There are many debates around the value of ‘new’ technologies – stuff like blogs, wikis, Google Groups, FaceBook and so on. Here is an example:
The last 18 months or so I’ve been a member of a private Google group where we discuss the pros and cons of enterprise applications in the 21st century. Over that time I’ve come to trust many of the 40+ members to speak the truth. How they see it. At times we violently disagree but it is out of passion for specific positions.
Recently, I’ve needed to sanity check my thinking on a range of topics. I turned to the group, not seeking advice but experience that might be relevant. The help I’ve received is invaluable – i.e. I can’t put a value on it. There is no ROI that I can readily define. Perhaps with the benefit of hindsight? Let’s put this in perspective.
Many of the group have specific positions related to the businesses they serve. I have a specific position which is often at odds with those positions. None of that mattered when it came to rendering an opinion about the things that matter to me. Opinions were rendered honestly and without judgment.
YOU CAN’T PUT A VALUE ON THAT.
I said to one person who is not connected to the group that despite holding no specific spiritual beliefs, I genuinely feel blessed to have people around me who are prepared to GIVE without expectation of reward. That’s honest.
Is this group an ‘exclusive club?’ You betcha. If you want to join then you have to show that you have integrity in your topic area. It helps if you have a blog but that’s not a necessity. Write a few guest posts and let the readers decide. We don’t tolerate what our US cousins call ‘hazing’ or what EU types would call ‘personal attacks.’ We don’t always agree – in fact rarely. But I do believe we walk away from conversations smarter than when we arrived. But ultimately, we share a mutual trust and respect.
That’s why when I needed help, I turned to this group with absolute confidence.
How many others can say the same? And as an aside – that’s a major, direct benefit of adopting this new class of technologies.
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