I’ve been thinking about the terminology that we use to describe our relationships on various social networks. I “follow” people on Twitter and people “follow” me back. I have “friends” on Facebook. I am “linked” to people on LinkedIn. The “follow” relationship is the one I find most fascinating.
When you “follow” someone, you:
Accept them as a guide or leader
Imitate or follow their example
Watch their movement or progress
While I understand that my “followers” on Twitter probably don’t see me as a leader, there are certainly people on Twitter who I “follow” because I consider them thought leaders and I want to know what they’re reading and thinking. Think about it. We never say that we “follow” a Web site, company or newsletter, but we do say that we “follow” someone’s blog. I know I consider it a high compliment when someone tells me that they “follow” my blog.
In the book Tribes, marketing guru Seth Godin tells us it’s human nature to want to be part of a group that shares a common passion and recognizes the same leader; in other words, most of us want to be part of a tribe. Further, Seth believes that using the Web and social networking tools, everyone can now find or assemble a tribe and lead it.
So I say to each of you and your organizations: People want to follow, are you ready to lead?
We work with a lot of associations, databases, and data. Unlike a fine wine, data does not get better with age. It ages rather poorly, in fact, like a loaf of bread. One moment it seems fine, and the next moment it is in the trash. While a handful of organizations are truly not connecting the dots (I had one staff...
BIG changes are here with the release of version 24.1 of MatrixMaxx™, a leading Association Management System (AMS) that helps trade associations and professional societies manage their organizations better, have great member journeys, and be higher performing through data. The past several releases have focused primarily on under-the-hood optimizations and updates, but 24.1 brings a cornucopia of tantalizing visual and organizational...
Matrix Group is officially 25 years old today. I say “officially” because May 1 is the date on our incorporation papers, but the real date is April 22, when I opened up shop in shared office space in Georgetown, Washington, DC. If you want to hear stories about when, why and how I started the company, listen to this week’s episode...