Twitter Doesn't Suck...and Facebook Isn't the Web

Just back from another xmas season get together. This stuff just has to be said (otherwise I'm taking it out on my family):

First, Twitter doesn't suck, despite what every 23 year old I talked to this xmas says.

I know you think it's all about people tweeting their latest bowel movements. That's because YOU'VE NEVER ACTUALLY TRIED IT.

You're looking for a job. Right?

Did you know that almost all of the major job boards, recruiters and employment agencies are on Twitter. As are major corporations. Towns. Government agencies. And your University. In fact, while you've been busy dissing it, Twitter been busy becoming a serious tool for the rest of the world.

So you never tweet? It doesn't matter. If you learn how to use Twitter search (search.twitter.com) or Tweetdeck at least you'll be up to speed on the latest snow conditions at Whistler.

Second, Facebook is NOT the web.

Yeah, you seemed like an early adopter when you and your 17 year old friends all flocked to it. But then you stopped adopting. And learning.

Which really scares me (oldsters set in their ways is scary enough, but do you really want to be like your parents?).

Your personal brand now consists of a bunch of pics of you and your friends - drinking, partying and....what the hell are you doing?!! Looks like fun. Looks really shallow. Brands are important. You might want to work a little harder on yours. I guarantee when you go for that banking job they're going on-line to check you out.

And when they do, that really quiet girl with the blog and the amazing YouTube videos from Australia is going to get the job.

Third. RIM better get it's act together.

It's one thing to see the techie geek dudes off trying everything new. That's not the iPhone now.

This Christmas I saw serious, staid, boring, dull square heads....showing off their latest iPhone apps, giving advice on dumping existing 3 year smart phone plans and generally running from their Blackberries faster than you can say BBM. If this isn't scaring the crap out of RIM I'd be amazed.

Didn't someone there see the app wave coming?

Finally. Get Google Reader. This may be the best advice. I've ever given.

See when you click on Google and it says 'more'? Go there. Click Reader. Get an account. Sign up.

You know why? Because the world is changing - and it's all on line (yeah, that magazine folded too). And the only way to stay in touch is to get a little organized.

Google Reader will let you 'subscribe' to websites and blogs. Every time your favourite site or blog is updated, the update goes automatically to your reader. Then, when you finally wake up in the morning the first you do is go to your reader and ta daaa! - there is your latest information.

And you can be smarter than all the other kids at work (until they get their readers too).

Google's Nexus One Phone: Questions

via businessinsider.com

OK Blackberry friends. What am I missing? This phone looks very cool. Is battery life a problem? Will it ever come to Canada? Will it ever come to Bell? What about security? i-Phone apps are amazing (and BB apps not so much), what about Google phone apps? Are the Wild West Pinball guys on the case? What happens when Google takes over the world? When will they start building cars? This is very confusing. Just keep it simple and stick with my Curve?

Posted via web from Jim's posterous

Ecological Footprint of Your Dog. Worse than Your SUV?

via good.is

Interesting.

Some of my least favourite dogs are owned by people who are seriously into saving the environment. So me trying to run them over is kind of like composting?

Cool. Anything for a better world.

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Really, We're all Irrelevant: Beatles 3000

via youtube.com

So, in 1000 years, no one will remember the Beatles. Properly.

Do you know what that means for the rest of us?

It means we need to stop taking life so seriously.

Seriously.

Because the truth is no one's gonna care. Most of those things we think are so important now, won't last more than about 12 days after our deaths.

Never mind in a 1000 years.

Which reminds me. I did hear of someone the other day who was building a gazillion square foot cottage. In Temagami. As his legacy.

Dude. It's Temagami. It's already irrelevant.

Posted via web from Jim's posterous

Christmas Light Hero

via youtube.com

Seriously. Jealous.

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Seth Godin: What Matters Now: free ebook

Here are more than seventy big thinkers, each sharing an idea for you to think about as we head into the new year. From bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert to brilliant tech thinker Kevin Kelly, from publisher Tim O'Reilly to radio host Dave Ramsey, there are some important people riffing about important ideas here. The ebook includes Tom Peters, Jackie Huba and Jason Fried, along with Gina Trapani, Bill Taylor and Alan Webber.

via sethgodin.typepad.com

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Let's go: Boeing 787 Dreamliner Ready to Fly

via boeingblogs.com

Anyone into airplanes will find this blog pretty cool. Randy's Blog is done by Randy Tinesh, VP Marketing for Boeing Commercial aircraft. Pictured is a high speed, nose-lifting taxi test from yesterday - clearing the way for first flight tomorrow.

Aside from the pure airplane interest, this blog seems like a great example of a large corporation using a pretty simple tool (blogging) to keep it connected. Randy's blog passes along latest updates including the ups and downs of managing a large airplane manufacturer in a friendly, honest fashion. I doubt there are many industry watchers who don't keep their eye on what's going on here.

By the way - speaking of staying connected - the first flight tomorrow is being webcast starting at 9:45 Seattle time. That's cool.

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Tiger: The sooner he flames out completely, the sooner he shall rise again

Seemingly out of nowhere, a crack appears. A dire mistake is made. An Escalade crashes into a tree, a line of cocaine is snorted near a paparazzi's hungry camera, a random drug test comes back positive for steroids, a gay prostitute proves he's had frequent meth-addled sex with a powerful homophobic televangelist Christian nutball. You know: same ol', same ol'.

via sfgate.com

The actual title of this article is 'Tiger Woods Must Die'. A little daring and over the top...but it makes a point. He probably will come back. A new bad-boy Tiger playing even better golf. It fits a pattern. The American Dream.

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Book Review - Googled: The End of the World as We Know It

Just out and very current, this book by Ken Auletta should be on a lot of people's reading lists.

Within the first 4 pages I found myself putting down my reader, picking up a pen and making notes.

Do you have a sales force? Read this book.

Are you managing the same way you did 5 years ago? Read this book.

Have you never thought about the inefficiencies in your industry? Read this book.

Do you use Google? Read this book.

Do you work with engineers? Read this book.

Do you read a newspaper, listen to music, watch TV? Read this book.

Are you inventing the next Google? Read this book.

You get the point. Google and others gave Auletta amazing access to themselves and their organizations. As a result he's pieced together a unique perspective of Google and the waves it's created from inception right up to a few months ago.

The picture you get is of a company almost naively focused on engineering and inefficiency. Out to save the world while disrupting it in unforeseen and unrecoverable ways. Awkwardly managed by a couple of geeks and a smart but unremarkable CEO who somehow has managed to hold it all together without either getting fired or going postal.

You get a picture of competitors or those hit by the Google wave, like the large media companies who were both dismissive and scared. Caught between existing constituents and existing revenue streams while watching their entire worlds come crashing down around them.

Auletta spends lots of time discussing Google as the next Evil Empire - and the picture you get is that it sure could be - but hopefully, maybe, probably isn't (depending on what industry you're in) because the current leadership hopefully, maybe, probably still do believe in doing no evil. Given all the data Google's collecting, it does make you think what could happen if Google got into the wrong hands.

Overall a very interesting read. And if you're a leader/manager of anything you will find the Auletta's observations interesting and thought provoking.

Xmas is coming. You might want to put Put Googled: The End of the World as We Know It on your x-mas list!

Transformational Leadership - Google's Zeitgeist Europe 2009

via youtube.com

Here's a fascinating look at various forms of leadership through the eyes and experience of Itay Talgam, a renowned Isreali orchestra conductor.

I came across this piece reading Ken Auletta's new book 'Googled:The End of the World as We Know it' - a must read book for anyone wondering about Google, management, the future of mass media, the future of the world, engineers and inefficiency.

Having read about this presentation that Itay gave at Google's 2008 Zeitgeist conference in Auletta's book I naturally went to Google to find it on the internet. And of course it was there.(Update: actually it isn't there - the link to it has been disabled. This - as the title says - is from the 2009 conference).

Leadership, especially inspiring, effective leadership is something I've tried to observe, practice and coach through both my management assignments and my consulting assignments. This look at 5 (actually only 4 in this presentation) different conducting styles and the different outcomes they achieve is both fascinating - and hopefully - inspirational.

Posted via web from Jim's posterous

Golf Digest Magazine: 10 Tips Obama Can Take From Tiger??!!!

via golfdigest.com

You have to feel sorry for the Golf Digest people - putting Obama on the January cover with Tiger and a headline that reads '10 Tips Obama Can Take From Tiger'.

Oops.

Seriously, here are a couple of the tips - as headlined in the magazine, that Golf Digest suggests Tiger could pass on (seriously) to Obama: 1) The Quick Recovery (probably not) 4) The Trouble with Compromise (a million here a million there, soon you're talking some serious hush money) 6) Controlling the Message (message?) 7) The Swing Change (no comment) 9) You've Got to Deliver (otherwise flying to Australia is just a long trip) 10) The Danger of Looking Ridiculous (like Tiger and Golf Digest?).

As for Obama's advice for Tiger: 10) keep your day job (you're probably going to need it)

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Should You Hold "Office Hours"? - Bill Taylor - HarvardBusiness.org

A case in point was a general partner at Flybridge Capital by the name of Chip Hazard. (Great name for a venture capitalist, by the way. If he was a commercial banker, he'd have to change his name to Moral Hazard, but that's a thought for another day.) Chip recently announced that on December 9, he'll be holding his first-ever office hours. "Thinking about starting a new technology focused company?" the invitation asked. "Already working on a tech company and interested in getting feedback from a VC? Facing a business challenge and looking for advice? Ready to get financing and want to review your pitch?" Sign up in advance and you get 20 minutes one-on-one with Chip.

via blogs.harvardbusiness.org

This is either a pretty good idea or an incredibly dumb one. By scheduling people in do you get more attendance/input or less? I'm betting less. But it would be more organized.

Ever read the book 'Free'?. There's a logical discussion about how charging anything - even a penny - takes down the interest level. If the goal is to get more input or questions from customers or students or employees - why not just say 'my door is always open?' Is there something unique about calling it 'office hours'?

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