Category: smile

National Digital Forum (NDF) 2012 | Beyond Social

Time to ask some different questions—here’s the programme description:

If social (media) is no longer the new shiny set of tools that everyone gasps at then what are the next set of questions? In this fast-paced session, DK will balance his presentation with overarching cross-sector ‘big picture’ strategies right through to platform-specific tools and techniques which deliver.

Here’s the critical question in my piece:

If I asked how many of you [in the audience] have a social media strategy or are developing one, then half would probably raise their hands. If I asked how many has a social media culture [in their organisations] then I would wager there would be very few?

Have a think about this for you and your organisation / company…

Client testimonial:

“It’s all about the intersections” pretty much turned into the unofficial tagline for NDF2012 after DK’s spell-binding talk in the opening morning’s plenary session. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard people talk about his presentation and the idea that collectively we need to stop thinking about our collections, websites and work as destinations and start seeing them as intersections—places that our audience find new ways to move between all our stuff. It was a wake up call—one we needed and are heeding. Truly inspiring stuff, thanks DK!
Matthew Oliver, NDF2012 Conference Organiser

Thanks to the National Digital Forum for giving me permission to put up online this screen recording and remix (originally recorded November 20, 2012—they are still waiting for the folks who did the filming to send them the raw video files).

If you have the time, check out the other sessions from this really good conference.

Related post: Strategies vs Culture | Influencing Excellence
YouTube version
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Humanising Wisdom | An Exploratory Presentation

Introducing a new idea.

This is raw. Thoughts in flux. A developing concept and a growing passion:

Humanising Wisdom is an attempt to explore / activate / apply the latent wisdom in organisations, brands and individuals.

Presented at The 16th International Conference on Thinking yesterday.

NOTES

Would love to hear your thoughts on this. What does ‘humanising wisdom’ mean to you? Do I make sense? What didn’t work? What did? Hit me up in the comments…

YouTube video version
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2013 | Create / Curate

Creating / curation is the new black.

And my 2013 theme:

rilke create quote

Creating is action.

Doing.

“Where I create, there I am true”
Rainer Maria Rilke

Public speaking for me is a hugely innovative exercise. Many folks don’t understand the work and expressive energy that goes into a presentation and its delivery (especially if you don’t use a script or practice like me then the execution itself is very much an inventive act).

I. Want. To. Do. More. And. Get. Better.

But, also, taking the time to craft the opening video here or the images which compliments the text, is part of what I mean.

It’s the realisation of discovering what you’re good at plus what you’re passionate about then using that to spark creation.

Deconstructing. Starting. Expanding. Mashing up ideas. Disrupting. Smiling. Thinking.

Look out 2013 for lines in the sand and new ventures.

clay shirky curation quote

There are two areas of curation which hold my interest: developmental and experiential.

“Curation solves the problem of filter failure.”
Clay Shirky

Developmental

How do you / your organisation / company view curation? What role does it play in broadening discussions and skill development internally? How are you using it to celebrate those in your industry or even as a way of extending yourself?

The rise of the individual digital curator (thanks to sites like Tumblr / Pinterest) allows for a wider interpretation of the more traditional role. Although, the leaders in the field (Tina or Jason or Maria or Shaun etc) demonstrate a higher purpose rather just serving individual tastes, but that of aiming to inspire, educate, challenge, explode wonder, intrigue, curiosity, in their audience.

The idea of curation as a(n online) skill is hardly ever discussed in articles / conversations around social media. My argument is that it will become increasingly crucial to individual and organisational development—as the signal vs noise ratio of companies / organisations, let alone a sector or industry, continues to increase, so to is the need to understand how to navigate and sift through the information and concentrate it into action.

This is sucking the juicy wisdom out of the web and humanising it for good.

Experiential

TEDxTeAro (I’m the license holder) is an example of experiences as curative event.

There are two things to be announced in the New Year around stretching the idea of traditional events: one for Wellington-based creatives (to be made public next week) and the other for social media mavens like myself who want to explore the next set of questions (who understand the difference between strategy and culture and who want to get away from ‘how to use Twitter / Facebook’ to advertise in a slightly different way and sell stuff).

More to follow but thinking it’s time play around with event formats and offer attendees more than a seat and people talking at them.

What’s your 2013 theme? What do you think of mine? Leave a comment below you lovely tribe of readers you.

Clay Shirky image attribution
Video music via Oddworld
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Speaking With Purpose | Kick-ass Presenting

A presentation on presenting like a pro (or something like that).

Today I delivered an intimate public speaking seminar through Chalkle : Six Degrees Of Education.

My foundation came via this Top Ten Speaking Tips blog post written a couple of years ago (which still holds up today).

Was a great experience to not only share some of the insights gained over my short speaking career, but as ever, deconstructing something you do with the purpose of sharing that knowledge, enriches your learning so much more.

Other things discussed:

  • Compfight—clean image search with creative commons options (my preference over the Flickr Attribution directory, although they do pretty much the same job)
  • Salling Clicker—what I use to control my presentations (ensures stable connection, timing options, non-touchscreen so no accidental ‘clicks’ plus haven’t failed me in 6/7 years)
  • transitions—less is more. Advice extended to presenting software like Prezi which can be overused at times when a simple dissolve would be far more effective

…there were many more.

The attendees also had the opportunity to present for a couple of minutes and together we positively critiqued their work.

So what do you think on the advice shared above? Do you have any tips / tricks to share? Do you disagree? Dare you to leave a comment… go on, double dare ya!

YouTube Version
Image Credits: Animal, Woodrow, Guru, Wayne’s World, Talk, Practice, Don’t, No, Control, Look, Attention, Scary, Gospel, Questions, Next
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Things The Internet Needs | Part 1: AdPants

adpants

First world problem solving.

Every time you skip a YouTube advert (after being forced to watch 5 seconds) or mute the new evil 15 second ones, a Tweet / Facebook update is sent out referencing the brand in question saying something like:

“Thanks @[nameofbrand] for hijacking my @YouTube time with your old school ad #adpants”

Advertising via interruption on the web is awful, lazy and tasteless. Old paradigm thinking in new world playgrounds. It doesn’t work.

Who wants to build a Chrome extension or some other programme / app which does the above? Can it be made? If so maybe we could crowfund it—who’s game?

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2013 Visit To Portland | Seattle | Bozeman | San Francisco et al

P030609PS-0486

Shooting hoops time with Obama…

Next summer I’ll be heading to the West coast of North America.

Will arrive into Portland, Oregon 1st July 2013 (depart 15th) and during those two weeks the current idea is to:


View Larger Map

Then… will arrive into San Francisco on 15th July / depart 18th.

Have a couple of potential masterclass / internal speaking sessions to deliver for clients in the above locations and also intend to catch up with good friends (old & new).

Am always open for more opportunities to share my social media pedigree—if you’re interested please get in touch (will also be open for hopping on a plan elsewhere and extending my stay if the gig is cool enough).

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