it lunatics

Death of a Model & Implications to Organizations

Today, many people are mourning the passing of the Rocky Mountain News.  A highly respected paper found itself unable to compete against the shifts in individual in media consumption from a daily/off-line event to a real-time/on-line activity. While the Rocky Mountain News attempted a number of ways to extend its paper to the on-line work, it was a little too late to survive.

I am attending a United Methodist Communication's meeting as part of the Global Council on Communication at Southern Methodist University.  It was interesting to here the reaction of one of the journalism professors to this crisis.  At the core of his message was that news is becoming a deafening noise of clutter vs. a clear signal of the truth.

In other words, he believes that news is becoming trivialized, unverified, and deafening.  The extension of the argument was articulated with a video talking about "Google-zon" produced a few years ago.  Take a watch here...

Why are people ignoring well written papers that are very insightful failing as a business?  Why are people choosing "crowd-written" blogs over "professional journalist" analysis?  I think that consumers have decided that they want it real-time, on-demand, and participative so people can co-create ideas and thoughts.

There is a new belief that we are "smarter together" than one individual or institution on its own.  People want to access information on their own terms and then participate in true dialogue to uncover the meaning together.

Consumers habits have shifted.  The Internet helped accelerate the shift.  How will newspapers adjust?  How does the shift in consumer trends impact your business or organization?

The wave is coming.  Will you surf it or get smashed by it?

Barriers to Corporate Use of Social Media - A debunking by tweetpr

While scanning through Twitter, I found a very interesting article by tweetpr on "Debunking the Social Media Barriers."  It focused on the 44% of companies who stated they would probably or definitely not use social media in a recent CEO Survey by PRWeek.  PRWeek followed up by asking them what they considered to be the most serious barriers holding them back.

Here they are:

• 44.5% said they consider it lack of relevance to target stakeholder groups.
• 37% said they are concerned about losing control of the message.  
• 28% said they were concerned about return on investment (ROI)  
• 22.5% said they were concerned about lack of knowledge and capability within the company.
• 19% said they were concerned about the lack of knowledge and capability within the public relations, advertising, and/or other marketing agencies the company works with.  

David does a great job in debunking these barriers.  I especially liked his discussion on controlling the message.  Consumers gained their own megaphone with the advent of Web 2.0 and consumer generated content.  Companies no longer control the message; it is a shared conversation with all of us.

So...what reasons does your company, organization, or group use social media to join the conversation?

 

Reflections on Twitter and using proper ettiquette.

I have spent the past few weeks learning how to use Twitter.  It started with a Hubspot webinar on "How to use Twitter for Marketing & PR."  So, I started to build a profile, modify the look and feel of my page, and then starting to follow thought leaders in the social media space.  I then looked to follow those engaged in the different conversations that interested me.

So, how do you navigate this massive swirl of conversation?  I found myself a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of conversations going on.  I feel like it is like an ocean of conversation.  There are many undercurrents of conversations.  Some form into waves that can be seen from the surface.  You can pick what to pay attention to and what waves of conversation to ride.

But, how to ride the wave?  I was on twitter today and found a great post (that was publicized by a tweet) that helps provide an everyday context on how to think about and use twitter...a dinner party.

Read the Blog Post "Twitter as Dinner Conversation" by Chuck Westbrook on how to properly interact in the twitterverse.  It provided a lot of good tips on when to direct message and how to reply and equate it to a dinner party that we have all experienced.  It helps provide some basic help in how to interact in this new space.

Have fun in the mass dinner party!  Feel free to follow me on twitter at @eseiberling.

Can Obama's Campaign 2.0 turn into Change 2.0 for America?

After last night's historic election, I am taking a moment to reflect on my hopes that this campaign can change how we create change in our schools, our communities, and yes, even our government.  I found the choice at the polls a difficult one.  For me, it came down to a simple question ... who can rally the American people to create a better country?  It isn't the government, or policies, or laws that make the U.S. and the world a better place.  It is the power of people who make a difference every single day.

Yes, I voted Obama.  Here's why?  Over that past 21 months, I have watched with interest as Obama leveraged the best in social media and grassroots organizing to cast a very compelling message and mobilize millions through social media.  It empowered the disenfranchised and gave people hope.  Do I agree with many of his policies?  No.  Do I think he has the best experience?  No.  Do I think he can change the tone of the country?  Absolutely.

The Obama campaign changed the dynamic of politics by creating real conversation again in politics.  I watched the election on TV, web, Facebook, and Twitter last night.  The reaction and real dialogue was amazing.  Both McCain and Obama supporters having real conversations about the direction of the country instead of yelling at one another.  People expressing hope.   We have watched the advent of Campaigning 2.0.  

But can this continue?  Can we turn this into Change 2.0?  Can we turn this amazing Obama campaigning methodology to assist non-profits to fight malaria?  Can we start making real strides on the war on poverty?  Can we get focused on what really matters in life?  

Let us pray that the Obama presidency will continue to rally change beyond getting out the vote and make a real difference.

Your thoughts?

Learning how to use other Web 2.0 tools

Over the weekend, I have been trying to start exploring the different Web 2.0 tools that are out there. I wasn't quite sure where to start, so I started copying people. I started to pay attention how a number of people are getting the word out, and here are the big tools I found.

1. Twitter. I am not sure how microblogging works or if anyone pays attention, but I started following a few people over the weekend. For the uninitiated, Twitter allows short messages up to 140 characters to be sent to people that follow you. You can also link it to Facebook and other places to act as your status update. It makes a great casual contact tool, but I wonder how effective it is at starting conversations.

2. Twitterfeed. When I was updating my twitter account, I saw some bloggers using twitter feed to gain publicity to their blog. It will excerpt the blog entry and send it to your twitter friends. We'll see how useful it is.

3. Technorati. I heard that Technorati is a must for bloggers on a Six Pixels of Separation podcast. I have even less of a clue on how to use it. I also need to confirm owning this blog, so here is the link I need to post. Technorati Profile

4. Friendfeed. Friendfeed aggregates your friends RSS feeds. I have started using Friendfeed to start paying attention to what my friends are doing on-line. The best use of friendfeed that I have found so far is watching what the "experts" are doing and using it to further my own knowledge. We'll see if it is educational or just plain creepy. I doubt it is the latter, since they are the ones posting it to their RSS feeds.

5. Updating my RSS feeds. RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." Think of it like short e-mail text messages and links from websites that you have subscribed to. I have needed to thin out my RSS feeds and refocus them on what I care about. I have been using Outlook to manage my RSS traffic and it has worked out really well. It fits in with my current habit and then I can flag interesting articles for follow-up so I can take a deeper look at it or blog about it.

That is what I have done so far. What tools have you used to help wrap your arms around this big Web 2.0 world. What's worked and what has not?

Screaming in the wildness (early reflections of a new blogger)

I read a number of blogs and listened to a number of podcasts that are encouraging people to "get out there" and start creating content. I just received a new iPod for my birthday and back to listening to podcasts.  I less than one hour, I heard the voices of Mitch Joel, CC Chapman and Joe Jaffe answering the simple question, "Why blog?"

I started this endeavor a couple months ago to get a sense of what blogging is and what are the challenges people face when entering the blog-o-sphere as a contributor. Joel, C.C., and Joseph were my inspiration.  Now here is what I have learned by my 10th post:

1. Writing a post is never easy. I found that it is best for me to blog what is on my mind versus some grandiose content schedule. I am usually thinking about some thing in my work life and here is where it ends up.

2. Content first, publicize second. As a starting blogger, I worried a lot about growing an audience. That is kind of backwards. In this web 2.0 world, content is king. The audience follows.

3. Allow your writing to help you identify your niche.  I am still working my way through this one.  Should I focus on IT or think more broadly about internal change inside companies?  Through my posts, I am getting the feeling it is the latter.  IT is important to this change, but not the only thing.

4. Join the conversation.  Start to actively participate in the blog-o-sphere.  I never commented on posts from other bloggers before August.  There are two things wrong with that. First, commenting on other people's blogs makes you think deeper about the content and it ends up stimulating thoughts for your on blog.  Second, blogs are meant for conversations and community, not just screaming your point of view.  So move from lurker to full participant.

5. Content generates search results, and not the other way around.  We are now in a content driven world.  All the SEO strategies in the world will not help you if your content stinks.  What is true in marketing goes the same for social media...good advertising will kill a bad product faster.

6. Start with your own social network to build an audience.  I am slowing gaining readership by telling both colleagues and clients about my blog.  A mention in an e-mail or meeting can go a long way to building the foundation of an audience.  As long as you think your blog can authentically help them vs. building numbers for you, this is a very good thing to do.

There are my six quick thoughts (sounds like a Six Pixels of Separation - thanks Mitch Joel for the template).  I am still very new at this, but starting to get into a rhythm.  My next question will be, "once you have the content, how do you build the audience?" 

Feel free to throw in your two cents.  We'll all be richer for it.

Facebook friends...just for fun or good business

I have been thinking a lot about how to use Facebook beyond a social tool to connect with friends.  I am on a few non-profit boards for the United Methodist Church and also working to trying to build the Business Transformation business at Abreon.  I find myself thinking about a simple question, "what is the redeeming value of Facebook beyond my social connections?"

I have clearly seen Facebook's value to reconnecting with old friends from High School, College, and from all the places I lived over the years (Kim and I moved 6 times in 5 years with the military).  Over the past month or so, I have reconnected with over 10% of my graduating class from high school.  Everyone is now inviting their contact list from high school and it is coming close to reaching the tipping point to serve as our on-line planner for our 20th reunion.  That's great, but so what for business?

From a business side, how does Facebook provide a benefit?  I tried to explain it once to a friend of mine in sales.  I felt that Facebook has allowed to keep in casual contact with a large number of my contacts and acquaintances.  Not only due I keep in touch with what is going on with their lives, but they see my name, status updates, birthday reminder and others.  It is like bumping into the hallways at work.  You can stay closer to the top of mind so it turns a lukewarm contact call into a meaningful conversation because you were never out of touch.

I think there may be a broader lesson to learn here.  Whether it is a big business (Procter & Gamble), little business (Abreon) or non-profit work (United Methodist Church), maybe the goal is not to try to hammer people over the head and "close the sale," but build a relationship through casual contact.  Over time, your presence is accepted and even welcome in other people's lives, opening the door for more meaningful dialogue and potential opportunities.

So, while the goal of Facebook is not to close the sale, maybe it is to make the relationship "closer" which is always good business.

If you like the post, become my friend on Facebook.  If you have any thoughts, feel free to join the conversation.

Old Habits Die Hard. Why?

Today I am working through a simple problem.  How do you get people to adopt a new way of doing work?  If they believe that their current behaviors are fine, how do you get them to "see the better way" and start to change?  How do you get them to adapt their current behaviors to be more efficient, more collaborative, or more effective by doing something different.

I know there is a lot of literature on the subject but it does seem very esoteric.  Whether it is "Crossing the Chasm" by Geoff Moore or "Heart of Change" by John Kotter, it seems to provide a nice cookie cutter approach to drive adoption but seldom seems to work in reality.  Most of the time I would attempt to blame myself for not doing a "good enough" job, but is this true.  In other words, why do more good things die before they ever have a chance.

That got me to thinking...  Why do people hate to change?  I just bought "Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath, but I didn't start it yet.  So I am left on my own with my own experience...Star Trek.

I remembered several Star Trek Next Generation episodes where Commander Data explained friendship.  Commander Data (for you non-Trekkies out there) is the android member of the crew who seeks to become more human.  While he does not have emotion, he does try to explain what people mean to him and why he is feeling at a loss when someone dies or leaves the Enterprise.

Commander Data describe friendship as "As I experience certain sensory input patterns, my mental pathways become accustomed to them. The inputs eventually are anticipated. And even 'missed' when absent."

Are we the same way when it comes to our habits and work patterns?  Even when we know we can do something better, do we fall into old habits because it is the path of least resistance when we attempt to process it in our brains.  I asked a few people about this phenomenon and they remark that they often conduct many common tasks on "automatic."  This allows them to use more of their brainpower on more important tasks or problems instead of thinking about more mundane ones.  When we attempt to switch these patterns, we feel lost and sometimes at a loss without any real reason why.  In other words, we are disrupting the pattern.

I think that is why Moore's curve exists (explaining the bell curve of adoption of innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority & laggards.)  Innovators and early adopters prevent those patterns from ever forming.  Instead, their pattern is always to look for the "new."  The other three segments have established patterns which need interrupted and reformed for adoption to occur.

To really make change work, we need to either hijack the already established habit or interrupt it so dramatically that change can occur.  As we think about using Web 2.0 tools in our workplace, we need to figure out how to move from a "PC application and e-mail" pathway of collaboration to a "web-based" process.  I think simple tools like Facebook help in getting people to interact on-line.  Now, how do we hijack it to turn it into a true "Work 2.0" work.

Thoughts?

Using web 2.0 for non-profits

For the past month, I have been pondering the use of web 2.o technologies for non-profits.  I have been asked by both the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church and UM Communications (Global Agency of the United Methodists), to serve on their leadership team.  While many churches use simple websites to communicate with their members and their communities, I keep thinking about how churches can "up their game" and start to really us social media to reach their "world."

They way I see it, sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Second Life represent the new social gathering places for the average American.  While this may not work for my wife's church (full disclosure...she is a United Methodist pastor at Elberon UMC in East Price Hill) since it is a very poor urban setting, it can work for many of our pastor friends in the suburbs or rural areas.  But how many actually do it?  Sadly, not many.  So, why not?

Many issues of adoption can come down to a basic question:  Is it a will or skill problem?  Some of the people I have spoken with see the social media playground (a term I heard coined by CC Chapman on "Managing the Grey" and I highly recommend it), view the space as just that...a kiddie playground.  They see tools like MySpace as a site for kids posting crazy pictures (most of them not good) or creepy adults stalking children.  It is a gigantic "time-suck" for games like MobWars or responding to SuperPokes, but that is about it.  Others are interested, but have NO IDEA on how to use it.  They are intrigued by the idea, but really do not have a framework on how to approach these tools and use them to get their message out. 

This debate reminds me of the discussion which started at the beginning of the Internet age.  I heard a lot about "wow, websites are interesting, but does it really do anything?"  Now many organizations know they need to be "out there" with a website and set up static sites.  Sadly, there still missed the boat.

The joy of the web 2.0 world is that we can now set up dynamic conversations with our target easier than ever.  We set up our church website in less than 20 minutes using Typepad.  I started a Facebook group for West Ohio Clergy Spouses.  That was the easy part.  Now we need to manage the conversation and spark the "social" in social media.  But how?

That is what I am pondering.  How can you effectively use blogs, wikis, Second Life, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social media to help non-profits achieve their goals?  What success stories are out there?  What are the big watchouts as we attempt new things in the social media "sandbox?"

As always, your thoughts are appreciated!!!