[This is a bit of an insider post. New blog readers, please bear with me.]
Here’s a question: When did you first fall in love with Luis Suarez? For me, it was sometime in 2006 or 2007. I first wrote about him on my blog in 2007 after he unpacked a 7-part analysis of the famed Andy McAfee and Tom Davenport debate that I arranged in Boston at the inaugural Enterprise 2.0 Conference.
I tell a funny story about how the social web has changed the nature of business relationships that has to do with how I first met Luis in person for the very first time. We were literally sitting in two tables next to each other, separated only by a lobby ficus tree. Luis was tweeting that he was in the lobby hoping to connect. I saw the tweet, turned my head, and literally JUMPED up to hug him with the fiercest, most caring hug that was appropriate for a hotel lobby. It occurred to me in that moment how the social web has changed the fabric of business relationships. In an earlier era, I would have quietly walked over to Luis, held out my hand for a firm shake and introduced myself. That world ended in 2007 for me.
I had a conversation today with a senior executive of a billion dollar company who expressed frustration about how he knows the world is heading toward the way we are working today in Change Agents Worldwide, but he must “deal” with the reality on the ground that is very far from our vision. He’s the voice and the will behind that change; he’s making it happen one tough day at a time. I celebrate him.
Today, I’m delighted to fill in a piece of our Change Agents Worldwide puzzle.
In Luis’ words from way back in ’07:
That is why, to me, Enterprise 2.0 is not only revolutionalising the Enterprise, but also our own ways of life, because, after all, social computing is a philosophy, a way of life you breathe and learn to nurture, that inspires constant change that you rather embrace … or not. And at the end of the day, whether we like it or not, it would be a matter of choice to adopt it or not. And that choice is yours. And yours alone. So it would be up to you (And not higher up in the management chain), whether you would want to change your organisation or not, whether you would want to change your life or not. And if I were you, I would not wait for others to tell you about it…Make it happen!
Make it happen now!
It takes courage to quit your job. It takes courage to stay in a job where so much is broken. It takes courage to fight for the world we all want to work and live in. But it takes heart and passion to make it happen. I celebrate passion and will place high stake bets on it every time.
Welcome Luis. The world is waiting for your kind of change.