Groundswell Overview: The Lessons Learned

After finishing Groundswell this week, I have realized the importance of some of the lessons taught in this book and how they can impact the world of social media and the social trend known as, "the groundswell," which uses technology to give the people what they need.

The last chapter, Chapter 12, restates the 7 main lessons of the groundswell to make the transition into the world a whole lot easier. These lessons include:

1. Never forget that the groundswell is person-to-person activity.  This reminds us to always keep connected with customers.  This can be through blogging, connecting in communities, or any kind of person activities.  When we develop empathy with consumers, we are able to gain their trust and unlock their secrets.

2. Be a good listener.  This does not just apply to customers, but also to other workers in the company and employees who have built applications for other companies.  Customers do not want to be yelled at; conversation is the key to building relationships.

3. Be patient. Good applications take time to develop. Word of mouth takes time to travel.

4. Be opportunistic. The first step in starting groundswell is to start small. Seek opportunities for your company that expand success and customers will follow.

5. Be flexible.  Unexpected events will occur and you must be able to deal and get past them.  Groundswell thinking means constantly adjusting to and learning from these events.

6. Be collaborative. You need support from other workers to get past entrenched resistance in the workspace.  It also helps to use other peoples' ideas to accomplish your own goals for the company.  Work together and back each other up when necessary.

7. Be humble.  The connections between people is more powerful than just your work for a company. This is the peoples' groundswell. You are just trying to be apart of it.  "The true irony, the ultimate jujutsu, is that in this world, power comes only to those who are humble" (241).

Overall, I found this book to be very helpful in introducing the world of social media and "the groundswell" to our class.  I gained very helpful information that I will use throughout this class and beyond.  Although it is a little outdated, (from 2008,) I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the wonderful world of social media!