Elevator Pitch

Attended a gathering of privacy professionals last evening. The purpose of the event was to refine networking skills and, as part of the exercise, discuss a few timely issues.

I was a presenter, justified by a story I'd written a few years ago for Inc. Magazine on the topic of networking and how to overcome the self-imposed barriers that may prevent us from successfully establishing business relationships.

The thought occurred to me that those challenges are not so different from the issues of privacy that are manifest in many social media sites. How much am I comfortable sharing among people I may not know that well? What constitutes appropriate sharing (volume, detail, relevance, decorum...)? Who, among those in a particular milieu, can be trusted with the information I have to share?

Note that none of these questions have much to do with the site's ability to moderate my interactions. It's up to me to assess what I share and with whom, though I do hope to have a certain level of confidence that the organization behind any particular gathering has done some due diligence in attracting a relevant audience.

For those who follow this blog, my contributions via Twitter (@spinzo), or have had the chance to talk with me on the topic, you'll know my point. Privacy is a matter of choice for the individual; appropriate use is the question that the individual needs to know in order to make an informed choice.

Oh... and here's my personal elevator pitch (a work in progress), for what it's worth:

I'm Mike Spinney, executive communications for EMC. I use my talents as a writer, publicist, and thinker to give people an opportunity to hear great, untold business stories. In today's fast-paced world I help people, products, and companies capture and hold attention - the right way, and for the right effect.