June 3, 2010
why social media is not just good for business, but essential for long-term survival
In this morning’s daily newsletter, I sent out the cartoon above with the following commentary:
WE KNOW our future is tied into our creativity, that without it, we’re dead. Yet we resist it, anyway, with every fiber of our being.
To survive in the future, we’re ALL going to have to get more creative– not just the boys in the black polo sweaters, but every last one of us, regardless of job title.
Ergo, businesses are going to have to get more creative.
Which means businesses are going to have to get more personal.
Creativity, as you know, is a very personal matter. So for sake of argument, let’s assume that, like I implied, there’s a direct link here between “Creative” and “Personal”.
Ergo: Long term survival = More creative = More personal.
I don’t care who you are, social media makes business more personal… at least, it does if you know what you’re doing.
Ergo, “More personal” leads to “More creative” leads to “Long term survival”.
So what more justification to apply social media to your business do you ACTUALLY need? What MORE do you need to tell your boss? We’re talking long term survival here, folks.
Something to think about…
"Hugh's Daily Cartoon" Newsletter.
A new cartoon sent out every weekday morning to your inbox [RSS version here.].
A wee chuckle to start your day off right etc.
“Creativity, as you know, is a very personal matter.” — seems like a very narrow parochial view of creativity. Creativity can occur with groups, large and small.
What are you saying, Brian? That creativity is an impersonal matter?
Also, next time you leave a comment, please leave a URL as well. That way we can all see all the non-narrow, non-parochial, non-personal stuff you and your pals have collectively created, working as a team
Love the cartoon and the insight — it is why smaller companies will most always beat bigger companies — we put our “balls” on the line everyday! I raise a glass of Stormhoek to our collective “balls!”
[…] “Why is ‘creativity’ such a dirty word for big companies? Because it’s something that requires you to put your balls on the line.” – entrepreneur and cartoonist Hugh MacLeod […]
unfortunately, there’s far too many lazy small shops that also avoid putting their balls on the line. it’s a lot more comfortable.
at least big companies have an excuse for being petty: they’re making lots of money anyway.
being small, petty, not creative (many times, really… anti-creative) and still not making significant money is a sad spectacle.
actually, now I think about it, in seth godin parlance a principal quality of linchpins: people with balls willing to put them on the line.
[…] Credit to Hugh MacLeod. […]
This whole group (open) versus individual (encapsulation) thing is something that fascinates me. Aren’t entrepreneurs outsiders, unpopular (pre-success) and, often loners? This Jaron Lanier guy has some interesting ideas:
http://bit.ly/a2P2kl
The schoolboy who tells his teacher that the reason he is late for class because aliens abducted him on the way to school is creative. What l believe consumers are looking for these days is the truth, honest trading and ethical business practice.
Any company that does this gets my vote,-and my money. Small print, commercial spin, lawyer talk and weasel words only gets my back up and l would like to see the business world return to the days when a handshake was more binding than any creative contract.
[…] “Why is ‘creativity’ such a dirty word for big companies? Because it’s something that requires you to put your balls on the line.” – entrepreneur and cartoonist Hugh MacLeod […]
[…] (via gapingvoid) […]