Here's a line of logic I started toying with. Thoughts?
***** The OLD NETWORK ******
THEN: Two Men Talking Business, possibly over Drinks or Golf.Tone: friendly
Scale: one to one
Reach: close proximity
Since the beginning of time, business gets done through the network. Who you know.
Networks of "business friends" gave business to their trusted "business friends." The wealthy got wealthier. If you weren't "in the club," you had a much tougher go.
Then, the Internet was added. People could surf the Internet, and find your business. Business traffic increased as a result. Riches went to early movers who were able to leverage this new network. Those who didn't find a way to "get their business found" on this network, had/have a much tougher go.
***** THE NEW NETWORK *****
NOW: A Person Relating to Another Person, via a Networked Device.
Tone: friendly
Scale: many to many
Reach: far
Today, humans -- and human relationships -- the real basis of lasting business -- have found their way back into the network of business. People like connecting with other people.
****************** NET ***********************
What is a Social Network?
Why Should I care?
How Can I gain from it?
What is it?
The social network (aka Web 2.0, aka social media, aka collaboration ... and yes, networks like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook) represent the new Network.
Why Should I Care?
It is "Today's Business Network -- on Steroids."
How Can I Gain From it?
Ensure you have a "Networked Organization."
Do your people know how to engage on this modern network? Once your people master the skills of putting genuine, thoughtful, human interaction into the network, expect...
- more people to want to do business with your business ... in a lasting way;
- to gain the type of value that you have gained from your long-time business friends;
- to build more relationships that you actually enjoy having
- relevance
The value, therefore, of the Networked Organization is "more business" -- nice business, of the old-fashioned human type ... attached to the major scale and reach of the ilk that the Internet taught us about. Only better.
--------- Talk Back ------------
Does the phrase, "Networked Organization" take out some of the "yuck, that Twitter thing?" response?
How would you flesh out this storyline better ... in a way that help more business people see the value -- and realize the value -- of this new model?
(Inspiration for this post goes to Professor Kathy Curley of BU. She titled the BU session I spoke at this week, "The Networked Organization" and I found the simplicity of the phrase compelling, in its ability to suggest both the social networked organization, while also emphasizing that core powerful attribute in business, "networked.")
-- Polly Pearson
http://www.pollypearson.com
@PollyPearson on Twitter
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