Dr.Seuss and Online Communities Ignite 2-5-08

What Would Dr. Seuss Say About Online Communities? Dawn Foster Dir. Developer Relations Jive Software dawn@dawnfoster.com http://FastWonderBlog.com

Play Nice quot;I'm the Lorax who speaks for the trees which you seem to be chopping as fast as you please. NOW...thanks to your hacking my trees to the ground, there's not enough Truffula Fruit to go 'round. Translation: And my poor Bar-bar-loots Play Nice: Be polite and are all getting the crummies respectful in your because they have gas, and interactions with other no food in their tummies!quot; members 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 2

People are Watching You “My eyes see. His eyes see. I see him. And he sees me. And so we say, Translation: “Hooray for eyes! People see everything Hooray, hooray, you do in the community. hooray... Be a good example of ... for eyes!” the “right” behavior. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 3

Make it Fun Why do you sit there like that? I know it is wet. And the sun is not sunny. But we can have lots of good fun that is funny! I know some good games we could play. I know some new tricks. I will show them to you. Translation: Your mother will not mind at Have fun! Lighten it up all if I do. occasionally! 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 4

Meritocracy But McBean was quite wrong. I'm quite happy to say That the Sneeches got really quite smart on that day, The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneeches And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches. Translation: That day, all the Sneeches forgot about stars Community members And whether they had one, rise to the top based on or not, upon thars. merits and contributions. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 5

Accepting quot;Peanuts and pineapples noses and grapes. Everything comes in different shapes. Translation: Of all the shapes Communities and their we MIGHT have been... members come in all I say, shapes and sizes. Accept the existing “HOORAY for the shapes community without trying we're in!”quot; to change too much. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 6

Improve and Evolve “but if I ran the zoo,” Said young Gerald McGrew, “I'd make a few changes. That's just what I'd do ...” The lions and tigers and that kind of stuff They have up here now are not quite good enough. You see things like these in Translation: just any old zoo. Make incremental They're awfully old- improvements to the fashioned. community. I want something new! Don't let it get stale! 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 7

Be Flexible Never budge! That's my rule. Never budge in the least! Not an inch to the west! Not an inch to the east! Translation: I'll stay here, not budging! I can and I will Be flexible. Improvements and ideas If it makes you and me and come from unexpected the whole world stand still. places. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 8

Empowering “I can not, shall not, will not Lug this stupid thing around!” He slammed the tail of Prooie Katz! He slammed it on the ground. Translation: And since that day in Katzen-stein, All cats have been more grown-up. Delegate responsibilities to community members. They're all more demo-catic Let the community help! Because each cat holds his own up. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 9

Unpredictability Then comes a Yellow day. And, Wheeeeeeeeeeee I am a busy, buzzy bee. Gray day ... Everything is gray. I watch. But nothing moves today. But when my days are Happy Translation: pink, it's great to jump and just You never know what will not think. happen. Then come my Black Days. Every day will be MAD. and loud. I howl. I growl at different & unpredictable. every cloud. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 10

Diversity One fish two fish red fish blue fish. Black fish blue fish old fish new fish. This one has a little star. This one has a little car. Say! what a lot of fish there are. Yes. Some are red. And some are blue. Translation: Some are old. And some are new. Encourage diversity. Some are sad. And some are glad. Recruit people with new ideas and different skills. And some are very, very bad. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 11

Encourage the Unusual “Won't look like rain. Won't look like snow. Won't look like fog. That's all we know. We just can't tell you any more. We've never made oobleck before.” “We go now to our secret cave Translation: On Mystic Mountain Neeka-tave. Encourage the There, all night long, community to do new we'll work for you and unusual things. And you'll have oobleck when we're through!” They may come up with something really cool. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 12

Hidden Talents Oh, the wonderful things Mr. Brown can do! He can go like a cow. He can go MOO MOO Mr. Brown can do it. How about you? Translation: Your community members have hidden talents. Find out what they are and encourage them to use them! 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 13

Absorb There are so many things you can learn about. BUT ... you'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut. The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, Translation: the more places you'll go. You can learn many You might learn a way things from your to earn a few dollars. community members. Or how to make doughnuts... or kangaroo collars. Keep your eyes open and listen! 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 14

Learn New Skills You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. Translation: And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go. Use community management as an opportunity to learn new skills. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 15

Take a Vacation “Very well,” said the elephant, “since you insist..... You want a vacation. Go fly off and take it. I'll sit on your egg and I'll try not to break it. Translation: I'll stay and be faithful. Take a vacation I mean what I say.” occasionally, but find “Toodle-oo!” sang out Mayzie someone to mind the and fluttered away. community while you lounge on the beach. 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 16

Don't Feed the Trolls “oh-oh!” Sally said. Don't you talk to that cat. That cat is a bad one, That Cat in the Hat. He plays lots of bad tricks. Translation: Don't you let him come near. You know what he did Don't encourage the The last time he was here.” trolls. They want attention. Resist the urge to give it to them! 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 17

Banning: Last Resort That Humperdink! I don't know why, but somehow I don't like that guy. I do not like this one so well. All he does is yell, yell, yell. Translation: I will not have this one about. When he comes in I put him out. Ban spammers. Only ban community Marvin K. Mooney! members as a last I don't care HOW. resort. Marvin K. Mooney! Will you please GO NOW! 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 18

Apologies “I took out of context and twisted and turned with crazy hopes that some thing would be learned To dear Dr. Seuss, I owe an apology your quotes I abused for the sake of technology”* - Dawn Foster *OK, I'm better at managing communities than I am at rhyming 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 19

Thank You! Dawn Foster dawn@dawnfoster.com Shameless Self Promotion Box: Read My Blog Jive is Hiring!! fastwonderblog.com www.jivesoftware.com/jobs 2/5/2008 Dawn@DawnFoster.com 20

Dr.Seuss and Online Communities Ignite 2-5-08

by igniteportland on Feb 06, 2008

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

1 Embed 2

Statistics

Dr.Seuss and Online Communities Ignite 2-5-08 — Presentation Transcript