Leading Questions

The Difference between Facebook and Twitter

Charlie Malouf pointed to this post by Joshua Porter about the difference between Facebook and Twitter.  Porter is applying a basic principle of network theory to the difference.

In general, there are two ways to model human relationships in software. An “asymmetric” model is how Twitter currently works. You can “follow” someone else without them following you back. It’s a one-way relationship that may or may not be mutual.

Facebook, on the other hand, has always used a “symmetric” model, where each time you add someone as a friend they have to add you as a friend as well. This is a two-way relationship, and it is required to have any relationship at all. So as a Facebook user there is always a 1-1 relationship among your friends. Everyone who you have claimed as a friend has also claimed you as a friend.

The difference is significant and why I find Twitter more useful for my purposes.

The difference is between closed and open networks of relationships.

With Facebook, both of you have to agree to be friends. On Twitter, you can follow anyone. If your Facebook network doesn't grow, it could mean that you've exhausted your easily reachable potential FB friends. As a result, everyone in your network, is quite possibly just like you, thinking just like you, reading the same books, websites and having the same perspectives.

On Twitter, there is an obsession with numbers of followers. That is useless if you have no purpose other than to be able to say I have a large following. The key to Twitter is creating influence. Being able to reach beyond your natural network of relationships to influence people is the purpose.

Ron Burt looked at the nature of competition from a network theory perspective in his book Structural Holes. If you are interested in theory, I recommend it. Here's a diagram I created to help me visual Burt's perspective.

What is important to understand is that a closed network becomes a self-congratulatory feedback loop. What binds the group together is a set of shared, unifying values. The potential result is a belief that all that matters is what we know and share together. This is a classic insular community structure. Before the information age emerged, it was possible for this structure to survive because the completitive demands were much less. As my grandfather told me near the end of his life when I asked him what was the most signficant development he had seen in his lifetime. "The radio. It was what told us that there were people living in other places."

Today, close networks suffer from a lack of access to information and opportunities.  Many businesses are failing during this recession because their network of relationships is insufficient. Network scale matters more and more.

Open networks, on the other hand, are constantly reaching out for new relationships that lead to new ways of understanding the world and new opportunities for making a difference.

This leads me back to Twitter. The genius of this platform is that it more perfectly replicates two aspects of human relationships.

The asymmetric nature of human communication is the first. Listen to normal conversation and there is a give and take. And the pattern is of short bits of information shared that help advance the conversation. Blog posts can be interactive, but aren't conversational. Facebook is more like email or writing letter. It takes more time to construct a comment, and responses. This is simply because there is more space to write.  I just responded to two messages at my Facebook page. Both required a brief response, but the impulse is to write more than is really necessary.

The other aspect is the competitive nature of human relationships. I'm not talking about one-upmanship or poltical gamemanship.  Rather, I'm referring to how we seek to influence people with our ideas. This part of human interaction is changing too.

It used to be that trying to influence others meant I spoke in declarative statements that intruded into the listening space of people. It wasn't conversational. It was advertising. Today, the shift to a more conversational mode requires us to listen and respond as we offer our thoughts for influence. The key element in this shift is the importance of asking questions that lead people into a conceptual context that provides them a basis for understanding the ideas that you want to share.  This is where my three conversation guides came from. They simply are the result of lots of conversation built around asking clarify questions.

If we want our influence to expand, we need asymmetrical relationships. We need to know people who know people that we need to know, and who need to know us. Which tool is better? Twitter or Facebook? In my estimation, Twitter.  Why? Well, ask my Four Questions about the platform.

1. What should be the Impact of Twitter? Are follower numbers a measure of impact or simply a strategy for developing a context for influence? There is a current theme resonating in Twitterland that "retweets" are a better indicator of value. A retweet is simply someone reposting a tweet of yours. it is an indicator of influence.

2. Who should I be impacting through the use of Twitter? Isn't the possibilities limitless? After all if you are retweet by Guy Kawasaki, his "sneezer" influence is huge.

3. What opportunities come from growing one's Twitter influence?  Depends on what you want from the experience. Access to information and the creation of a network of relationships that value your ideas. Granted, the connection maybe thin, but if you are recommending a friend's new book, that could be all it takes to make a best seller. If this doesn't make sense, check out Mark Granovetter's "Strength of Weak Ties" concept.

4. What problems must I address in order to make the most of Twitter?  The first one is conceptual on several levels. It is our perception of who we are as influencers or as connectors to influencers. Second, understanding what kind of influence do we want to have? What is the impact that you want to have through your involvement in social media? Why are you participating and contributing? It helps to have a plan or a strategy, and not simply do this for amusement. Third, commit to developing the skills of virtual relationship building.  Fourth, commit to the time that is required to do this well.

As for me, my purpose of Twittering, as well as for writing this blog, is to build Trust and Confidence in my ability to provide leaders the help they need as they go through organizational, professional and personal transitions.  Trust is confidence in the integrity of the person. Confidence is trust in our competency to do what we say we can. Twitter is one of the ways that allows for that impression to lead to the establishment of a relationship of service.

All these social media tools are in their early stages of development.  The next generation must develop the capacity to link the virtual work with the local. To create real collaborative partnerships that utilize the value of social media is the next step. Part of this is technological, and part learning how to adapt our human relationship perceptions to adapt to a changing world. Should be interesting to watch it develop.

Quick Takes: The view from the IMF

Steven Devijver sent me a link to Simon Johnson's The Quiet Coup in The Atlantic Monthly. Johnson provides insight into the financial crisis by placing it in the larger context of similar ones that have occurred over the past twenty five years.  It is a troubling story.

The conventional wisdom among the elite is still that the current slump “cannot be as bad as the Great Depression.” This view is wrong. What we face now could, in fact, be worse than the Great Depression—because the world is now so much more interconnected and because the banking sector is now so big. We face a synchronized downturn in almost all countries, a weakening of confidence among individuals and firms, and major problems for government finances. If our leadership wakes up to the potential consequences, we may yet see dramatic action on the banking system and a breaking of the old elite. Let us hope it is not then too late.

If Johnson is correct, the problem isn't this or that policy. It is rather the system that links Wall Street and Washington together in a mutually beneficial relationship. Read Omair Haque's dissection of Joe Nocera's celebration of the Geithner plan. 

If Johnson is correct, the problem partly a ethics problem. However, simply encouraging a higher ethical standard for Wall Street and Washington is not the answer. It easily becomes a smokescreen.

It is more evidence to me that we are witnessing the end of an era of institutionals as the vehicle for social progress. If so, as I've written during the past week, then we must marshall our virtual relationships to strengthen local communities.  There really is not time to waste.

Quick Takes: on Social Media Success

Seth Godin points to what makes for success for a social media site like Twitter.

• Who likes me?
• Is everything okay?
• How can I become more popular?
• What's new?
• I'm bored, let's make some noise

This shift toward social media is taking place within two contexts, an individual one and an institutional context.

Context of Institutional Change
We are living in a time where traditional institutions whether social or business are either in decline or are scrambling to keep up with changes in society. The context of identity and security that they have provided is no longer stable. 

For example, the role of institutional religion in America has changed.  In the past, churches were the pillar of local communities. Now, they are either a museum of memories to a past that is long gone or they are a commercial retail outlet for consumers looking for spiritual services.  It is a well-discussed claim that we are witnessing the end of denominationalism. Or, said differently, we are witnessing the end of institutional religion in the form of denominations as the vehicle for the spiritual expression of people. People haven't abandoned religion. It has just become more individualized.

The impact of the role of institutions in the lives of people is that they are looking for new contexts for social interaction, identity and security. Social media fills that role at this time. However, if you spend much time with it, you may notice as I have that there is a whole lot of interaction, lots of "meet and greet" that doesn't lead anywhere.

What is the overall impact of social media when all it is is staying in touch? I believe we are at the beginning of the social media development curve.

Context of Individual Experience
One of the conclusions that I've reached about what is driving people to social media is the pairing of two desires. People what their experiences in life to be both "personally meaningful" and "socially fulfilling."  The internet has opened up avenues for personal exploration that did not exist before. As a result, people are finding ways for their personal values to be validated and supported online. For many people the virtual community that exists for them through social media is their primary community. They find affirmation and connection through social media that didn't exist for them in the social contexts where they live.

In addition, people want to be involved socially in things that make a difference. The rise of social enterprise sites like FutureShifters is providing a way for people to both interact socially and find fulfillment by being involved in activities that make a difference in the lives of people and their communities.

Transitions in these two contexts, the individual and the institutional, is driving people to social media sites. The question is whether these places of virtual community can keep up with the expectation that their online community be like an ideal local one. In my estimation that has not yet been proven to be the case.

I am optimistic about these prospects as I participate in many of these sites, and especially enjoy Twitter. You can follow me at @edbrenegar.

The Continuity of the Local

The institutions of society that we trust to provide stability in a time of disruptive change are not providing it. These institutions of business and government, of religion, education and social welfare, seem to lack the capacity to both see what is happening and to adapt to these changes.  What is notable is their inherent lack of ability to see the big picture in contrast to their own self-preservation. I introduced this idea in my previous post on the Three Communities.

What is happening here?

As a global community, we are moving out of a millennium long era of institutional stability, and into an era of transition where strength, progress and continuity is built around small entrepreneurial social movements.

These movements are of people who organize themselves around the opportunities and needs that they see at the local level around the globe. These movements are focused on meeting global needs at a local level. The birth of these movements come from the personal initiative of people who are responding to what they see before them. They are utilizing their network of relationships formed in the virtual world to mobilize people to serve local communities on a local scale.

Here are examples.

• People and their organizations raise money to provide heating oil assistance for cash strapped families.
• A church opens its doors to provide a place for homeless people to get in off the street and have a hot drink and some food on cold, winter days.
• Small loans are made to people who have no collateral yet have a compelling idea for meeting a market need in their community.
• Citizens provide charitable leadership training to local business to help them find ways to manage a down economy.
• Business leaders meet to discover how they can move beyond traditional institutional boundaries to address the need for job creation and social stability.
• Marketing collaboratives form to promote products and services to local ethnic populations.
• For-profit and non-profit health care organizations collaborate to serve the needs of their local community.
• Children from across the United States conduct fund raising projects to build schools and implement water projects in underdeveloped communities around the world.
• People leave their local community of residence and move to a local community that has experienced a natural disaster to help in recovery. Some stay for years, not just weeks or months.

These are just a few examples of many that are happening in local communities everywhere.They are not nice ideas waiting for someone to implement. These are ideas that people are acting on to make a difference.

Continuity between today and tomorrow is not found by waiting for better economic times to return. Instead it is found by developing new relationships between people and organizations that address issues as they exist right now.

Local communities are not at the edge of what matters globally. They are at the core. Global communities are institutional communities. They aren't places where people live. They are highly integrated corporate structures whose influence upon life in local communities is huge.

People live in local communities. They interact with people there, as well as with those in virtual communities and global corporate ones. As a result, for the average person and business owner, our focus needs to be local, where we can have some impact, where we form relationships that enable our local communities to weather the hard storms created at the global level.

If you need help figuring out how to begin to care for your local community, take my three conversation guides and start talking with people.

First, become clear that you and your community is at a transition point. You aren't looking for continuity to preserve the past. You are looking for how you build upon the strengths and values of the past for the future.

Second, identify the issues that you most want to address. Take the Circle of Impact and identify what kind of issue is it. Is it an Idea, Relationship or Organizational Structure issue? Whatever it is, the other two contribute to its resolution. In other words, all problems or opportunities are dynamically related to each of the three dimensions of leadership.

Third, ask the Four Questions. What is the impact you want? Who do you want to impact? What opportunities for the future do you gain through this impact? And, most importantly, what problems that are within your control, must you resolve in order to achieve your impact?

This is how you can begin to address local community. If you need additional help, just ask. There are other ways to get at these issues. Let's talk.

Three Communities and Change

The articles I've linked to here all address the larger scaled changes that I see happening. These are people worth your time to read and consider their thinking.

Clay Shirky's blog post Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable

Tim O'Reilly on Clay Shirky's Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable

Jeff Jarvis on The Great Restructuring and The Great Restructuring II: the new ism.

Umair Haque's The Smart Growth Manifesto

Here's what I'm seeing.

The business and governmental institutions of our world as currently organized are incapable of adapting to the rapid changes that have been happening in global society. And I would add to this list traditional social, educational and religious institutions as well.

Each is attempting to survive in a time of chaos. Each attempting to find some sort of continuity from day to day, from one crisis to the next.

Many of these institutions since the end of the Second World War have lived in an era of expansion of their programs and complexity of their organizational structures. As they have grown, operating efficiencies have provided these institutions financial capital to expand their reach.  All that is now ending as global economic contraction happens.

The X-factor in this once every 500-1000 year shift is the internet. Just like the rise of the Roman Republic and Empire entered in a millennium long era of global continuity, and Gutenberg's moveable type press was the first step toward universal literacy and self-development, so now the internet provides the means to link all people everywhere in ways that are personally meaningful and socially fulfilling. In this sense, the internet transcends the social and institutional boundaries that define society.

We are witnessing the beginning of an era where the institutional structures that we've depended upon for maintaining progress and continuity in our world are now declining into powerlessness or extinction.

I'm becoming convinced that what all these national and global commentators are missing is the significance of local communities. There is a great emphasis on the power of virtual communities, but that is a different thing.

From now on we are all members of three distinct communities.

The global community through institutions of business and government.

The virtual community through the tools of social media and the internet.

The local community through the place where we live.

These communities are not mutually exclusive. They touch, blend, cross-over and impact each other. They contribute and support one another. As with all things, we are connected, interwoven and forever interdependent upon one another.

It is the local community that is being ignored in the response to this crisis. This is where I believe positive, sustainable change begins. I'll have more to say about this in the near future. 

Until then, ask yourself, how can I strengthen the ability of my local community to create jobs and care for people in need. Just those two ideas.

Think about it. Share your thoughts if you want. I welcome it.

Quick Takes: We Need an Ethics Czar

Bruce Weinstein, writing in Business Week proposes to add an Ethics Czar.

...there is one kind of problem the Obama Administration has yet to tackle, even though it may be the most pervasive one of all. It is a distressing issue about which everyone complains but no one has been able to address effectively: The widespread failure of our leaders—and the rest of us—to take ethics seriously. ...

I therefore propose my top nominee for Ethics Czar: You.

Weinstein gives six ways that we can live ethically.

A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ETHICS CZARS

1. LEAD BY EXAMPLE

2. PRAISE GENEROUSLY

3. CRITICIZE TO BUILD UP, NOT BREAK DOWN

4. BE KIND, UNWIND

5. PUNISH FAIRLY

6. IF IT IS TO BE, IT'S UP TO THEE

I think this is a pretty good list. His whole perspective certainly fits with my view that more than ever local rules. Read the whole article.

BlogTalkRadio Interview 11amEDT 3/18/09

I'll be interviewed by Wendy Siegel of BlogTalkRadio today at 11:00 EDT/US. The interview will go 45 minutes.

I'll be talking about the Johnny Bunko contest ,my lesson Say Thanks Every Day, and on how the Four Questions that Every Leader Must Ask can be applied by leaders in their businesses and communities. 

You can connect at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/webwendy/2009/03/18/Tribe-Talk-with-Ed-Brenegar .

Quick Takes: Megan McCain - the future of politics?

There are reasons why I am not a member of a political party. And there are conditions that could lure me back.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

To me this is a more interesting picture of the future of politics than President Obama.

On Fear

I'd like to encourage you to sign up and read Roy Williams' Monday Morning Memo. Roy is the Wizard of Ads, and a very wise soul. In this morning's letter he writes,

I am reminded of what Michel Eyquem De Montaigne said with tongue in cheek during the French Renaissance 450 years ago, “My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened.”

As expected, we received a firestorm of email 2 weeks ago as a result of the Monday Morning Memo of March 2 in which I said I had chosen not to be fearful about the future. It seems that a lot of people take pleasure in fretting and they want me to get on board.

But a frightened person frightens other people. And these newly frightened people will frighten still more people until finally no one is spending any money. Fear is the fuel of recession. I understand perfectly what’s happening in the world. I simply choose not to be afraid.

I also choose not to be afraid.

Fear is a recognition of insecurity. There are ways to approach this notion of fear.

I can be afraid because external circumstances dictate that I should. Alone in a dark parking lot and a rough part of town is a good time to feel fear. This is the kind of fear that Gavin De Becker considers a gift.

There are external circumstances that spark fear but not from insecurity, but from inadequate understanding, lack of perspective. This is one of those times. No one can see the whole picture. We can't see the big picture because the complex interaction of forces at work are never fully available to us.

If we are dependent on our own ability to see everything, to manage our external life with absolute security, then we will be afraid during times of disruptive change. However, this is a false security, and always has been.

The reason that I am not fearful is because I accept the chaos and complexity of this situation as normal, not abnormal. I accept it as the context which tests every ounce of my brain and beat of my heart to look for a pathway to success.

In other words, I choose not to be fearful because it leads to worse complications. It does not make the hard external circumstances go away. Instead, I am learning everyday how to adapt to constantly changing circumstances. As I do, my confidence grows because I learn from the experience.

The hardest challenge is to have had success or a good job, and suddenly, they are gone. You are left on your own, and the security of external circumstances that you became accustomed to having has faded away. Now, you are left to your own capacity to change and grow through the chaos of the moment. It has always been this way. The fact that millions of people are sharing this experience may not mean much right now, but it does suggest possibilities that others have not recognized.

These changing circumstances are also affecting our relationships. They are under threat, just like our businesses.  Old assumptions have to be placed on the table to see whether they are sustainable. New commitments made that build strength for adapting together to these chaotic times.

If you live your life, and run your business dependent upon your ability to manage external circumstances for security, then you will live your life under stress and fear. We get rid of fear by learning to be confident in our ability to adapt and change. This is an internal change, within us, that then becomes reflected in our outward actions.

The last thing to say about this is that I cannot do this alone. I cannot master the fear inside me by force of will. Two things must occur if the fear in me is vanquished.

First, I must admit it to other people. I must join with them in acknowledging our shared fear, and then find comfort and support for transforming it into the kind of confidence that we need to find the opportunities in the midst of chaos.

Second, I must turn my focus from my own fear to helping others get over their's. When we give ourselves away, we find a connection with people that makes sense of the chaos. We begin to see that much of our fear is produced by our lack of meaningful connection to other people.

Here's one example of what I mean. Here in Asheville, it has been a cold winter. Our church in late January, early February decided to open up a community room on Saturday afternoons for those who are on the street without a place to go. This action was simply a stop-gap measure to fill a specific need in the care for the homeless. I learned last night that a fellow came on Saturday to the room. Met some of our members, and returned on Sunday morning for our late morning worship service. He was so moved by the connection he found with the people on Saturday, and the service on Sunday, that at the conclusion of the service, he came and became a member of the church. I'm not sure a homeless person has ever joined our church, so this is a rather remarkable occurence.

When people connect in service and support to one another, they find their fear diminish, their hope return, and their confidence for managing the chaos of life strengthened. This is what each of us can do, and it begins personally by choosing not to be afraid. 

Subscribe to Roy's memo here.

Changing Jobs? - Four Questions To Ask

Big change. Little change. It's all change.  I was thinking about this after writing yesterday's post on Seth Godin's post Pivots of Change where he shows how little changes can make the difference between success and decline.

I was thinking about this in the context of two friends and colleagues who have lost their executive positions over the past month.  Neither leaving was entirely unexpected. However, when it happens, it is the kind of change that most people dred.

Losing a job is a big change. It is symptomatic of the transitions that we all go through in life. If we are tied to our current position, then a sudden change in employment can be devastating. However, if we look at all that we do as in the process of change, then we are of a mindset to adapt positively to this change.

If you are in a situation where your job situation is in jeopardy, consider answering my Four Questions.

First ask, "What is the impact that I want to have over the next five to ten years?"

What difference do I want to make? What am I passionate about that directs me toward a different arena for employment?

Second question to ask is, "Who do I want to impact?"

If you want to make a difference, what group, business or need to you want to focus on?  Think in terms of markets. You are not marketing to sell them something. Instead, you are acting to influence them by the work you have to offer them.  Who are these people? When you figure this out, then ask, who do I know that can help me to find the people within that group that I need to reach?  Treat this as a systematic process of analysis and then act to reach out to those whom you need to meet.

Third question, ask, "What opportunities do I have right now to make a difference?"

If you cannot identify any opportunities, then more than likely your experience level in this area where you have a passion to make a difference is not sufficient to secure you a job. Look at this realistically. Just because you dream it does not necessarily mean it will come to pass.

If there are opportunities, divide your time between acting on those opportunities and doing the due-diligence to find employment. By engaging in impact-oriented activities while looking for work, you accomplish three things. One, you make a difference in the area that matters to you. Two, you network with people who share a common interest who may provide the connection to the next job. In so doing, you gain experience and potential positive recommendations from people. And three, you don't get trapped in a cycle of self-pity, denial and depression.

Fourth question, "What problems have I created that I must address in order to put me in the best possible position to get the next job."

What kind of problems? 
Financial. Do your best to pay down any debt that you may be caring.

Physical. If you are not in good shape, start working out. The stress of looking for a job is a physical drain upon your health. Get some moderate exercise everyday, just a few minutes, to feel good about yourself. Your potential employers are going to be looking at this, even if they don't say so.

Emotional / Spiritual. Join a support group. In some communities, the local office of the state Employment Security Commission has support groups for out of work executives. Many religious congregations host support groups for men and women under stress. Many professional counselors have support groups for people who work in stressful situations. There is an emotional and a spiritual dimension to how we deal with job change. Take advantage of the opportunity to grow through this transition in life.

Skills. Sign up for courses at your local community college to strengthen or expand your skills. Community colleges have courses that begin all through the year. Enhancing your education and marketable skills is also a demonstration to your next employer of your sincerity to be at your best for them.

Big change. Little change. It is all constant change through a life's many transitions. Stay focused on the difference you want to make and you'll come to see what is required to get where you want to be in the future.