Check out Andy Kessler’s interview with Mark Zuckerberg,founder and CEO of Facebook, in today’s Weekend Journal (3.24.07). It’s an insightful look into the true power of social networking sites, like his Facebook. Those of us who came of age in a much different media era have a tendency to misunderstand the depth of these new channels. They aren’t just about collecting an unfathomable number of “friends” and locating porn. Facebook, for example, is a channel for collecting and networking information - their mission is to give people access to connect and the information they want as efficiently as possible. (Check out how Zuckerberg passed his Rome of Augustus class at Harvard.)
Understanding the possibilities of new media channels — and not just as a vehicle for advertising — is going to be a critical success factor for business in the coming years. More than ever, corporations need to open themselves up to learning from their newest generation of employees. The learning curve is too steep to rely on hierarchical management structures to lead change. Companies need to hire - and trust - their youngest employees to lead the way. (And senior management needs to get online, network themselves to the hilt, and jump in the game. It’s the best way to learn!) After all, Mark Zuckerberg is only 22 (!!!) and in less than three years he’s created a powerful channel with 16 millions users, half of whom Facebook every day.
