Yesterday’s blog post received 1 comment. The author of this comment has been for the last three weeks almost without exception the first person to comment on every article I’ve posted. So when I saw that, yet again, they were not only thanking me for the post, but extending the thoughts further, and encouraging me to keep on thinking more, I immediately wrote him an email:

Robin

I just wanted to say thank you so much for engaging and commenting on my blog and becoming a big part of my online community.

For the last 3 weeks you have nearly *always* been the first to comment, and also bring more ideas to the table. When I started blogging only a couple of months ago the idea was firstly to have an online business card, secondly to put my thoughts into frameworks for my benefit, and then thirdly, to engage with the people in my life.

But you in particular have helped me find a far greater purpose, as well as find my voice as a thinker.

I am so grateful,

Scott

I don’t even know how Robin Dickinson found his way to my blog, but I am so grateful he did. He has, like all of you who have commented or encouraged me on Twitter or Facebook (like @RuudHein  did), played the wonderful role of helping my find my voice as a thinker and blogger. You have created a demand, and in that demand, you have helped me find my voice.

Did you hear me?

You’ve helped me find my voice as a thinker and blogger.

My voice is this, which I aim to do every week:

  1. Inspire.  Through stories, through ideas, through each other. Every week, I will aim to inspire.
  2. Decision. By providing frameworks and models, every week I strive to provide content to help you and I both make better decisions.
  3. Examples. Stats, anecdotes, successes and failures, I will endeavour every week to not give head knowledge, but life experience.
  4. Action. I will always labour to rouse that most precious human resource, and find ways for us to act smarter, not just harder.

This isn’t a manifesto, a PR fest, hype, or even a promise. It’s a response from a thankful heart.

Thank you.

Archived Comments

  • http://twitter.com/alexthegreen Alex Green

    I don’t imagine I’ve been following long enough, nor yet contributed anything worthy of the accolade you extend to your readers above, but I hope to eventually!
    God bless your endeavour and your generosity.

  • http://twitter.com/alexthegreen Alex Green

    I don’t imagine I’ve been following long enough, nor yet contributed anything worthy of the accolade you extend to your readers above, but I hope to eventually!
    God bless your endeavour and your generosity.

  • Robin_Dickinson

    Wow, Scott. It’s an honour to be part of your vibrant and growing community.

    Your I.D.E.A. weekly aims are a commitment to add real value to this community. And I guess that’s one of the key things here – it’s a community.

    I have often thought about what makes a community vs. a network – here are some key differences that are well demonstrated by your approach:

    COMMUNITY
    Relies on communication (two-way)
    Value-based
    Give because you can
    Results in shared-value
    Depth before breadth

    NETWORK
    Relies on information-dissemination (one-way)
    Volume-based
    Give to get (aka quid pro quo)
    Results in shared information
    Breadth before depth

    Scott, you are part of a movement of leaders who are shifting the game from social-networking to social-community. I look forward to benefiting from your I.D.E.A.s and being an active member of your Social-Community.

    Best, Robin

  • Robin_Dickinson

    Wow, Scott. It’s an honour to be part of your vibrant and growing community.

    Your I.D.E.A. weekly aims are a commitment to add real value to this community. And I guess that’s one of the key things here – it’s a community.

    I have often thought about what makes a community vs. a network – here are some key differences that are well demonstrated by your approach:

    COMMUNITY
    Relies on communication (two-way)
    Value-based
    Give because you can
    Results in shared-value
    Depth before breadth

    NETWORK
    Relies on information-dissemination (one-way)
    Volume-based
    Give to get (aka quid pro quo)
    Results in shared information
    Breadth before depth

    Scott, you are part of a movement of leaders who are shifting the game from social-networking to social-community. I look forward to benefiting from your I.D.E.A.s and being an active member of your Social-Community.

    Best, Robin

  • CraigRickard

    Hey Scott, nice post.

    It’s interesting how one piece of positive feedback, and attempt to push on the discussion can have such a satisfying and stimulating affect on the mind. Sometimes that’s all it takes to make you think an idea or thought is worthwhile, I had to keep a blog for several months last year (as part of my academic course) but I didn’t feel comfortable having people reading it; I had intended to carry it on as a little personal journal but eventually I just got tired of writing it for myself and moved on, one little comment here and there could have probably saved it. I do have to start another one next year (my final year!) so I might take your lead and open it up and see what happens.

    I wish I could comment on your posts more, but more often than not I’m not well versed on the subjects, however I am here reading.

    Keep it up, and take care my friend.

    Craig

  • CraigRickard

    Hey Scott, nice post.

    It’s interesting how one piece of positive feedback, and attempt to push on the discussion can have such a satisfying and stimulating affect on the mind. Sometimes that’s all it takes to make you think an idea or thought is worthwhile, I had to keep a blog for several months last year (as part of my academic course) but I didn’t feel comfortable having people reading it; I had intended to carry it on as a little personal journal but eventually I just got tired of writing it for myself and moved on, one little comment here and there could have probably saved it. I do have to start another one next year (my final year!) so I might take your lead and open it up and see what happens.

    I wish I could comment on your posts more, but more often than not I’m not well versed on the subjects, however I am here reading.

    Keep it up, and take care my friend.

    Craig

  • Scott Gould

    Alex, every reader counts! I certainly do look forward to talking more
    and building a relationship with you. Looking forward to talking to
    you beginning of next week.

  • Scott Gould

    Alex, every reader counts! I certainly do look forward to talking more
    and building a relationship with you. Looking forward to talking to
    you beginning of next week.

  • Scott Gould

    Robin your conparison is excellent and very useful- that definitely
    deserves a post of it’s own!

    And, as always, thank you for your continued contribution and
    community. Every word in this post is genuine. People like you and the
    others here are what social media is about – not celebrity.

  • Scott Gould

    Robin your conparison is excellent and very useful- that definitely
    deserves a post of it’s own!

    And, as always, thank you for your continued contribution and
    community. Every word in this post is genuine. People like you and the
    others here are what social media is about – not celebrity.

  • Scott Gould

    Craig thanks for not only the kind words but also the openness. As I
    wrote above, I was starting out to be a ‘blogger’ but the
    encouragement from everyone has inspired me.

    For me, my measure of a good post has become the breadth and depth of
    dicussion it generates. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to
    maintain a blog without them!

    As always, all the best my friend.

  • Scott Gould

    Craig thanks for not only the kind words but also the openness. As I
    wrote above, I was starting out to be a ‘blogger’ but the
    encouragement from everyone has inspired me.

    For me, my measure of a good post has become the breadth and depth of
    dicussion it generates. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to
    maintain a blog without them!

    As always, all the best my friend.