We’ve written about Dan Powers several times on this blog – most recently in “Just the Guy we Need for Government 2.0″ – http://goldencompass.com/blog/just-the-guy-we-need-for-government-20/

Dan’s put his finger on another unthinkable trend – networking like your parents used to. Social media has become perhaps one of the most anti-social networking environments in history. Much of our writing and workshops are devoted to identifying the destructive forces at work in the social networking neighborhood and the social media square.

Dan, awesome, gutsy, forward-thinking predictions. Thanks for joining in.

I’d give three examples of why email will be history in just a couple short years. First, the Mayans predicted the death of email on December 21, 2012. I’m with them.

Second, and more important, I used to connect with my most important people (family members like kids, brothers and cousins) via email. Now, overwhelmingly we text message on our phones (not while driving, Terry). You may be experiencing the same change.

Third, and we love experiments you can duplicate at home. Try simultaneous emails to three or four people you know – and then pick there most likely social media hangout and ping them there. We regularly get people faster on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, than we do on email.

The point, really, is not that we don’t use email now – it’s that the forces of change are at work at lightning speed and it’s going away. Just like the Mayans predicted.

So what’s working? For me I’m finding intentional networking and back to good ol’ phone calls for 15 minutes as a follow-up to determine value of contacts. And using face-to-face, peer-to-peer references. Building a network and influence like our parents.

Re: prediction #4, in the clean technology realm, a concept that ties the efforts of researchers, entrepreneurs and other players is the notion of “collaborative advantage”, not necessarily the old school srtiving for competitive advantage. It comes from a deeper motivation for being in business than just to make $$$ – in my experience the clean tech guys (maybe not the VCs but the actual innovators) are researching solutions to global, societal ills as they perceive them. Hence their interest in seeing what’s working for others and collaborating around resources and more recently, govt. financing, leads to a sharing of efforts and ideas unlike the conventional corporate Darwinism.

I think we’ll always have email but for quick replies, it is being replaced by a Tweet, a text message (please, not while driving!!) or other quick communication. I think we’ll see email morph into more detailed messaging coupled with rich media like audio and video on portable devices (think iPhone, Blackberry, Apple Tablet, etc.).

Great comments, Albert. You da man! Keep up the good work!
Terry

I’ll talk to Terry, but we’d love to join you on http://www.socialmediathrowdown.com – and I’d also suggest we include the “Lovable Luddite.” – We keep trying to get her to blog, create YouTube’s or record audio podcasts, because she has a ton of good ideas and she’s almost as much of a curmudgeon as Michael!

Terry nice comments and use of YouTube. You Mac guys love to show off your toys :>) that was meant to me funny, you are smiling aren’t you. OK see I have a face for radio which is why I posted these audio comments. http://bit.ly/2KFVKc

You have taken commenting on web sites to a completely new level. Thanks so much for the encouraging words and for the innovative way you have given us probably the best comment ever on our blog. Thanks!

For those readers of this blog who don’t know Terry Brock – you’re best introduction is his YouTube page – http://www.youtube.com/terrylbrock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcYKesTG1sw

Enjoy!

Terry
http://www.TerryBrock