What do executives and teenagers have in common? While this may seem like a trick question, the answer is the ability and desire to use online communities to make decisions. Research has proven that executives make strategic business decisions based upon peer information, much like their teenage counterparts. However, there are relatively few opportunities for executives to connect with each other online, other than via email. They often need to wait for a conference or in-person event to learn who is doing what with whom in business. Conversely, throughout the web, teenagers have a myriad of forums where they are talking about themselves and their experiences. They are sharing information and collaborating with each other in powerful ways.

Armed with their peers’ perspectives, they are using new tools to make decisions about what they buy, where they go, and what they do. In essence, they are changing the global economy through their online collaborative behaviors.

The potential for this opportunity exists for executives as well, as this constituent is also very driven by leveraging peer referral and experiences to shape future decisions. So, while teens are ...

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Could this be true a year from now?  After all, in 2006 there were plenty of ‘experts’ sounding the funeral bells of MySpace, but they seem to be getting by rather well.  If you look at the history of social networks from 2003 until today, some interesting trends can be observed.  I recently wrote a White Paper on this, and I think there is a compelling argument for taking a step back and looking at Social Networks objectively.  I address the is... read more >>

While their use is still largely limited to less-than-mission-critical purposes, online social networking services are becoming more popular for business purposes.

Much of the current emphasis seems to focus on limited application to businesses systemically rather approaches seem to be limited to “silos” of thinking related to recruitment and branding.

Businesses may be missing a larger picture of value yet to be tapped and maybe even yet t.... read more >>

Business leaders are faced with daily decisions whose outcomes impact both short and long term results. Constantly trying to balance both results a business leaders has to justify which result, short or long term, becomes the most important factor in their decisions.

It becomes difficult to focus on long term when the environment is demanding changes today. Changes demanded by markets that want your attention to ... read more >>

I have 165 "follower requests" on Twitter, 17 "friend requests" on Facebook, and 72 "invitations to connect" on LinkedIn. And I don't know what to do.

These numbers no doubt are minuscule compared to those of the more prolific users of these prevalent social media platforms. I just wonder if I'm being disrespectful for not readily accepting their unsolicited overtures.

Of course I recognize that building one's audience remains the holy grail o... read more >>