Social Spot December 31st 2009
“Love is the most durable power in the world” Dr. Martin Luther King
At the time of my first and last posting, from the Digiday awards, I have been, well, socializing. After all, social media is that...social and I've been enjoying it. Whatever else that can be said about it, it is fun. I had promised myself to give you an update, other than my twittering and then woke to the most marvelous blanket of snow. Nature is miraculous in her ways. Silly me, this is the day of remembrance and as I am living where I began my career I'm sharing something different than originally planned with you...
Since, before “back in the day” I was in media. Then, it was said “you are born and you die in newspapers” and so I was born representing middle market newspapers across the country, big fish in small ponds from the national advertisers' view at the time.
My start took me into many functions and industries: sales, promotion, copy writing, marketing, art direction, strategic planning, business development in both public and private sectors in multiple industries ( museum education, publishing, sports marketing, health care, consumer products, fashion & beauty, software, financial services, investment banking, accounting and real estate).
I used to think this breadth of experience had given me judgment, that I read people well, had hired and mentored well and all these contributed to my success. The events post 9/11 tested that self image. And like so many of us, the more recent macro-economic collapse shook it to its very core. What was, is not anymore. The gurus that haven't fled seem suspect. More than ever, management and workers toil away with blinders on or “go wherever the universe may take them”. So this year of 2009 demanded grounding. It demanded recognizing what we knew for sure and marching bravely one foot in front of the other.
Early on in my career, an ad agency principal of a classy agency at the time told me that despite my National Sales Manager title, I was not a sales person. Instead I had the “skin of a principal” and was a believer. I knew this was meant to be a compliment but as I was not the principal, it made me nervous . If a survey of my subsequent employers was taken today, I suspect they'd agree. I was lucky to hear that early on. It led me to professional services where I could develop business on behalf of high quality service providers and talent where I derive great satisfaction. It drove me to seek collaboration with different colleagues with other strengths.
Today we believers are referred to as “evangelists”. The ugly ducklings found their entrepreneurial flocks. With that acceptance we find a need to be more alert. It's easier to be blinded by that agreed upon light and potentially lead others astray.
And so it is that I ask myself at the close of this remarkably tumultuous year of hope; what is it really that makes this social media irresistible to me and what within that might be of interest to you?
Is it the bright light of possibility? Possibility created by the rapidly increasing numbers of voices participating in the conversation; where is the ground here? What I know, is that we have a window of opportunity, a crack in the space of time to bring in more people from different sectors into to the conversation and further connect ourselves to get it better. It looks like a burst sometimes, but to those who've been developing technology it is the natural outgrowth of their intention to increase adoption. With ease of adoption, we have more people to come into the conversation and as I said to an acclaimed artist last night not yet participating; its where the party is now. More accurately, lots of parties. You don't have to risk security and be a crasher at the White House. And if you participate you can find interaction, not just broadcasters.
Whatever our station, whatever our sector, we have an opportunity to listen and participate with more segments of the world population. Voices who haven't been heard before have entered. What shall we do with this? Will we dismiss them because of their status or numbers, quantifying by the same financial models? Will the data it all be monetized the same way?
Learning about others, understanding and connecting with our neighbors to make things better with the increased ideas, inspiration and sharing of culture. this I find irresistible. What are we going to do with the contributions from the big and little fish from so many ponds around the world? What do all people really need and want?
Thank you all, the people in social media and Architecture for Humanity that I have had the pleasure to meet this year.
