Category: Social Business

Social Business, Story + NarrativeLeave a comment

This Is What Community Looks Like In 2013. #Irashimase!

ThisMuchWeKnow

Although I was (fairly vaguely) brought up a Christian, the first time I ever remember understanding religion was at the age of 17, talking to an old geezer about the word “Church.” To my clear lack of deep interest in the Church, he explained to me that the word derived from community. The physical church building was a place of community. Now, that I can understand. church as community, bringing people together in commonality. The city has been my church as an adult. I instinctively understand people communing in a shared endeavour. Pride in one’s togetherness, safety in likemindedness, plus … Continue reading This Is What Community Looks Like In 2013. #Irashimase!

Social Business, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

7 Answers To 7 Questions You Will Face As you Modernize Your Company

ThisMuchWeKnow

The always excellent John Stepper has captured the questions we have all (been) asked as we journey the social highway. In my simple, naïve way, here are my answers to them 1. “Can we do that?” Yes we can! Let us coopt the fervor and self-belief of Obama ’08. No hiding, no long verbose explanations. Self-declare a new reality. 2. “What if people say something they shouldn’t?” They won’t. Ever. Of course there is miscommunication and confusion wherever we look (and lawyers, especially, look quite hard). We all make mistakes. But no-one with a name and photo attached to their … Continue reading 7 Answers To 7 Questions You Will Face As you Modernize Your Company

Social Business, The Future of Work4 Comments

The ONE Thing You Need To Prosper In #SocBiz? Relentless Humanity

ThisMuchWeKnow

This is an article you must read, if you want to understand social business. No, not understand it, I mean “get it”; feel the quality; live and breathe the future of work. Work is human; and it is humane. Technology may be the backbone of organizational change, it may be a driver, but technology is not the THING. People are the THING. How we commune, orchestrate, succeed – these are human endeavours. Stowe Boyd and Megan Murray both understand this; they live it and breathe. Theirs is a quite lovely and human exchange. I like to think of myself as being relentlessly … Continue reading The ONE Thing You Need To Prosper In #SocBiz? Relentless Humanity

Social Business, The Future of Work1 Comment

Hiring #TheNewBrian The Social Way

ThisMuchWeKnow

I am back in the hiring process, as a member of my team readies himself to spread his wings. Hiring makes me sanguine: the level of randomness of applicant – quality, fit, experience, resume – is extreme, implying a lack of due diligence from job seekers. I smell the scattergun fear of people trying any avenue, every avenue, to work, at anything. Resumes suck. I cannot feel the quality. So, we now ask people to present themselves, and even apply for roles, socially, in the open. If working out loud is healthy preparation for the future of work, then why … Continue reading Hiring #TheNewBrian The Social Way

Social Business, The Future of Work11 Comments

Hello. I’m Jonathan. How Can I Help?

ThisMuchWeKnow

I asked someone recently a question that seemed quite natural to ask. It felt good. I didn’t over think it. It just made sense at the time. I asked her: How can I help? I was reminded of this brief exchange recently when I read this article on the networking power of asking the same question (I think, via @Nilofer) I think it might be the most important question we can ask each other in the next 10 years, and not just because it will help us network (always a useful skill). Now, there is nothing other-worldly about what I … Continue reading Hello. I’m Jonathan. How Can I Help?

Social Business, The Curious Will Inherit The World1 Comment

Public Dreams; Social Business…

ThisMuchWeKnow

There are two local festivals I enjoy the most of Vancouver’s myriad cultural offerings: Public Dream’s Illuminares and the Powell St. Festival. After last night’s Illuminares I was reflecting on what exactly I find so satisfying about a simple lantern festival in a local park. It is not the thing / topic itself – lanterns last night, Japanese culture in two weeks on Powell Street – but the fact that they are social in nature. They are put on for us – both events are organized and curated by wonderful organizations – but they are enhanced by us. For every … Continue reading Public Dreams; Social Business…

Social Business, The Curious Will Inherit The World1 Comment

Working Out Loud Makes EVERYONE Curious(er)

ThisMuchWeKnow

I was reading a Yammer community social stream today on the topic of ‘working out loud,’ something I have engaged with at work (via yammer) and in this blog. A theme within that circulated throughout the hour long discussion was the power of curiosity. Working out loud allows the curious to participate with you. And, contrary to some opinion that ‘broadcasting’ your own stuff is self-centred / showing off, those that share are also curious – because they are inviting that feedback / co-creation. They want to learn and to grow. Someone commented in the stream: “The best cure for … Continue reading Working Out Loud Makes EVERYONE Curious(er)

Social Business, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Can IT Be The Department of Yes?

ThisMuchWeKnow

Discussing technology that powers the social enterprise, as I do, one clear distinction I have experienced is how it is MarComms / HR-types that “get it”; and IT-types that fold their arms and harumph about it. I spoke at a couple of Microsoft ‘social’ events this year about adopting social technology in the enterprise – using my company as a case study. Within the enterprise social community there is this natural conversation happening about ‘what if..’ and ‘Yes! And…‘ Conversely, in the MSoft audience were mainly IT-types, and there was a collective head scratching about the meaning of social. Instead, … Continue reading Can IT Be The Department of Yes?

Social Business, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

“Access trumps possession. Access is better than ownership.” #SocBiz Aha!

ThisMuchWeKnow

“Access trumps possession. Access is better than ownership.” – Kevin Kelly, Founder, Wired This is the incredibly prescient KK from 2009 on the power of access. Of course, this message speaks powerfully for the opportunity of social/open business; and what tools like ESNs (Enterprise Social Networks) offer: giving others access to shared knowledge trumps possession/ownership of the same. Gosh, I hope there are “Aha!s” all round. ←This Much We Know.→     Continue reading “Access trumps possession. Access is better than ownership.” #SocBiz Aha!

Personal Branding, Social BusinessLeave a comment

Act Like An (Internal) Agency

ThisMuchWeKnow

“Showing up‘ cogently is critical – it helps others understand why you matter! This week, I have described some ways I show up: The Dept. of Why “Can we fix it?“ “Yes. And…“ Today: Act as The Agency This is a simple one: think like an agency. Critical thinking, creative rigour, strong strategic voice. Garner the respect internally that an expensive external agency would demand from leaders. It means acting as Intrapreneurs. ←This Much We Know.→ Continue reading Act Like An (Internal) Agency

Personal Branding, Social Business, The Future of Work3 Comments

How Do You “Show Up” (At Work)?

ThisMuchWeKnow

I sometimes write about the limitations of standard resumes / CVs. They bother me. When I consider the intricacies, narratives and pure interestingness of the human condition – not least my own – then a two-page document full of active verbs, bullet points and random statistics seems just plain weird. I want to feel the quality. I want to understand three-dimensionally. I want to trust my intuition. I want a neural firestorm of dopamine. This requirement for more / deeper ahas! is aided and abetted by online social media and channels. There is suddenly a whole other layer of data … Continue reading How Do You “Show Up” (At Work)?

Social Business, The Future of Work4 Comments

Charisma Is Over-Rated

ThisMuchWeKnow

From Humanize: how people-centric organizations succeed in a social world “We listed 12 leadership traits, all of which we think are valuable. But we intentionally pulled the traits from two different schools of thought. Six of the traits are ones that are more consistent with traditional leadership thinking in the command-and-control model: providing clear direction, brilliant strategist, leverages best practices, charismatic, holds people accountable, and commands loyalty from employees. The other six were more reflective of the principles that we have identified in Humanize: embraces change, values experimentation and failure, open to diverse perspectives, transparent and shares information freely, comfortable with conflict and participates in … Continue reading Charisma Is Over-Rated