Is Business Change All Business? Is Social Networking Altruistic?

OK, year-end business change tidbit: And it’s more than a mouthful . . .

Business isn’t always an easy sport. I often say there’s very little about business that any reasonably intelligent person can’t figure out, but when it comes time to mix it up, roll it into a ball, and turn out a delicious piece of bread, things get . . . sticky.

So as we enter a new year, my question for you is: What is your Social Networking Strategy?

I’m not asking you about whether you’re on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This isn’t about what level of activity you engage in or how much of your time you spend tweeting, linking, or . . . whatever it is we think we’re doing on Facebook. The question is: where is the intersection between social networking and making a pain out of yourself? And who decides?

I follow a few people on Twitter who abuse their positions. In particular, Gary Vaynerchuk and Guy Kawasaki tweet way too much, with Guy actually sending out each of his tweets three times, eight hours apart. Yuck.

Yet I follow Guy anyway. And while we haven’t done business together I can tell you that we’ve affected each others’ days on several occasions. So are we friends? Business associates? Nothing?

If those are the only choices, “nothing” is the correct answer. But they aren’t the only choices at all. Further, since I don’t sell wine I’m not competing with Gary Vaynerchuk, and I’m not a venture capitalist like Guy Kawasaki.

Is this coopetition? Nope; while we all benefit from swirling our circles together, the only thing we’re all after is attention, and Gary and Guy are worth far more to me than I am to them. And that’s where this conversation gets interesting: they’re willing to help anyway.

Not too long ago I received a nasty note from Jon Skillings, the Managing Editor of CNet. To paraphrase, it said “please keep reading our material and feel free to take the extra time it takes to comment, but don’t you dare identify yourself”. I was flabbergasted. Then I responded to Mr. Skillings and he ignored me — twice.

Sometimes, you need to be Gary Vaynerchuk. Being Guy Kawasaki has its place, too. And that’s the point: sooner or later you have to decide how much social networking is too much, and then hold yourself to the same standards that you expect of those around you.

See you in 2010. My forecast? Business Change to continue . . .