Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 09 May 2008 00:25:00 GMT
I recently read Bowling Alone by Dr. Robert Putnam where he mentions two types of networking: Bridging and Bonding. Bridging networks allow you to connect more dots and reach out to new and different contacts. Bonding networks help you build deeper relationships with the existing contacts you already have. Some see this as quantity vs. quality. Both are important. CollectiveX is a tool that can both “bridge” and “bond.”
As a social species, we all communicate, share and network to make things happen. It’s what we do. Some of us communicate a little louder and faster than others (guilty as charged) and some of us have the wisdom to listen first and then choose their responses wisely.
Some of us are looking to find others while some of us are looking to be found. All of us are trying to make things happen.
Whatever your personal communication style, we believe groups matter. Groups help provide the context for what we are sharing and define a purpose for what we hope to achieve. Trying to have fun? Raise money? Meet a project deadline? Help others? A Groupsite is the perfect tool to help tap into the wisdom of groups. Groups help us “bond,” and build trust.
A “bonding” network helps you build deeper “thick trust” relationships with contacts you already have. A Groupsite is perfect for this. Perhaps you have a very active professional group of 25 members. By using a Groupsite to communicate, share, and network, you may begin to learn things about the group members that are not business related. Perhaps you learn that your children play in the same lacrosse league, or that one of the members is an avid cyclist or another has a grandson who is applying for admission to your alma mater. All of these additional facts help you build deeper levels and trust as you discover new ways where you may be able to assist each other in achieving your goals.
But what about meeting new people? “Bridging” networks are those that help connect un-connected dots building “thin trust” initially. It’s one thing to get to know your existing contacts better; but how do you make new contacts? CollectiveX can help here, as well.
While each Groupsite is its own destination – a sanctuary for “bonding” where your group can make things happen – the CollectiveX tool is equally powerful for “bridging” networks. You can take advantage of this by creating or joining a second (or multiple) Groupsite(s), and then selecting “View All Mode.” (View All Mode provides a combined view of all of your Groupsite activities and allows you to easily perform cross-group searches. Want to find more people who play golf? Just search for them from your View All Mode).
With multiple Groupsites, you’ll realize the true bridging power of CollectiveX. It becomes your extended “Social Collaboration Network”. You can communicate, share and network among all your groups with a single sign-on. This collaboration network also helps others find and connect to you – the ultimate in “bridging” network power.
CollectiveX lets you bridge in other ways, too. Try clicking the “Find a Group” link at the top left of any Groupsite. This will take you to www.groupsites.com where you can search for other groups to join. Or, how about asking members of your current Groupsite for recommendations to other Groupsites that you might also find interesting and productive?
Additionally, you can select the “Create a Group” link at the top of any Groupsite and create your own new Groupsite. This way, you can have access to multiple parts of your life (work, school, church, family, friends) all on the same platform, using the same single log-in; yet, each specific group will have their own place to bond and make things happen.
Use a Groupsite to build strong trusted relationships. Use our Social Collaboration Network (and, your multiple Groupsites) to reach out beyond a single group and stay connected with everything you do.
Communicate – Share – Network. Make things happen—today!
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:44:00 GMT
Here is a challenge for you. If you accept this challenge and actually complete all 10 steps, you will have a very good understanding of how to be an active member of you group. Our mission is to help make groups work. Here are 10 steps that will help you make a difference in the success of your group:
1. Upload your photo to your profile (Click here for previous post that can help)
2. Set your preferences under My Preferences (Click here for previous post that can help)
3. Share a personal objective (Click here for previous post that can help )
4. Add a Key Connection (Click here for previous post that can help)
5. Search for something. (read someone’s profile and learn something about them you didn’t know.) (Click here for previous post that can help)
6. Endorse or Kudo someone in your group (Click here for previous post that can help)
7. Send a private message (Click here for previous post that can help)
8. Reply to a discussion or start a new one. (Click here for previous post that can help)
9. RSVP “Yes” to a calendar event – and actually show up! In person! (Click here for previous post that can help)
10. Invite another member to the group (or suggest someone who should be invited to the manager of the group) (Click here for previous post that can help)
11. Bonus: Create your own group (Click here for previous post that can help)
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Sat, 01 Mar 2008 02:14:00 GMT
Are there things you would like to share about yourself with the rest of the group but don’t know where to put them? No worries – here’s how.
Select the “My Settings” tab and then choose the “Customize My Profile” link (see below).
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This will open a page where you can add any additional elements to your profile you choose (text, links, video etc). You can also choose if you want this new element to appear on your professional profile, your social profile or both.
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On my social profile I added my 10 favorite songs of all time.
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On my professional profile, I added an embedded demo video of CollectiveX.
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In the words of Charles Wright (from my 8th favorite song), go ahead and “express yourself”.
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:33:00 GMT
The Eagles’ “Hotel California” contains the lyric, “You can check out any time you like – but you can never leave.”
Every once in a while, our support team receives a “Hotel California” email from someone asking to “please remove me from your listserve” or “how do I remove myself from this group, it is not what I expected it to be”.
Today’s post will give you exactly what you ever need to check out.
First, it’s important for you to understand that we are not a “listserv” (there is nothing listening for “unsubscribe” commands, etc.)
There are only 3 ways to become part of the CollectiveX Group Engagement Network:
1. Be invited to join a Groupsite
2. Find a “public” Groupsite which allows anyone to join
3. Create your own Groupsite
Let’s look at the first method. CollectiveX, as a platform, does not auto-generate invitations to random lists of email addresses (SPAM). Someone within a Groupsite, typically the manager, needs to generate each invitation. We suggest that Groupsite managers only invite those people who they believe will benefit by being part of the group. That being said, just because someone thinks you might benefit by participating doesn’t mean that you feel the same way.
If you ever receive an invitation to join a CollectiveX Groupsite and you don’t believe it is in your best interest to accept, simply hit the “Decline” link in the email (see below).
Let’s say you accepted an invite, or found a public Groupsite (at Groupsites.com) that you thought might be for you but later decide that it’s not a good fit and you wish to leave the group.
Here’s what you do:
From within the Groupsite you wish to leave, select the “My Settings” tab. Then simply select the “Remove me from this Groupsite” link at the bottom left (see below). You will then see a pop-up window asking you if you are sure you want to leave. Simply hit “OK”. You are no longer part of that Groupsite.
The best way to make sure you are in a Groupsite that makes sense for you is to create your own!
We are a Group Engagement Network. We empower groups to make things happen. If you are part of an active group that you want to stay in touch with by sharing and communicating, we invite you to create your own Groupsite and invite only those people who share your desire to make the group work. Click here to learn how or click here to get started
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:58:00 GMT
Friday’s are my “User Tip” days and Mondays are my “Manager Tip” days. Since we have a Monday holiday (President’s Day), I thought I would get double duty out of this post by sharing a tip that both users and managers can use.
Adding an event to a Groupsite calendar is quite simple (as long as the Groupsite Manager’s have given members permission to do so).
Here’s how:
Step 1 – Select the “Calendar” tab
Step 2 – Pick the correct month
Step 3 – Click the + sign next to the date
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You will then see the page below where you can enter your event’s name, location (specific street address with city and state will auto-link to Google maps), time as well as provide an optional description if needed.
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Pay special attention to the “Allow RSVP?” field. There are 3 choices:
- “YES” – this will allow members of this Groupsite to post their responses to this Groupsite.
- “NO” – Use this option when all are welcome or to post events that need no RSVP such as holidays.
- “On a separate site” – selecting this option allows you to enter a web address for an RSVP page outside of your Groupsite. This is perfect if you want to let your group know about a local event sponsored by another group.
When you are all done, simply hit the “Submit” button.
That’s it.
RSVP’ing to an event that is already posted is just as easy.
Just select the “Calendar” tab, find the date of the event, click on the event name and enter your response as seen below. You can also add a comment if you like. Then hit submit.
We are a Group Engagement Network and we believe there is no better way to get involved with your group members than actually meeting face-to-face. So go ahead, RSVP “Yes” to a local event and get involved in person.
Posted in Groupsite Manager Tips, Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:17:00 GMT
Remember the Magic Eight-ball? We used to say it was always right (it was just the questions that were sometimes wrong).
Remember your teachers saying, “There are no stupid questions?”
I once saw a presenter who said there are 2 types of questions: “good questions” and “great questions”. He went on to say, “A ‘good’ question is one that I have an answer for. A ‘great’ question is one that I have a Powerpoint slide for.”
The best way to get answers from your Groupsite is to ask questions.
User Tip – Ask
One way to ask a question of your group is through a discussion forum. Simply select the “Discussions” tab, select the Forum that you feel best fits the general subject of your question and then click the “Create Topic” link to ask your question.
You can type your question as the “title” and elaborate within the “message” area.
Below the message area you have a few options such as “email me whenever a reply is posted to this topic” which will let you know when someone as feedback for you.
If your manager allows discussion blasts, you can choose to “email the entire group immediately” to expedite the conversation.
Before you know it, other members of your group will weigh in with their answers. Cool.
Maybe the question you have has already been answered by someone in the group before you even joined. How would you know that?
Easy.
Select the “Discussions” tab and look for the “search all forums” field.
Simply type what you are looking for and hit the return/enter key on your keyboard. Instantly you will see which discussion topics contain your key words.
In fact, did you know that this “search” capability is also available on the “Members” tab (so you can search members profiles easily) as well as the “Summary” tab which allows you to search throughout the entire Groupsite?
Even better, if you belong to more than one Groupsite (which most of our users do), from your CollectiveX Network view, you can search across all of your groups to find the answer you need.
Why not ask a question today and put the “collective intelligence” to work for you?
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:28:00 GMT
Groupsites are about engagement. Engagement means sharing and communicating with other members in your group. There are lots of ways this can be done within a Groupsite. Today we will look at 4 features and discuss the benefits of when it makes sense to use each one. The features are:
• Discussion Posts
• Email Blasts
• Private Messages
• Personal Objectives
Of course nothing’s better than being face to face, shaking hands and actually engaging in person. So remember, CollectiveX is a group engagement tool. We want you to be engaged with the tool but more importantly, we want you to be engaged with each other. That’s how we build trust and get things done.
User Tip – Use the Right Tool at the Right Time
Discussion Posts
This is the easiest way to begin a dialogue where the entire group can choose to actively (or passively) participate. By posting a statement or asking a question, all interested group members can weigh-in with their contributions and answers or simply learn by passively viewing others contributions.
Email Blasts
Email Blasts are a quick and easy way to get the word out to every group member’s “inbox”. I emphasize “inbox” because just because it hits their inbox, does not mean they are going to pay attention. In today’s world where many of us get 100’s of emails a day, plenty of things get lost in the noise of spam and chain emails where recipients simply hit “reply all” before asking themselves “does everybody on this list care about my response?”
Many groups have set their Groupsite permissions so that email blasts are a “manager-only” function. Rule of thumb: think twice before you blast.
Private Messages
Private Messages are a great way to personally introduce yourself to a group member who you might not know yet. This is also an easy way to communicate one-on-one with those members you already know well. Here’s the caution, Private Messages are just that – private. The rest of the group does not see what you are saying which means they cannot benefit from hearing good questions and answers. If you think other group members would benefit from the communication, it’s better to use Discussion Post where all can view.
Personal Objectives
This is a great way to let the group know what you are trying to accomplish (personally or professionally). These objectives can be long-term strategic ones like “Looking to partner with web design firms to form strategic alliance to serve mutual clients” or short-term tactical ones like “Looking for a house cleaner 3 days a week”.
Communication is good. Effective communication is great. By choosing the right tool to deliver your message, you will achieve a greater return on involvement.
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:05:00 GMT
Pokemon’s tagline, “Gotta Catch ‘em All” is a wonderful marketing play. Grade school children all over the world trade, collect and spend their allowances collecting as many of these trading cards as they can.
What I find interesting is, if you ask any of these kids, “Do you know the rules to the game?” Most will say, “No, I just like collecting the cards.” Others will say , “Sure” but in reality, any actual gameplay is usually a made-up exercise that is a basically a mutation of the old card game “War”.
So what does this have to do with group engagement and being a better Groupsite user?
By now, most of us are aware there truly is 6-degrees (or possibly less) degrees of separation between any two people in the entire world. That is if all you are doing is “connecting the dots”.
Take me for example, I (dot #1) have an acquaintance (dot #2) who does film work with Barry Levinson (dot #3) who directed “The Diner” which had Kevin Bacon (Dot #4) in it as one of the main actors. Look at that, I am only 3-degres from Kevin Bacon! Woo-hoo!
Here is what is missing in this connect-the-dots game: context, purpose and trust. The rules of group engagement and building meaningful social capital include reciprocity, trust, communication, proper context and shared purpose.
How well do each of these dots know each other? Why do these dots know each other? Do they trust and respect each other? Do they have a purpose to share, communicate and network? Who knows?
User Tip – Build trust when connecting dots.
Key Connections – this is how you can share the “dots” where you have a connection within a Groupsite.
Step 1: Select the “My Settings” tab then choose the “Network Info” subtab.
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Step 2: Select the plus sign next to “Add a Key Connection”
Step 3: Complete the 3 fields for one of your “dots”.
We let you share:
“Company Name”
“Individuals’ Role” (Top Management (C-Level), Senior Management (VP Level), Middle Management, Company Influencer, Board Member or Other) and
“Strength” of the relationship you have with this dot (Strong, Medium, Weak)
Take note that this does not expose the specific details of who your Key Connection is and how to reach them.
You can decide to share more detailed information once someone who is trying to connect their dots to yours communicates the context and purpose with you and establishes enough rapport and trust that earns the right to have the dots connected in a meaningful way. This is networking with a defined sense of mutual trust not a hyper-networked version of Pokemon’s “Gotta Catch ‘em All.
Additionally, you can help raise the level of trust between “dots” within our Group Engagement Network by sending ”Endorsements” (in professional groups) and “Kudos” (in social groups).
Here’s how:
Step 1: Find a member’s profile within one of your Groupsites who you want to endorse. Once on their profile page, select the “Endorse him/her” link.
Step 2: You will see the following window where you can share your comments on how you know this person and what they do well.
Step 3: Hit “Submit”.
This endorsement helps put your connection in context and will help others in the group understand why this is a trusted connection of yours.
All endorsements will appear as part of a member’s profile page.
Some networks are “bonding” helping existing members build deeper relationships of “thick trust”.
Other networks are “bridging” often expanding “thin trust” across a wider group.
As the premier Group Engagement Network, we believe the use of Key Connections as well as Endorsements can help you bond and bridge.
Too often, networking is seen as quantity over quality. We don’t feel they have to be mutually exclusive. Catch as many as you want. Just make sure you know how to play the game and make sure they want to play with you.
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:01:00 GMT
Want to get a real understanding of how you can become a truly engaged CollectiveX user who has a meaningful impact on helping your group get things done? Here’s how:
User Tip – Create your own Groupsite. Think of a group that you have a personal passion for helping the group achieve its goals. This could be your Church, Community Association, Book Club or even your Family.
Step 1 – Once you are logged into a Groupsite that you are a member of, simply click on the “Create a Groupsite” link which is at the top left of every page.
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Step 2 – Simply complete the Groupsite creation form which will be displayed as shown below. Pay particular attention to whether your Grouopsite should be Private, Limited or Public.
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Step 3 – Because you created this Groupsite, you are are its initial “Manager” and you will see a “Manager” tab as part of the navigation at the top of each page. This tab is where you control many aspects of how your Groupsite will perform including inviting members and deciding who has permission to do what.
Now it’s time for the 3 big questions:
1. Who should be invited?
2. Why should they say yes?
3. What do you expect for them to do once they get to your Groupsite?
Answering these 3 questions is the key to establishing a Groupsite that will achieve a high return on involvement. Ask the right people, for the right reasons, build trust, rapport and communicate and you can achieve amazing things.
Finally, think about the Groupsites you are not a manager of but were invited to join.
1. Should you have been invited? Are you right for the group?
2. Why did you say yes?
3. What does the group expect from you? Are you meeting those expectations? Is the group meeting yours?
Honestly asking yourself these questions will make you a better user. Groupsites are not a spectator sport. Engagement matters. We are where groups go to work.
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
Posted by Shaun Callahan
Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:01:00 GMT
CollectiveX is a Group Engagement Network that allows for the creation of Groupsites. You cannot “sign-up” for CollectiveX as an individual. You don’t “create your individual page”.
Since we are “group-centric”, there are 3 ways you can participate:
1. Create a Groupsite.
2. Be invited to join an existing Groupsite.
3. Join a “public” Groupsite which are listed at Groupsites.com.
The first time you do any of the above, we ask you for your email address and ask you to create a password.
Here’s the best part, even if you belong to a dozen groups that all have Groupsites on CollectiveX, you still only need this one email address and password to enter the platform which gives you access to all of your groups.
Once you belong to multiple groups, when you log-in you will go directly to a summary page with is a bird’s eye view of all of your groups:
At anytime, you can use our “quick-switch” feature to go to or switch between any of you specific unique groups.
It’s that easy.
User Tip – Remember your password. : )
Posted in Groupsite User Tips | no trackbacks
