Along the Tigris

The United States military continues to impress me – time after time. In 2007, Thomas L. Day, a U.S. Army public affairs officer, published the book entitled “Along the Tigris.” It’s a fascinating look at the War in Iraq during its early stages.

Five years ago, to the day, there were no less than three divisions of Army officers sitting on the Kuwait boarder waiting to enter Iraq in search of weapons of mass destruction — and they were joined by reporters.

As we all watched the war unfold, I often wondered about the reltationship between the battalion commanders and the reporters that were imbeded in their units. Is it smart and appropriate to allow the news to witness first hand the military at work? Well, in short, most of the commanders thought it was a good thing. They had nothing to hide and they were 100 % comfortable with letting the American public witness their efforts in Iraq – provided, of course, that the reporter was smart enough not to relay tactical information to the world. (Jeraldo, are you listening?)

I was surprised. With so much to worry about, including the lives of each and every soilder in the battalion, why would a commander welcome the presence of a reporter who had his or her own reasons for being in Iraq?

Well, most commanders see this as a simple equation: our country is great because of its openness and transparency and that applies to the U.S. military as much as it applies to everyone else. Talk about being consistent….

I was also surprised to learn that so many reporters joined forces with the battalions they covered and fought when necessary. In one case, the reporter shaved his head, military style, in order to show solidarity.

The Iraq war will live with us forever. And, hopefully, we will remember just how exceptional our U.S. military is and we will continue to support them, period.

 

Apple – We Need Some More Innovation!

In general, my friends and colleagues consider Apple to be among the most – if not the most – innovative companies in the world, able to see and create trends long before anyone else. Here’s something I’d like them to consider: designing a stand-up desk for my PowerBook.

I want something stylish and, if possible, portable. I am spending a lot more time on my computer and, as a result, a lot more time sitting down. Most of my friends work in public relations or advocacy. A small group of us were together last week and we concluded that over 10 years in PR amounts to more than an extra 10 pounds!

Sitting – thinking – writing – typing – eating and coffee drinking: it all ads up. Lets keep social media tipping the scales – but in a good way.

 

Wiki, Wiki, Wiki, Wiki

Remember Trans Europe Express? They had some big hits in the 1980s, including a song with the refrain “”Wiki, wiki, wiki, wiki.” Too bad they were not around long enough to enjoy the fruits of their labor….

Lets talk about wikis, who should contribute to them and what is the best way to manage mass collaboration. It’s not easy. Quite frankly, I have been impressed with the knowledge of many wiki contributors. They get it. And, they seem to research their topics before committing to the Web.

Having said that, I would never – ever – rely on a wiki as a primary source of information. I would never reference a wiki, base a thesis on a wiki, or overstate the information obtained through a wiki. I blame my legal training. But, it is important to know that the source of important information is an expert. Life is complicated and the decisions we make rest on the facts. The Web 2.o has opened a world of possibilities with regard to having access to information. During the past few months, I’ve been in wiki mode. But, I haven’t found information that is not otherwise available as a primary source.

I don’t think wikis should be exclusive to experts. If that were the case, they would become a redundant source of information. But, maybe they should include an attribution. I’m not trying to contact the wiki authors, but, if history is any guide, asking people to verify their claims is one way to en sure that you receive the highest level quality work. In turn, we would establish a solid floor for wikis, and, people like me, that will still seek the primary reference, can at least feel like they are at a more solid starting point.

 

Hide and Go Search

I’m sure there is an outstanding quote – somewhere out there – that would illustrate what I’d like to say, beautifully. How about, “There are two sides to ever coin.” The attribution escapes me, but these are words to live by for someone that considers himself or herself a communicator. Several weeks ago, I blogged on Search, John Battelle’s book on Google and how the company (and its rivals) redefined the world of business.

How should we think about search? As the consumer, search is liberating. You simply don’t have to be bothered with anything you don’t want to be bothered with. Through the power of search, you can go directly to those things that are of most interest and find opinions that resemble yours. As the owner of search, Google for example, you own perhaps the most powerful culmination of human thought ever available. Everything we care about and think about is part of our search. And, while we may thing of certain items as predominate and others as experimental, to Google and other search engines, it’s all the same. If you search for one item because you are an expert in the filed and it occupies a large part of your professional time, it does not ignore the other items, small and perhaps contradictory, of the primary interest areas.

Several weeks ago, I wrote a post called “To Lie or not to Lie.” At the time, I was thinking a lot about search and whether consumers should experiment on the Internet to protect their privacy. The idea was straight forward: if consumers could get onto the habit of breaking their patterns, no one could make assumptions about them as a result of search. For me, that would mean visiting site I normally don’t visit. Maybe the short movie site, Nice Shorts, or maybe a NASCAR blog, or maybe an ode to classical music that was rejected by previous generations because of its religious references. Put differently, should I search for things I don’t care about as often as I search for things I do care about – to protect my privacy? Any thoughts?

 

Living with a Long Tail

How often have you been out to dinner with a good friend and an obscure topic comes up and your bud, who you thought you knew everything about, reveals himself to be an expert on the subject. You settle back in your chair and listen as he talks about the topic in such detail that you wonder if he is living a secret life.

People are amazing. It’s not the obvious things that make life interesting; it’s the items that are more obscure. Several weeks ago, I blogged about Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail. It’s a great book about how technology will create an infinite number of micro trends or markets that, taken as a whole, will be a driving economic force in the years to come. I’m over simplifying a great read, but the point is well taken: now, it’s ok to think small, as well as big.

When I first read Tail, my primary question was driven by the concept of economic constraint. Assuming that we are all as complex (and wonderful) as the friend described above – the quiet expert – how do we weigh our “macro” interests versus our “micro” interests? Anderson makes the point that the tail is basically infinite because all of us are now able to pursue our micro interests through the power of the Internet. But, what happens if we have to choose? Most economic theories assume that consumers are constrained by limited resources. Would this blunt the tail?

Maybe this is too far down in the weeds. Perhaps the real beauty of the Internet is that you can change you exploration and intentions instantly, satisfying both your greatest or smallest need.

 

Corporate Communications and Disintermediation

Disintermediation has been a hot topic in several industries over the years. Often the discussion is tied to the emergence of a new technology that makes a job function obsolete. Will blogging disintermediate corporate affairs representatives?

In January, I blogged about Naked Conversations, a book which I generally enjoyed. For someone that is new to the power of the Internet and Web 2.0, I felt like it was a good guide to the future.

But, Chapter 7, survival of the publicists, struck me as a bit harsh. Here is a basic premise: corporate public affairs representatives are awful people who hide information from external audiences seeking the truth. These people use bad language – that doesn’t make sense – they highlight information that no on cares about – they prevent the outside world from getting in contact with the real experts. Pretty tough stuff.

I think Public Relations people deserve a break. We are talking about a group of people that got into the business because they believe that it is important to provide information to stakeholders in a clear and concise fashion, not to hide the dirty corporate secrets from the world. And, many corporate affairs people have done a good job, one that the scientist or accountant or engineer might not do because he or she is not particularly concerned with the expression of an idea.

We all have or skills sets and our talents. And while I know that corporate structures have been criticized for their layers and isolated functions, some of them do exist for good reasons without sinister intent.

I have been working in corporate America for 15 years. My boss was responsible for public affairs, internal communications, government relations and corporate philanthropy. He has been in this job for over 25 years. Before that, he was a professor of English and history. He writes beautifully, finding the perfect word for every occasion. He was also a gifted storyteller, which I believe is consistent with all of his other strengths. He made an enormous contribution to the company, his colleagues, our department and our customers in both the consumer and business environments and I hate the idea that the nature of his contribution would be completely discounted as a result of new technology and the perception that he is nothing more than a corporate cock-blocker.

 

The Final Chapter

An awful lot has been said during the past ten years about the “closed” culture of corporate America. Dan Gillmor points to it several times in We the Media, including in Chapter 4. Having spent over 15 years in corporate cultures, I feel obligated to share a few thoughts.

First, I don’t believe that corporations invest time and money in communicating with their stakeholders to deceive. In comparison, I don’t believe the mainstream media chose to change the nature of reporting to make their jobs easier. Organizations, particularly those that have been established for many years, have had their own evolutions. They are the culmination of decisions – large and small – and people with different visions. Taken together, you have the mind and the muscle that create the inner workings of an organization. In addition, the organization is shaped and affected by outside influences that it cannot control.

Can organizations do better? Of course, and so can you. With the exception of some well know organizations that have broken the law in recent years, corporate America has set out to deceive its customer or prevent them from voicing their views. It wouldn’t make sense. It would be like fine-tuning an instrument to perform to an empty room.

Like people, organizations have habits and if you have tried to break a habit lately, you know it ain’t easy. The conversation would be much more fruitful if this were the starting point. The accusations and contemptuous tone is wasteful. It does not create an environment where people trying to introduce others to the positive powers of social media can succeed.

And, here’s another point. Why not lead with a complete example of the benefits? I have yet to read the case where a “conversation” resulted in a big benefit for the consumer or the organization serving it. I’m not talking about the example where a company starts its own blog and nothing bad happens, I’m looking for a positive outcome. Learning about organizations that position themselves as innovators because they us technology in a new way is fascinating, but isn’t that about leadership? I’m looking for the chapter that helps me distill this further. Maybe it’s too early to make such a request. But, if that’s the case, isn’t it also too early to condemn?

 

Is Everyone in a Position to “Gift?”

Here’s something else I am trying to figure out. Does it make sense for all bloggers to “gift” their words, ideas and observations? Yesterday, I read a PR blog by a gal who has been in the business for over 15 years. She is currently working for an agency.

Her blog included a series of instructions on how to approach various projects. I couldn’t help but wonder how her clients feel about paying her when she is giving advice to the world for free via her blog.

I used to think people were “holding back” when they blog or podcast about things they know very well. But, more and more, it seems I might be wrong about that.

 

An Online Bill of Rights?

We all know that the Internet is powerful. So, does this medium require structure? Guidelines? A framework? A Bill of Rights?

No, I don’t think so – at least not in the official, legal, sense. There’s much to say on this topic, but lets focus on the practical reality: in the United States, the people that would develop these guidelines in the form of national standards are ill-equipped to do so. In fact, I must say that the most courageous thing I have seen the US Congress do in the past 15 years is agree not to regulate the Internet during it’s critical growth stage.

The practical consideration regarding regulation is enough to make you dizzy.  For starters, which committees in the House and Senate have jurisdiction over the Internet?  First guess: House and Senate Commerce.  Answer: Sure.  But, what about Financial Services?  Given the growing number of people that bank online.  And, what about House Ways and Means? For starters, a significant number of people are new filing their taxes online.  And, let’s not forget about the Judiciary Committees.

It might have made more sense to approach this question from the opposite point of view – is there any committee that doesn’t have jurisdiction over the Internet?  The process would be very, very difficult.

In short, we’re still not ready for regulation. Given the pressure politicians face, they will never be able to devote enough time to a Bill of Rights. I’m sure people will take issue with this position, but it’s simply impossible. And, if they can’t do, it’s better that the Internet is left to self-regulate. Period.

 

Worth Reading: The Long Tail

It took me a little more time than it should have to get through Chris Anderson’s book, The Long Tail. In part, it’s because my expectations were very, very high when I started. Anderson seems to be viewed by many as the person with his finger on the key to future marketing success. He makes an interesting case and, if he’s right, this is very good news for the consumer.

People have a lot of dimensions and if long tail industries lead the economy going forward, we will all get more satisfaction from the goods and services we acquire.

As of now, I have two questions: 1) What is the relationship between demand and economic restriction. It has been along time since I have thought about economic distribution curves, but does Anderson assume unlimited resources? I need to spend more time on sections dedicated the the relationship between the head and the tail. 2) I’d like to her his view regarding the “unwired.” Without the technology, we loose one of the long tail forces. What then? Presumably, unwired customers will still be part of the big hits, but that leaves quite a bit off the table. It’s probably unfair to pose this question to Chris. It’s actually a policy question, but given his expertise, I’d love to her his view. Stay tuned.