This month, I’ve led ‘thinking meetings’ at three different organizations as part of processes to help communicators and others understand the evolving nature of the business landscape in which the people in each of those organizations dwell.
We’ve considered trends that matter and the essential steps individuals must take to best prepare their businesses for the new (to some) ways of engaging with others – both within and without the organization – where the direct rewards will not be financial but instead closely connected to earning influence, trust and reputation.
Increasingly, the conversations about social business (definition 1, definition 2) are focusing on the steps communicators must take to encourage mindset shifts and behaviour changes within their organizations, first and foremost. Those steps require courage and perseverance, often (usually, in many cases) in the face of strong and relentless resistance to change.
Indeed, it is all about organization change and not about social media or other enabling tools. It’s also about facilitating change in small steps rather than tackling the big and seemingly huge-and-impossible picture.
I’ve been using a simple deck that is 85 percent the same content that’s relevant to whoever I’m speaking with, with 15 percent that’s specific to a particular organization.
This deck focuses on listening – a courageous step for many when the desire or pressure to talk instead seems overwhelming.
I’ve embedded the 85 percent version below, lightly edited for public use, so you can get a sense of where I’m taking this story where the element of being courageous is central. Once you see and understand that, it can become far less daunting to determine what you actually must do.
The deck draws upon some broad concepts I first presented in a keynote speech at the Like Minds conference in May 2012. Luke Skywalker and Yoda played a starring role in that session.
Today, they’re accompanied by more down-to-earth concepts including The Hero’s Journey as envisioned by Brian Solis that is all about taking courage and is one of the most compelling perspectives that bear strongly on the tasks facing communicators today.
If you have perspectives on those tasks, please share them. We can all learn more that will help us take courage.
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20 responses to “Courage is what it takes”
Courage is what it takes http://t.co/jR0LOSgTaR
Very insightful post on communications challenges of C-Suite from “@jangles: Courage is what it takes:…. http://t.co/BYL6fDjpG2“
@jangles Interesting that you have Klout in your preso. Has your thinking changed on them?
Glenda Robertson Holmes liked this on Facebook.
Stuart Henshall liked this on Facebook.
@jangles on why listening is more important than talking in #socialmedia http://t.co/n08eR65XtN #ESN #SMILEsmw #internalcomms
RT @silviacambie: @jangles on why listening is more important than talking in #socialmedia http://t.co/n08eR65XtN #ESN #SMILEsmw #internalc…
Silvia Cambie liked this on Facebook.
It’s not about talking, it’s about listening. Take courage http://t.co/yow2lWWZ7Q via @jangles < great post. #socialmedia #socbiz #ESN #e20
“Courage is what it takes” by @jangles http://t.co/3shoCNK96w <“..also what it takes to sit down and listen” HT @LOMBARDI_GLORIA #TChat
RT @bkneuer “Courage what it takes” @jangles http://t.co/wLZvw3yieJ < also what it takes to sit down and listen” @LOMBARDI_GLORIA #TChat
Take courage: Listen, don’t talk http://t.co/rxZFCWjqr9 social business and organisational change, great points by @jangles #comms
This, from @Jangles inspired me *a lot* this morning. Top class thinking – thanks Neville http://t.co/cpWwvQp05p
“Courage is what it takes” EPIC words of wisdom from @jangles ;-) http://t.co/ZIcwQtnFxL
RT @berniejmitchell: “Courage is what it takes” EPIC words of wisdom from @jangles ;-) http://t.co/kfxKIzpKvL // I agree – v.good
Evolving nature of the business landscape > Courage is what it takes http://t.co/TaaSVVwOxh < Great post by @jangles
Courage is what it takes. Listening to move forward. Thanks to @jangles for this one. http://t.co/sadoCOklLU
Courage is what it takes http://t.co/px9gC46Bbk via @jangles
“it is all about organization change, not about social media or other enabling tools” great thoughts @nevillehobson http://t.co/zRJo5u3SJW
RT @highqsolutions: Evolving nature of the business landscape > Courage is what it takes http://t.co/TaaSVVwOxh < Great post by @jangles