Here’s a way to get your management along to the Web 2.0 Executive Bootcamp I’m running at Web Directions South on 23 September.
I’m giving away one seat at the Bootcamp (just the Bootcamp — no conference pass and certainly no travel). But there are a couple of conditions — the seat will go to someone who can be confirmed as a manager or leader somewhere in their business or government organisation who writes the best two to three paragraph (or more, if you’d like) explanation as to how adopting Web 2.0 tools and practices will help their business.
Entries will be judged on the following criteria:
- insight and issues addressed show thorough thinking
- the organisation is not yet using Web 2.0 tools or is in early analysis
- a commitment to attending. This is not a way to get an additional free pass for your staff
- the entry must be posted here in the comments
- the entrant must provide a link to evidence of their role in their organisation — LinkedIn, the corporate website, etc.
So, grab your boss and get them commenting here.
Sep 05, 2008 @ 17:08:58
Too early in the web 2.0 adoption cycle to get comments box completed; this is on behalf of our executive officer, strategy!
Sep 05, 2008 @ 17:27:11
@B3rn — I think I should be horrified, but your post is a little cryptic…
Sep 08, 2008 @ 14:01:48
Seeing nobody else is brave enough to step up to the plate, I will.
There are more than a few other people working for the WA State Gov who need to attend more than me, but none will be in Sydney at the right time.
I am not a manager. A leader is open to question; one of the more outspoken members of various Office of e-Gov committees and coordinator/recommender of various online services at the State Library of WA as per my poorly maintained linkedin profile.
Issues I want to address to Web 2.0 tech with our key stakeholders (internal staff, librarians in WA and the community in WA)
Internal staff — knowledge sharing. Most of our staff have their knowledge in their heads or in hard copy folders they carry with them. I would like to get this knowledge into a wiki (particularly as too many are close to retiring). Use social bookmarking to collect and categorise the best of the resources they find on the web (currently are, but not effectively). Use something like an internal version of identi.ca to allow staff to ask questions and get answers quickly.
External Librarians — communications. There is a real need to improve communication between State Library staff and other librarians and well as between external librarians. Most is still done through email and face to face meetings. Though one small group are using a blog and social bookmarking.
The community — in addition to the standard answer of providing different methods to access our resources, the library should be using Web 2.0 tech to be connecting to the WA community and collecting their stories. Their words, their documents, their photographs, video, audio, etc. to tell their stories and life.
Nick Cowie » Conference Time
Sep 09, 2008 @ 19:58:17
[…] 2.0 tools and practices in your business and happen to be in Sydney on 23 September, head over to Incentive redux — free pass to Web 2.0 Executive Bootcamp and tell Stephen why. The only competition for the free ticket at the moment is me and if you beat […]
Sep 12, 2008 @ 10:02:42
Thanks Stephen, I got it, I finally got it! I finally got that with this whole social media, the steps we take don’t have to be huge to be life changing,
And thanks Nick, I will step up to the plate.
I’ve done little else for the past two weeks or so, since I first watched your videos on fora.tv. It wasn’t just the topic of social media; it was the simple and relaxed way you presented the content and the artistic reference with da Vinci’s “Creation of Adam” – with that humorous twist with the icon. The image blew me away.
It spoke to me in ways you probably didn’t realise. Or maybe you did!!
I’ve been a change manager working in IT throughout Australia and Asia Pacific for almost 20 years. I’ve worked on a range of IT projects, from project managing IT infrastructure builds for corporates to facilitating leadership change among executives.
However, I was finding it more and more difficult to bridge the many worlds I live in and meet the constraints and demands I had placed myself under.
I realised the roles I was choosing were not structured in a way that worked for me. I would be immersed in a world of ideas and information to bring about the change and yet I was choosing projects where I was required to present it formally to meet a certain technical structure and “unforgivng” timelines.
I’ve also been a “vegie” for 27 years and have been personally committed to the environment, to organics, spiritual development and wholistic health since I was a teenager. Ever since I first read Kahlil Gibran and Rachael Carson and I ate macrobiotics at the old Spiral Wholefoods shop (when it used to be at the south end of Chapel St in Melbourne).
Bit in those days, people didn’t believe the cost of eating meat or couldn’t understand why I’d spent hours sitting on a mat or eat miso and umeboshi plums!
And I felt very alone.
Now, don’t get me wrong. My dad would drive the 20+kms each Friday night, when I finally got a job at “that funny brown rice place”. Because travelling from Noble Park, as one of the “many middle children of eight”, that seemed too far away for me to come back on my own.
And my mum would pray for me when I travelled to the States on a meditation conference.
And I felt unheard.
Explaining to people why we ought to make changes and how we can do it.
Yet I was also ambitious. I wanted to be successful, to travel with my work; I wanted to be a CEO (never made it). They couldn’t understand the hours I put in at work. For years I’d call them regularly at night and their first words were “Hi, where are you?” Not how are you, because that was often clear. They’d always ask “where are you?” and on most occasions I’d say “It’s 11pm and yes, I’m at work”. “On your own?” “Yes”. “You know you have to stop doing this”.
I knew that, but I didn’t know how else to do it.
I hadn’t been trained like those Big Four consultants who ran the projects. I couldn’t afford to be creative like the marketing folk. I was a lone change manager consultant, working in IT, trying to bring about personal change.
I’d often sit up late, trying to write those bloody tenders, or project plans, struggling to make my right brain way of thinking fit into the left brain way of communicating that was wanted. I would clearly picture what was needed and have literary references to explain it. But that was rarely allowed!
I’d try to “be creative” and bring all the personal or business development books I’d pored over. But didn’t know how to do it. Or I’d overreact to the stuffiness and leave the corporate roles and try the wholistic path – as a kinesiologist or personal coach (or to day trade options and futures on the Australian and US markets).
But I only managed to provide one to one sessions and that would leave me concerned about whether I could feed myself. And frustrate me, because I couldn’t bring all my corporate practices into the mix!! Or I lost my money because I couldn’t manage the frenetic intensity and risk of the day trades.
Yet it has all been coming together for me and I feel like I’m at that watershed point. I’ve been working recently with Toyota on a leadership programme to embed the “triple bottom line” thoroughly in what is already a strong improvement culture and with ISG Consulting who provide corporate IT governance (and are an Australian partner to Serena, who provide business mashups) and immersing myself in all my sustainability forums and personal development chat groups.
I’ve seen how the “technologies” in all areas of my life have come together – the green agenda, the global community agenda, the personal growth and global financial agendas (from a Corporate Social Responsibility view and environmental philanthropy, as well as global economics).
And with Web 2.0 I now have the ability to make the next journey – I can now bring together the various parts into an integrated whole. I can find the audience who wants to hear my message, who is open to my humour, my high energy and my focus. (Being a 5’11 strawberry blonde, of Irish Australian background, with my hands-on experience of business, technology and change, I’m often accused of being too intense! And my writing of being too slow!)
I can now find that audience, I can now speak in a voice that is truly mine (with the visuals, the literary references and the direct links to the people, the research and ideas) and I can now drive that sustainability and innovation on a large scale.
Because all I need do is share my “big ideas” and find a ready voice, analyse the gaps (with support from people who have done what I want to do, on a global scale and in much grander proportions), access the resources, the contacts and the most powerful messages and bring them to those people who are genuinely seeking the help.
Those who are committed to creating sustainability in all senses of the word and in all areas of the world — in all areas of their world.
With Web 2.0 we now have the means to do it at zero cost, in open source, with communities who are passionate to share, to guide and to support.
I could have called this blog “Green money from nothing, get your clicks for free”. Or I could have tapped into my network to see who could secure an inspirational quote from Bono to keep me strong (something akin to “in your hands, the millstone of past frameworks around your neck, can now be transformed into adventure, something doable and achievable” as he acknowledged Jeffrey for The End of Poverty).
I was going to phone you and ask if you would delay making a decision until next week, because I was lining up a gay friend to make a video to load on my brand spanking new website (it’s only 2 days old as we speak!!). The web video would be called “Geri, Geri, Geri” but it would have two parts:
Part A:
You may have heard Gerry Springer, Gerry Seinfeld, Jerry Hall and even Geri Spice.
You’ve heard them laugh, you’ve heard them shout, you’ve seen them act and sing.
You may have heard of Kylie or Olivia..
But until now you’ve not heard Geri Keogh.
And with Web 2.0, that’s all changed.
Hi, I’m Geri. I may not have the eyes of a tiger, I may not sing like a canary.
I’ve stepped up to the plate – and I’ve waited long enough!
I know what I want
And I know you’re out there – and listening!!
Before Web 2.0 you didn’t hear a peep
My inner roar was silent
Now I don’t just twitter
Oh no, I grrrowl
And those rumblings you hear all round you, that’s my stomach – and I’m hungry!!
Small interlude.
Part B:
Bill (by Thomas): “Hi Geri”.
Me: “Hi Bill”.
Bill (in his cutest American accent) “Ooh look at those shiny red shoes, are they Dorothy’s? Oooh, let me bend them, let me squeeze them. You know I love the feel of real leather, it’s so exquisite. So peachy!! They go so well with my shiny, black, itsey bitsey cute little chewing gum of a sound system. Oohh, I’m in a world of my own!!! I’m in Heaven! Anyway, gotta go now. Bye”.
Camera pans down to the shot of “his red delicious” (sic, really!)
Then, me: full portrait: “Now Bill, before you go, just a few minor comments. The fruit gags – they gotta go! The closed shoes and other “accessories” – they gotta go too. But to your credit, your foundation is kewl still in need of a bit more colour but it sets a nice tone as a start. Keep improving, you’ll get there. Anyway, gotta go now. Bye”
Camera pans down to a shot of “the butt of my jokes” with narrative voice over “oh and remember Bill, “the sound bytes, the rules are cracked open – and some gurrrrrrls step up to the plate with a very, very, very long tale to tell”. And we larf to ourselves a lot. Wii? Well, because it’s good, it’s very good – quite organic really!!
But I couldn’t write this fast enough and I was concerned in case I had wasted all my effort and energy and it wouldn’t be read. Ideas just come out of nowhere, they all popped into my mind or tumbled out of my mouth. And I realised I was attaching too much importance to getting it all out on this one occasion.
I realised – Hah, I can relax. It doesn’t matter if I don’t get this through “on time” and in “the right way”. I can stick it up on my own blog, and work on it there. On my virgin new website, where The Old Earth Shattering ideas are born, well, every moment, thanks Richard!! And I’m enjoying this moment (it is true, Eckhardt, we’ve known that for years). Sorry if I’m suffering from a case of the Bleedingly Green Obvious Link.it.is
But I can’t help myself. And now I don’t mind if I do!
You see, I’m bridging that gap. It’s taken a long time to all come together – for me to find my real voice and trust my inner vision. With what I’ve seen lately, the level of communication that’s possible and the resources available, I’m now ready to step up in ways I only dreamed of for years.
And anyway, another thing that’s true for my family: Why say in 25 words or less what you can say in 863?
So now I ask that I attend your session. I want all the time I can have to learn how you do what you do. I want to know how you made that shift and how you make it safe. I want to develop a plan, create a structure and immerse myself in the tools, so I can support myself in this next growth phase!
I want to learn how you organise your time, how you stay close to your family and friends, how you manage the flow of information. I want to share the fun of watching you develop your blogs and see how you pull in the references, links and contributions of others. I want to learn how to present my dreams in an artistic way, yet with the purpose of inspiring others to take action and I want to show them first hand that they can trust they will be safe.
But first, I want that for myself. I want a workshop of my own and (ahhh!! So funny. ****** I couldn’t remember the rest of the Virginia Wolf quote re a room of one’s own. I couldn’t think of any reference around “freedom”, so, I thought, I’ll bring in another reference – maybe the IUCN’s ad for the Barcelona world conservation conference “some things can’t be done over the internet”! Because that’s the paradox here – there is now so much I can do, so much freedom I have to get out there and create a sustainable world, by bringing in all those good resources.
I jumped past your website, with the hands of Adam and God, to my homepage (the WBCSD – world business council for sustainable development) to look for the ad I saw yesterday (two buffalos or something locking horns)
From one of my favourite images that sustains me to one of my favourite passions to sustain others.
The laugh is that Leonardo is a lefty and he had his left hand out to God in the picture – which was blasphemous and at one level shocked and ridiculed the reigning establishment (the Vinci’s who paid for him included). So, to me, the combination of “biting the hand that feeds you” at so many levels, while at the same time gracefully accepting the spirit and allowing that to flow gracefully through those hands (in the exquisite beauty of the piece, which took so painstakingly long to come to fruition). Inherently gifted.
To a source of inspiration that has fed the deep well of longing while I sustain myself in the old paradign.
The technology that chained me has also given me the freedom to unshackle myself.
And I got a shock. Instead of the two buffalo, there were two boxing kangaroos!
And I was gifted by the culmination of all that – and the beauty with which it all flowed so seamlessly – in the right way, at the right time, for the right reasons.
You see, I’ve taken my time, because I realised that this is the right way, the right way for me and this new technology will give me far more nourishing ways to sustain myself at no cost to others.
Pure poetry
You gave me such a gift. – and it was all free! As I would say to my mum – I’ve been blessed, I’ve been gifted. So, I also don’t mind if someone else attends your session. Because now I know – with the changes that have been happening I’ve already received the gifts. And given my nature, yes, I’ll be in for a few more rounds, whichever way the game goes.
Some things just can’t be done fast. You have to let the seeds germinate.
So, I’ve looked over my notes (remember I’m still only practicing here). And I thought.
Yep, this process is good, and organic! Now, I just have to learn how to not take myself so seriously and not keep myself awake at night – Geri 2.0 Self Expression — The Game Changes — Cradle to Not Grave – GlowBowl Sustainability.
Now I just need the tools to make this Mockumentary: Creative Commoners Share Alike
And I wish you all the best. Anyway, gotta go now.
Thanks.
(Big smile)
G