I've just returned from Asia, where I facilitated an Inner Circle discussion in Hong Kong and had meetings in Singapore as well. The Inner Circle covered lots of ground around the topic of innovation, specifically how important it is for leaders to understand the power of individuals who--when networked with one another--can unleash huge impact on your brand. If they love you, they'll spread the word like the best of evangelists. And if they are ticked off about something, they can be the vengeful fury of your worst nightmare.
Take Nancy Brinker, the Founder and leader of the Susan B. Komen Foundation, which she founded decades ago and has grown into the powerhouse charity fighting for a cure for breast cancer.
Nancy recently appeared to bow to political pressure from people close to her to distance the Komen Foundation from Planned Parenthood, that embattled organization that has somehow become the whipping child for conservative forces in the U.S. She did this at her--and the Komen Foundation's--peril. Her announcement was met with a firestorm of comment--tough talk from a wide breadth of constituencies. Even Mayor Bloomberg wrote a check for $250K to Planned Parenthood to put his money where his vocal support for the foundation is.
Shortly after the flap got revved up, Nancy Brinker said she and Komen Foundation would not bend to pressure. But not long after that--and a hastily called board meeting of the Komen Foundation--she did exactly that. She realized the discussion--much of it on-line--could not be quelled.
THe talk was tough and it was formidable. Because online talk can make waves like public opinion columns, op-ed articles, even TV ads, cannot do. It engages people where they live, literally. They talk with one another...and then those with whom they've talk find even more ways to spread the word. Digitally it happens fast and it happens big.
In this case, Brinker has to change course before this Tsunami of Talk. It makes you think of just how powerful online talk--once mobilized--can be. Both for good and ill. And it's not going away.
It's talk over the backyard fence on the biggest, baddest of steroids.
Author of I is for Intercourse: The ABC's of Conversation, Susan Bird is the visionary behind Wf360, and a sought-after speaker around the world for her views on leadership, the strategic importance of conversation, entrepreneurship, and the role of women business leaders.
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