Not everyone can get to SXSW but much of the information that comes out of the event is valuable for community managers and strategists. For this reason we are co-hosting the Austin2Boston event on March 27th in Boston where those who have been to SXSW share what they learned with those who weren’t able to go. If you’re in the Boston area, we hope to see you there! If not, we’ll re-cap all that was presented for you here.
In the meantime, here are some high-level takeaways from Jim Storer’s time in Austin.
- “Hire for personality and heart first, talent second… not the other way around”
(paraphrased from Elon Musk’s keynote). Elon admitted he’d made the mistake (several times) of hiring someone based on their talent, but found they were not a very good cultural fit and it didn’t work out. This seems increasingly important in a business world driven by relationships. - “Why are narratives so important? You’re more likely to take risk, collaborate and plan for the long term. Narratives help you focus on what’s important. Believers see a destination and path. Explorers see an area of opportunity. Stories have a beg/mid/end. You’re meant to hear a story. Narratives are open ended, in process & are an invitation for all to participate.”
This clip comes from John Hagel and illustrates the importance of narratives in a relationship-based business. If you want to foster collaboration and participation, create narratives that compel people to add to and change the story. - “Nothing happens if you don’t ask.” This came up in several sessions geared toward entrepreneurs. Too many people talk themselves out of an opportunity because they don’t think someone will be receptive. It’s akin to not asking the model (male or female) out on a date. It’s easy to assume they won’t be interested and takes guts to put yourself on the line. Here’s a great example of this idea in action.
Other reads on what came out of SXSWi this year.
SXSW Interactive 2013: Six Takeaways for Marketers – by Marketing Profs
Takeaways from SXSW Interactive 2013 – by Edelman Digital
Altimeter’s Take: The Techonologies that Matter from SXSW 2013 – by The Altimeter Group
Community Manager Manifesto – by Tim McDonald
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