I'm here in Atlanta at a gala for the nonprofit foundation, "My Orange Duffel Bag." What it is it? The Orange Duffel Bag Foundation provides coaching, training, and ongoing mentoring to at-risk youth; support to guardians and caring adults; and service to the community in a spirit of offering hope and enriching young lives. It's also the title of a best-selling book written by Sam Bracken, (founder) and Echo Garrett.
Now here's the cool part . . . I met all these people via Twitter.
It all started with a tweet to @NCBeachgirl75 last June. One tweet, of "Hello, great to connect with you." Led to more tweets, then emails, then phone conversations, and later meeting in person. @NCBeachgirl75 is Laura Whitfield Watts, Media Director for the Orange Duffel Bag Foundation. Surprisingly, Laura got involved with the organization just three months prior-all from a tweet to singer Kevin Montgomery, (@kevinmontgomery).
Do you see the dots connecting?
With all the debate about the uses and means of social media, here's the takeaway, it's all in how you approach it.
While it may be fun at times tweeting to world that you've become mayor of another venue on Foursquare-it's even more rewarding to link with people directly from those 140 character streams. How? By sharing genuine interest in what other people are doing.
To date, I've met over 600 people from Twitter, ranging from New York Times best-selling authors, professors, astronauts, countless musicians, artists, journalists, and a boatload of everyday "cool" people in between.
What's my secret? I ask questions to learn from them. This propagates knowledge flow.
Knowledge flow, whether in news media outlets, the central nervous system, statistical-software companies, orchestras, universities, space stations, neonatal intensive-care units, air-traffic-control towers, or schools for the blind is the tether that effectually links minds together. And these places comprise the 'Tour de Tweet' I've cycled though in my jaunts on Twitter.
More important, knowledge flow can become hamstrung by inefficient transmission, which leads us to uncouple from one another like boxcars. Wildly influential people, such as the ones I've met on Twitter; understand that knowledge flow functions as a cardinal means of sustained competitive advantage. Without it, it's near impossible to reach the winner's circle.
Preeminent linking with other people and organizations occurs when we do "the divvy dance"-the sharing of knowledge, which creates a common tie mentality with those you're tweeting. Information then becomes diffused evenly, like spackle on a gypsum wall-causing coaction once the bumps are smoothed and the holes filed. Where does it begin?
The wise philosopher Plato gives us a clue: "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
So what can we do to raise the "connection" level with those we tweet? What benefits can we receive?
Here's one: The Orange Duffel Bag Foundation gala: 12-4-2011, Atlanta, GA.