No, he’s not @common_squirrel, but he is a fan. And since founding Craigslist in 1995, Craig Newmark has been Run, Run, Running at a pace that no squirrel can match. Most recently he’s been zipping back and forth across the US, supporting Web 2.0 innovations in government and public services. The general idea being that the technology revolution that created more frictionless marketplaces can reduce friction, waste and inefficiency in government.
But there’s an even bigger idea he’s chasing: global collaboration. Craig talks about the rate of change in technology and connectedness in the last 20 years, and foresees a time when billions of people are connected to, and helping, each other.
For all the big vision, the man from Craigslist has some very practical advice for community organizers. He describes himself not as CEO or Founder, but as a “Customer Service Provider”. And that attitude seems to be key to his success.
To paraphrase Craig, the secret to building community is pretty simple: Be engaged with your audience. Ask for feedback. Act on it.
Then repeat the process. But (he’s careful to point out) only for as long as you live.
As a special bonus, Craig rolls out his Gutenberg = Geek and Luther = Policy Wonk analogy. It’s worth watching, honest. Especially for those of us still struggling to explain what we do to our parents.
Ok, enough woolgathering. Watch the video below and enjoy Mr. Newmark, free of…
#SQUIRREL!!
…distractions.
Related Posts
Tags: Craig Newmark, Craigslist, Gutenberg, Luther, NCVS, nonprofits, technology
