Recently, I added the job title “Intrapreneur” to my LinkedIn profile. It speaks to my belief that the future of work is changing underfoot. We need to be nimble, upskilling, influencers all. In yesterday’s post I wrote “[of my interest … Continue reading I Have Changed My Job Title To…Corporate Disorganizer.
I am newly taken with the definition of entrepreneurship from Joseph Schumpeter: creative destruction. Peter Drucker said the entrepreneur upsets and disorganizes. I am trying to apply the same notion inside the organization, even calling myself an intrapreneur. Consequently, this Schumpeter column in The Economist on entrepreneurs rang a bell: Joseph Schumpeter once argued that economic progress takes place in “cracks” and “leaps” rather than “infinitesimal small steps” because it is driven by rule-breaking entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurs are contrarian value creators. They see economic value where others see heaps of nothing,” the article cites. Inside the organization, intrapreneurs do the same thing. They … Continue reading Want Intrapreneurial Progress? Create ‘Cracks And Leaps’
I am tired of resumes / CVs. Such a lame-ass mechanism for enabling me to say “Yes!” to someone. For every applicant I had recently for the opening in my team, I scanned the documents for relevance, then went online to check for social channels – and the real/big reveal… And the biggest reveal? That most (MarComms!) people are still invisible online. Or, close but still no cigar, their channels have been set up for the purpose of securing this very job. No. Do it like this. Set up your channels. Live your life. Share, as you see fit, with … Continue reading Build Your Personal Brand NOW. Ask For Help Later.
Yesterday I discussed the McKinsey Disruptive Technologies Report and the centrality of #SocBiz to it. Thomas Frey has put down a marker of what that means for us as workers. Namely, the end of 2 b.i.l.l.i.o.n jobs by 2030. Hard to swallow? Wait, there’s more. Disruption also means the end of teamwork, according to Paul Rux: The powerful trend toward freelance workplaces signals the coming demise of teamwork. Get ready to move, re-skill, and coach innovative individuals as leaders Add in the end of regular by-the-hour work too, according to Carrie Ann Zapka: Dynamic pay-per-task networks will replace fixed annual … Continue reading Disruption: The End Of Teamwork, Scheduling, And 2 BILLION Jobs. Gulp.
Reviewing the McKinsey report on Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy… I was struck that the top 4 ideas are all items that touch on knowledge work, social business, collaboration and sharing. They are all items where “we” SocBiz practitioners can and should be leaders of thought and leaders of action in our organizations. Thoughts and actions that will save our organizations vast amounts of time and money; and may, indeed, allow them to survive. Hussah! ←This Much We Know.→ Continue reading 4 Ways #SocBiz Leaders Are Preparing Organizations For Disruption
This is SocBiz MAGIC. Must. Send. To. All. CEOs. Now. We are only at the beginning of the digital technology and innovation journey. Indeed…”we haven’t seen anything yet,” says Andy McAfee (via Luis Suarez) “The only smart strategy at the top of the enterprise is to…embrace and start leading the digital transformation for your company.” Yes. Please, and thank you. ←This Much We Know.→ Continue reading Attention All #SocBiz Leaders: Watch This, And Send To Your CEO. NOW!
Coming and going to the Festival of Light event in Vancouver this week, Lori and I chanced upon The Entrepreneur (2013 Edition). When I grow up, I want to be like him. A simple premise: the teenage lemonade stand on the side of the road en route to the beach as thousands of people stream past. The kicker? Chips. Upsell to a larger size (with lid!) And, amazingly, Visa and Mastercard processing via Square, notebook and wifi. He was putting in the hours, advertising umbrella with LED lighting. He had the serenity of a man in control of his life. … Continue reading This Is What Entrepreneurship Looks Like in 2013
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
This is personal. As a father to two young kids about to enter formal education, I feel a need to foster a sense of awe and wonder in them about what they can achieve, to challenge them to move above, to move beyond… I am no education expert, nor am I a pushy parent. I do believe, however, in the need for large-scale progressive change in what education means; and what it holds for our children. MOOCs are a functional change in the service offering of education. They move us in the right direction. but, quantum change, at extreme velocity, demands … Continue reading MOOCs Are Not Enough. Education In Need Of Quantum Change
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
I am hiring #TheNewBrian. There are a few recommendations I have for people trying to establish themselves in MarComms. The most fundamental one is: Work Hard(er). When you have few other responsibilities (family, mortgage etc.) then just give it your all, and not just at work, but around work. Perform during office hours, but read, research, hyperlink all the time. It will move you ahead of your cohort and, indeed, your leaders double-quick. This article from Jason Nazar on Forbes – 20 Things 20-Year-Olds Don’t Get – Forbes – is chock-full of relevant advice for that person seeking, expecting, hoping, planning for success. … Continue reading 20 Things 20 (Somethings) Don’t Get – Forbes
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
This Much We Know 