James Samuel

I’m leaving New Zealand on Christmas eve, and would love to meetup with some people and share some ideas and knowledge. Purpose: to strengthen some existing connections and build some new ones. Right now my service is, to help networks utilise the rapidly evolving social tools to support collaboration.

As we move from being a carbon society, dependent on fossil fuels, towards a society where collaboration and innovation is becoming the new energy source, supported by the free flow of information. How do we enhance the ability for members of an organization to collaborate and innovate. Creative sparks come when serendipitous links are made, as the same challenge is seen through different lenses.

The current path we’re on is not sustainable and many have realized that society has now arrived at a vulnerable point in history as a result of over-dependence on fossil fuels and carbon energy. In this article I will make the case for innovation as the post-carbon energy we have yet to tap, but are about to.

If you’d read the last post, you may have been left wondering how long I might be down for, but I’m back and the reason for this post is that I wanted to record a process I’ve been going through that some of you might relate to and have some insights into. For the last [...]

I enjoy describing Twitter to people interested in social media, because it offers an opportunity to make the distinction between social media and the old media paradigm. The new model isn’t about copying the old media makers and broadcasting our message, but engaging the ‘social’ part of social media, and building communities of interest – understanding that we first need to make use of the listening tools.

There has been a distinct increase in dialogue around energy in the last year, and I hear a growing acceptance of the idea that we live on a finite planet and will either reduce the amount of energy we demand from this planet, or hit some version of a brick wall when that demand cannot be met. Maybe we’re there already, we’re just not hitting the wall at a speed and therefore we’re not recognising it.

The tools we have available to us don’t care how we use them, but the choices we make will impact us individually and collectively. The tools come with an inherent obligation to be responsible, conscious and intelligent at every turn. You get what you focus on.

In New Zealand we have so many opportunities for redesigning our world in a positive manner, and embracing the uncertainty of these times we live in. Be gentle with yourself and each other, do your own research and seek out ways you can become part of the solution. The possibilities for the future are endless, and it’s up to each and every one of us to find where we can or feel moved to contribute, and play our part in singing a brighter and healthier future into existence.

The strength of Egypt’s youth-led revolutionary movement has been “the fact that it represented every political strain, every segment and class in Egyptian society. If 21st century revolutionaries want their revolution to turn the world, they will make their inclusive diversity into the greatest strength of their emergent democracy.

The buzz in the TelstraClear events stadium was palpable from the minute we arrived for the ACDA Regional Communities Summit. First the enthusiastic ushers directed people to the table where we were requested to offer a single word, to describe our response to the theme of the day: “Act locally, work regionally, work together.”