Joel-Mark-Witt.com

Merry Christmas…

I’d actually like to see this since David Fincher directed. The music under the trailer DRIVES ME INSANE.

Side note: They shot the outdoor Harvard scenes about a block from my house last year on the Johns Hopkins campus here in Baltimore.

What do you think? Look any good?

I hate calling tech support for computer problems. I’m sure you can relate. It is a frustrating experience sitting on the phone waiting forever and then when someone does emerge to help you language barriers often prevent a free flow of quality information.

While sitting on the phone today I began to think about the process of tech support and how it relates to leadership.

Fast forward.

Fixing the issue is the easy part. The guy on the other end of the phone says press this button – turn this knob – cha ching it works!

Takes about 2 minutes.

Rewind.

But getting to that 2 minute fix is worse than enduring a root canal without Novocain. It takes sometimes hours of communication and testing to locate the problem.

As a leader – most of your time is spent communicating with your team and isolating the true problems and challenges. The “fixes” are most often simple solutions. The biggest challenge you will face as a leader is not finding the correct answer – it is asking the right questions.

Ask better questions.
=====================================

If you like this blog please subscribe to it for free

Joel Mark Witt

Colin from Viddler interviewed me at the New Media Expo 2008.

Here is a quick video I made when speaking at the New Media Expo, Las Vegas 2008.

If you like this blog please subscribe to it for free

Joel Mark Witt

LA New Media interviewed me on the New Media Expo floor 2008. It takes about 40 seconds for the interview to actually start.

Online TV Shows by Ustream

So I am one of those rare people who just can’t seem to get addicted to Twitter. I use it, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that I have to think about it. I don’t have a cell phone that allows me to connect to the Internet. If I did I think I would use the service more.

When I’m sitting at my computer screen I don’t usually have free time. I am typically focused on the task at hand – not on tweeting.

So my conclusion. For me the best use of Twitter are the inbetween moments. The times when I’m waiting for my wife in the store. Or when I’m standing in line at the bank. Or when I’m sitting through a long, boring meeting at work.

But I need to update my phone for this to happen.

How about you? When do find yourself using Twitter the most? When do you find it hard to use Twitter?

=====================================

If you like this blog please subscribe to it for free

Joel Mark Witt

I came across this neat little video from The TED Conference 2007.

It’s titled “Five Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do”

They are:

Play with fire
Own a pocket knife
Throw a spear
Deconstruct appliances
Break the DMCA
Drive a car

Okay – that’s six but watch the video and it will make sense.

Now that I have kids I am looking for ways to help them cope with the new world as it is shaping up. The idea is to learn how to learn and adapt at a very rapid pace. They aren’t going to get that kind of education in school. So Gever Tulley has some great insight into this.
——————-

If you like this blog please subscribe to it for free

Joel Mark Witt

Tomorrow a group of like minded thinkers, technologists, and entrepreneurs are getting together at the University Of Baltimore for Social DevCamp. It is a one day “So What’s Next?” unConference. We’ve seen blogs, social media platforms, podcasts, online video, and Twitter rise to the top of the online experience – but where is all this headed now? The hope tomorrow is to gain some insight into where the social web is going.

I think the bigger question we are asking tomorrow is – can the East Coast, particularly the Mid-Atlantic, serve as a great place to build start-up technology and media companies?

My answer is yes. That’s what we are attempting to do with FolkMedia.org. And others are building great companies too. So I am excited about the possibilities and am encouraged by the interest in this event.

——————-

If you like this blog please subscribe to it for free

Joel Mark Witt