The Paradigm of Open Collaboration

Collaborate
Originally uploaded by collaboratrix.

 
The Daily Dog carried a pretty good article by Frank Walton, president of RF|Binder Partners (one of the companies of the Ruder Finn Group). The most interesting part of the article is the first section titled, “Grasping the Collaborative Paradigm.”

In part Walton says:

“…communications media is fluid, audiences are reached through many channels and communications workers are always collaborating, more or less intentionally, to create opinion and action. So it is sensible to realize that bishops and lobbyists, talk radio hosts and beauty shop operators are all communications workers. The most successful PR people in the future will be those who understand these emerging dynamics and work effectively with this new collaborative web of communications workers.”

This new collaborative environment extends to companies and individuals who make their living by spearheading public relations efforts. The blogging community is a good example of this dynamic. We read, link and learn from each every day.

If you are reading this blog, you are most likely a communications professional or student. In the future, successful public relations departments and companies we will all have to work together to succeed.

Of course, in every new paradigm there are those that don’t “get it.” As an example of a closed-model paradigm, I read a press release yesterday from a boutique firm in Florida that falls into that category. It is all about how you should hire his firm over a mini, home-based firm. (Disclosure: I currently work from a home office).

The last paragraph of the press release said (and I am not making this up):

“A high percentage of our job applicants today own their own mini-firms,” said Madden. “We're leery about hiring someone who's too entrepreneurial,however, as they may still dream of resuscitating their fledgling firm and might be tempted to snatch a client from our growing roster.”

I think entrepreneural minds will lead the new model of collaboration.

What do you think?