TheIncubator: musings on the social sector

Blog Envy

I'm experiencing a little bit of blog envy.  Take a look, for example, at White Courtesy Telephone.  I think it looks pretty cool.  Or even Future Leaders in Philanthropy, which is less flashy, but still customized and slick.  And I begin to wonder, is my rather un-customized blog....boring?  Does it matter?

I'm also wondering about my wiki (which is in development, but soon to be released).  I was tweaking and tinkering with it the other day and realized that it's not even half as cool looking as the Davis Wiki, or even the Tax Almanac (which, by the way, did an excellent job at formatting a MediaWiki software driven wiki--doesn't happen often).  And now I am suddenly concerned that my humble wiki will suffer from its lack of pizazz.

Now, you may remember my musings on identity earlier.  I still wish that we could shed preconceived notions of one another that are based on appearance, but I am still grappling with the concept of the role that apperance-based identity plays in life.

The thing with appearance-based identity is that is part of branding, which in turn helps signify content.  By understanding what content is being offered, people are able to make the decision as to whether or not to interact with it.  And quite frankly, if you are interested in social issues, then you definitely want people to interact with you.

Plus, when you are able to customize your wiki or blog, it offers a unique-ness to your product.  Since we are all unique people, shouldn't our communication vehicles reflect that? 

So, if my wiki looks cool, looks slick, looks professional, is it automatically upgraded in the eyes of potential users/readers?  Is it important to maintain a unique brand to differentiate your conversation from the rest?  Will my blog or wiki be overlooked because does it not look the part of the cool-kid crowd?   

May I learn the hard way, so that you don't have to

Well, I'm trying to set up a wiki and a web page, and I'll be honest, It's going a little bit harder than I expected.  I refuse to believe that this is a total problem and a total disaster, because I want to pass on what I learn to you, and I (want to) believe that even as a non-techie you can use some of the on line tools out there. 

Wikis:
Ok, so wikis are websites that any user can log on to and add/edit content.  There are some powerful implications to this, but in order to tap into those possibilities, you've got to put a wiki out there.  The one that everyone knows about is Wikipedia, which is powered by MediaWiki.  Now, I think that Wikipedia has been done well, but any other site with it's layout, design and software are not faring as well.  Those sites seem a little more awkward.  But the most annoying thing, I've found, is navigation.  I think navigation, above all, has to be super-easy.  And the ones that look like Wikipedia  (using MediaWiki software) don't seem to have it down.  And if you're reading this, and you're not a pro, but want to set up a wiki, I suggest NOT going the root of looking like Wikipedia. 

Another wiki software is Stikipad.  This is the one that I've started my trial wiki on, but may switch.  Stikipad has different versions--free, and then different paid levels.   I'm on the free  version  right now, mainly because I'm tinkering around with it.  My tinkering is not as great as I would hope.  First, the address is cumbersome--you need to include ".stikipad.com/notes" in order to access the wiki.  Secondly, the free version does not have much to make it look "spiffy".  I don't know how many people need it to look fancy in order to use it, but it definitely looks amateurish.  But.  There are several other wikis out there, being used, and are successful, and look very amateurish.  Do looks matter?

If you want to have an easy name for people to access your wiki (which I would highly recommend), you will need to get a domain name.  Now, I am figuring this out, and have not quite got it, and that is another source of my frustration.

Websites and Domain Names:
It is possible to get just a domain name, without the whole hosted website.  Essentially you can register a name that you like with someone like GoDaddy, and  then have your name  point to the  wiki address (I believe with Stikipad, you will need to upgrade in order to allow this to happen). 

Why this may good for you:   you don't need to deal with a website and hosting it, you just pick out your name (if it's not taken--they figure that out for you) and point it to your wiki.  Then people can access the wiki through an easier URL address.

Or, you can buy a domain name and web-hosting service through a company and create a website.  This will allow you to build a site, should you like, which can have a whole host of other services (include your blog, some website builders have wikis that can be installed, have forums, sell stuff).  I thought I might want a website, and that is why I went that route.

My Website Experience:
Has not been going well, but I haven't given up yet!  I went with a web hosting service called LunarPages.   If you have a  Mac (which is what I have) this is not the way to go.  Their site-building feature only works on Windows.  Somehow I missed that, but at least they have a money-back guarantee for the 1st 30 days.  If you have Windows, the site seems ok.  It'll take some trial and error and figuring out, but you might do alright.  Their customer service is not great though.  They don't have a "live chat" function, so you need to email your question, and the last several (urgent) messages that I emailed have not been answered yet (it's been 3 hours).  Host Gator has a live chat function, which you can use to walk through the process of getting started--how do you even create the 1st page? 

I still don't have a website, yet.  But I'm working on it.  Just thought I'd share these frustrating few hours that I've had....

Blogs, Discussion, and Charity

In the December 7th issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, there is an article by Peter Panepento titled Blogs on the Rise: Online forums about charity offer advice and discuss controversies.

The article explores some bloggers in the social sector who are currently using the vehicle of the blog to create discussion about philanthropy and non-profits.  The use of these blogs range from one person's opinions about the sector (independent from his/her employer), to blogs that articulate a voice of the company, to advice-giving.  All have a purpose that's important to contributing to the social sector by initiating various forms of discussion and idea-sharing.

Independent Opinion Blogs
One such blog, which was coverd in the article, is Albert Ruesga's White Courtesy Telephone.  White Courtesy Telephone is independent of Ruesga's employing office, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, and as such is investigative and probing.  Interested in challenging field assumptions and digging for (perhaps) better ways to do things, Ruesga wonders if such blogging efforts would "be able to decentralize and democratize intellectual and moral authority in philanthropy and thereby enrich the conversation of the field?"  I would like to chime into his musings.  Every field, every business, in fact, needs to take time to objectively look at how things are done, what needs to be done, and challenge themselves to take one more step forward.  The field of philanthropy is particularly interesting in its need to do this considering the driving force behind the field is helping others.  By not striving to push the field to new heights and possibilities, who is  really feeling the negative effects?  The poor, the needy, the disease-inflicted--those who REALLY need such innovations and compassion.

Voice of the Organization Blogs
Blogs don't have to be envelope-pushers to have an impact, though.  They can also serve a very practical purpose in serving the members of the organization, as well as its clients.  James Fruchterman's blog, Beneblog, gives another voice to the company that he leads, Benetech.  It started out as a way to talk to employees about what was going on within the company's walls and has since evolved to include a grander scale of scope.  Fruchterman now includes his ideas, advice, and opinions on business practices and issues within society.  I think what's interesting about such blogs is that they are about engagement--engaging with those who work with you, engaging with your clients.  It can be very easy to wrap yourself up in the world of your private office and assume you know what your employees and clients think, need, and want.  Even if you conduct surveys and read research articles about all of that, what is actually better than engaging in dialogue with those that actually matter?  And that can happen with a blog--you can elicit closer-to-home responses through such engagement.

Advice-Giving Blogs
Other blogs, that are very worthwhile looking at, are those that offer advice.  Some authors are in the field and describe their best and worst practices, others are consultant or financial gurus who are sharing their expertise through their blogs.  The Agitator, authored by Roger Craver and Tom Belford, offers insight on direct marketing for non-profits. 

The point is that any of these blogs create the kind of engagement that is possible and should be taken advantage of.  The way that technology and culture is moving necessitates that those interested in not being left behind contribute and interact with the world beyond their singular perspective.  The great thing about blogs is that they have a more informal, accessible tone, which stimulates conversation and connection to others.  The great thing about blogs is that they encourage active participation with readers.  This opens the dialogue up, allows you to gain other perspectives than your own, and breaks down some of the hierarchy of "professionalism" that can interfere with innovative thinking and reaching your clients.  Sartre talks about amateurs vs. professionals, favoring amateurs who have the ability to remain outside the bureaucracy that can poison thought.  Including "amateurs" in your discussion can yield incredibly fruitful discussions with surprising results. 

One of the difficulties with blogs is that in order to be used to their full potential, users would ideally post comments in them.  The article mentions several of bloggers lamenting the fact that not as many readers actually post, which is a little disappointing.  In order for a blog to increase its reach and fulfill it possibilities, those types of interactions will be necessary.  Perhaps with time, as people grow more comfortable with blogs, this will happen

Listed in the article, which I too will post, are a bunch of blogs that may be interesting for you to peruse:
The Agitator
Beneblog
The Charity Governance Blog
Donor In Site
Donor Power Blog
Don't Tell the Donor
Gift Hub
Redeeming Hope
Trent Stamp's Take
White Courtesy Telephone

Humility and Social Change

I was reading the article, "Moments of Truth: Global Executives Talk About the Challenges That Shaped Them as Leaders" in the January 2007 copy of Harvard Business Review, vol. 85, no. 1. The article is comprised of various Presidents and CEO's describing their opinions of important attributes of leaders. Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, who is the president and CEO of Nokia, talked about humility.

First, I just want to quote a few snippets from his perspective: "if (a company) is to continue to prosper, (it) has to be externally oriented. It must have the kind of humility that makes it listen to the customer and seek ideas from outside." "Managers must humbly accept that their own perspectives need to be broadened by others." These comments about the concept of humility being linked to the ability to listen and broaden your own perspective by the perspectives of others is important. This is part of the backbone to what I believe is important to initiating social change. Each change-maker limits himself in operating within isolation. A person interested in social impact must constantly bounce ideas off of others. And change-makers that are afraid of cross-sector dialogue limit themselves as well. It is scary to make yourself vulnerable to challenges that are voiced against your position. But maintaining that humble spirit is a vital spirit in assisting change.

Kallasvuo also mentions, "Having humility does not mean that you are quiet or that you lack the courage to say what you think. Courage and humility are more complementary than contradictory." I don't know, you may think that talk about state of mind is rather silly and stupid, but to me, state of mind seems rather essential to getting the job done. And initiating social change takes leadership and it takes courage. And part of being a leader is taking on a spirit of humility and service, which takes a whole lotta courage.

The thoughts expressed by Kallasvuo on humility and the ability to listen to others while informing your own perspective with the perspective of others sounds a bit like the eradication of hierarchy and controlled authorship through the vehicle of wikis. As voice is given over to many, and one gives up the illusion of control that is encouraged through single-authorship, the spirit of humility and collective action can thrive. Ideas and innovation flourish. The thought that you are giving up control actually then yields to the realization that you are better aiding your own company and also the common good. And that seems like a positive thing to me.

Cross-Sector Dialogue: Where's It Happening? #1

This list is not (I hope) complete, but I thought I'd start compiling a list of places, nooks, and crannies where there are conversations brewing that cross-over the lines of feverishly-held identity. I know that it is human nature to develop an identity and associate with a group of people who have like-minded objectives; and that people are very defensive about those identities. But I want to search out those places where people can leave a little bit of their prejudices, self-preservation, and utter devotion to only their own thoughts behind, and entertain a conversation with an "other". So, I'm on the search.

My first thought was of wikis. The collaborative authoring efforts are extremely interesting for information sharing. Now, I did just realize that there is still a difference between information sharing and dialogue. The two are not inherently the same, so something like Wikipedia is not what I'm after. I'm looking for something that encourages a bit more interactive dialogue.

Ok, here's one, it may be a bit of a stretch, but it's a start: FluWiki According to FluWiki, the purpose is "to help local communities prepare for and perhaps cope with a possible influenza pandemic. This is a task previously ceded to local, state and national governmental public health agencies....But no one, in any health department or government agency, knows all the things needed to cope with an influenza pandemic. The world is filled with competent others who are likely to have credible and useful information about some aspect of each of these tasks." So here, there is a cross-sector dialogue between the public, the government, and health agencies about the topic of flu pandemics--with the idea that such dialogue can increase a knowledge base as well as knowledge flow. There also seems to be a discussion forum (I'm a little confused as to the navigation and it took a round-about way of getting there, but it does seem to exist) where users can maintain discussions with each other.

Why Flu Wiki is worth mentioning: I'm not sure how much actual cross-sector dialogue actually happens, but the point here is that there is a place where it is encouraged. With a defined subject matter, but an undefined user-base, people of all opinions and theories are able to exchange their views.

Now, for a side note. In the middle of my writing this post, I came across a blog titled, eastwikkers: a group blog on technology, communications, and the place where they meet , who launched a project titled, "33 Wikis". "33 Wikis" is a compilation of "best-practices in wiki-based collaboration". This is, in fact, where I discovered FluWiki. And their process of compiling and posting on these wikis spurred me to do it in a similar style--instead of searching for all the wikis I kind find and including them in one post, I will continue the search and post them, with different numbers in the title. (whew, that was a long sentence, was it hard to follow? I can do that sometimes). So I'd like to steal their methodology, if I may, and use it to list my places of cross-sector dialogue.

What is a Blog, and How Can YOU Use One in Your Organization?

There are still a lot of people out there who don't know what a blog is. And even if they know what a blog is, they don't know how it can be of use to them within their organization.

What is a blog? A blog is a website consisting of a collection of posts, written in a journal style, and is viewed in reverse chronological order. One of the powerful aspects of the blog is the ability to share it with an enormous audience base over the internet.

Possible uses for your Organization's Blog:
To Give a Voice to People in Your Organization: Having your employees post blogs creates a more democratic culture, disseminates information, allows people to get creatively engaged in driving your mission, spurs on innovation, spreads news throughout....

Bottom-Up Shift in Power: This can mean feedback from your customers/audience. You're working for them, why not find out what they REALLY need/want? A Bottom-up shift can also mean feedback from your employees. Again, speaking to a democratic structure, it allows your employees to actively engage in driving your mission and can play a role in improving low morale, giving ownership to all in the group, and addressing issues right as they come up as opposed to when they blow up.

Fundraising: Blogging about your fundraising needs could get a lot more people intrested in the passion that you are trying to promote and, consequently, YOUR needs in addressing that issue. Due to a certain personal nature of blogs, your issues may have a greater resonance with the readers, thus expanding your network, your cause, and perhaps your funds to advance your mission.

Advocacy: Since you have the possibility of a greater audience through the internet, just imagine how many more people can learn about your cause. Seriously, try to imagine it. Yeah.

You don't even have to take my word for it. Here are some other people advocating for the use of blogs within (all types) of organizations: Zafar S. Shah in the Nonprofit Quarterly, some of the big guys are doing it, Britt Bravo from NetSquared gives a few reasons for nonprofits, a BusinessWeek article, and this blog post from the blog Creating Passionate Users just caught my eye, take it or leave it.

The thing about blogs is that they can be a bit intimidating. They were intimidating to me. But have no fear. I am seriously technologically challenged, but I've managed to set up a blog and I've waded through a little bit of information on what it takes (or doesn't take) to integrate technolgoy into your life. Even when you have no idea how technology works.

So here's a Non-Techie Resource on starting a blog: Some blogs require you to know HTML code. Some also require you to obtain a server.

I don't know HTML code, so I'm sticking to the ones that don't require me to use it. As for the server, I'm thinking about getting one for some future projects that I will delve into, but you don't need to set up server capabilities for a blog.

Also, remember, some blogs are fee-based, some are free. If you're using your blog for within an organization, you may want to use a service that IS fee-based as they tend to have a few more options as to design, number of authors, and may look a little more professional.

A free, no-need-to-know-HTML blog service is Blogger

A free + fee-based options blog service is TypePad from the folks over at Six Apart. For techies they also have MovableType. Another option for those who have tech-knowledge is WordPress, which is free, but is more complicated (for me).

I chose TypePad. I currently use the Plus Level. I do not know (yet) how to create my own templates, but they have enough to satisfy my needs for now. If you use this platform, be sure to check out the widgets section. Widgets are elements (things) that users interact with on your webpage. Over in the Left Hand column there, you will see a variety of widgets that I am playing with such as the blog search, and the Swicki tags. Widgets allow for more interactivity and usability in your blog. Your readers can search your blog for a term without having to page through each entry, for example. Or they can find other blogs that cover the same issues. Or they can listen to the music you are promoting. Or, you could find a widget that allows people to donate to your cause. I HIGHLY recommend that you use them.

Also, with a blog, think about keeping it simple. Again, we're not master techies, so make it easy to read. One good way to do this is to utilize categories. These act as a table of contents so that others can quickly find information that they need to find.

TypePad will guide you through using their service to create a simple blog. And that's all you need in the beginning. Seriously. I think it's easy to get caught up in all the technology that even just a blog can offer. And I think it's great, but for those of us who are not techies, I do not think we need to suddenly become one. You need to focus on your mission of saving the world; and my point is that you don't need to be a techie in order to do that. Know what your options are, but don't get bogged down in the massive details--let an expert deal with that. But, now, you've got a tool that can really get you going--doing the work that you love and want to tell the world about.