How To Become A Communication Agent
I am about to refine and improve the organization and layout of this Web site.
My goal is one of providing more "focus" on the critical mission I am after.
As I have been studying and learning much in my ten fields of interest the amount of Good content available in each one is quite significant.
While so far the content has been helping Web surfers of all kinds coming from search engines with specific questions, my audience is gradually but rapidly changing to include a great number of people who want to communicate better and more effectively while increasing their reach and effectiveness.
In this light I have decided to change my "Vista Points" (content categories), which you see listed on the left side of my pages, into "How Tos" for Communication Agents.
Here I am listing the "How Tos" categories that intend to use. My goal is to try to cover a comprehensive and sensible set of areas I am very familar with to provide a conundrum of what it takes to become an effective Communication Agent.
Am I forgetting something?
Are critical activities of a Communication Agent well covered?
Are there terms or items that you feel are inappropriate?
Please give a look at what you see and provide me with your revised and improved version by using the comments facility at the end of this article.Simply copy and paste my list below and re-edit it in the comments box.
Robin Good's 12 Critical How-Tos To Become Effective Communication Agents
1. Learn*Turn off your TV*Question media*Explore new resources*Inform yourself*Track information
2. Find*ReSearch*Find*Store & Archive*Filter & Categorize
4. Be smart*Attain privacy online*Secure your PC*Authenticate yourself*Outsmart spammers
5. Sync-up*Share and Exchange*Collaborate online*Network*Create synergies
6. Prepare content*Prepare digital images*Visualize information*Write & Report*Organize content*Translate
7. Design*Design information*Design publications*Design Web sites*Design interaction
8. Test*Test technologies*Track resources*Provide techsupport
9. Make it accessible*Simplify*Make it easy to use*Test & verify
10. Transmit*Present*Distribute*Publish*Broadcast & Stream*Make the news*Create a buzz
11. Protect*Protect it*Share it*Copyright it?
12. Be Your Own Boss*Market online*Promote and Sell*Find partners *Link with others
Let me read your point of view.
posted by Robin Good on Tuesday May 13 2003updated on Friday May 21 2004
1. Learn*Turn off your TV*Question media*Explore new resources*Inform yourself*Track information*Be up-to-date (Comment: note different sequence to show an approximate "path" people would have to follow to really start learning. Also, the last point be up-to-date could be dropped without too much loss of meaning...)
2. Find*ReSearch*Find*Store & Archive*Filter & Categorize
4. Be smart*Attain privacy online*Secure your PC*Authenticate yourself*Fight spam(Comment: I would rather say "Outsmart spammers")*Protect your privacy(Comment: This last point - I changed the sequence - could also be dropped because it is a summary of the other points and doesn't add. Especially "attain privacy on line" really already says it.)
5. Sync-up*Share and Exchange*Collaborate online*Network*Create synergies(Comment: see slight change in sequence - again to show the probable sequence of steps)
6. Prepare content*Prepare digital images*Visualize information*Write & Report*Organize content*Translate*DeBabelize(Comment: I think translate and de-babelize are synonymous and I would therefore drop the translate)
7. Design*Design information*Design publications*Design Web sites*Design interaction(Comment: Suggest changing the sequence as shown here)
8. Test*Test technologies*Track resources*Provide techsupport
9. Make it accessible*Simplify*Make it easy to use*Test & verify(Comment: suggest change of sequence)
10. Transmit*Present*Distribute*Publish*Broadcast & Stream*Make the news*Create a buzz(Comment: change of sequence suggested)
11. Protect*Protect it*Share it*Copyright it?(Comment: again a change of sequence suggested)
12. Be Your Own Boss*Market online*Promote and Sell*Recruit partners (Comment: I would prefer "Find partners")*Link with others
May 15, 2003 05:49 PM
Antonella
Robin,
mine is not going to be an actual review or point-by-point comment, rather a more general reflection on the overall approach.
Becoming a communication agent involves first of all the ability to listen to others and observe what's going on around you. It's an ability one can develop and improve, although some do have a talent for it. The moment you want to establish a connection with someone and pass on a message, you need to know what they're more sensitive to, what's close to their heart and interests, what their needs are.
You don't need to be the finest psychologist, but you can certainly listen to their words and worries and enthusiastic fits and then decide how to approach sending out the message.
Finding the fit between what you have to say and what your "recipient" (will you allow me this cold word?) needs implies a process of listening, observation and adaptation to her language and situation, perspective and needs. One of the most popular design-geeks sayings goes "Give your users what they need, not what they say they want". You need to interpret what you gather from your environment so that you can find the "key" to other people's attention.
I see this process happening in any context. Culture clashes, bad moods, different priorities, motivation can all stand in the way of the most brilliant ideas.
That's when facilitation comes in, and it can take oh-so many forms: negotiation, training, education, evangelization, the proverbial elevator's pitch. Finding the right words, smiling at the right moment, pushing it hard, providing supporting evidence...
And eventually comes trust. Why should I listen to you if I don't trust you? How do you win trust in the (apparently) most impersonal of environments? How do you appeal to your recipients' experience so that they can identify themselves and go "Hei, that's true!"? I think this is what really differentiates a communication agent from a public relations office or a big media company.
Going back to your 12 how-tos, I'd suggest you slip "listen" and "observe" into 1.Learn or 2. Find (or Find out?). I leave it to you to find a comfy place for "facilitate" and "win trust".
Your faithful(l) Marian
Friday, February 11, 2005
how to become a communication agent
Environmental Entrepreneur,Green Biz.NRN Murthy of Infosys says that we Indians are weak in execution.We need to realize the need and practice of gud project management. Form a group of competent Managers,Give them responsibilities and review the project from day One.
THE ROAD TO COMMUNICATION AGENTS
The Road To Communication Agents
I am trying to define as well as I can what is the road to becoming effective Communication Agents.
I am therefore opening also this thread to your comments and feedback as it would serve me well to see things from as many perspectives as possible.
Feel free therefore to copy and paste my list below into the comments area and to play with it to your satisfaction. That would make this a useful process for both.
Here are what I see as being the stages or roles that an interconnected individual can decide to take on. Initially, it would appear to me that there is indeed a sequence or rather a set of stages which a Communication Agent would likely go through. It is also perfectly fine that some of these roles remain static for individuals that identify within them their actual mission.
So while there would be movers through these stages there would also be specialized individuals dedicated to perform passionately in one specific stage/role.
The idea needs to berefined a lot, but as we refine it, it would allow some of us to better understand the overall process at work and to refine further our strategies to integrate ourselves in it.
1) Passers-onAs they are already well networked and interconnected "Passers-on" receive a lot of messages and see many sites. They redistribute and send out much of what they find and repute interesting, humorous, and of possible interest to others.
2) FilterersFilterers are Passers-on with a specific interest. They pre-filter and select interesting info bits to be spread to a limited community of like-minded people. Such mini-networks brought to life by one individual do not ususally go beyond 150 people.
3) HuntersHunters go out proactively to search information and new resources by investing systematic time in this effort. Hunters have all the qualities and virtues of Passers-on and Filterers while integrating good search, synthesis and summarization skills.
4) PublishersPublishers pick out the best that Hunters provide and post, email and publish online on their Web sites key information items, stories and resources that are of value and complement to their own mission or to the purpose of their network of interest.
5) AggregatorsAggregators harmonize complementary resources, tools, ideas, and actual content to create:a) easier access to specialized knowledgeb) mini-guides, tutorials, dossiers and reports on specific topicsc) specialized knowledgebases and directories
6) Independent ReportersReporters make a living off the Publisher role and take on specialized research, investigative and reporting skills. Reporters create their own magazines, newsletters, reports, books, audiotapes and videos. They participate in workshops and conferences and take a very active role in educating and explaining information in their areas of expertise.
7) Communication AgentsCommunication Agents understand the overall communication process at work on this planet. They have long studied and invested extensive personal time, passion and resources to play, tinker, experiment and discover which tools, methods and tactics provide the most efficient, speediest and widest effects.Communication Agents understand that they hold digital weapons with which they can peacefully overcome apparently much larger and resisting forces.
Where do you fit?
At what level are you?
Do you see gaps? Can you suggest improvements?
"Knowledge defends you against every form of harm in existence.If you think of the word knowledge what kind of boundaries or limitations can you see it describe? Any?
If so, what do you think is the value of that word (knowledge)?
Infinite?."
1) Passers-onAs they are already well networked and interconnected "Passers-on" receive a lot of messages and see many sites. They redistribute and send out much of what they find and repute interesting, humorous, and of possible interest to others.(Comment: Passover happens to be a religious feast of our Jewish sisters and brothers, so I wouldn't use the word to describe an individual engaged in passing on information. A suggestion would be "Passers-on" similar to the term passers-by, which actually does exist in English)
2) FilterersFilterers are Passers-on with a specific interest. They pre-filter and select interesting info bits to be spread to a limited community of like-minded people. Such mini-networks brought to life by one individual do not ususally go beyond 150 people.(Comment: changed to passers-on and added "brought to life by one individual")
3) HuntersHunters go out proactively to search information and new resources by investing systematic time in this effort. Hunters have all the qualities and virtues of Passers-on and Filterers while integrating good search, synthesis and summarization skills.(Comment: changed to passers-on and added another "er" to Filters)
4) PublishersPublishers pick out the best that Hunters provide and post, email and publish online on their Web sites key information items, stories and resources that are of value and complement to their own mission or to the purpose of their network of interest.(Comment: changed "one" to "purpose" to make reading more fluent)
5) AggregatorsAggregators harmonize complementary resources, tools, ideas, and actual content to create:a) easier access to specialized knowledgeb) mini-guides, tutorials, dossiers and reports on specific topicsc) specialized knowledgebases and directories
6) Independent ReportersReporters make a living off the Publisher role and take on specialized research, investigative and reporting skills. Reporters create their own magazines, newsletters, reports, books, audiotapes and videos. They participate in workshops and conferences and take a very active role in educating and explaining information in their areas of expertise.(Comment: changed of to off - better grammatically)
7) Communic-action AgentsCommunication Agents understand the overall communication process at work on this planet. They have long studied and invested extensive personal time, passion and resources to play, tinker, experiment and discover which tools, methods and tactics provide the most efficient, speediest and widest effects.Communication Agents understand that they hold digital weapons with which they can peacefully overcome apparently much larger and resisting forces.(Comment: changed bigger to larger for grammatic reasons. Communic-action Agents seems awkward to read and I notice that in the text you use Communication Agents. I think this latter term is better and more easily understood.
Where do you fit?
At what level are you?
(Comment: for myself, I do some of the things described, but could not limit myself to only one of the categories. It's kind of a gradient. Once you learn one area, the one that attracts you most, then you are free to start in on others. I suppose it's a learning process.)
Do you see gaps? Can you suggest improvements?
"Knowledge defends you against every form of harm in existence.If you think of the word knowledge what kind of boundaries or limitations can you see it describe? Any?
(Comment: Yes, knowledge limits the otherwise quite normal stupidity and bumbling that is our way of going through life)
If so, what do you think is the value of that word (knowledge)?
(Comment: The word itself is without value. the thing it describes is what we should be striving for because it does, indeed, tend to protect its bearer from harm and what's more - ultimately it has rewards better than the best movie or the sweetest tiramisu...)
If success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do, HOW WOULD I BE? WHAT WOULD I DO?" R. Buckminster Fuller If you stop long enough to seriously think about the possible answer that you can give to this one, you engage in one of the noblest activities life avails to man: checking your ticket for correct seat number and...
Luigi Bertuzzi suggests: "had this post been titled "Conversational Blogs Feature Consensus Building" ... the Request (or Requirement) List could be the outcome of a collective decision making process. A requirement list which is not the byproduct of process work can be obtained from surveys and questionnaires. However, people contributing to the results of a survey take no commitment to support the initiatives which may be triggered by such results....Killer features and facilities for upcoming Weblog/CMS online personal publishing systems I have been thinking and collecting a list of highly desirable features that need to be integrated by major weblog/CMS developer companies if they are to continue to ride the high interest and positive acceptance of their technology across a large and diverse number of users. Since Weblogs/CMS have been originally born out of the need to build a...
I am trying to define as well as I can what is the road to becoming effective Communication Agents.
I am therefore opening also this thread to your comments and feedback as it would serve me well to see things from as many perspectives as possible.
Feel free therefore to copy and paste my list below into the comments area and to play with it to your satisfaction. That would make this a useful process for both.
Here are what I see as being the stages or roles that an interconnected individual can decide to take on. Initially, it would appear to me that there is indeed a sequence or rather a set of stages which a Communication Agent would likely go through. It is also perfectly fine that some of these roles remain static for individuals that identify within them their actual mission.
So while there would be movers through these stages there would also be specialized individuals dedicated to perform passionately in one specific stage/role.
The idea needs to berefined a lot, but as we refine it, it would allow some of us to better understand the overall process at work and to refine further our strategies to integrate ourselves in it.
1) Passers-onAs they are already well networked and interconnected "Passers-on" receive a lot of messages and see many sites. They redistribute and send out much of what they find and repute interesting, humorous, and of possible interest to others.
2) FilterersFilterers are Passers-on with a specific interest. They pre-filter and select interesting info bits to be spread to a limited community of like-minded people. Such mini-networks brought to life by one individual do not ususally go beyond 150 people.
3) HuntersHunters go out proactively to search information and new resources by investing systematic time in this effort. Hunters have all the qualities and virtues of Passers-on and Filterers while integrating good search, synthesis and summarization skills.
4) PublishersPublishers pick out the best that Hunters provide and post, email and publish online on their Web sites key information items, stories and resources that are of value and complement to their own mission or to the purpose of their network of interest.
5) AggregatorsAggregators harmonize complementary resources, tools, ideas, and actual content to create:a) easier access to specialized knowledgeb) mini-guides, tutorials, dossiers and reports on specific topicsc) specialized knowledgebases and directories
6) Independent ReportersReporters make a living off the Publisher role and take on specialized research, investigative and reporting skills. Reporters create their own magazines, newsletters, reports, books, audiotapes and videos. They participate in workshops and conferences and take a very active role in educating and explaining information in their areas of expertise.
7) Communication AgentsCommunication Agents understand the overall communication process at work on this planet. They have long studied and invested extensive personal time, passion and resources to play, tinker, experiment and discover which tools, methods and tactics provide the most efficient, speediest and widest effects.Communication Agents understand that they hold digital weapons with which they can peacefully overcome apparently much larger and resisting forces.
Where do you fit?
At what level are you?
Do you see gaps? Can you suggest improvements?
"Knowledge defends you against every form of harm in existence.If you think of the word knowledge what kind of boundaries or limitations can you see it describe? Any?
If so, what do you think is the value of that word (knowledge)?
Infinite?."
1) Passers-onAs they are already well networked and interconnected "Passers-on" receive a lot of messages and see many sites. They redistribute and send out much of what they find and repute interesting, humorous, and of possible interest to others.(Comment: Passover happens to be a religious feast of our Jewish sisters and brothers, so I wouldn't use the word to describe an individual engaged in passing on information. A suggestion would be "Passers-on" similar to the term passers-by, which actually does exist in English)
2) FilterersFilterers are Passers-on with a specific interest. They pre-filter and select interesting info bits to be spread to a limited community of like-minded people. Such mini-networks brought to life by one individual do not ususally go beyond 150 people.(Comment: changed to passers-on and added "brought to life by one individual")
3) HuntersHunters go out proactively to search information and new resources by investing systematic time in this effort. Hunters have all the qualities and virtues of Passers-on and Filterers while integrating good search, synthesis and summarization skills.(Comment: changed to passers-on and added another "er" to Filters)
4) PublishersPublishers pick out the best that Hunters provide and post, email and publish online on their Web sites key information items, stories and resources that are of value and complement to their own mission or to the purpose of their network of interest.(Comment: changed "one" to "purpose" to make reading more fluent)
5) AggregatorsAggregators harmonize complementary resources, tools, ideas, and actual content to create:a) easier access to specialized knowledgeb) mini-guides, tutorials, dossiers and reports on specific topicsc) specialized knowledgebases and directories
6) Independent ReportersReporters make a living off the Publisher role and take on specialized research, investigative and reporting skills. Reporters create their own magazines, newsletters, reports, books, audiotapes and videos. They participate in workshops and conferences and take a very active role in educating and explaining information in their areas of expertise.(Comment: changed of to off - better grammatically)
7) Communic-action AgentsCommunication Agents understand the overall communication process at work on this planet. They have long studied and invested extensive personal time, passion and resources to play, tinker, experiment and discover which tools, methods and tactics provide the most efficient, speediest and widest effects.Communication Agents understand that they hold digital weapons with which they can peacefully overcome apparently much larger and resisting forces.(Comment: changed bigger to larger for grammatic reasons. Communic-action Agents seems awkward to read and I notice that in the text you use Communication Agents. I think this latter term is better and more easily understood.
Where do you fit?
At what level are you?
(Comment: for myself, I do some of the things described, but could not limit myself to only one of the categories. It's kind of a gradient. Once you learn one area, the one that attracts you most, then you are free to start in on others. I suppose it's a learning process.)
Do you see gaps? Can you suggest improvements?
"Knowledge defends you against every form of harm in existence.If you think of the word knowledge what kind of boundaries or limitations can you see it describe? Any?
(Comment: Yes, knowledge limits the otherwise quite normal stupidity and bumbling that is our way of going through life)
If so, what do you think is the value of that word (knowledge)?
(Comment: The word itself is without value. the thing it describes is what we should be striving for because it does, indeed, tend to protect its bearer from harm and what's more - ultimately it has rewards better than the best movie or the sweetest tiramisu...)
If success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do, HOW WOULD I BE? WHAT WOULD I DO?" R. Buckminster Fuller If you stop long enough to seriously think about the possible answer that you can give to this one, you engage in one of the noblest activities life avails to man: checking your ticket for correct seat number and...
Luigi Bertuzzi suggests: "had this post been titled "Conversational Blogs Feature Consensus Building" ... the Request (or Requirement) List could be the outcome of a collective decision making process. A requirement list which is not the byproduct of process work can be obtained from surveys and questionnaires. However, people contributing to the results of a survey take no commitment to support the initiatives which may be triggered by such results....Killer features and facilities for upcoming Weblog/CMS online personal publishing systems I have been thinking and collecting a list of highly desirable features that need to be integrated by major weblog/CMS developer companies if they are to continue to ride the high interest and positive acceptance of their technology across a large and diverse number of users. Since Weblogs/CMS have been originally born out of the need to build a...
Environmental Entrepreneur,Green Biz.NRN Murthy of Infosys says that we Indians are weak in execution.We need to realize the need and practice of gud project management. Form a group of competent Managers,Give them responsibilities and review the project from day One.
internet community building
Connecting Blogs, Chat and Social networking into the first Social Ecosystem!
FREE Blog and group Blogs!- Your FREE personal Blog! - Upload as many pictures as you want.- Easy to write any text in any language.- Your own Internet guestbook.- Open group Blogs! Appear in Google and Yahoo!Within 2-3 weeks, your blog webpageand name will be in the top search resultswhen your friends search for your name on the Internet. You are a celebrity!
Chat with people around the world!- Chat with your friends. - Chat with friends of your friends, or with people geographically near you. - Chat with people in your groups or people that share the same interests as you. - Make new friends. Nothing more social than that!
Visualize!- See your full social circle of friends interconnect on a visual map. - Explore Huminity and learn how you are connected to people.
FREE Blog and group Blogs!- Your FREE personal Blog! - Upload as many pictures as you want.- Easy to write any text in any language.- Your own Internet guestbook.- Open group Blogs! Appear in Google and Yahoo!Within 2-3 weeks, your blog webpageand name will be in the top search resultswhen your friends search for your name on the Internet. You are a celebrity!
Chat with people around the world!- Chat with your friends. - Chat with friends of your friends, or with people geographically near you. - Chat with people in your groups or people that share the same interests as you. - Make new friends. Nothing more social than that!
Visualize!- See your full social circle of friends interconnect on a visual map. - Explore Huminity and learn how you are connected to people.
Environmental Entrepreneur,Green Biz.NRN Murthy of Infosys says that we Indians are weak in execution.We need to realize the need and practice of gud project management. Form a group of competent Managers,Give them responsibilities and review the project from day One.
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