I don't think Tara or I are trying to discourage any of the things you've suggested, Anne, we're just trying to prevent repeats of things we've seen over, and over, and over.
We've had large scale...uhm..."disagreements" about adding more "structured" organization to coworking in the past and while we can debate all day long what's best, here's what I'll say: if you really believe doing something will be beneficial and successful, try it! I'd strongly encourage you to do your homework on the org books I mentioned above to not only get the most buy in but the strongest staying power. Ultimately, it comes down to this: if what you're doing is good, the right people will jump on board, and that thing will take off! Hooray! If it's not meant to be, you'll know pretty quickly due to lack of support (which is basically what we've seen with the previous incarnations of Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, etc) and you can move on. My concern with "huddling leadership" is the precedent that it sets, and the patterns that usually emerge from it. While your intentions are likely pure, it's far too easy for that sort of organizational change to derail the strength of an organization with no head that can be cut off (as it currently is). Independent projects, like starting a Facebook group or "liking" exchanges are great, but they most certainly don't need anything but a loose association in order to make them extremely successful. What they DO need is widespread buy in...which comes from shared understanding of value...very different from committee, gang, or any other name you can come up with for it. -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 2:28 PM, Anne Kirby < [email protected]> wrote: > Good point Alex, and maybe Facebook isn't the answer. I personally > find it harder to put a face to people in the google and wiki > community and thought facebook might help, not for everyone but for > some. A way to get to know each other on a more personal basis. > > We've been chatting with other spaces on facebook about collaborating > on projects, events and such. Something as simple as liking each > others pages, adding them to our favorites. > > Also, a lot of our spaces are very interesting, inspiring, creative > environments and showcasing all the elements of coworking by > encouraging others to post pictures of their space, the artwork, their > members to one central location (maybe the blog?) might be nice. > > The blog is looking great are there any future plans for it? > > I run two business, a creative social network group amongst other > projects and groups. I know all of this takes work and I'm not > suggesting we recreate the wheel. I also understand we are all very > busy people juggling many things. How do we get this great community > working together to take it to the next level, interact more and > educate the public. It's worthing thinking about. > > > > On Oct 13, 1:53 pm, Alex Hillman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Alex, if more spaces collaborated maybe the press would get better? > > > > I totally agree! Any consistency in messaging will help them get it > right. > > > > My post was to start a discussion on how we could do this, with the > > > > > suggestion of a Facebook page. More like a collaborative public face > > > to all of the fantastic things happing in the world of coworking. > > > > I'm 100% supportive of this, just not on Facebook. While Facebook is > > *A*public, it shouldn't be mistaken for > > *THE* public...especially since it is owned by a company. Your goal > mirrors > > the exact reason we spent time rejuvenating the blog (a source that the > > press is already getting comfortable citing). I applaud your mission and > > direction, I'd just really love it if we could keep it focused on places > > where we have the opportunity to have collective ownership of the > presence. > > > > What sort of activities, other than sharing links and spreading success, > > were you hoping to accomplish on Facebook that can't be done on > > coworking.com or blog.coworking.com? Making the assumption that a > > contributor or participant wants to, or needs to, be on Facebook simply > > isn't something I can get behind even though it's something I use > > personally. > > > > -Alex > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Oct 13, 12:36 pm, Ryan Price <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Hear Hear! > > > > > > Starting a new group on a website should be just as hard as starting > a > > > > second coworking space in the same city - it requires a gardener (or > > > > two) to really bring things to life, get people talking to each > other. > > > > Broadcast is different from discussion, and this list is one of the > > > > best I know for discussion - on any subject. > > > > > > My experience with FB and LinkedIn have been very similar to what > Tara > > > > is describing. They require lots of attention, and weeding. This > > > > community noticed the same thing with the Wiki over the summer, and > > > > now there are people paying more attention there, the world is a > > > > better place for it. > > > > > > Peace, > > > > Ryan Price > > > > [email protected] > > > > @liberatr > > > > 407-484-8528 > > > > > > FloridaCreatives.com > > > > Next Likemind: October 15th @ Drunken Monkey > > > > Orlando Happy Hour: October 18th @ Crooked Bayou > > > > > > On Oct 13, 2010, at 12:29 PM, Tara Hunt wrote: > > > > > > > Thank you for saying this Ryan. > > > > > > > We've had a gabillion suggestions over the years to 'move' from > this > > > > > Google Group to something else. And each time, the action > > > > > cannibalizes our discussions somewhat. LinkedIN group, Facebook > > > > > page, Blogs, new networks, chat spaces, etc. > > > > > > > This group and all of our discussions are public, indexed on Google > > > > > and incredibly valuable. Look at the history of growth! The > > > > > maturation of discussion! > > > > > > > I'm not against promoting coworking in whatever way we can, but the > > > > > issue we've faced with scattering groups here and there is that it > > > > > becomes yet another place to manage. For instance...the LinkedIN > > > > > group. Loads of people request to join and post questions there, > but > > > > > I miss them and there are so many self-promoters in there that have > > > > > nothing to do with Coworking that it turns those people off. > > > > > Thinking that the LinkedIN group IS THE coworking discussion group, > > > > > they go away thinking this movement is dead or a waste of time. Not > > > > > a great way to promote coworking at all. > > > > > > > So we can start groups and someone can take the helm of each of > them > > > > > and there can be discussions over hither and yon that replicate the > > > > > discussions here. Or, we can continue to try to get people to > gather > > > > > here. In a really great useful space. Personally, I'm glad that > > > > > there isn't very much activity on that Facebook group. I'm thinking > > > > > of sending a message out to everyone that is on it to come here and > > > > > introduce themselves then shutting it down (or at least putting the > > > > > link to this group up there). > > > > > > > T > > > > > > > On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 12:17 PM, Ryan Price <[email protected] > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > Really? More email from Facebook? > > > > > > > Anne, > > > > > > > I would say the Facebook pages are not too active because this list > > > > > is SO active. I'd hate to splinter this discussion, and have to > > > > > follow in 5 places. > > > > > > > Peace, > > > > > Ryan Price > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > > @liberatr > > > > > 407-484-8528 > > > > > > > FloridaCreatives.com > > > > > Next Likemind: October 15th @ Drunken Monkey > > > > > Orlando Happy Hour: October 18th @ Crooked Bayou > > > > > > > On Oct 13, 2010, at 12:09 PM, Anne Kirby wrote: > > > > > > > Thanks! > > > > > > > On Oct 13, 12:06 pm, Alex Hillman <[email protected]> > > > > > wrote: > > > > > John Erik from Conjunctured set this up last night, using > Facebook's > > > > > new > > > > > groups feature. > > > > > > > I'm hesitant to put tons of energy into this because, frankly, > > > > > Facebook > > > > > changes their mind all the time. > > > > > > > But if you're looking to settle on one, I think the latest > > > > > incarnation is > > > > > probably the most ideal. > > > > > > > Join here: > > > > > > >http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_145309628847622&ap=1 > > > > > > > -Alex > > > > > > > /ah > > > > > indyhall.org > > > > > coworking in philadelphia > > > > > > > On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 11:59 AM, Anne Kirby < > > > > > > > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Thanks Ryan, > > > > > > > I'm actually on both of those pages. They just don't seem very > active, > > > > > it would be great to bring all of us together in a more public > setting > > > > > (i.e. facebook, focused website) the Wiki, google group and even > the > > > > > blog is great but it's not very public friendly. Could we create > > > > > something or enhance something so as to bring us all together and > to > > > > > educate the public? > > > > > > > Whenever we get any press we're always giving props to other > coworking > > > > > spaces in the country, i.e. CoinLoft, indyhall, citizen space or > > > > > Workbar. How do we share the love better on the current FB pages, > > > > > network better and promote the idea of coworking? That kind of > thing. > > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > Anne > > > > > > > P.S. The twitter hashtag is great and is a perfect way to bring us > all > > > > > together on twitter! > > > > > > > On Oct 13, 11:48 am, Ryan Price <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Both of these look pretty "official": > > > > > > >http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coworking/77381078825 > > > > > Alex Hillman likes it. > > > > > > >http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2281332482 > > > > > Started by Chris Messina, Tara Hunt is an officer. > > > > > > > The "page" is favored by Facebook, since you can feed posts in > there, > > > > > and add "boxes". They both have about 400+ people. > > > > > > > Peace, > > > > > Ryan Price > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > @liberatr > > > > > 407-484-8528 > > > > > > > FloridaCreatives.com > > > > > Next Likemind: October 15th @ Drunken Monkey > > > > > Orlando Happy Hour: October 18th @ Crooked Bayou > > > > > > > On Oct 13, 2010, at 11:38 AM, Anne Kirby wrote: > > > > > > > Hey Everyone, > > > > > > > I know there are a lot of facebook pages on coworking I was just > > > > > wondering if there was one specific FB page for this google group > or > > > > > the wiki page? > > > > > > > If not, would it be beneficial to have one page setup to represent > > > > > this community better? I'd be happy to start one and add people as > > > > > admins if you're interested in being an admin. We could post our > info, > > > > > press, discussions, actively promote coworking as a network. If a > page > > > > > like this already exists could someone post the link? > > > > > > > I think we could take this group further and even create a website > > > > > with everyones info listed, really connect this network in the > public > > > > > eye. > > > > > > > Thoughts, ideas, suggestions? > > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > Anne > > > > > > > The Candy Factory > > > > > Where working together is sweet! > > > > >www.facebook.com/candyissweet > > > > > > > Coworking in Lancaster, PA > > > > > > > -- > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > > > Groups "Coworking" group. > > > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > > > [email protected]<coworking%[email protected]> > <coworking%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups .com> > > > <coworking > > > > > %2bunsubscr...@googlegroups .com> > > > > > . > > > > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// > > > > > groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en > > > > > . > > > > > > > -- > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > > > Groups > > > > > "Coworking" group. > > > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > > > [email protected]<coworking%[email protected]> > <coworking%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups .com> > > > <coworking > > > > > %2bunsubscr...@googlegroups .com> > > > > > . > > > > > For more options, visit this group at > > > > >http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > > > > > > > -- > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > > > Groups "Coworking" group. > > > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > [email protected]<coworking%[email protected]> > <coworking%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups .com> > > > > > . > > > > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// > > > groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en > > > > > . > > > > > > > -- > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > > > Groups "Coworking" group. > > > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > [email protected]<coworking%[email protected]> > <coworking%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups .com> > > > > > . > > > > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// > > > groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en > > > > > . > > > > > > > -- > > > > > tara 'missrogue' hunt > > > > > > > Company: Shwowp (http://www.shwowp.com) > > > > > Book: The Whuffie Factor ( > > >http://www.horsepigcow.com/book-the-whuffie-factor/ > > > > > ) > > > > > Blog: HorsePigCow: Marketing Uncommon (http://horsepigcow.com) > > > > > Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/missrogue > > > > > phone: > > > > ... > > > > read more ยป > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<coworking%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. 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