Well, the rumor was true. The director here at Dream Job has gotten very fired up over this phenomenon the kids are calling "Web Two-Oh". So she invited all of us employees to a seminar explaining all the new social networking tools that are out there, and giving us the opportunity to try them first-hand. She wants us to learn for learning's sake! This solicitous attitude is something I am unfamiliar with in public service.
But then she went on to say we might be able to use some of these tools to connect with the public. Here, she lost us. See, this agency is not mandated to serve the public; our mission is to supply information and services to state workers and other agencies. How are we supposed to initiate contact with the public, concerning services they can't even use?
But hey, let's not let that nagging fact interfere. Particularly since we're allowed to learn some of these new-fangled Web 2.0 tools on the clock.
Hate me yet? No?
What if I tell you my first task will be to set up a brand-new "web log"? Followed by accounts with Flickr, del.icio.us, and Twitter? Aaaaah, there we go.
You know, if you carefully edited some of your choicer past blog-posts, you could forge an entire new career with Dream Boss by convincing her that you have SINGLE-HANDEDLY created an entire network of "public contributors" all fervently dedicated to seeking closer communication with the State Government!
It worked for Clifford Irving, why not you?
Posted by: Anthony | June 21, 2007 at 07:06 AM
I love a boss who has brilliant, yet errant ideas...and, hey, it's only our tax dollars, right? Go for it.
I'm also testing to see if I get deleted as SPAM, as I've seem to have been of late.
Posted by: Lori | June 21, 2007 at 07:54 AM
Really?
Isn't Alvin Toffler speaking somewhere about how damn late to the party government always is? You should tell her about it.
Posted by: maya | June 21, 2007 at 08:09 AM
This agency is about to get a (much-needed) dose of futurist reality. I can't go into detail, but I think (and hope) the fervor over social networking is just the first phase.
Posted by: pam | June 21, 2007 at 08:53 AM
It is nice to hear of managers with a vision outside the narrow confines of their immediate responsibility. That's certainly a much better place to be than the alternative -- all sorts of staff enthusiasm and nothing but disinterest or, worse, opposition above.
Posted by: John | June 21, 2007 at 10:31 AM