I wanted to share a couple of quick thoughts today on some of the things I would like to see in 2010. I suppose this is a combination of predictions and desires, and hopefully this will resonate with others and bring forth some new connections as well.
Listening
I posted about this last week, but I hope more organizations will embrace listening as a strategic imperative in 2010. Here’s the full post if you want to check it out.
Privacy
There has been much discussion and debate on privacy in social media and what degree is appropriate, and how this is managed. I think that we are becoming much more open as a society overall, and my desire is that individuals and businesses keep an open mind and imagine what it might be like if all participants were truly allowed to be themselves. Instead of trying to ‘manage’ or ‘hide’ information about ourselves, wouldn’t it be more productive if we focused on how we can all benefit from this new paradigm of ‘public’ being the new default? Stowe Boyd had an excellent post about this topic yesterday that I thought I would share here. I highly recommend you check out Stowe’s post and consider how this thinking might impact you or your organization now and in the future.
Social Responsibility
I believe that we’re going to see even more emphasis on social responsibility in 2010 and CPG companies in particular are going to need to adapt to this new reality and be more forthcoming on what effects their products have on the environment, the people that use them, and the people whose work make them possible. Beyond CPG though, I hope that all organizations will think more about the impact they have on the world and adapt to the needs and desires of the people they serve more readily.
Businesses become ‘Social’ by nature
I hope to see social thinking embraced at all levels of organizations in 2010, not just the Marketing, PR, and Customer Service departments. Everyone can participate and provide value to the organization through their individual and collective social channels – it just takes a little courage and forward thought to tap into this resource. Hopefully we will see more social tools utilized behind the firewall as well. Connecting people and gathering insights has a place in every department, and the organizations that embrace this concept now will likely be the big winners in the future.
These are just a few quick thoughts on what I would like to see more of in 2010. What do you think? Do you have any specific desires for 2010 that you would like to share?
Thanks and have a Happy New Year!
photo: US Hwy 64/87 in New Mexico taken 3.21.09 on my iPhone
