LTYM - Twitter or the Goat

Letters to a Young Manager

Twitter or the Goat, #323
LTYM > Communication

Dear Sophie,

***

I heard a country manager for Transparency International in Zimbabwe tell an interesting story at a conference on disruptive change. Technology was a prominent topic.

Her colleagues suggested she use Twitter like a focus group to gather citizen input on corruption.
She said that 70% of Zimbabwe population is rural, with no access to the Internet.

So to find out what people think, who can't use Twitter, they bring a goat to the local village and announce a feast. A hundred people will come to the roast and you will have a rich conversation about corruption. This is the best focus group.

Twitter or the goat? In Zimbabwe, pick the goat.

***

Best,
Ed

________________________

Takeaways:

Sometimes the BBQ is more effective that the smartphone

Discussion Questions:

1) Thinking about the Goat as a metaphor, how might you apply this in a digital world? Doesn't that miss the point?

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