Jumping Over a Mountain

May 22, 2008 · Comments

rocketman I believe this with all my heart: the way these new tools make the web work for us will (is!) dramatically impact the how/why/when of business communications and collaboration of all kinds. In ways, this impact is not too far afield from what Thomas Friedman talked about in THE WORLD IS FLAT. In this book, we learned how to move things that added value to our organization closer to the core of what we do, and how to disaggregate those things that aren’t as important and push those out to the fringe. It’s never safe to predict the future, but I want you to think about this, and see if it resonates. Disagree with me in the comments. We’ll talk about it.

I believe we’re going to shift back to thinking customer service and community management are the core and not the fringe. I believe we’re going to move our communications practices back in-house for lots of what is currently pushed out to agencies and organizations. I believe that integrity, reputation, skills, and personality are going to trump some of our previous measures of professional ability. I believe the web and our devices will continue to move into tighter friendships, and that we will continue to train our devices to interpret more of the world around us on our behalf.

I believe working remotely will become the rule, not the exception, and that we’ll replace some portion of office-meeting time with video now that it’s free-to-cheap. I believe that our business practices, processes, and output will modularize the way widgets have changed web design.

And not unlike Guy Kawasaki’s example of the ice blocks, to ice houses, to refrigerators analogy, I believe that the difference between how you perceive your role in all this and what will really make the difference is far apart.

It might be time to start thinking about jumping over a mountain. Because linear thinking won’t bring about what comes next. It will take a jet pack’s difference in your thinking.

What’s your prediction? How far off am I? What are you doing to get ready to jump over that mountain?

Photo credit, Jurvetson

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  • I really like the "What are you doing" focus Chris. I think what WE do, regardless of the drag around us, is the key. There are so many battles to wage at times to make your way in this interactive business world. Fighting old systems, struggling to adjust policy and practices. And that "convincing" thing we are all so prone to focus on with others, can sap your energy from what really matters. Some won't get "it" until they see you do it, with your fabulous fired up jet pack! So go for it. Jump! Show us the way.
  • I think you are spot on with the analysis of needing to bring customer service and community back to the core, not the fringe.

    Take one recent example -- 10-12 years ago CompUSA was flush with $300 million in cash assets, and doing quarter-over-quarter $10 to $15 million in profits. That same company is now defunct, because they completely ignored what you are describing.

    At CompUSA support was outsourced and third-partied; customer service was blatantly hostile, and management did nothing to alleviate the problems. And at the end of '07 the company folded like the proverbial cheap accordian.
  • Maisha
    I believe you are right. As the Director of Marketing for MicroLink LLC, a small IT company the new social media technolgies are to my advantage. Currently, I am launching a blog and the reason is this. I do not have the time, resources or money to spend on expensive advertising campaigns, a press release for every newsworthy event, etc. I am hoping the blog will be a good way to bridge that gap.

    I just signed up for Twitter after reading your article just so I can see what the fuss is all about. If you look, you will see that I am still evaluating. Haha!

    That's my $2!
  • Cynthia
    Chris,
    This is my first post ever on yor site and I definitely like what you have said. And I enjoy hearing what others have to say about the direction the universe, economy and our lives are taking. I believe that what matters most is what do I have to offer others, and how skilled am I at offering it to them? And yes, with technolgy moving at the at this rapid speed there is so much good that can be achieved in such a shorter amount of time. I am so grateful to be living during the "age of aquarius" and Even more excited to be an entreprenuer! the sky really is the limit. What do you have to say about putting away the corporate suite and tie and hanging out at the beach just living life!

    thanks for sharing,
    Cheers-
  • If 60% don't understand social media that means 40% do, to some degree, which is huge. We (Techrigy) think that this is the tipping point right now for social media to go mainstream and change the entire nature of communication online.
    My personal take is that we're in another tipping point that is far more pragmatic- Americans are finally starting to understand how deep the global energy problem is and businesses are going to see employees with long commutes revolting as the cost factor plus the time factor makes it crazy not to decentralize.
    Social media and SaaS tools are the levers that move us over the mountain.
  • What you say here about integrity, reputation, skills, and personality trumping professional qualifications and ability is a great observation and if you've read Dan Pink's book "A Whole New Mind - Why Right Brainers Will Rule The Future" you'll see why it makes perfect sense.

    As Pink says, the Conceptual Age is upon us, and those who will be successful in this Age will be those who can develop the attributes of which you speak. Your future thinking is right on the money, figuratively and literally for those of us who are willing to embrace it.

    Great post, as always!
  • tony
    Great post, Chris. My colleagues and I are always talking about customer service and how it must move to center stage.

    I have to say - when I think of certain large firms changing to a customer focused approach, I really have a hard time seeing it. But, I do have some hope that they'll wake up one day (the hard way or not).

    There's a publication on customer service that you might find interesting. First, full disclosure - it's written by my wife and her consulting team. As much as I would love everyone to read it just for that fact, I do think it's a great idea - in those post-service hell moments, I like that it's out there fighting the fight. :)

    Here are links to the first incarnation and a recent healthcare version:

    http://tinyurl.com/5kvg6a
    http://tinyurl.com/644jda

    Enjoying your posts,

    Tony
  • Dead on, Chris! I wonder how challenging it will be to train managers, who are having trouble managing staff centrally, to do it remotely. Seems to me it's a tough job. Unless fewer telecommuters are employees, and more are free agents. Is that where we're headed?
  • Last year, among office colleagues, irritation at my "transferable" have laptop-wireless-will-work anywhere. This year, understood, acceptance. I'd say they are probably a late majority. So Chris, YEAH!

    At the ITEC conference Tues, the vendor powerpoints are even demonstrating this. One yesterday featuring family "check-in", a home set-up, a dog curled by your feet, laptop going after the evening's business.

    Too bad you can't beam in family and fido/kitty when you're on the road... See latest ads for "closing the deal" in cattle country in Australia or wherever...

    Now as for the 4 hour work week--when's that predicted for replacing the 60hr wweek? Replacing caffeine with an evening's chianti in Italy and mozzarella caprese in the piazza...ahh.
  • Absolutely Chris! - Corporations are learning how to have conversational skills. Something they've never had to learn. Now it is really becoming a two-way conversation

    I call it; The Conversant Corporation.

    It's the evolution of what business will become. Great insights. Thanks.
  • Creative Nomads roaming (or jetpacking) from collaborative campfire to collaborative campfire. What freedom. Time for more coffee.
  • The part of this article that resonates with me is the mention that companies will bring their communications back in-house. Earlier this week Jim Nail, CEO of Cymfony presented a survey that showed almost 60% of marketing and pr professionals don't get social media and how it is changing communications. I say of course they don't, they are so busy trying to protect their dwindling space they can't get in front of the tidal wave to see what is on the horizon. I wrote a post last night on my own blog about the Chief Content Office being the next big hire for corporations. This person will be responsible for the creation, organization and dissemination over the various platforms of all digital content. As a world we are developing content at an increasingly rapid rate. The better control you have over your content, the better distribution you have, the better your results.

    I am excited to see these changes and look forward to following it's path. These discussions lead the way and people are paying attention. Will you be the first Chief Content Officer?
  • Great post. With gas prices skyrocketing faster than your jet pack, social media and remote working may be more a neccessity than a "nice-to-have."
  • Chris, I think you're right and I'm excited about the possibilities I see and you see and others have mentioned here.

    I'm thinking social media and working remotely have the potential to dramatically improve our in-person interactions, maybe make them more productive. If I'm working remotely for two weeks, then go into the office for a meeting, I'm going to think that F2F time is precious and use it accordingly. Maybe. Lots of factors at play, of course, but rather than see social media and remote work as distractions from "real work at the office," I'm thinking they're going to be a core and valued part of the mix once everyone figures out how and why.
  • Yeah... I love the post in concept, and while it presents a dreamy future, the market itself is still unsure as to how we can redirect the massive ship that is a corporation.

    I would like to think that flexibility has to be a planned effort, with change agents within a corporation introducing incremental innovation and incremental redirection on a daily basis. These individuals would gradually steer the ship into better waters.

    However, the fact of the matter is that CMOs don't seem to be hanging around too long. With an increasingly short lifespan, CMOs are often looking for that "big splash" within their first 18 months. Big Splashes create ripples, but I would like to think that business is about more than a wave, but a movement. Splashes fade away after the initial impression subsides. Media and promotions can create new splashes. But wouldn't it be more efficient to foster an army of social advocates to create their own ongoing waves across their respective communities?

    I don't know that jetpacking over a mountain is going to be a sustainable business strategy. But it makes for a fantastic vision of where we need to be heading.
  • DJ
    Superman started out just jumping over tall buildings (or mountains) and he ended up flying. Not a bad analogy for us budding Supermen (and women)...

    I think you're totally right and I can't wait for what's to come after this!
  • We've brought back the front porch, where all the conversation and connection that kept communities together and going occurred.
  • Your ideas certainly do have some resonance across the water(UK).Many companies who outsourced their services a few years ago, have now brought those same services back in house. Why? Because their customers were unhappy with lack of customer service, they were voting with their feet. But it has meant they are trying to ger closer to their clients which is good.
    The only disappointing fact is that still other companies are not taking note - they are still outsourcing, purely for cost reasons.
    Why don't companies get it, that without customers they don't have a business? And yet they still(seemingly) try and go out of their way to upset their customers, by outsourcing their customer contact!!

    Andy Headworth
  • As always, great post. I like your thoughts on things moving back to the core. I think it has been a decade plus long experiment that has ebbed and flowed back and forth from core to fringe and back. I am hopeful that companies are starting to learn from the experience. Too often companies outsource because they can or for a quick cash influx or change in how their accounting looks. A company I used to work for sold our dept for these reasons, outsourcing their entire IT function. Five years later and the contract is up and the company is bringing those functions back in house where they should have been all along.

    I really agree that telecommuting will become the norm and actually just wrote about it on Monday - http://tinyurl.com/3ouxjs
  • A gem of a post. One of the most encouraging realizations, that is happening throughout the social media, including significant numbers of people in the blogosphere and the twitterverse, is that this leap, this nonlinear emergence, this social returning from the fringe to the center, is all about people. Us. Organizations are made not of, but by people. Another powerful unlearning, reframing, is to switch from "they're not getting it", to "let's do our best getting them".
  • This resonates deeply. When you want to catch up, you want a flat world, and when you've established a lead, you want to remain king of the mountain. As the tools of connectivity mature (and spur the evolution of our world-view) we increase our capacity to hold the tension of the duality, simultaneously gobbling up the yang of striving&driving, while holding the yin of flexing&flowing. Our customers and competitors both help us grow into our niche.
  • Sean Robins (NWchiropractor)
    Chris,

    I think you are absolutely correct. It's the old pendulum analogy.

    One one side, you have outsourcing to foreign countries, nightmare automated phone system "gatekeepers", and unanswered emails

    Then there is the other side where the company fosters a community of loyalists that espouse their virtues(Macolm Gladwell's connectors, mavens, and salesmen). Keep the people that naturally influence their social groups happy and they will keep the "good buzz" going.
  • whoa, getting goosebumps with all the I believe stuff, starting to think that Chris Brogan is the Morphius of the blogging world. With that said, right on - where we are heading is exactly the way it should be.
  • "...shift back to thinking customer service and community management are the core and not the fringe."

    This really resonates with me. Every company I have worked at did it backwards. I couldn't deal with it.

    Now that I run my own business, I definitely follow this philosophy. I think I took it a little extreme, but it's along the same path. I think I just may have overshot the mountain a little.
  • The new tools can forge relationships initially, however it takes real interactions with people grow relationships. People are going to begin to crave experiences that involve connection with other people. Our love and use of devices will make real contact a premium or bonus.

    The devices will also make meet ups more efficient, fun and productive.


    Dr. Wright
    www.wrightplacetv.com
    www.twitter.com/drwright1
  • jonnygoldstein
    I jumped over that mountain awhile ago. It looks great in my rear view mirror!

    Anyway, you are definitely correct that most people will not be spending 9-5, 5 days a week in offices. I was just talking with some folks in DC about how the idea of telecommuting is picking up momentum in state, local, and even the Federal government. Big companies like IBM and Juniper Systems are developing telecommuting platforms for government.
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