Push-me Pull-you Pt 2

One of my earlier posts referenced Mark Earls and his observation that Social networks are not best understood as channels down which folk send things; social networks are webs from which members pull down learning (from each other). (My emphasis not his).

In this post, Neil Perkin references JP Rangawamis post that the current (push)business models, that many are trying to maintain, are premised for the desire for predictability. From his (JPR's) analysis of the The Power of Pull, he lists a number of assumptions on which (let's call them) traditional (push) ways of doing business are based

• There's not enough to go around
• Elites do the deciding
• Organisations must be hierarchical
• People must be molded
• Bigger is better
• Resources can be allocated centrally
• Demand can be forecast
• Demand can be met

He (NP) observes that in their attempt to maintain predictability, businesses sacrifice what one might argue is one of the fundamental requirements in this brave new world we find ourselves in - agility.

We have all heard of how in the past we have used previous technologies to frame new ones (TV is radio with pictures etc.) and we look like being equally guilty of framing the new demands on marketing and communications in similar terms - scaling a new solution born of the same thinking - as Sir Ken Robinson says in this TED talk on the need for a new type of education.

As he says (actually is quoting Abraham Lincoln) in regard to developing new ways to educate, the challenge is to 'dis-enthrall' ourselves from the old ways of thinking in order to rise 'with' (not 'to') the new challenges we are facing.

The challenge is huge, particularly when you bear in mind that there are few marketers around that have the breadth of experience, perspective and skills required to evolve strategies that at least for now will combine old and new practice, and increasingly span areas of a business that were outside of the Marketing Director's remit. . In this Social Media Today post Adam Vicenzini lists just a few of the skills that today's marketers need to implement SM successfully:



As he asks - how many people do you know that

a) have experience in all these areas, and
b) have managed aggressive agencies
c) can pull people together internally whilst massaging considerable egos
d) have the technical appreciation for what is involved
e) can handle a crisis competently
f) can be forward thinking enough to sell creative concepts across the business
g) have the time management skills to pull this all together?

Clearly brand owners and agencies alike are faced with many significant challenges, and as we know, it will require us all to learn as we go - often from the consumer who at this stage at least is showing us the way from an agility perspective.

Returning to Sir Ken's TED talk, perhaps one way to view the challenges is to think more in terms of an agricultural/organic approach, rather than the industrialised/linear one to which many brands are still bound.

(To spread this blog a little wider I am just pasting in a little link - mitchado.gooruze.com)