Comments on: Adding a Chief Conversation Officer

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:51:03 +0000

Cathy, Cool. You named two of the most important things we do in our firm. In our own research into Expert Networks, we discovered that the go-to people with the greatest expertise were not the managers or decision makers. In firms with a flexible structure, that was perfectly OK. In more rigid firms, it was not. Part of what we do is extract expert knowledge from the experts in order to make it available to other people within the firm. When management won’t let us have access to that real expert, everyone loses.

The listening point is an enormous one. Another area of our firm is sales coaching. We’ve never met a sales person who had good listening skills.

– Mike

By: Cathy Tishhouse

Cathy Tishhouse — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:33:50 +0000

I was writing a research paper on managing complexity on the edge of chaos and discovered some research in a small business that pertains to the idea of “conversation officer”. They discovered that the leaders of the conversation were not who they thought. When they traced the “gate keepers” they found a couple of people through which much of the internal conversation flowed and these people were really influencing the dynamics of the business more than you would ever think. The point was that if you could identify who they were and utilize them in influencing the conversation, you had a major portal which the “identified” leaders could utilize.

I heard a statement once that I have never forgotten: “Reality is in the conversation, the results are in the listening.” I think CCO really addresses the importance of a position necessary in the new realm of social media – but you may have a hard time convincing those in a company that need to support the idea. I would love to have such a postion.

By: Chris Baggott

Chris Baggott — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:11:56 +0000

Thanks Paul.

For our Compendium Blogware clients we call this person an administrator. (not very cool I know lol)

In our client companies there is one person who approves and declines content as well as make suggestions, rally the employees, cajole, hold fun contests etc….

This ‘may of blogs-ville’ understands the value of frequent and high volume corporate blogging to engage a wide range of clients and prospects…especially through search.

By: Paul Chaney

Paul Chaney — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:44:33 +0000

I love this idea, especially considering it’s what I do at Bizzuka. I do agree with Chris Baggott though, that this should not be just one person’s job, but everyone’s to some degree.

Perhaps the role the CCO should play is to serve as what Ann Handley referred to as a “social media mayor.” Someone who shepherds or oversees the efforts of the entire organization. After all, someone has to be in charge of this. At least, I think so.

Great ideas too, that I’m adding to my list of things to do.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:57:34 +0000

Very interesting. You named the job title I’ve held for more than 20 years!

My partner thinks globally and I think personally. She’s the strategist and I’m the connective tissue.

It helps that I’m also an NLP trainer and have developed a very high expertise in developing psychological profiles of target markets and individuals. When I initiate a conversation, I’m actually appealing to at least 12 mental filters and a personality type configuration. Otherwise, I would be guessing at how my message will be received.

Let’s talk….

Michael

By: Kris Bovay

Kris Bovay — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:02:42 +0000

I’d like to think that having conversations with customers and other stakeholders would be one of the mandatory elements of a number of job descriptions (not exclusively the CCO but also the CEO, COO, CFO, CMO, and so on). I also think we need to focus on dialogue (as much as conversation) and on active listening. One of the shortcomings of an environment of Instant Messaging and other social media tools is that conversations are shorter than ever before; I think we need to work hard to develop the skill of having a conversation.

By: Bay Area Lawyer

Bay Area Lawyer — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:43:44 +0000

I absolutely think you are right. The traditional CMO has way too many things on their plate. Having a CCO would really enable one person to get down to the knitty gritty of how conversions are occuring and if they are a result of the current internet strategy.

By: Chris Baggott

Chris Baggott — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:09:47 +0000

So I totally agree on the conversation part of this, but I’m not sold on any one specific person. Josh Bernoff of Forrester and Richard Edelman both came out with the same advice for organizations of all sizes:

Let your employees blog. The more employees you free up, the more stories you tell, the more conversations share…not to mention the search benefits of all this content.

Remember Edelman say’s that Employee Bloggers are 5 times more credible than C-level bloggers.

http://blogging.compendiumblog.com/blog/blogging-best-practices/0/0/people-dont-trust-ceos-they-trust-employees

I guess what I’m saying is that it’s not necessary to have a dedicated person when most organizations have, if not a few, than perhaps a few hundred people who would be both credible and willing to tell the stories of their everyday experiences as it relates to the business.

The final point on Employee blogging is that your content volume can really accelerate…that lessens the burden on any one person and is much more likely to align relevant content to those who might be interested in it.

Best,

Chris Baggott
CEO
Compendium Blogware
http://www.compendiumblogware.com