The Great Digital Opportunity: Build Yourself a Knowledge Network
Written on February 26, 2008 – 5:08 am | by Paull Young
My Yank readers will no doubt be familiar with the painful Verizon ad campaign ‘It’s the Network’. Essentially, the campaign features an army of helpers backing the lucky Verizon customers. Despite the fact the commercials shit me to tears, they provide a good metaphor for the greatest opportunity for individuals in a social media world: the ability to build yourself a knowledge network.
I speak here from personal experience. I’m relatively new to the agency game, heck I look like a 16 year old if I don’t put a collar on. However, my clients and other contacts often comment that I’m wise beyond my years (I’m not trying to toot my own horn here, because you’ll see very soon this isn’t based on me being particularly smart or talented: It’s the network.)
Working in a social media space that is so new, different and down right scary for traditional marketers means that I’m educating clients and pushing prospects towards new ways of thinking on a daily basis. It’s a lot easier than it sounds though, because in every new business pitch, big client meeting or training session I walk into, I’m not alone. I’m backed by a network comprising some of the best and brightest in the business, and I’m also lucky enough to count most of them as mates.
Notice the Network backing the Verizon customer in the above vid. I’ve got a similar crowd standing behind me on a daily basis. Except they’re not a faceless mass, they’re Trevor and Peter, Shel and Neville, Richard and Robert, Todd and Kevin and countless more brilliant communicators who’ve been teaching me on a daily basis for the past couple of years. Not a day goes past that I don’t draw on knowledge I’ve gleaned from my many social media mentors.
I feel this could be the greatest opportunity social media offers digital natives and the smart companies that employ them. On a personal basis you’ve got an opportunity to extend your ability through your own knowledge networks. The smartest of smart companies out there should also be considering how they can help their employees build knowledge networks inside and outside the corporate firewall to extend their know-how, brainpower and wisdom.
I’ll follow up with a post with some tips on how to go about building your own knowledge network. In the meantime, I’d love to hear what you think. This is a concept I’m still thinking through, and I hope I don’t come over a tosser using myself as an example - but it’s from personal experience that I know that the main reason I’m good at what I do, is the network I lean on. I should add that each of you who comments here is of course a big part of my knowledge network - especially if you’re someone I’m reading, following on Twitter, connecting with on social networks or contacting personally on a daily basis.
12 Responses to “The Great Digital Opportunity: Build Yourself a Knowledge Network”
By Richard Bailey on Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
I’m humbled to get a mention, Paull.
But your thoughts chime with mine on ‘open source learning’. There are great opportunties to learn - and also to teach - within social networks. Learners teach; teachers learn…
By Abby on Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
Paull,
I agree. I am new to this whole social media world as well but I feel like my network keeps growing more and more each day. I am now completely obsessed with Twitter (thank you Kait) and I meet intelligent PR folks each day by ‘following’ them. I learn more from reading blog posts and/or links that are posted on Twitter than I ever learned while in the classroom. Great post!!
By Todd Defren on Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
Nice analogy, mate.
It’s true - and fascinating - to think about how much knowledge/insight is literally poured into the PR blogosphere, for free.
Kudos for being among the few to figure out how easy it is, to take advantage of the resource. Too few make the time to do so.
By Lizzie Azzolino on Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
The Verizon analogy is perfect. It really is all about who you know & online networks are the perfect way to “meet” people. When I graduate and no longer have a professor’s office door to knock on, I know I can count on my growing Knowledge Network.
By Daryl Tay on Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
Great post, Paull. There have been so many “adventures in social media” for me in the short time I’ve started getting engaged in the community and conversation and I’ve already learned so much from them all!
It’s a great time to be involved in comunication.
By Robert on Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
Cool analogy, Paull. From the very beginning of our blogging activities, I’ve seen the mentoring/networking aspects of social media as the greatest lure for adoption, especially in education.
I’ve always believed the “You’re Only As Good As The People You Choose (or they choose) As Friends” philosophy. Social media has made ‘network building’ easier (and more successful) for students.
By Donna Papacosta on Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
The Verizon ad is a good analogy. I have a few years on you, Paull (more than a couple), and I feel that I never stop learning from my peers and others. Even the young tossers (to use your lovely word). Having an extended network, which is made possible mainly through social media, has really transformed the way I think about my business, the way I solve problems, and even the way I take breaks when I need them. Like right now.
By Gavin Heaton on Feb 28, 2008 | Reply
Interestingly, it is this extended network that many companies actually fear. It is why they block access to Facebook, to blogs and sometimes, to Google. I guess these are not the “smart companies” you refer to
Great post.
By Kait on Mar 1, 2008 | Reply
Yo Youngie.
Nice analogy, man. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve linked to or referenced something intellectual from someone in my network. You should know…you’re one of them.
It’s one of the things I love most about this new media world…there’s a definite “we’re all in this together” sort of attitude. People are willing to help out when and where they can…and if they can’t, they connect you with someone who can.
Nice one, mate.
By Horizon on Mar 2, 2008 | Reply
hi there Paull
As the MD of a communications and PR company, I’ve read through your blog with interest, as Horizon have made serious inroads as a company into the social media arena. As part of this we’re starting to canvass opinion on the idea of the ’slow blog’ given the areas of potential conflict where the content of a blog can start to cross over to the mainstream media. There are, as I’m sure you agree, a lot of potential risks as well as strengths.
I’d be interested in your thoughts given the latest news where the Clinton campaign in the US was given a boot in the backside by a misquoted blog site. Check out my post at horizoncommunication.wordpress.com. I’d appreciate your thoughts on this.
Keep up the good work.
By Julie, writer Surefirewealth.com on Mar 3, 2008 | Reply
You make “The Network” sound so much like a secret group of highly intelligent people working for the government. I almost feel like I should just be whispering it in my mind as I read your entry with my eyes. But I have to agree that having such a good support can also influence what other people think of you. Even what you think of yourself.
By Kare Anderson on Mar 5, 2008 | Reply
Over here on the left coast we are also deluged with the verizon ads
One subtle difference, I believe, is that one person is not in front of the ret of the network. Instead we alternative, based on need and talent, who is up front, representing the network.
And the more diverse our network, and the clearer the ground rules for “us” the greater the likelihood for participation, trust and opportunity for ech of us.
Smart Mobs’ author spoke along these lines last week at The Ted Conference. I wrote about his talk and linked to it here.
http://www.movingfrommetowe.com/2008/02/15/we’d-rather-work-together-than-alone/