What Is The Price of Ignorance?

As my virtual conections grow the conversational threads multiply.   From these conversations we learn what we have in common that creates the bridge to a relationship.

The things that make us one are the opposite of the things that create our differences. The things that make people different are ego’s, self interest and self centric proclamations of who we think we are vs. what we have in common to others.

Many spread information about “who we are”, our accomplishments, our knowledge and our “rank” in society, both virtual and physical.  Some attract others because of their numbers…followers, connections, prestige, position and profile while others attract an audience simply because they share valuable information and perspectives to their audience, regardless of size.  In both cases there is an affinity for multiple reasons but the affinity can become stale unless the “value” increases.

These dynamics are lessons for brands as they “jump” into all things social.  To be one with an audience means learning the art of serving the interest and needs of an audience.  To serve those needs one must first listen and learn what an audience is looking for, what they like and defining how one can serve those elements which create attention, attraction, affinity and a sustained audience of followers.  It is interesting to see the term “followers and connection” listed throughout the soial web which reflect the essence of the new relational dynamics of relationships.

The Price of Ignorance

In an article titled Businesses will live to regret their social media ignorance Suw Charman-Anderson writes about the ignorance of business relative to use of social media.  The article reflects that businesses in general have forgotten or never really learn how to have relations with people, employees, customers and suppliers.  So the ignorant businesses make every excuse under the sun not to participate and thse that decide to participate put so many rules in place they actual become anti-social.

The irony of these issues and related dynamics is that we all started our lives in a relationship.  As we grew the world, businesses, governments and our culture has created environments that push anit-relational messages, environments and circumstances.  Instead the overriding message as been economically driven… show me the money.  This overriding relational dynamic has had its toll…consider our current economy, Wall Street, big business conditions, personal lives destroyed and thrown away yet our culture has continued to repeat the past mistakes only to wonder what happen.  A great historian once wrote…those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.  As social media grows the message is clear…out with the old and in with the new…new relational standards.

People are learning to go back to the future by focusing on relational issues and the sub-culture of social media is quickly replace the dominate culture of  greed driven media of all types.   The irony is that if you build solid relations, provide never ending value. make relational decisions rather than result decision etc etc….the end results are economic gains.  However the process requires faith in relationships rather than pursuit of the end result.  Get it? You Better or you’ll loose. The price of ignorance is not having healthy relations. One other thing. Ignorance spreads fast on the social web. Try and survive alone.

What say you?

About Jay: Jay Deragon’s professional career includes providing strategic management consulting services to Fortune 500 companies as well as local small businesses. He has consulted with numerous industries spanning over 25 years of professional experience globally. His current professional endeavors are all centric to the disruptive nature of the social web. He writes at Relationship Economy and provides social media strategic services to businesses large and small. Jay Deragon is an avid student of the emerging landscape of all things social and the subsequent impact on business dynamics. Since 2004 Mr. Deragon has been actively studying, sharing and learning how business as unusual is changing business methods, models and relationships. Life is a journey and the experiences along the way provides learning that furthers the experiences if we know how and what to learn. for more info go here http://www.relationship-economy.com/?page_id=2

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