The Orange Chair

I really appreciate the time and insights David Singer shares with me. Today’s conversation brought up lots of interesting things I want to think about more.

We talked about the recent resource actions at IBM and other companies, and how people were reaching out to their networks to find other opportunities. JF Arsenault (one of my role models) tweeted his availability and blogged about the situation. Others are reaching out to non-Web-2.0 networks, calling and e-mailing people. In tough times, we need all the help we can get.

David observed that being part of a resource action–being laid off, in less euphemistic terms–used to carry more of a stigma. But in an economic climate where even top performers are part of resource actions, it’s not about individuals. If it’s not shameful to be looking for an opportunity and you’re the kind of person for whom sharing things online, it makes sense to reach out to the widest networks you have. You may even have an advantage: you’ve cultivated a wide network, established your credibility both inside and outside the company, and can find out about opportunities you might not otherwise have come across.

One of the interesting consequences of this recession and reshuffling, then, is that the shake-out may give us more insights on what works in the marketplace. Does it make sense to hoard your knowledge so that you are valued more? Does it make sense to share your knowledge so that you gain more leverage on it, create and share more value, and grow your network?

From personal experiences such as regularly getting calls from headhunters because they’ve read my blog (which I always reply to with a variation of “I’m really happy at IBM because I’m doing all sorts of awesome stuff with awesome people, but thanks for connecting!”), I suspect that sharing knowledge opens up far more opportunities than it closes.

It’s difficult for people to switch paradigms. Through evangelism and coaching, I help people who are interested in sharing learn how to share more effectively. Through examples, I hope to inspire people to reexamine their assumptions about knowledge and power, and to try sharing what they know and what they’re learning. If people are afraid of losing their job, they’ll probably find it even more difficult to invest extra time in sharing what they know. Sharing seems slow. But if those who have invested the time to share their knowledge start seeing clear benefits during these uncertain times, then maybe more people will consider sharing.

We’ll see what it’s like when the dust settles. I think, however, that investing in Web 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0 – whether at the organizational or personal level – makes even more sense now than it did it easier times. If you’d like to learn more about getting started, leave a comment. I may not be able to spend as much time doing one-on-one coaching as I’d like, but maybe I can share some lessons learned that’ll help you and lots of other people. You can also pick not only my brain but also my teammates’ brains by engaging us for consulting or application development for your organization. I think we can get through these challenging times, and I think it’s a great opportunity to find out what works.

(Also, check out Joe McKendrick’s blog post on investing in Web 2.0)