This is the challenge for all of us.  How to most efficiently to do this, in today’s hyper-changing 2015 business world?

  (Hint: social media plays a vital role).

Here’s what I try to do.  Feel free to use these ideas and share them however you wish.

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I believe there’s several interlocking philosophies underlying necessary activities to keep current in today’s world, to stay ahead of the hyper-changing business and technology curve.

I think of the components this way:

1) When?    

1st thing every morning, pay yourself with  daily research to keep yourself up to date, learn what you/your business community/associates are up to… before starting the emails, before the business day begins.  Now, how to do that, efficiently?

2) How?   

With community – not doing this by oneself. Most importantly, in 2015, fluently leverage the many great social media and internet tools available to us, makes this research efficient (more details on that below).  Equally, using the tools to contribute useful information back to our communities, in addition to receiving.

3) What?    

Actively finding, cultivating, growing our own personal list of information resources and worthwhile people on internet. Some sources are worthwhile websites – but more importantly, find similar-minded, actively contributing individuals who are intelligently and thoughtfully using today’s professional online social media in your chosen industry. Look for quality Blogs and Twitter feeds with thoughtful, insightful information.  It’s a personal search, based on your preferences.   Goal: efficiently scan every morning, finding info / patterns that enhances your perspective / overall view.

4) Where to start?    

Find and follow good individuals in your industry.  Watch and Learn first for a while.  Who is doing social media the way you’d like to do it?  See what they do on their Twitter, their blog. See how their material appears on social media smartphone apps.

Then, emulate as appropriate – give credit where ever possible.  Eventually, start to share, intelligently. Don’t worry, no one’s going to find you in the beginning anyway, so just start.  You learn by doing.  It will take time to figure out and build social media skills – much more time than you would think, if you are to do it intelligently – so start the journey now.  You can’t avoid the learning curve.

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Tip:  Many think the value of “doing social media” is all about pushing your message out.

No.

IMHO, necessity of being business fluent in social media in 2015, is the information received (often in real time) from your cultivated, personal list of worthwhile individuals.  I believe this is a large and rapidly increasing ingredient of staying current / staying ahead.

You also then do your part to intelligently contribute via your own social media presence and activity – thus completing the cycle and holistically contributing to others.

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If you like this approach:

Here’s some individuals whose blogs and social media approaches I like / learned much from, and why:

 Ron Riffe:   Blog , Twitter about his company’s products is clear, well-written.  Interspersed with appropriate personal touches.  Consistent.  Graphics are clear, original.  You get good sense of Ron as a person.

 Eric Herzog:  hired as IBM Storage’s new VP of Marketing in Jan 2015. I believe it’s is because IBM realized they needed VP of Marketing that really gets and demonstrates what online social media marketing is – Eric is that.  See his Twitter, and his interview in Feb 2015 by SiliconAngle.TV

 John Furrier:  Silicon Valley analyst who demonstrates via this multiple channels, including his Twitter, and SiliconAngle.com and SiliconAngle.TV , and new tools like Crowdchat – all demonstrating the power of online capability.  He and his colleagues started this back when “analyst reports for $1000s of dollars” was the normal business model.

 Sandy Carter:  one of IBM’s premier Social Evangelists.  Twitter , books , interview by TheCube

 Timo Elliott:   one of SAP’s premier worldwide evangelists (see his Slideshare.net).   See his excellent blog , including this post about what a modern day IT Evangelist needs to do…

There’s many more… I’d love to hear your suggestions / comments below.

You’ll also quickly find the cross-referenced people these folks like.  You’ll soon be off and running developing your own list.

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Bottom line:   

From ancient times, humans have survived.  And not because we are the fastest, strongest, biggest animals in the jungle.

It’s because we as humans have uniquely learned to work together, in communities, based on common goals and beliefs. (Simon Sinek)

Keeping current / staying ahead in today’s hyper-changing IT/business world is exactly the same dynamic – it’s a (physical and virtual) community affair.

It’s not about each of us as individuals staying ahead…. it’s about being and actively contributing, participating member of a personalized community which we choose to join.

2015 technology and social media tools have become the essential enabling toolset with which we now can do that, at internet scale, yet in personalized manner.

Developing these modern online community-based social media skills and methodologies will take time – you can’t do it overnight. IMHO, 2015 has become the year where social media fluency is no longer optional.  My 2 cents – I believe employers know this when they consider who to hire.  Customers know who they’ve heard of, and who they’ve never heard of.

I know you will personalize all this to your own beliefs, goals, and community.   I believe it’ll be time well spent.

Comments welcome.

All the best,

John Sing