Today is a bit a whirlwind for me. I only had time for a quick dip into the social media and nonprofit stream and found a couple of hot conversations. Enjoy!
Why Non-Profits Are So Good at Social Media: Alexandra Samuel of Social Signal has a post over at the Harvard Business School that makes the case that nonprofits have a long history of relationship development and positions them well for social media success. She summarizes five key lessons from early adopters in the nonprofit sector. In the comment, there is a hearty debate going on about whether Alexandra's premise is spot on or not. What's your take?
Early Adoption: Not Just for Technology: Amy Sample Ward looks at Louis Gray's early adopter model and wonders if it can be applied to social change work. There's a lively discussion in the comments.
Change Native to the Digital World: Lucy Bernholz is for examples of social change organizations that are totally native to the digital world. They were created in and around digital tools and they use these tools to manage their work, communication, programs, fund development - everything. So, check out her list and if you know of organizations that should be on it, please add to it!
Hi Beth!
Another hot topic today has been the importance of Twitter in the Iran election protests. After you tweeted "RT @DigiActive "is this a twitter revolution?" debate is unnecessary, tiring. the tech & social media is damn useful but let's nt lose focus" I went into her stream and read back and understand her to mean that it's wrong to be putting attention on the role Twitter is playing in Iran when the real issue is the Iranians' fight for democratic elections.
Aren't they both important - in different ways, on different levels? The cause should never be upstaged (if it's appropriate to use such a word in a life or death context) by technology. But people are developing a methodology, via high-stakes trial and error, for using Twitter to crowdsource global support for democratic movements. The lessons being learned there will have relevance in many nations. I'd dearly love to know who is planning to track/study/assimilate/digest/share those lessons. (I'm afraid I may have irritated @geoffliving by wondering if this is something #blogpotomac might be concerned with past next October - and maybe I misunderstand what #blogpotomac is for. I'm new and pretty clueless.)
It would be easier to stay focused on the Iranian people if it were clear that there was an appropriate place and time where smart people like you and the other "elders" of Twitter were gathering the lessons to be found in what @austinheap and others are doing now. Do you, with your fantastic network of smart folks, know if that's happening anywhere? And would you say more about your position on whether it's appropriate to be thinking/writing about the role Twitter is playing there? My guess is that you're saying "We need to stop stepping on their story" as opposed to "the ways people are finding to use the technology are not a big deal worthy of study/attention."
Thank you for your enormous generosity of mind, time, and resources. (Is there some way those of us who deeply appreciate your work can contribute?? Wish I could come carry boxes or scrub floors or make a return to you in some concrete way. You rock.
Best,
Wendy
Posted by: Wendy Kloiber @learningashland | June 17, 2009 at 09:20 PM