For those of you familiar with the movie "Pay it Forward" with Kevin Spacey, this concept may be simple. You do something for someone, and they in turn "pay it forward" by doing something for another person. The idea is that a series of good deeds are done over and over, creating a mass movement of good will. You don't expect anything directly in return for it, but are contributing to the overall good of society.
This is principally the concept fueling social media and networks. People don't expect something in return for sharing information. So you may ask where is the business model in this idea. How can it work? The answer is simple, but not immediate.
We live in an information rich and dependent culture. People, yes people, are seeking and requiring more information to do their jobs and be successful in their lives. Those that have information and expertise are valuable. Sharing this information or expertise is an asset to the holder, a need for the seeker. In past generations the idea was to protect at all cost and only reveal or share when you have a purchase order, non-compete agreement and pinky swear presided over by a religious leader on a holiest day of the month. Maybe I am exaggerating on the last part a bit, but you get the point.
What is wrong with this model you may ask? It is not personable. It is not the way you would treat people you want to do business with at all. It is also not the way you would treat a person who walked up to you and asked for directions in a strange city. Imagine this exchange:
"Excuse me young man, I am new to Boston. Could you tell me how to get to Harvard Square?"
"You me Hahvad Square. Give me ten bucks and I will tell you where it is."
"Ten bucks! All I am asking is for you to share some basic information to help me. It won't take anything away from you or from your pocket. I don't have much energy to find it alone."
"If I tell you, then I am out some cash. This is a pay for play world Gramps."
"Whatever. I will ask someone else."
"Good luck, and don't fuget to have some chowda at Legal's. I will be working until 10pm."
The comparison I am making here is between the old web and the new web, and the fundamental goodness that we have been loosing over generations. The older man in my example would be horrified and confused to ge this reaction from a young man. It was expected that people would help people. The new web, social media and network based, is all about sharing and building relationships. There is a carrot out there for all those that share. We hope that our sharing will come back to us in some form. It could be positive word of mouth recommendations about what great service I provided, someone coming back to me for more information and sharing to me, or building a relationship that we each can draw upon now that we established a simple willingness to help each other.
People want to have relationships with other people that act like friends, not like business partners. Go ahead, pay something forward today...or in terms of social media Link it forward. In the end, it all comes back to you one way or another. In today's economic world, helping out another person whether you know them or not is one step in getting back to the basic principles of society that we have lost along the way.
