Links for March 4 2012
Fixing The Engagement Gap by Olivier Blanchard on The BrandBuilder Blog
Quote: This stuff really isn’t that hard. It’s as simple as walking into a crowded room and making friends, then coming back the next day and meeting their friends, and doing it again the next day. If you just listen to them today, you’ll know what to talk to them about tomorrow. Once they start sharing stuff with you, you’ll know what they want you to share with them. Relationship-building 101. Pretty much everything else you need to know is right here.
When Lightening Strikes by Jeff Cornwall on The Entrepreneurial Mind
Quote: Think hard to be certain that the break will allow you to scale the model and pursue the vision that you already had in mind. Some breaks require a fundamental change, not just a pivot, of the business model. If you pursue this type of opportunity make sure you do so with a clear understanding of what it means and how it will change your business.
Add value or get out of the way! By Saeed Khan On Product Management
Quote: It’s a simple question we should all ask ourselves. Are we adding value? And if so, how much? How could we improve ourselves so that we can add more value in the future.
Why Context Is King in the Future of Digital Marketing by Jonathan Gardner on Mashable
Quote: Regardless of the platform or strategy, we must not forget that content may be queen, but context is king in the future of marketing
Seduced by Characters by Valeria Maltoni on Conversation Agent
Quote: Algorithms don’t necessarily tell you what someone’s or something’s true value is. I’ll know it when I see it is not about some future formula — it’s about learning to be human, in conversation, and in the moment to get the most out of creating opportunities.
Change and the Gentle Pour by Wally Bock on Three Star Leadership Blog
Quote: Change is a delicate thing. Go gently. Don’t make a big mess and clean up the small messes you will surely make.
Give it five minutes by Jason F on 37signals
Quote: So next time you hear something, or someone, talk about an idea, pitch an idea, or suggest an idea, give it five minutes. Think about it a little bit before pushing back, before saying it’s too hard or it’s too much work. Those things may be true, but there may be another truth in there too: It may be worth it.
Quote: But one thing is clear: For some, uncertainty breeds paralysis. For others, the very presence of uncertainty offers a platform to drive clever and radical change.
Find your human middleware by Mark P. McDonald
Quote: Human middleware is a silent killer of performance, responsibility and effectiveness. It starts with good intentions, it sounds good – after all who is against greater coordination, improved service, or greater time to market? All are business justifications for creating human middleware.