Social Media in the Middle Ages

Sometimes we understand the present by looking at the past.

This struck me yesterday while I was strolling to the meeting

with the local Rotary club downtown Stockholm, Sweden.

"What would be the Middle Age version of twitter, blogs

and web sites?" this is my picture:

Twitter: the Joker running from the edge of the village to the

city center "he's coming!!! the king's man is on his way!!!"

Blog: the messenger arrives, rolls out the and reads the King's wills

Web site: the laws and other important stuff in this Kingdom

Conclusions:

The strategy and language in the different channels may differ - but

all aim for the same message - and effect.

What's your view?

Why networking can be wrong – wrong – wrong!!!

Seen any old-time friends recently showing up on Facebook? Suddenly very interested in networking? Yeah, crisis call for new actions – but some networkers will not be long in the network…

Me-me-me syndrome

When networking is about "me-me-me" and "I-I-I" or "need-need-need" networks normally close. This is why networks close more rapid than the latte goes cold in a cafe.

How to do it?

Try and switch off your reptile brain – what skills do you possess?

What resourses are needed in times of crisis?

Then go into networking:

·      Start by giving –ask what you can do for your fellow networker

·      Get interested in what other do

·      Think "me in that network"

Be grateful for ALL new inputs

Why is this bad?

·      your friend will lose friends in the action

·      networking gets a bad name

web 2.0 will get yet another opponent

·       

Are you ready to go that extra mile for your customer?

Today in a cafe a thought became just SOO clear to me: Are we as suppliers ready to that extra little thing for our customer? What inspired me?

I ordered the big menu, in fact the most expensive one. When pouring my coffee I stretched for the milk can. Empty. Turned to the staff – two girls talking. Nothing wrong in this. "Would you please fill up this can?" of course! While one of the girls went for the milk I started up my mobile office – power, Mac and sat down 1.5 meters away from the coffee pot. Pretty ordinary, you may say. She filled up the milk can. Period. And returned to talk to her colleague. You may say "yes but she's so young!" and you're right! But I see this happening in so many cases in companies: Not being aware of the "extra mile effect"

Now – what could be different with an "extra mile café"?

First of all – keeping track of all cans – not always possible – but if you work on your perception, soon you will react to behaviours of "almost no milk in the can"

Second – when I ask for you to fill it up – meet me with gratitude "thanks for telling me!" (your customer is helping you)

Third – ask me if I would like some of the new milk (I probaly dooo – since I checked for it"

Fourth – add a napkin – we mostly need it!

What would an "extra mile company" do?

What would that "extra mile company" do? I will start looking for that TEMCs (The Extra Mile Company) in my surroundings – and I certainly apprciate if you find them – feel free to add them here! I've gathered a few inspiring links:

Companies - Consultants:

This seems to be an Australian consultancy that got it. (And yes - there are more!)

http://www.extramilecompany.com/

Companies - role models:

this site gathers TEMC companies in Scotland

http://www.extramilescotland.co.uk/

Books:

There are of course books on this subject:

Going the Extra Mile Engage Your Workforce to Grow Profit by

Paul Stalker, The Extra Mile Company (out of print)

What's your view on this subject?

How to change a winning team - YES you should!!!

Ever heard the saying "Never change a winning team"? I've heard it soooo many times! Or "If it ain't broken - don't fix it!". Well, I don't agree! The problem with sayings of these kinds is the tend to direct us all - often more than we'd like to agree...

What's my point?
* Meaning
* Preparing for worse days
* Finding our strenghts!

So what should we do? - We will ask ourselves a few simple questions:

* How are we doing? Good/Bad? Who tells - and how?
* If we are "a winning team", if "nothing is broken" and "we are great" - HOW COME we are great and doing well?
* What is it we are doing to make things happen?
* What is in our control - and what is not?
* What are our skills and culture that makes it possible to us to be this great?

Work in your management team, your performing group - even your family!
Put it all on paper - words, mindmaps, drawings even pictures

You are now prepared for more success - and... if things turn bad: how to handle a tougher situation!

what do others say?

In favor of my sake:
http://www.amazon.com/Always-Change-Winning-Team-Prerequisites/dp/095428299X

opposing my sake:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=312001

What do you think?

All inclusive - convenient - but is it modern imperialism?

When travelling to the Cabo Verde Islands in October last year I spent quite some time on the beach. Coming from a country in the North - it's a great time for sun, swimming - and I discovered kite surfing. More seriously, I met some locals and we discussed the issue of "all inclusive". They claimed although it attracts travellers and tourists, a very tiny part of the money stays on the island...

My thoughts were awakened today when commercials claimed "you can leave your wallet at home". Now, of course you can do that. It's convenient. But is it responsible? Or is it new imperialism? I prefer to stay in a small, less convenient hotel, with local owners, spending local money in local bars and restaurants. What do you think?

Visibility - clarity - democracy

How can democracy work if we don't understand the communication?

Sunlight foundation seems to do a great job I'd like to see in Sweden as well:
Making state decisions and statistics understandable with reasonable work applied.

Read more here: http://sunlightfoundation.com/
More on Fora.tv (btw - a great channel!): http://fora.tv/2009/04/02/How_Sunlight_Foundation_Achieves_Government_Transparency

The aim reminds me of the speech by Hans Rosling of Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden - check his very inspiring speech on Ted.com (another GREAT channel. If I hade to choose between Fora&Ted and my ordinary "fat TV" - I'd scrap my old TV set). This stuff is SOOO good - not only for the content - but for the way they deliver it!

Read about him: http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/hans_rosling.html
/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html
Check the presentation: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks

Thanks, Viking Line (ferry from Sweden to Åland Island between Finland and Sweden) for the free internet access - great at sea!
Johan