Commandos were not only surprised to find the devices in the terrorists’ rucksacks, but that they used the internet to look beyond local Indian media for information, watching the global reaction in real-time as well. It’s somewhat striking that the terrorists’ use of BlackBerrys “caught the anti-terrorist forces by surprise.” While perhaps another step forward in the sophistication of their organization, in that it it makes communication more instant than ever, it’s long been reported ...

I had one of those coming out of the shower aha’s today. I think I see how Obama might be able to get the changes that we have all dreamed of - both for right and left. So first I ask why is it impossible to get any real change - real change being defined as something that has to overcome the establishment in any field? To have a real change - there has to ...

All of us who have worked in conventional organizations know what “More for less” means when our CEO tells us that that is our goal. It means big layoffs. It means those that remain will have more work to do. It means that the competition for scarce resources inside the enterprise will become even more deadly. This was the fate of Easter Islanders. As resources became ever more scarce, civil wars became pandemic. As resources ...

This weekend the big news was General Powell’s endorsement of Senator Obama - how did most of us watch this - on the web. Katie Couric’s interview with Governor Palin was the Rubicon moment that showed most of us that the Governor was not up to the job. How did most of us watch it - on the web. Paradoxically it has been SNL and Jon Stewart that have made a major impact on the ...

This is the second of 5 posts on how relationships will have to trump transactions if we are to make it through the next decade. The premise being that it is our social networks that have the best chance of sustaining us and that social software in the end will have a huge role to play. How do I know my “New Credit Rating”? What do I have to do to improve it? Let’s now ...

Thanks to Ross Mayfield for this model that looks like the work also of Valdis Krebs. In this post I am going to do my best to show you what the observed reality of this “Credit” system is, make the case that social software will be a wonderful tool that will enable us to use this natural system and finally to make the point that we may have no choice but to try this because, ...

I have been quiet recently because events are so terrible that I wanted to be ready to offer some thoughts that might really help. Here is the first of a series that will, I hope, help you see why we are in such a jam now and why social software may offer us a a healthy and sustainable way out. Am I qualified to speak about such things. I think so. I was an investment ...

H & R Block is one the early adopters who are finding value by using Twitter - their “Nervous System” is becoming more sensitive. It’s all about the “QUALITY OF THE ENGAGEMENT”! In the past, mass marketing was only about the numbers. Now it’s is more about the value of the key relationships. With 34 tight relationships - you can reach 1.3 million people! http://www.youtub... Interview of Amy Worley from HR Block By Rodney Rumford ...