August 12, 2007

Bloggy Question 59: A Whole New Blog Network?

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 7:13 pm

According to Daniel Pink . . .

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . . .

Congratulations! Consolidated Media has acquired your blog for US$100,000. Better yet, they’ve been paying you the same six figures to write for them for the past six months. Life is good. You’ve enjoyed more money, more traffic, more-engaged readers, and a couple of tasteful ads on your blog. You couldn’t feel better about how things have been going. Well, that was until this morning.

This morning, you received an email quoting Daniel Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind.” Here’s what the email said.

_______

Dear Consolidated Author,
Consolidated Media is pleased to announce a new initiative, “The Whole New Network.” This initiative, based on Daniel Pink’s famous work, “A Whole New Mind,” will move us firmly into the 21st Century. To quote Mr. Pink

“Today, the defining skills of the previous era — the “left brain” capabilities that powered the Information Age — are necessary but no longer sufficient. And the capabilities we once disdained or thought frivolous — the “right-brain” qualities of inventivesnes, empathy, joyfulness, and meaning — increasingly will determine who flourishes and who flounders.”

With these words in mind, Consolidated is setting aside our left-brain, spreadsheet image to support our right-brain thinkers in these ways.

  • Webinars will begin next week on empathy and play as the driving force of business.
  • We’ll be renaming your categories to reflect “high touch” and “high concept” values.
  • We are lifting the posting requirement of 6 posts per week. Post when it’s creatively important.
  • Blog posts that score well for high-emotion keywords relating to empathy, play, and finding meaning will receive a monetary bonus of US$1.00/keyword. You’ll be receiving a list of words that qualify, please feel free to propose others.
  • Most of all have fun!

Thank you for joining our initiative to launch a Whole New Network. Feel free to offer feedback on how we might make this plan more successful.

Sincerely,
Consolidated Media
________

You can see plainly that Consolidated Media has missed Dan Pink’s message — that both left and right brain thinking are needed to be successful in this new age.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Bloggy Question 58: I Read, Therefore I Am . . .
Bloggy Question 57: Excuse Me, Thought Leader
Bloggy Question 56: Get Your Own Network!
Bloggy Question 55: It’s My Vacation!
Bloggy Question 54: This Conversation Is NOT Bloggable


Filed under Bloggy Questions, Successful Blog |



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22 Comments to “Bloggy Question 59: A Whole New Blog Network?”

  1. August 12th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Whoo-hoo! Looks like my kind of network! Count me IN!

  2. August 12th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Phil!
    You’re such fun! We’ll be paying you to post whenever you want . . . as long as the money lasts that is.

  3. August 12th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Do I have a contract? Have they been dictating editorial decisions in the past? What kind of blog am I writing? Can I get the bonus now for my current blog? :)

    I haven’t read Dan Pink’s book, but lop-sided is lop-sided no matter which side you’re on.

    You never know, it may work. How many self-help salesmen have gotten rich over the past few decades? I’m sure the investors will be keeping a close eye, though.

  4. August 12th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Rick,
    I think you hit the nail — lopsided IS lopsided. It’s a bit tricky to tell a whole network to “post when the creative urge hits you.” :)

    I think you do have a contract or they probably wouldn’t have paid you US$100K and US$100K/salary. I don’t know what you’re writing . . . Yeah the bonus applies to the current blog. It’s the only one you’ve got with Consolidated. :)

  5. August 12th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Seeing as I have a contract, I’ll let me internal discipline keep my posting frequency up while using their methodolody to give a balanced viewpoint as best I’m able.

    In the meantime, I plan my next blog. ;)

  6. August 12th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Rick,
    You are so much wiser than I. It would hurt me not to say something, even though I know that to tell them they’re nuts would be a not-so-smart move.

    Planning your next blog is so much better. :)

  7. August 12th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Wise? I wish! I’m just an employee who evidently has no part in the decision making process or else I wouldn’t have been notified in an email. In the meantime I get to try to maintain a blog I created. Maybe I can buy it back after the dust settles at liquidation prices.

    In the meantime, if the same situation has never been tried before, it sounds like an interesting experiment that will give other companies a baseline from which to judge their future actions.

  8. August 12th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Yep. You are wise enough not to fight city hall. I’m not. :)

    As far as anyone trying it, I wouldn’t think so . . . I just made it up. :)

  9. August 13th, 2007 at 6:02 am
    Karin H. said

    Hi Liz

    I’m with Rick, but with a twist. I would already know the title of my new blog:
    “The REAL A Whole New Network
    and ask fellow bloggers on the ‘old’ network to join in
    ;-)

    Karin H. (Keep It simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

  10. August 13th, 2007 at 6:44 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Karin,
    I love the way you turn a threat into a positive working for you!

  11. August 13th, 2007 at 6:52 am
    Karin H. said

    :-)

    I’m an entrepreneur Liz, it’s our ‘daily job’

    Karin H.

  12. August 13th, 2007 at 6:53 am
    ME Strauss said

    You are a problem solver and a strategist. :)

  13. August 13th, 2007 at 7:06 am
    Karin H. said

    :-)

    (ok, what’s in a name?)

    Karin H.

  14. August 13th, 2007 at 7:27 am
    ME Strauss said

    In your name, there’s a whole world of great stuff. :)

  15. August 13th, 2007 at 7:30 am
    Karin H. said

    ;-)

  16. August 14th, 2007 at 10:42 am
    Mike said

    I think I might send them a picture of GHW Bush holding his hands in front of him shoulderwidth apart, with a note that reads: “You’ve got to have balance”.

    Then I’d outsource future posting to some worthy soul in India who could knock out bonus-winning content (for the price of the bonus money).

    Then I’d start that other blog myself.

    A win for everyone! LOL

    Mike

  17. August 14th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mike!
    I think you just named yourself President of Consolidated Media. I don’t know whether that’s an honor or a curse. :)n {big grin}

  18. August 14th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
    Mike said

    Liz,

    If I get weekend privileges at Camp David, it’s an honor! :)n

    Mike

  19. August 14th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
    ME Strauss said

    If you get weekend privileges — throw a party!!

  20. August 19th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
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