Connection Kata: Your Blog Ecosystem

You may have noticed that my blog roll has some recent additions. There's a whole new section on relationships -- these are the bloggers who connect with people and with ideas. New links are Dawud Miracle, Tim Johnson (Carpe Factum) and Terry Starbucker (Ramblings from a Glass Half Full). I added a section for online publications I read and a brand new section of blogs written in Italian -- time to crank open those dictionaries; these writers are very well rounded.

If you don't notice that sort of thing when you visit other blogs, try doing so next time. The blog side bar says as much about the blogger as the content itself -- notice who they include, how frequently people update their blog rolls, and where the information is displayed.

Just like I put forth when I talked about LinkedIn, I add bloggers and publications only after I develop a relationship with them. That means I do one or all of the following -- read, comment, correspond and connect off line, or engage in a project like BrandingWire. There is a feedback loop with collaboration and conversation. My sidebar also mirrors the topics that are of interest and reflects the way I think.

One word about the dynamics of ecosystem -- whenever you introduce new elements into it, you may have a disruptive effect on the components of the existing environment. I would wager that if the new element is introduced as part of a strategy that adapts to the center and context of that ecosystem it makes the learning curve less steep and the system itself more resilient.

The blog ecosystem illustrates how to maintain a very large network utilizing your personal resources in time and effort while making sure that everyone benefits.

The Bow

Exchanging cards or greetings in blog terms may be an inbound link or one you followed on another blog you were reading. This is the equivalent of being introduced to someone by someone you know or know about. My stance is to listen, read, become familiar with the other person's environment and make mental notes of their expertise and interests.

During this phase I recommend being slow -- do take the time and if you don't have the time right now, make a point of coming back to it. Remember this is about the other first, then about how it relates to you. If content in blogs is king, attitude is queen; the connection happens somewhere in between:

• A well written piece contains an opinion -- and the voice of the author is all over it thus
• Interest and chemistry spark and
• The basis or foundation for an introduction begin to form

In some instances it takes upward of six months to a year to begin to approach a topic with someone new. Contrary to widespread perception, this does not depend directly on the number of inquiries a person receives; it is directly proportional to the quality of the inquiry as it relates to them.

The Practice

I am using the blog roll as a mini example of the way I have grown and assisted my network over the years. It is not possible to think that you'll be able to be in touch with everyone on a regular basis. Consider also that your interests and growth over time may take you farther away from where the connection began. This may not be very scientific, yet it's human nature. The brain loves novelty and will pay more attention to someone new at first.

At the roots of my blog ecosystem are the publishers who become friends and mentors -- these are the people who nourish and help me refresh my knowledge time and time again. In my case, love of learning is a number one strength. [To discover your strengths, take the VIA Signature Strength Questionnaire  that is part of Dr. Martin Seligman's Authentic Happiness project run at University of Pennsylvania.]

The categories are a way to introduce like-minded bloggers to each other more than an attempt to provide an exhaustive description of each blog. I think connectively and I see the patterns between groups; as well, each grouping includes one or two anchors -- bloggers who are more social, extroverted, available to a proactive conversation, connectors themselves.

For example, to pick just one -- David Armano among the essential blogs, Anna Farmery on branding, Mike Sansone for business, Geoff Livingston for communications, Connie Reece for ideas, CK and the Diva for marketing (my largest group), Kris Hoet for new media, Liz Strauss for relationships and Maurizio Goetz for the Italian blogs. Each group also includes deep researchers, original thinkers, thought leaders in their field, etc. They share with me curiosity and a bias for action of the connective kind.

Going back and thinking about professionals in your network in this new light, I bet you can come up with one or two ways to help the people in your network meet others with complementary skills and like minds. The point is that although you are at the center of your network, you are there only in your own view. This is one way to put others at the center of smaller networks of practice that are still within your ecosystem.

Do you use your sidebar as a strategy? Is that consistent with your brand and message? Do you have criteria you use to add people to your blog roll? 

Comments

[Geoff Livingston]

Wow! Quite an honor to be included in this list. I look forward to our podcast with CC this week, and of course a great conference!!

GL

[Phil Gerbyshak]

Interesting strategy Valeria. I put people in my sidebar I consider mentors and that have taken time to teach me something. Sometimes that's through a great post or a witty comment, and sometimes it's from a personal e-mail or a special phone call.

Thanks for sharing your strategy with us.

[Terry Starbucker]

Hi Valeria! I'm honored to be among the other great writers on your blogroll, and I've already returned the favor. Have a great week! All the best.

[Valeria Maltoni]

Geoff -- I look forward to your blog template rework. You have so much good content that is not getting its due right now. And I liked the one most of the people there indicated they liked.

Phil -- I was thinking that the logic behind the blog roll here was quite clear, to me ;-) That presented an opportunity to share it with all of you.

Terry -- it was past overdue. I should take my own advice and slow down enough to take stock more often. You've had intriguing conversations I missed and I wanted to make sure I became more of a regular.

[Pier Luca Santoro]

Oh dear now we must start writing in english. :-)
PIer Luca

[Valeria Maltoni]

Pier Luca:

I wouldn't change a thing! Non cambiare niente, vai bene cosi' ;-) Benvenuto!

[Connie Reece]

Valeria, thanks for the honor of including me in your blogroll as an idea-generator. I've had the same thought -- categorizing my blogroll -- for a while but have not implemented it. Now you've spurred me to action. Grazie!

[Anna Farmery]

Praise indeed from one of my favourite bloggers, thank you Valeria. I not only love your blogging but also your profound ability to reach out to others, your desire to share and create communities that can help each other. A wonderful characteristic in this modern world.

[Valeria Maltoni]

Connie -- I saw you're at blogOrlando, I'm sure having a great time. You got me thinking about having a social media club in Philadelphia. I do not know if there is one. That might be what I can do next to reinvent Fast Company magazine readers' network. Always upset the status quo, especially if I created it ;-)

Anna -- what kind words on a Monday morning! You made my day. I see you just posted a podcast on creative communication. I'll have to swing by, maybe on my lunch break.

[Gavin Heaton]

I agree with the idea that blogrolls say much about the blogger! How many times, when you first visit someone's house, do you look at their bookcase, review their CD/record collection? It is one way to quickly assess the context of a person and their relevance to you. It is the same with blogs.

I actually use my blogroll relatively often -- but that has slipped a little because of my new adoption of RSS feeds. But I only put sites on mine that I actually read.

[Kris Hoet]

Thanks Valeria for the kind words. I agree on the blogroll as a concept, but I think it takes too much 'screen estate' so I use http://share.opml.org sort of in the same way you use your blogroll.

[Valeria Maltoni]

Gavin -- blog rolls have been wonderful sources of ideas and ways to find people. Whenever I read someone who inspires me and makes me think differently (and many of you do) I check out their blog roll. Chances are, they read a diverse buffet of others.

Kris -- that's why I was thrilled to go to a two side bar format. And chunking the links into categories looks less daunting than a very long list, at least to me ;-)

[Becky Carroll]

Great ideas, Valeria, as always! I try and keep my blogroll relatively short, with links to bloggers I read on a regular basis. I refer people to it all the time, especially those who are new to blogging and want a list of resources they can easily get their arms around!

I have been thinking about expanding it to include different categories, similar to the way you did it.

Wonderfully done!