Have High School cliques resurfaced in the realm of online social networks? To an extent, I think so, especially, if online social networking’s future will be a bunch of mini-networks that match all offline networks. When I came across this concept, I imagined a separate network for the rugby team, swim team, lacrosse team, chess club, skaters, etc. If you can’t tell, I went to an all guy high school. Yep, I’m a Purple Eagle and they do exist!
Now, the High School metaphor is not perfect, but in my mind, it simply means and shows that people like to be with people that share something in common. Teams. Tribes. Villages. Countries. Hobbies. Likes. Friends. Human nature: people identify and relate to others through some sort of bond. The bond gives them Something to talk about, Something to build a longer last relationship on through conversation. When people relate, I think they let they guard down and are a bit more relaxed and can build up a friendship from there. So how do we go break through the Virtual Clique to something better? By extracting social and business value.
For social value, we can certainly mirror our real world friendship circle online like Facebook allows you too. Then you can learn tidbits of stuff about other people online and find these social icebreakers to start a conversation and with a click of a button, the clique structure is fractured. The conversation can start if effort is put in. Do you think a weak link would work for business? I think it works better for building friendship and breaking cliques. If a clique breaks, social value is gained.
For business, I think the network has to foster a conversation that leads to teams or sales buzz and builds a long lasting a mini-Nation. The common bond must already exist or be compelling enough to draw someone in for the long haul; otherwise the business social network will just have a short run success or no success at all and become a list of “added friends.” The business network must provide an extra value beyond the product or the workplace; it has to make people’s lives better. If it can do that, the business online social network is something better.
Booting off
I like the parallels you draw between social networks and cliques. It’s definitely a valid point and gave me a shift in perspective from which to view my current interactions with social networks and business networks. I think there is something to be said for subject matter cliques as social networking goes professional. Take for example new networks for doctors, executives and salespeople that have shown impressive results in the discovery of everything from diagnostics to streamlined business processes.
ReplyDeleteI would agree that for business networks, there should be some initial bond to get employees engaged, but I would argue that we shouldn’t expect the same level of “friendship” from our professional networks as our social networks. After all, if it’s advised that we censor our professional profiles, how could we expect to have the same level of locker room banter (if you will) that we had in the good old days when there was no where to hide?
As these networks continue to collide in my own world, I find it more and more difficult to accept friends, keep track of limited profiles, and still enjoy my networks.
Networks are about relationships and bonds, whether they are social or professional. Going back to high school, jocks cliqued with jocks because of the bond they would have build on the field. We are seeing the same phenomenom in the online social settings. People with similar backgrounds are networking and blogging on each others sites. The only problem is, is that this could stunt a person's social networking development and if they are ever placed outside the "comfort zone," then they will not be as effective in communicating.
ReplyDelete