for, and recognizing it’s occurring is the opportunity. Finding the courage to take the step forward and question if the message is still valid is not common in many organizations. Taking action on such a realization is even harder.
It’s easier for an outsider to critique. The ability to accept outside recommendations on direction accomplishes multiple things without everyone realizing what’s happening…at least not right away. The organization gets a small glimpse of what it needs to do. It feels better about change. Leadership doesn’t have to take a leadership role, and doesn’t have to discipline anyone for challenging or stepping outside the control structure.
The point in all of this is that it’s easy to see how we get caught up in how change can be bad, that it’s far easier to stay the course we think is right rather than taking a step away and looking at our goals from a fresh perspective. To stop, listen, learn something we didn’t know (maybe many somethings), and then try something new. Its not hard to try – and an entire organization doesn’t need to be involved at the start, but someone does need to take the initiative.
Will it be you? I hope so.
Photo courtesy of Dru!
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.
Feb 3, 2010 | blog
Knowledgeable entrepreneurs do it all the time, why shouldn’t you?
We all know many knowledgeable people who help us navigate the pitfalls of career and life. Many times it’s family, friends and co-workers – of which there’s nothing wrong with listening & learning from.
However, what if you seek out and select new or additional influencers to augment what you’ve inherited by default? Basically, what if you got to select who you get to learn from? Why aren’t you doing this already?
Every day we’re interacting with people who have something to share. If they’re not sharing ideas and thoughts that move us forward, what inspiration or feedback are you getting? Look closer, I believe there is something more there than you expect.
I suggest that you get out and start connecting with peers and experts in your field. (That’s called networking to you and me.) In the end, you’ll find folks who want to work with you, share with you, and learn from you. That’s the reward by the way, transfer of knowledge, sharing of experiences, the ability to learn form others experience and make something better with them in the end.
Picture courtesy of kalieye
Jan 18, 2010 | blog
Changes & Challenges
Challenges – the unique opportunity to see if we’re good enough. It lives within us all, and the organizations we work with as well. Do we really have what it takes? Can we really meet the expectations that are set without our control? Can we let go of control and still be able to survive?
So it is with social media in business. Taking the concepts of transparency and community behind the firewall brings numerous challenges and requires many changes in a company’s culture. If that culture is too ridgid, the change is met with skepticism and sometimes fear. The fear comes from losing control, or from having to learn yet another set of skills that leave you further behind that your contemporaries.
Whatever the case, the challenges of organizations taking up social media can easily derail many attempts that were designed to enhance the company’s ability to move forward. Its the opportunity for individuals within the organization to help lead, help educate, and help demonstrate how things can be done. The question becomes how to educate and train people on these new methods, along with selecting the proper solution for the business need at hand.
Oftentimes, the social media “expert” you hire has a direct impact on the success – many times because of the focus on the tool rather than solving the need. You see, social media is no different than anything else. It’s a set of ideas or concepts. It consists of a number of possible technologies. To be successful, you need to understand the requirements (needs) of the business before selecting the right tool.
You wouldn’t use a Standard blade screwdriver to tighten a Phillips screw, so why would you select the wrong tool in social media?
I think the confusion come from the number of tools, and the fact that nearly all of them overlap in one or more area. This is where the knowledge of the social media professional needs to be leveraged. The person who helps coach you through the identification of needs and selection of tools will need to have worked with them in multiple ways so they understand what would work best in your application.
Identify the challenges of your company and the changes needed to move forward and you’re on your way to providing what your company needs to remain competitive as the world changes around us.
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