Ready to make it work?

This graphic, from Jay Cross’ post making online collaboration work, has really stuck with me because “the guy” was me for quite a period of time when I worked in a corporate training department. I worked in the white space of the org chart (which suited me) and was the one that had to ‘make it work.’ There was no one to delegate to. No money to hire someone to help make it work. No real training.

I wasn’t totally without ‘training.’ I was able to go to a conference once a year and valued both the contacts I made and learning how others made ‘it’ work – ‘it’ being the community, the wiki, the web conferencing tool, assessments, LMSs, competency creation…whatever. Now it’s conference time for me again, this time at a conference I’ve had a hand in planning. I know I’ll learn how others are making it all work with the really innovative tools.

The conference is also a big ‘blind date’ for me because I’ll meet people for the first time that I’ve worked with for nearly two years. I know them in the sense that I talk to them on the phone all the time, email them, collaborate with them, overshare…but I haven’t spent anytime with them face-to-face. Should I carry various profile pictures on a stick (like a mask) so I’ll be recognized?

Cool too is meeting people whose blogs I read and are thought leaders in the education space…both Jay Cross and Stephen Downes are delivering keynotes at the conference. The best part for me though is helping (and watching) people ‘make it work.’ I’ll be live blogging here at our public blog (incomplete schedule of sessions…I’m working on it) and in our online community for attendees.

Are any of you reading this coming? If so, drop me a note. I’d love to meet you in Santa Clara.

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