Kiwi Scrum

January 2010, Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

Kiwi Scrum has 1464 members. The many geographical subgroups are gaining members steadily. If you live outside NZ or regularly do business overseas these groups are to help you. Kiwi Scrum North America (41), Kiwi Scrum UK (30), Kiwi Scrum Australia (29), Kiwi Scrum Europe (20), Kiwi Scrum China (9), Kiwi Scrum South East Asia (8), Kiwi Scrum Middle East (8), Kiwi Scrum Latin America (3), Kiwi Scrum Japan (2), Kiwi Scrum Africa (1). Please join the appropriate sub groups yourself. If you know people who should be subgroup members, please suggest that they join.

The January LinkedIn hint:

There is a new navigation system on LinkedIn. The index Tabs are now across the top with drop down boxes for subsection pages. This is thought provoking at first, but it does free a lot of screen space.

When you visit the Profile Page of any LinkedIn member there is a "notes" input box mid page on the right. Record things you want to remember there.

The Useful Common:

In the last three weeks I've tossed away over 1000 pages of printed text, all of it read, evaluated and found not really relevant to my purposes or interest.

I've retained over 200 pages about global warming, the process of science, and the failure of modern political processes. Mostly read and highlighted and partly evaluated. This is not on task for me, but it's an important topic, and I am preparing to travel that path if that becomes something I must do. Principle: Build diversity into your future options.

In the last two weeks I've ploughed through 400+ pages on communication, collaboration, networking, adult learning, company learning, business planning, micro economics, business strategy, and knowledge ecology. Re-reading, highlighting, throwing out, filing a few, writing notes in my journal, trying to find the essence of where my thinking is going and how I can be most useful to people. I wrote 32 pages of notes in my journal.

I also pulled four books from the shelf to re-read regarding the above.

In case you don't understand what's going on here, it's personal knowledge management. Collect, read, evaluate, select the best, make the material your own, store the material, or bookmark it, or prepare your own notes about it. In this modern world, each of us learns our way to success. If you have your own data, you have knowledge you can trust, that's not available on Google. With your own data, YOU become an expert. (It still takes 10 to 20 years.)

Engage with other people and Groups:

I've mentioned important NZ bloggers twice before. Today I want to draw your attention to Mike Riversdale. Mike specialises in reposting things that are interesting, often with a Wellington focus, and very often entertaining. He claims to be "connecting with people via information." If you are not using Google Reader or some other RSS feed reader, get started now. You will save a lot of time. Mike also posts as "Miramar Mike" with a focus on IT issues, Wellington and government use of IT.

Invitations

I keep on hearing, "I only connect to people I've personally met and trust." Can you help us all? Can you personally seek to build a network of 100 or so people who live and work in your own city and industry. Find all those people who have 1, 2 or 3 connections. Ring them up get to know them. Apply your philosophy, and connect New Zealand.

I recently saw an estimate that if there were 1000 people each of whom had 10 connections that were perfectly distributed, the mean number of links between any member is a large number like 50. If only 20 of that 1000, have 100 random connections and there is no other change, the mean distance between members is now something like 4. The Open networkers in Kiwi Scrum serve an important function. You should link to them, even if you "don't know them".

You have noticed I hope how quickly Kiwi Scrum is growing. When you invite your friends to join, that's what happens. Thanks so much.

Volunteers

Volunteers do all the most important work in the world. They are the initiators, the fire starters, the innovators who get things going. Doing something, always provides useful information. When people argue and disagree, do something, put a run on the board. New Zealand firms are still avoiding the Internet. Companies badly need people who understand how to score runs.

The Value of Engagement

When you are interested in the TOPIC, or in the PERSON who's talking, or writing, you engage in what's being said with intrinsic motivations. That makes the task of paying attention easier, and you are far more likely to learn something as well.

On Ryze at Social Networking Newbies, I discover that people lack the confidence to say who they are. They are even more reluctant to engage in any public debate. The basic skills of Internet Literacy, are missing. Perhaps that's why so many people, "hate the Internet".

When you write yourself, you force yourself to think and evaluate. You force yourself to do your best work. When you put your ideas on the line, public criticism is possible (although very unlikely). Doing this improves your decision making, your writing and gives you confidence. That is important practise of essential skills that every company needs more of.

More interesting news next month,
John Stephen Veitch
The Network Ambassador