Lauren Klein

When you think of someone ‘working the crowd,’ popular science tells us to think about an athlete spiking the ball after a TD, or a celebrity belting out another note after a standing ovation, or perhaps even a public figure who can bring us to a new place through their oratory abilities, right?

Not any longer.  Today we can see ordinary people volunteering to work IN the crowd.  Whether they are sharing a picture on instagram, or are sharing a new design for derby race cars.  What is so exciting about the crowd source science is that through social media and new technology, we are allowing new stories to be told.  Those of extra ordinary individuals who work countless hours trying to help their organizations, their families or businesses solve problems, work more efficiently or simply connect.  This is why share my interview with Jeff Maaks.  Jeff has been someone ‘working in the crowd’...

If you haven’t followed Nick Howe on Twitter, it’s time.  He is a social business champion and hero who just happen to be a genius.   This superhero by day has a key role at Hitachi Data Systems  as the Chief Learning Officer, yet by night is probably the most humble, coolest, geekiest and happiest guy you will ever meet.  He embodies networked learning in every sense of the word.  He engages his industry through storytelling, like at Jive World.  He is foremost a business leader who challenges himself to think about the disruptive nature of social business through active listening.  LISTENING you say?  How many times has a senior leader in one of your organizations taken the time to really listen and not ‘pander’ to you?  Recall and value your thoughts and ideas, synthesize quickly and give proper...

Nurturing diversity of thought within communities is an art.  The working title for this blog post occurred to me after reading the article and comments from “Firms Hail New Chiefs (of Diversity)”

If you are reading this article, it’s likely because you have interest in the subject of diversity, right?  Ask yourself this question, do you know where your employee or consumer resource groups are today? What topics are being discussed?  What are the key patterns?  Who is discussing with whom about what?  They are a great source of thought and inspiration, so why not engage them?  It’s highly likely you have either been a member or are involved with either formal or informal E2E, B2B or B2C communities online and/or  groups and teams that meet in person, right?  Now think about your diversity of people (membership) and thoughts or...

Case study on communication strategy that works!

Washoe County School District has been transforming itself over the years through leadership transition within the district and the legislature, not to mention the recession.  Which is why the story of how during the turbulent times a small low budget communications department went back to the basics and focused on what was important, the community.  What I mean by that is that there are a variety of audiences that comprise the districts ecosystem with firm resolve to tie all their...