Tag: Leadership

Time to capture the Dark Matter

David Wilcox has just put up a post which helps think about the relationship between formal and informal structures – whether in non-profit or profit organisations.

He cites a thought which popped into the head of Lloyd Davis at It’s Social Stupid. It occurs to Lloyd that creativity most often happens in the ‘shadows’ – the informal links into and out of  formal organisations – rather than within the naturally constraining structures which were designed to get things done.

I think we all spend some considerable time in the shadows. You know: Read more

Money Matters – but not to success.

I was reading parts of the draft of Charles Leadbeater’s new book We-Think. (well worth a good mooch – and you can comment before he publishes.) He’s grappling with a leadership dilemma part of which can be summed up as: if organisations and professionalism are so precious to us, why are modest online structures able to accomplish so much with networked volunteers?. Read more

Buzz Director – beyond infinity.

First apologies to Steve Bridger for my inability to avoid the obvious pun on his latest and very fine post.
Last month when we met at an NVCO ICT Foresight group meeting Steve mentioned the idea of a “Buzz Director” for non profits.

It’s a particular crusade of mine to encourage not-for-profits to identify an internal champion (or recruit a virtual volunteer) to take on this role. Call it what you will. I like Beth Kanter’s “Social Media Coach”. But how about “Cause Evangelist”? Anyway, you get the idea.

Steve is essentialy looking for someone who understands how the internet can be used to broaden relationships and widen support. It is a job for someone with a clear appreciation of the point of your organisation combined with a talent for looking (and indeed living) over the horizon – perhaps you could say beyond infinity?

One of the qualities he identifies is the ability to… Read more

Charles Leadbeater wants help with We-think.

Richard Sambrook (Director of the BBC’s Global News Division – but also someone who blogs outside the BBC site) has alerted us to a interesting new appeal from Charles Leadbeater who has posted drafts of his new book We-think months before it’s publication is due.

We-Think: the power of mass creativity is about what the rise of the likes of Wikipedia and Youtube, Linux and Craigslist means for the way we organise ourselves, not just in digital businesses but in schools and hospitals, cities and mainstream corporations.
My argument is that these new forms of mass, creative collaboration announce the arrival of a society in which participation will be the key organising idea rather than consumption and work. People want to be players not just spectators, part of the action, not on the sidelines.

Charles wants all of us to join the action, collaborate with refining and improving the book – boosting the contribution it can make.

Great idea. Of course the moment the presses roll it will be out of date. Or maybe not. Perhaps collectively we can generate ideas which begin to give clarity to the trends we’re experiencing.

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