Thought Bubbles

Last Friday I wrote about our speaking engagement at Loyola University.  The post generated what I think is some of the most interesting discussion on this blog.  I'd like to share some of the thoughts as they deserve to exist outside of the comments area, but before doing so—here's a question (and answer):

What if we all live in our own bubbles?  Each and every last one of us.  We're not omnipotent beings—we are restricted by the boundaries of our own humanity.  In short, we can only know as much as we can absorb.  And in this age of information, there is a lot to absorb.  Too much actually.

BUT

Our bubbles reflect what we know, don't know and what we need to know.  If we claim to be marketers, advertisers, designers, public relations or communications professionals—we must take it upon ourselves to fully comprehend the significance of a lone consumer who takes on a huge company with nothing more than a blog and tape recorder.   We must make the effort to search out these stories on a daily basis, especially when they are reported by mainstream media (or not).  We must study, and learn from them.  We must learn from each other. 

WE ARE ALL STUDENTS

Teachers, professors, authors, managers, thought leaders, bloggers etc. can all help us learn.  But making sure your personal bubble is where it needs to be is up to you, the individual.

[Stepping down from Soapbox now]

Enjoy the comments.

"School is, was and--unless the teaching profession wakes up and starts embracing change even if it threatens their jobs--will always be insular and inward looking. Theory, over practice."
gabby

"I'm so surprised that a bunch of college students are better versed in theory and buzzwords than in real world examples. On the other hand, these kids are at (or at least near) the epicenter of the content creation movement, so maybe it is surprising after all - not because they should be learning about it in their marketing course but because they should be living it."
Greg Verdino

"It was not till I got outside and graduated that my eyes were opened to this whole new world. "
Matt Haverkamp

"Do you believe we are victims of our own myopia?"
Cam Beck

"I can't tell you how many times I talk to agency marketers who have never heard of these 'classic' power consumer moments."
jessica

"Professors need to get beyond the security of their assigned readings and add new books and articles to their selections for every new class. And then discussions need to center on what is happening in today's marketing world."
Lewis Green

"As I speak to other marketers, and even clients at big-name companies, they are so busy with their own plans they are really not aware of social media. It seems like a no-brainer to many of us because we spend time tracking (or engaging in) it. My typical clients still don't even have it on their radar screen."
Becky Carroll

"When I was teaching business courses on the undergrad level, every student had to go out and locate a busines, and it's owner, or manager, or C-level person, to link up with once a week, every week"
peter vajda

"Personally, I have learned a lot more practical knowledge through blogs, social media, open source sharing, etc. than I have from most of my courses. The classes provide a foundation, but unless you actively engage in building upon that foundation, it all seems somewhat useless. It’s like pouring concrete to start a house and then never returning to continue construction."
Ryan Karpeles

"Schools must change. Embrace Non-textbooks as a reliable learning tools. Create "new-marketing" classes. Have classes dedicated to blogs. Have marketing speakers on a weekly basis."
Jonathan Chamberlin

"I think professors aught to have a list of at least 10-20 marketing/biz blogs that students should be reading daily. If the concern on reading a blog is too much, start them off with Seth's "Small Is The New Big." Let them think out of the box with Wozniak's book about design."
Nathan

"My students are given reading lists equivalent to 'No one got fired for recommending Microsoft': the dead hand of academe looms large, and there is more emphasis on correct bibliographic referencing than on imagination or even relevance."
Vee

"Remember how at your Digitas NY prez only like 3 people (in interactive) knew who Seth Godin is? Yep, we live in a bubble."
CK

"I've met with many high-profile marketing executives over the past few months and I can assure you that you would be surprised by their narrow marketing - and marketplace - knowledge, and hence, perspectives. They are simply way too busy with their own "marketing bubbles" to care."
Tom Asacker

"I did a presentation to an advertising class at a large university last November...In a show of hands no one in the class knew who lonelygirl15 was and when I stated talking about Second Life the looks I got were priceless."
daniel9223

"I just started regularly reading several trend-watching, news-sharing, marketing, and advertising blogs this year and it's really helped me to think more creatively. I only wish I would have started sooner..."
Amitha Raman

"I think this whole issue isn't about: "I can't believe you haven't heard of X."
It's all about: "I can't believe you haven't TRIED to hear about X."
Ryan Karpeles

Comments

[Graham Hill]

David

Seems like there is a lot of dissatisfaction with school in its many forms.

Reminds me of the old Mark Twain saw, "I never let my schooling get in the way of my education!".

It is up to all of us to seek and gain as many diverse viewpoints upon the world as we can fit into our short lives. Not in a Californian 'experiential' way, but just to help us make sense of what we see in the world.

John Hagel over at his Edge Perspectives blog(http://edgeperspectives.typepad.com/edge_perspectives/2007/01/difference_and_.html) has an interesting take on the value of having diverse viewpoints on business success.

Graham Hill
Independent Marketing Consultant
Interim Marketing Manager

[Valeria Maltoni]

One can learn a lot just by listening. I once taught a guest class on marketing communications at undergraduate level and was floored to hear that nobody knew about Fast Company magazine. By then, the magazine had become an 'icon' of the new business conversation.

I now sit on the Advisory Board of the MBA Enterprise Consulting Practicum of The Fox School of Business at Temple University. We're all practitioners and entrepreneurs and help the students think through actual 'live' projects for clients.

If we think about it in evolutionary terms, the ones who engage with learning are usually the ones most likely to survive... and thrive. And looking at the way the brain develops in neurological terms: it grows by use.

[peter vajda]

Wonder what the center of a venn diagram would look like if everyone's bubble (containing your descriptors) converged? Hmmm

[Lewis Green]

David,

Thanks for sharing. Good stuff!

[Bourbon Hipster]

Now there's an intelligible visual. Completely useless from a practical standpoint, but strikingly concise!

[DA]

Thank you Hipster. I exist to please you.

[Ellen Weber]

Great blog and interesting discussion because it says so much to the learner, the leader, and the teacher. Thanks! We are all three and often we must ride the bus and push it at the same time when it comes to learning.

New revelations about the brain's real capabilities are changing the way progressive learning circles operate, and people in these circles show amazing enthusiasm - long lost in many traditional halls of learning - where outmoded approaches prevail.

Did you know for instance that lectures work against the human brain, according to research, and they really only serve dividends to the lecturer? My question is ... so if not lectures - what then? Thoughts?

[RichardatDELL]

Hi David Enjoyed reading the dialogue here about keeping up with the real world versus the omnipresent school demands. Thought your talk at Loyola sounded like a good one. As you point out Jeff Jarvis and Dell are certainly integral case studies to be learned from....in the same way that we at Dell learned. Not sure there is any specific roadmap. Certainly we learn everyday from our conversations at Direct2dell; around the blogosphere; at StudioDell; in SecondLife;Michael Dell's meeting with bloggers at the Consumer Electronics show and at Dell's IdeaStorm...and all of that is leading to exciting new chapters for us as we engage direct with customers using various digital media. Should you ever want more detailed information about our journey beyond Dell hell, please let us know.