Communication Agents Initiative

Who Would Want To Be A Communication Agent And Why?

Who would want to be a Communication Agent and why?

Anyone who is already a communicator at heart is a good candidate.

I am particularly open to those among you that are inspired by a sense of urgency in going about resolving the pressing issues affecting this planet today. The areas to work on are many. They range from justice to economics from health to education.

A Communication Agent can be an individual or a small organization. It can be a non-profit, an association or even a small company that has strong ethical issues to support or that is directly involved in promoting business that is sustainable.

I have prepared a simple-to-read "Areas for Change" Manifesto to outline what I consider important areas in need of change and what others and I envisage as desirable changes to be sought.

Please find the Communication Agents "Areas for Change" Manifesto here. In the end one would want to be a Communication Agent because sHe would want to leverage the Internet to bring life to a personal project, commercial or not, that can also bring about social change.

Some real world examples of the type of "issues" or projects you may want to take on as a Communication Agent may indeed not be as far fetched as you may have thought.

Here are some examples:

Getting destructive and polluting industrial practice to be stopped.

Promoting and selling your alternative energy solution.

Making sure that we can keep buying vitamins in the future.

Giving life to new democratic processes with the inherently democratic tools of the online medium.

Giving advocates of social justice around the world a means of working together effectively.

Changing a law or the way by which it is passed.

Bring investigative and reporting action where is missing.

Exposing justice issues that deserve attention.

Resurrecting older known and real solutions to solve current medical and energy issues

Stopping third world plundering.

Getting rid of that mobile phone repeater antenna off the roof.

Bring about philosophical discussions on key issues of your interest.

Publishing independently that great mini-book you had in mind.

Becoming a gathering point to collect specific information.

Training and educating other people on your specialized know-how.

Selling your art (and message) on the net.

Please help me improve, refine and extend this list with your ideas.
Feel free to provide your personal comments here below.

How Can I Apply?

How can I apply?

Please note: Applications for the first group of Communication Agents starting their learning program in August 2003 will be closed on Tuesday July the 29th at midnight GMT.

To apply as a would-be Communication Agent you need only to take one simple step. Send me a direct email to Robin.Good#masternewmedia.org ( please replace the # with a "@") with the following:

1) Trusted presentation
You need to be introduced by an existing Communication Agent or by someone in direct contact with me or with one of the Communication Agents in our core group (Josef Hasslberger, Chris Gupta, Ivan Ingrilli).
I am looking for a short introductory email or letter that this person is willing to write in your behalf to introduce you to me and to state the reasons why your referrer is recommending you for this project.
If you do not know anyone who can introduce you, do an introduction letter yourself and include in it what is listed at point 2) here below.

2) Introductory mission statement
I want you to write and submit a one page statement of containing:

a) who you are,

b) what background you have in education and business

c) why you want to take on the role of a Communication Agent

d) why do you think that this learning program will be of benefit to you?

d) which one are the Areas for Change that you have most experience with and in which you are most interested in working

e) statement of intent specifying the issue, problem areas or solution development approach(es) that you would like to address initially in the selected Areas for Change.

3) Proof of good writing
It would be nice to see some of your best writing whether they have been published or not. Reports, presentations, white papers, research dossiers and even marketing messages and content from your web pages or emails is acceptable. I am looking to see how well you can express your ideas and at the style and approach you use.

4) Technology setup
I need to know what computer setup you have (PC & Mac), the type of Internet connection (speed, dial-up, ISDN, DSL, cable, etc.), the operating system version, model and version of your digital friend, amount of memory and a short list of applications that you have installed and that you normally use to do your work (word processor, email, browser, etc.). Relative to the Internet is very important for me to know at what speed you connect to the Internet. Please tell me also the brand and version of your software tools so that when I will provide you with instructions I can take into account your specific setup and preferred tools. Please specify also if you have a sound board, speakers and a microphone or a headset that you already have or that you can promptly activate/buy for your computer.

See also "Draft Your Communication Agents Profile" and other relevant examples here below.

The above are criteria by which I can more evaluate and assess more effectively those who can immediately make a difference through this project.

Apply now and provide with as much info as necessary to evaluate your ability to take on this challenging mission.

Here is an example of a tentative application as sent in by the first formal applicant (Paul Swider - USA):

Robin,

I'm pretty sure I'm already one of these, albeit not with your imprimatur. Still, I'd like to find like-minded people so here is what I can contribute by way of application:

I don't know your trusted partners so they cannot present me. A Google search of my name, however, will show that I have a pretty lengthy track record of exactly these sorts of communications. You can also learn more about me from my URL below, which has clips, and from work I do for an innovative media group at
http://greenstar.org/pswider.htm
one sample from there is http://www.greenstar.org/butterflies/index.htm

More about me here:

My communications experience covers writing and presentations to a wide array of high-level audiences.

I have experience with international multilateral organizations as well as private-sector (venture capital) investors. I have made compelling cases of business development to federal agencies, the White House and to foreign governments.

I can relate highly technical details in an accessible format to any audience.

I also have experience in retail marketing communications.

I have made presentations internationally, from the consumer to the board room.

I have developed online marketing campaigns as well as off-line communications for community building and client affiliation. I have created and deployed an affiliate marketing program. I have developed
viral marketing campaigns and incorporated these into overall market strategy. I also have experience in business-to-business strategic marketing communications.

I have considerable experience as a writer and editor, including layout and design for both print and the Web. I have also taught journalism at the university level and done international freelance writing and editing.

I have worked with cutting-edge technology and its marketing applications in a variety of unusual environments. These applications relate directly to market expansion and business/community development.

I'm a true believer in the power of communications.

I think a clear, honest message will win out over manipulation. I also believe that clear, honest messages, cleverly packaged, will soon become de rigeur as consumers of media are rapidly becoming savvy enough to smell through a ruse.

I want to be a Typhoid Mary of constructive, open messages and the means to get them out.

Though there are lots of media and lots of technologies, refreshing the field of communications is the area of change in which I have the greatest interest. I think the time is ripe to take critical thinking retail.

I'm not sure if this is the kind of manifesto your seeking but it's the one I have to offer. I'm not applying for a job, I'm reaching a hand out to someone I perceive to be a fellow traveler. I'll go on as my own agent if that's all there is.

Best,
Paul

sent in on uly 17th 2003

Why Do You Do It?

Where is your gain, Robin Good?

If you consider yourself to be an Internet activist, a person that wants to communicate, learn and bring about change by effectively using new media technologies, I can safely guide you to reach your objectives in an effective, ethical and powerful way.

My mission is helping each one of you achieve your personal, unique, online communication goal.

I want, in good substance, to empower those Good communicators that like you have a "voice" that needs to be heard.

There are many people together with me that need to hear more of your voice and of what you see, hear and discover before us. We are all unique MasterMind Explorers and we have a duty to report to our fellow brothers and sisters what our discoveries are.

As some of you out there have shown to be very Good at this, I thought of sharing and providing you with “rocket missiles” and “anti-gravity propulsion mechanisms” that I had sitting in my closet. ;-)

If we are working toward some common objective, it's about time I hand over some of my tools and best know-how to those I value to be my best complements and allies.

I am glad to offer my service to those of you who are eager and brave and who seriously want to bring about positive change, better understanding and innovation.

I facilitate networking among people interested in creating such change.

Some real world examples of the type of "issues" or projects you may want to take on, as a Communication Agent may indeed not be as far fetched as you may have thought.

While this is clearly an initiative that has a lot of "heart", I am not able to do this without having to incur myself in the infinite pay-the-bill loop.

So, what I have been successful at designing, is to at least find a way where the proposition was as much as possible mutually beneficial to both parties.

What I have been able to build and make available to you strikes one of those all-time win-win shots that could both help me sustain a little more humanly my inarrestable contribution while giving a great boost to all those that effectively wanted to leverage the Internet and their effective communication skills for some "common good".

Where is my gain?

My gain is in the knowledge…..

My gain is knowing I am doing the best I can, to augment the opportunity for this interconnected network of intelligent minds to bring about dear, deep change and evolution to humanity on this planet. This is my only hope and reward. To see you cranking out all of your best ideas and thoughts finally unrestricted by technology burdens, delays, having to delegate and having to put with tools that make life miserable instead of a joy.

I am here waiting to read your email, your thoughts and whatever else you may want to say about this crazy Sunday morning offer.

..And if you are also interested in becoming one effective Communication Agent, just drop me a line through the comments link here below.

My greatest gain is in the fact that I get to keep on doing what I really can do best: realizing my life mission of helping others change through effective communication.

My aspiration is in seeing so many of you moving along in this fascinating, powerful and far-reaching networked communication and sharing process.

My invitation remains one, strong and clear:

Stop surfing, Start Making Waves!