You see, you probably have a phone in your home and at work. You don’t think about doing “phone” or having a “phone” strategy or not having enough time for “phone”. You just have a phone. It’s part of your personal and professional life and not a separate and stand-alone thing that you have to make time for.

When the phone rings at work, you don’t stare at it blankly, wondering how best to engage with and monetize your “phone” community. You’re not concerned with how answering it will align with overall corporate branding and the “phone” acceptable use policy. You just pick it up and say, “How can I help you?” Why would you do anything different with social media? If a customer is asking for help, who really cares whether she chooses to call you or tweet you? At the other end of that message is a customer that wants and needs your help. That’s what matters.

Social media is the new phone! The phone was just the new “talking” anyway. I’ll bet that when the phone was first invented and a company had their first one installed it went a little something like this. “Ok, we’ll only have one phone and one person who is authorized to answer it. That’s it.” A lot of time was wasted debating how the phone would ultimately destroy productivity and potentially embarrass the company when employees were allowed to “talk” to customers. At some point someone must have realized that if you just replace “phone” with “talking” it all made sense, because now pretty much everyone has a phone and no one really puts any thought into how and when to use it. They just use it to talk to people.

Today the madness continues though with social media. We spend a lot of time debating how useful it is for business. My response? Why don’t we question all the other normal things we do as part of our regular workday too? Someone was once arguing with me intensely that social media was a waste of time. I asked him what he had accomplished so far in his workday. This caught him by surprise. His answer was that he had been to three boring and pointless meetings and had written a bunch of useless reports that no one would ever read. Wow! All that highly productive work was the reason he didn’t have time to use social media and talk to his customers. When I asked him what his plans were for the rest of the day he told me “cold calling” on the phone. Yikes!

If you still believe that you don’t have time to use social media, no problem. We can still be friends even if you’re not on Facebook. Just make sure you enjoy that extra long and boring meeting though! Nail that TPS report too and don’t forget to put the new coversheet on it because, you know, we’re doing that before they go out now. Just keep in mind that while you’re busy doing all that highly productive work, your competitors are getting friendly with your customers on Facebook, following up on real leads from Twitter and hiring all your top talent away on LinkedIn.

Social media is much more powerful than the phone. If you’re not using it, your competitors are doing all the talking.

Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist and Community Builder. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com, on Twitter @kevinamagee or on stage at Tweetstock6 Nov 10th www.tweetstock.ca

Republished from the Brantford Expositor: Saturday November 5th, 2011

Beyond the opportunity to answer questions and solicit candid feedback, it was also a first step towards a greater vision. A vision I personally believe in, and one that is shared by the volunteer members of the board, staff, theatre volunteers and those who attended. Our shared vision is simply that it’s “our theatre”, and by “our”, we mean everyone.

At a retreat a few weeks ago to complete planning for our upcoming year, board member Bob MacLean summed up what many of us were feeling but were having trouble expressing. He said he wanted the whole community to embrace the theatre as “our theatre”. These words really stuck with me. “Our theatre”, an open, transparently operated, fiscally responsible and sustainable business. “Our theatre”, a place where magic happens and memories are made. “Our theatre”, where everyone is welcome to perform or simply enjoy the show. “Our theatre”, the natural home of a vibrant arts community. “Our theatre”, a monument to our rich cultural past and a treasure that is ours to steward, protect and enrich for our children.

“Our theatre” is a worthy vision for the Sanderson Centre not only to aspire too, but also to achieve. To that end, we as an organization need to demonstrate a commitment to fulfilling our vision in everything that we do. Our first act was to throw open the doors and let the public in to have their say. We came together to talk about programming, but we really ended up talking about every topic imaginable; from our budget, to how we contract artists. Tough questions were asked and we as a Board endeavoured to answer with a degree of frankness and openness that, I believe, pleasantly surprised those in attendance.

What did we accomplish then? Well, a lot more than even I could have ever imagined. My favourite moment of the evening was when I mentioned that I personally would love to see Gilbert & Sullivan performed once again in the theatre, to which Philip Sarabura from the Brantford Symphony responded that he knew where an excellent Orchestra could be found. Then Peter Muir from Brant Theatre Workshops jumped in with a comment that he knew of an excellent theatre company that could perform it. These initial tongue-in-cheek comments began to turn into serious discussions. Others then started to add their own ideas. The arts community began to collaborate!

I believe partnership, not competition, is the key to overcoming the barriers to success that many individual arts organizations are experiencing. That includes the Sanderson Centre as well. Watching this frank discussion, and the organic and collaborative exchange of ideas as they unfolded, made all the hours I have poured into volunteering at the theatre instantly worthwhile. We have a vision, now it’s time to ensure we perform! It’s our theatre, and I for one can hardly wait to see what we as a community do with it.

An Expositor Guest Column. Kevin Magee is Chairman of the Sanderson Centre Management Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

It is because of this profound community and personal connection that I am sincerely honoured to have been entrusted with both the privilege and responsibility of leading the Management Board of the Sanderson Centre as Chairman. The Board is comprised of truly committed volunteers who freely give their time and energy to deliver on a complicated but enormously important mandate, providing concrete overall governance while also ensuring that the theatre continues to be a magical place where music, fun and memories are made.

I believe we stand at an inflection point in the future of our city and of our theatre. An Arts based renaissance is taking place in our community and yet our theatre is running on dated “operating systems” that are in need of an upgrade and a reboot in order for us to become a 21st Century Theatre. We as a community need to embrace this renaissance and it’s challenges and re-imagine our relationship with our theatre. How is it used now and how does that differ from the past? What needs to change to reflect the tastes, interests and passions of the next generation of both artists and patrons? How else can we enjoy this wonderful facility? How do we ensure that our children who dream of one day performing on stage have the opportunity?

We must also come to terms with the fact that the Sanderson Centre is now 91 years old. It is an extremely large and historic 1,125-seat theatre, which is very expensive to operate, maintain and periodically restore. How then do we as a community ensure that the business of the theatre remains financially sustainable, that it continues to be kept up at great and continually escalating costs and yet is affordable and accessible to all?

These are worthy yet difficult challenges that can only be met by a united community. To that end, the Management Board will be launching a number of initiatives over the coming year to engage with, listen to and act on the ideas, thoughts and dreams of our community. Open and transparent consultation addressing such themes as improving community group access, developing a new generation of audiences, financial sustainability and customer service will be at the forefront of these initiatives.

I’d ask that you accept this invitation and opportunity to engage with us at this critical point in our collective history to help deliver the vision and results required to ensure the future of our theatre for generations to come; but also to come out and simply enjoy a show, experience the magic, reconnect with timeless memories and help create some new ones!

An Expositor Guest Column. Kevin Magee is the newly elected Chairman of the Sanderson Centre Management Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

Just like businesses, politicians are brands. You shop at a business that you know, trust and like and you are more likely to vote for a politician that can evoke these feelings in you as well. To build a successful brand requires the ability to package key ideas into short value propositions that are authentic, easily understood and can be spread by enthusiastic, well connected and well articulated supporters. That’s also exactly how both political campaigns and Social Media work. In fact, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country #votekennedy” would have made a great tweet!

Why then are most politicians unable to make the leap to Social Media successfully? I think it’s because they don’t see value in it yet; however they need to and soon. The Internet is becoming the default place where people spend their time researching ideas, forming opinions and discussing things that matter to them. If you’re a candidate and not part of that conversation, you can bet your opponents will be along with your votes.

This election will be the testing ground for new media. It will also be a key inflection point in terms of how politicians campaign and how voters elect. So how are our local candidates making out on the Social Media campaign front? Not bad so far, but lots of room for improvement. Here’s my take as the election gets underway:

@phil4brant – Phil is new to Twitter but showing signs he gets it. He is following 100+ people and has a small but growing number of followers. This indicates to me that he is primarily listening right now. His tweets so far are a mix of political messages and genuine conversation. On Facebook, Phil boasts over 1,100 friends and actively engages in conversations, posts pictures to provide insight into his personality and is consistent in his participation.

@lloyd4brant – Lloyd is brand new to Twitter and so it’s difficult yet to determine his level of comfort and how, if at all, Twitter will fit into his campaign strategy. He is following and being followed by under 20 people at this time and really needs to begin growing his community before a more complete assessment can be made. Lloyd is also new to Facebook and has 200+ friends on his personal account and a fan page with over 200 likes that is showing momentum.

@MarcLaferriere – Marc so far is dominating the online conversation. He has 700+ Twitter followers and is in turn following 500+ which indicates he is both listening and being listened too. He tweets often and engages his followers in conversations that range from political debates to highly personal discussions. On Facebook, Marc has over 2,700 friends on his personal account and over 1,100 likes on his fan page. He posts often and is very engaged with his core group of followers.

After the votes are cast, it will be an interesting exercise to examine the effect of Social Media on the actual outcome of the election in Brant. Do followers equal votes? Do “Likes” transfer to Xs on the ballot? Regardless of the outcome we are witnessing history take place 140 characters at a time, even if it’s a bit awkward to watch.

Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

While many nay-sayers have passed off social media as a fad or something for people with a lot of time on their hands, Tweetstock proved them all wrong. Social media is not about the power of technology it’s about the power of relationships, it’s about building a strong and vibrant community and it’s about achieving your own personal vision with the help of others. With Tweetstock, that’s exactly what’s happening right now in Brantford.

The speaker line up was as diverse as the crowd. Mayor Chris Friel’s opening remarks about open and transparent government were well received and applauded. Aaron Kropf the social media guru for the Stratford Festival imparted some practical wisdom on how he’s used the Internet to transform the perception of the Arts and grow attendance at many of the Festival’s performances. He also graciously took time out of his schedule to meet and share best practices with the staff of the Sanderson Centre and Glenhyrst.

Kathy Buckworth an award winning writer, public speaker, and television personality and Scott Stratten the bestselling author and President of Un-Marketing key-noted the event with a positive and practical vision for successfully building a loyal following and a business using the power of social media. Both were dynamic, well received and welcome editions to the ever growing Tweetstock community.

For my part, I had the opportunity to share my own vision for Brantford. I challenged the crowd to think beyond the borders of the city, to relentlessly chase after whatever it is you want in life and to leverage every tool available that can amply your message: to think big, and then think bigger! The audience was extremely gracious and joined with me in “catching people doing some good” online such as our very own Captain Kindness, Glenhyrst, the Brantford Public Library, the Re-Store and the Brant United Way all of which are courageously migrating their message and visions online.

Among the 200 plus attendees, almost 100 were business owners, marketing professionals, and not-for-profit volunteers and employees from other cities who had the chance to experience not only Brantford’s hospitality, but also what we as a city can deliver. The celebration of online entrepreneurship was a great boost to the efforts of our city’s economic development and the Brantford Resource Centre in particular which does incredible work to attract and grow small businesses in Brantford.

At its core, the Tweetstock movement is about community building. It was founded by a group of young business guys and gals who, while sometimes competitors, decided they would work together to “lift all boats” and build a better Brantford. Their commitment to the city, to the small business community and to a good time was evident throughout the night. What they’ve been able to accomplish is not only to put on a great series of highly successful events, they have truly built a new and evolving community that is willing to work together to accomplish great things. For my Tweetstock presentation, I borrowed my closing remarks from Home Depot: “You can build it, we can help” which I believe is a wonderful vision to have, pursue and be a part of!

Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

I serve as Vice Chair of both the Sanderson Centre Management Board and the Economic Development Advisory Committee. In this capacity, I was asked to attend an information session at City hall to help answer questions regarding public service and my specific Board and Committee. For me, it was a great opportunity to meet individuals actively seeking ways to get involved. Throughout the evening the questions I was asked were very similar and I thought it would therefore be of interest to others who were not able to attend to share some of the discussion via this forum.

The most common question I was asked was “what do these committees do”? The answer depends on the nature of the committee or board however at the risk of oversimplify things: advisory committees advise council on subjects and issues offering insight, detailed analysis and expertise to assist in the overall management and governance of the City. Management boards on the other hand, have limited autonomous responsibly to actually manage City facilities like the golf courses or the Sanderson Centre with Council acting as the final authority on all matters.

The next most common question was “what will be expected of me and how much investment of my time is required”. This is a tricky question and the answer really depends on you. Public service and volunteering is a very personal thing. A City committee requires a 1 or 2 hour monthly meeting commitment plus addition time to prepare. This may increase with participation on sub committees. Therefore it is possible to put in as little as 4-5 hours per month or as much time and energy as you feel comfortable with. In terms of getting started, joining a committee and being the new member at the table can be intimidating. The best advice I can offer is: don’t be afraid to ask questions. Just remember, everyone else was new once too. If you are committed, willing to learn and driven to succeed as a volunteer you will do just fine. As you grow more comfortable with the subject matter, the procedures and the people around the table you will naturally begin to share more of your own thoughts and ideas and possibly even assume leadership roles within the group.

Volunteer Committee work is perfect for those of us who want to be involved but are not interested in running for office and also for those who want to find out if a political career would suit them. It provides an opportunity to better understand your City’s government and community and to make a positive personal difference. It’s also a great way to meet new and interesting people and learn valuable skills that can be applied in other areas of your professional and personal life. Whatever your age, skill set, experience and background, if you feel that public service is something you would like to try, I encourage you to ask your councillor for more details, read up on the committees who are seeking volunteers and if you are truly committed, just do it.

Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com

Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2975115

During the municipal election many candidates gave Social Media a try yet it was largely underutilized. Most councilors stuck with tried-and-true methods such as door knocking. While face to face interaction can never be replaced by online methods, there is a place and a purpose for both. It is in knowing that purpose and acting with purpose that will yield the results that Councilors need and constituents deserve. In conversation with Mayor Friel during our Editorial Board roundtable last week, he assured me that he will encourage City Hall and Council to embrace new technologies and modernize our municipal government. He also agreed that there is an opportunity to enhance, innovate and rewire the local political operating system for the next generation of constituents and politicians and that perhaps it’s time for Council to “friend” it’s constituents.

It can be a little scary to take that first step online and I would therefore like to humbly offer to our new Council some friendly and “friending” advice to help them get started:

Don’t accept the status quo: If you were given the opportunity to speak with hundreds, possibly thousands of your constituents simultaneously and have immediate feedback on any issue or question that would help you make better informed and quality decisions would you not take it? Framed this way, it’s difficult to argue that there isn’t any time for Social Media. Invest your time where your constituents are whether that’s at the Farmer’s market on Saturday morning, the Civic Centre for a hockey game or Facebook.

Leverage passion: Don’t just tell your story online, connect with and enable like-minded people that are passionate about the things that matter most to our community. Imagine a vast untapped talent-pool of individuals and groups who can help you deal with every conceivable problem that we collectively face. It already exists, now go make use of it.

Show interest, be authentic and listen: Remember, it’s not all about you.

Be yourself: Talk about what interests you. Share as much of your personality and personal life as you feel comfortable with. But please no press releases, no canned political messages and also keep in mind we really don’t need to know what you had for breakfast.

Don’t just follow, lead: Influence online is a function of the consistency and quality of your content and interactions. It’s who you are and what value you bring to the greater community that will determine your success.

There exists today an unprecedented opportunity for leaders to make a significant impact for our community online and it may even help you get re-elected in 2014. My final advice would be to seize this opportunity, take action and lead the way.

Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

At the official anniversary celebration last December, I was asked to help out by leading backstage tours. It was a wonderful experience, with many people sharing their own real life stories of drama, tragedy and comedy all set in the theatre. Fond memories that after all these years came immediately back and rekindled personal connections to one of Brantford’s greatest treasures.

There were many stories of first-time performances on stage in dance competitions, plays and concerts. There were many more of proud parents, in turn, watching their own children perform on the very same stage. One notable tale recounted a concert performance by Duke Ellington Music, during which there was a complete power outage mid-show. Both the band and the audience sat in the darkness waiting for the lights to come back on and when they didn’t, the band struck up and played in the dark, with everyone enjoying an impromptu jam session.

Over the years, the theatre has hosted many great performances and performers, including immortal stars such as Red Buttons. Yet the immortal performances that garner the most discussion seem to be those of the ghosts. There are many accounts of strange noises and moving furniture in the lighting booth at the back of the theatre, so be sure to look up and behind you next time you visit to see if you can catch a glimpse of anything out of the ordinary!

For my own part, my connection with the theatre spans most of my life. In 1978 I sat front-row centre in the balcony at the then-Capitol theatre for Star Wars. For a five-year-old boy, it was an incredibly exciting and life-altering moment! Twelve years later and only a few seats away in the newly renovated Sanderson Centre, I saw the Second City Players perform, on my first date with a very pretty young lady who is now my wife. More fond memories of New Year’s Eve parties, the Northern Pikes, Colin James, Blue Rodeo, Camelot, the Brantford Memorial Concert Band (with one of my best friends playing trumpet) –and, of course, the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi come easily to mind, as well.

My most memorable performance, though, was that of HMS Pinafore. The cast and crew crossed into Canada during a border guard strike and made it though without incident; however, the props and costumes did not. The show must go on, of course, and therefore the production was staged with everything improvised. The officers wore umbrellas as swords and the admiral even donned an Admiral’s Sub hat to distinguish himself. The professionalism and extra creativity of the actors certainly made the evening very enjoyable and memorable for those in attendance.

The new season of Sanderson Centre performances is now upon us, with something for everyone on the playbill, available online at www.sandersoncentre.ca. If you haven’t been out to the theatre in years, why not take the opportunity to get reacquainted? Or if you’ve never been, then why not become formally introduced to the Sanderson Centre?

Treat yourself to some old memories and create some new ones! I’m certain that you will find it, as you like it!

Kevin Magee is Vice Chairman of the Sanderson Centre Management Board and a member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://brantfordexpositor.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2772993

What happens though if you’re like me and want to help but have no idea how to fish? I figure our aspiring fisherman could probably use new and better equipment or working capital to start a fishing business more than a fishing lesson anyway.  He or she may still need a “hand up, not a hand out” but perhaps the adage needs to be updated with the times to: “Give a woman a fish you feed her for a day, help her start a fishing business and you change her life”. A few months ago I did just that.

For the past two years Juanilyn Bacala, a 20 year old single mother, has owned and operated a successful fish selling business in the village of Bitibut in the Philippines.  The profits however have not been enough to grow her business sufficiently to provide for her family. She needed $225 in working capital to expand and along with 7 other investors worldwide I loaned her the money to make it happen.

I may not know how to fish, but I know a thing or two about investing and running a business. Juanilyn is a driven hands-on proprietor with a track record of success. She knows her business and has a solid plan to expand into a growing market. The opportunity had a low risk / high reward ratio and that’s why I invested in her. Doesn’t sound like traditional charity? It’s not and that’s why I like it.

I get the most satisfaction out of working with a charity or not-for-profit when my values are in sync with theirs and when I feel I’m investing my time and money, not just giving it away. I’ve had amazing life changing experiences with local organizations; however, I wanted to find a way to use my skills and expertise to do something bigger and with global impact. Luckily I found a way to do it. I found Kiva.

Kiva (www.kiva.org/lender/kevinmagee) is a not-for-profit organization that facilitates microfinance loans directly to entrepreneurs in developing nations. Generally the loans are small however the impact they make has remarkable potential to change a person’s life and a community’s future.

In Microfinance lending individual lenders, not banks, each contribute a small portion of the total loan which is made to the entrepreneur directly. The loan is then repaid over a set term and the interest collected funds the in-country lending organizations. While I don’t get a tax credit, when the loan is repaid I have the opportunity to re-invest the same $25 again and again in new entrepreneurs or even withdraw the money.

So far I’ve had unprecedented success with Kiva. I’ve made over 60 loans worldwide with no defaults to date. I think this is because I take the time to really qualify each investment that I make. It’s not all work though, I greatly enjoy reading the business plans and personal stories and really come to know the people that I have helped. As a bonus, I’ve also learned a great deal about other countries and cultures.

If you have $25, an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to better the world why not invest it directly in someone’s future? Over time, you may find you’ll get a greater return on investment than you can possibly imagine.

Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://brantfordexpositor.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2743312

This generation will not patiently wait for one opportunity every four years to express their concerns, hopes, and ideas by checking a box in a voting booth with a No. 2 pencil. They expect to be consulted, to be involved in real-time, to be heard and surprisingly, to contribute.
Most importantly they expect to be able to do it all online.

Governments should not fear this paradigm shift but instead embrace it. The best place to make a difference is where government most often interacts with citizens, and 80% of the time this occurs at the municipal level.

In a world where we can trade derivatives on an iPhone, telecommute to work and even eFile our taxes, what can we accomplish online as a citizen of a city? Not much yet, but we’re beginning to imagine the possibilities and they are indeed boundless.

Like most cities in the world today, our municipal government’s “operating system,” let’s call it Brantford 1.0, was developed and installed during the Industrial Revolution and it’s due for an upgrade.

So what is a Brantford 2.0, anyway? Well first off, let’s deal with what it isn’t. It’s really not about technology! It’s not about having a Twitter account or a Facebook page and most of all, it’s not about politics. Call it what you will– e-government, Government 2.0, whatever — the idea is simply to leverage technology and citizen engagement to continuously innovate our local government to a new and better version.

A 2.0 world is coming and the evolution of government can no longer be the exclusive domain of the politician. It’s not simply an IT project, either, nor is it fair to task the tech folks with modernizing the very source code of democracy.

Rather than striking a task force or hiring a consultant to complete a paper-based master plan, why not crowd-source the solution using online tools and ask the actual users what they want, need and can imagine? Why not even ask them to help build it?

Citizen engagement is imperative for a successful upgrade, anyway.

If we citizens are willing and able to contribute to the future of our community, then why not empower us to do so? The debate regarding the Southside, attendance at various city-sponsored town halls and open houses, the conversations on Facebook and Twitter and most revealingly the number of candidates already declared for the fall election all indicate our citizens want to engage, be heard and make a difference. To borrow liberally from late U.S. President Ronald Reagan, “We’re from the electorate and we’re here to help!”

So how do we begin the upgrade to Brantford 2.0? Why not start by leveraging what we already have rather than completely rewriting? Take, for example, our current citizen committees: community- minded volunteers bring their expertise, experience and passion to the table to tackle municipal challenges and provide advice to council on such diverse topics as economic development and the control of vicious dogs.

Why not then establish a Brantford 2.0 or, at the very least, an e-government citizen advisory committee? It would be a good place to start and if nothing else I hope the idea can spark a valuable conversation and perhaps even give a few of the candidates something to Twitter about!

Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, capitalist, community builder and member of The Expositor’s Community Editorial Board.

Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2642452