Retreat Day 3: The Change Agency and the Infotech Revolution

"The modern computer has been with us for more than half a century. But it was arguably a member of the supporting cast, not a prime determinant of enterprise strategy, until the early- or mid-1990s. Then the emergence of the Internet and the wild growth in telecommunications technology together changed everything. Virtually overnight.

Fact is, depsite sectoral turmoil and disappoinntments of the last two or three years, we are merely in the baby stages of the infotech revolution. Established organizations do not exactly shine in discontinuous times. Neither do successful 40-year-old middle managers. On the contrary, orgs and hiearchs tend to hunker down, to guard their turf ferociously - and to pray that "This, too, shall pass." Well it won't..."

- Tom Peters, reinforces the staying power of social media, "Re-Imagine! Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age"

The infotech revolution is upon us and admittedly has hit this almost 40-year-old middle manager-type with much angst. From day one of entering into my career, I can't seem to get the right footing for the pace of this infotech world. To stay abreast of just the terminology let alone mastering the latest tools has required a level of endurance, like sprinting up to the top of Kilimanjaro without one day of training. And, once you arrive to the top, no one else is there. The timing is all off. Sometimes I wonder if I've missed the boat, when I see someone offering social media advice to their following of over 10K tweeps, for example. Other times I feel like I am just way too early, especially when some of my prospects are still trying to understand what "branding" means.

Understanding the world of business is critical for success. Keeping up with the trends of finance, management and marketing alone is a full time job. Add on top of that a dedication to understand the basic coding languages and proper software tools. Tech knowledge that is necessary to make what was once needed to happen, and at times still is necessary for printing on paper is now needed to produce social media. Then, sprinkle on the style, the aesthetics, most importantly to uphold credibility and add value to any collateral deemed acceptable in today's commerce. A strong sense of business, an understanding of the latest technologies and a creative flair is the necessary combination for success in today's infotech revolution.

Yet, the fragmented groups of the techies and creative types miss the mark when it comes to business sense. They lack the mojo to step up and only a few will have the stamina to keep up on the social media journey. The business executives who fear the change that technology brings or lack the zest to learn have regretfully slowed today's economy. These sub groups all speak a different language and hang out at different water coolers. They are missing the mark on how to work collectively in the internet era. Once they realize the value each bring to the table and respect one another, that is when they will settle, build a town, an enterprise.

Until then, most techs and creative types go unemployed. Corner offices are cursed with insecure chiefs who no longer know how to lead and thus, have instead grabbed onto fear. Fears that have led to corruption and the need to control. This begets less and less innovation that leads to more techies and creatives being unemployed...

What happens when droves of techie and creative types are unemployed? Well, I hope that a new free world is created. I hope that people will see today's business landscape of unpredictability and know for sure that there is opportunity in social media. We are living in an infotech revolution. Some see it as revolting. Not me. I see it as a golden opportunity and it is time to forge onward, fearlessly. March on social media soldiers.

Signed,

Social Media Maniac of The Midas Center

Retreat Day 2: The Change Agency

"It won't be easy, just as it wasn't easy for those brave families in their Conestoga wagons, heading across the dusty and dry plains, and then on to the virtually impenetrable Rockies and Sierras. But if there wasn't always gold at the end of the rainbow, there was - almost always - an opportunity for reinvention. A new start. A new you."

- Tom Peters, encourages reinvention and restlessness, "Re-Imagine! Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age"

When I think of social media, I often visualize American pioneers and their journey of discovery. What was the fire in their bellies that kept them moving forward? What sort of support systems did they rely on when the they were faced with a "bad day." How did they keep their focus? At what point along their journey over the sea and vast land did they realize their success and relish the reward? Picturing the pioneers of our past inspire me to take on the new technology of social media.

Social media is the new frontier plentiful of possibility. Domains are like online real estate and just like the centuries before the cookie cutter subdivisions were created, here we stand with a blank canvas, a land of opportunity. Social media juggernauts are at the starting point of the journey.

Treading along in today's business landscape, I am hopeful yet somewhat anxious. The rate at which technology changes and shifts is speedy and the learning curve is steep. But, step by step, I move forward because it is the future and if I feel a calling, a purpose driving me forward.

Behind me, darkness is beginning to fall on those big businesses, those Fortune 500 leaders who once led all of us to drink the kool-aid from the same communal cup. Their big budgets for too long have controlled the messages and images that we have consumed through those old forms of media. Traditional media once gave us only three channels that worked through our rabbit ears all sharing the same messages on same schedules. Some of us could purchase more channels, cable provided us with options of 350 channels, yet nothing was ever on.

Sure, we had choices and freedoms, we even had the convenience of a remote control that only created us to become more lazy and complacent. The messages through advertising, through programming, programmed us, formed us into a mainstream culture that idolized name brands. Robotically, we digested the messages. At times, we would change the channel, channel surf and that was about all the control we had over the messages coming into our living rooms.

Today, social media gives society so much more freedom from the traditional one way communication. Not only do we have so many more channels to select from, we also have more avenues to comment, share, tweet our likes and dislikes about our consumer experiences. We can choose what messages we want to hear, when we want to hear them. The information highway is not just a one way road. Social media has created multiple lanes of two way communication.

Consumers now have a louder voice than just their pocket books. Now, consumers can tell it like it is and spread their feedback, the good and the bad, on a product or service faster and more effective than it takes you to find a 1-800 number to customer service. How businesses will respond to this new freedom of client feedback? That might be what separates those who will stand and and those who will fall.

And, from where I stand, the horizon of social media is more than just a flat line before me. It is a multidimensional land of opportunity that is going to divide mainstream into its natural habitat. It will impact the way we do business and the way we learn.

We can learn about anything we want as quickly as our wireless connections will allow. Sitting at a keyboard, we can travel anywhere on the informational highway. In fact, it isn't just a cyberspace of information, social media has extended the universe to include entertainment, socialization, consumerism, education and beyond!

Now, all humanity has a voice. Social media is a friend to all humanity, helping small businesses the disenfranchised minorities to become media movers and shakers. Small businesses that don't have the big corporate budgets to advertise will now have a voice and have opportunity to reach out and be a player like they never have before. That is, if they will hop on the band wagon and not be afraid to stake their claim on social media.

For too many years we have accepted the ol wagon wheel. Perhaps the wheel still works for you and you are comfortable settling in to where you are.

This pioneer is seeking more. We're seeking ways to improve that ol wagon wheel. We want to give a voice to minorities, the creative types, those non-conforming identities that you probably don't even realize exist! We're looking for new media platforms and tools that will help us all get to that place, over the rainbow.

We'll tweet ya, I mean, send you an email...um, I mean a post card or a message in a bottle when we get there!

Signed,

Social Media Maniac of The Midas Center

February's Brown Bag Lunch: Branding Basics: It Is More Than Just For Cows

Mark Your Calendars for January's Brown Bag Workshop!

Back by popular demand, we are offering an encore presentation on Social Media for January's Brown Bag Lunch Workshop series. This free monthly seminar session is designed to help local business leaders grow in the marketplace.

"Social Media: Increase Your Touchpoints" is the next workshop scheduled for Wednesday, January 20th at noon. This 30-minute session will include basic information on what social media is and how businesses can tailor their own plan to utilize this new frontier and grow their business.

Reserve your seat today and register online here >

Sisters' Tea & Eatery will provide pre-ordered boxed lunches for $6. Lunches may be ordered no later than Monday, January 17th. Specify your lunch preference when registering online >

Sneak Peak at Tomorrow's Presentation

We're looking forward to our presentation tomorrow on Social Media.

The Midas Center continues to offer free workshops monthly as part of a Brown Bag Lunch Series to help businesses in the community grow. We plan on covering the basic information on what social media is and how business leaders can tailor their own plan to utilize this new frontier and grow their business and careers.

We have several seats reserved and we'relooking forward to presenting this interactive presentation which will start promptly at noon at The Midas Center in downtown Plymouth. We have created this 30-minute session to be informative and inspiring!

Some guests have preordered a Sisters Tea & Eatery boxed lunch as part of their online registration. They are are expected to bring $5 and plan to arrive a few minutes early to pick up their lunches at The Midas Center.

We will be uncovering what a social media pioneer is, basic social media needs and basic tools and their rules. From Far and Away to Success in 30 minutes!

If you are interested in attending our next free workshop, mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 20, 2010 when we will present our next part of the Brown Bag Lunch Series titled, "Branding: It's Not Just For the Cows."