As the old saying goes, “teamwork makes the dream work.” But, it seems dream work is what makes the team work. As cliché as both sayings may be, they are proving especially relevant today.

Businesses and nonprofits are struggling to stay afloat, but those embracing collaboration over competition, producing truly remarkable work (dream work), and challenging the status quo, are thriving by engaging and motivating their “tribes”. Those stuck in the old mentality of operating in a silo and taking ownership over ideas are likely to encounter more struggles as they try to find their way to success.

Seth Godin points out in “Tribes,” his most recent book, “Organizations that destroy the status quo win. Individuals who push their organizations, who inspire other individuals to change the rules, thrive. Whatever the status quo is, changing it gives you the opportunity to be remarkable.”

One organization changing the rules is Gangplank, a start-up business incubator in Chandler, Ariz. They thrive on connection and collaboration, and have motivated others to help propel their manifesto: creating an economy of innovation and creativity in Arizona.

“I believe that Gangplank was able to get people to connect and unify for a purpose,” said Derek Neighbors, co-founder of Gangplank. “It quickly formed an ‘unwritten’ membership where by people associated themselves as being part of ‘Gangplank.’ It met many needs that those that identified themselves as members were looking for. I think the combination of these things gave them an emotional connection they were missing elsewhere and let them know that they had value, purpose and influence on the community they were participating in.”

Godin said organizations that abide by the rules of the status quo, stuck in their processes, won’t ever create a motivated following – a key difference between tribes and groups. Creating a tribe, however, requires a certain type of leader – often a heretic.

“Tribes are about faith – about belief in an idea and in a community,” he said. “Groups create vacuums – small pockets where stasis sets in, where nothing is happening. Leaders figure out how to step into those vacuums and create motion.”

Heretics create motion and therefore tribes. They have vision, conviction and belief in their ideas. They challenge the status quo, and most importantly, they have a tribe they support and that supports them – collaboration, or team work that makes the dream work.

“Organizations and individuals that embrace collaboration will be at a distinct advantage over those that choose to not collaborate,” Neighbors said. “However, one can succeed without collaboration – it is just a more difficult road.”

But collaboration, or tribes, won’t form around ideas or organizations that are unremarkable – it will never spread. Dream work needs to be at the heart of the tribe. Godin subscribes to a simple marketing formula: “Ideas that spread, win.”

Neighbors and Jade Meskill hit the mark with Gangplank and seem to embody the qualities of a true leader: Passion. Integrity. Vision. Belief. (Though I’m not sure they would ever call themselves leaders.)

This is article is the second of a two-part series with Ryan Zuk on social media and the impact on public relations.

Since the beginning of the buying and selling of goods, marketers, organizations and communicators have been trying to figure out how to most effectively reach their audience. For decades it was the one-way street of advertising then organizations began to realize the power of mainstream media and public relations.

Though traditional forms of media are still powerful, many are cutting back coverage and have been losing relevancy with certain audiences. Does this transformation of mainstream media shrink the number of opportunities for organizations to share their message? Will social media and other online outlets present greater opportunities?

“The Web gives an audience of enormous proportions, which is made up of many niche groups that communicators can identify, research, target and communicate (collaborate) with,” said Ryan Zuk, APR. “We may for instance reach a smaller audience on a traditional online media placement yet, with social networking, social bookmarking etc., and since traditional media is incorporating social aspects too, the ability to share the original piece further out to the world can amplify the message.”

Online outlets are becoming more trusted and relevant messengers, and simultaneously proving to be more influential. They afford communicators the opportunity reach highly targeted audiences in a space they have opted to be a part of, resulting in deeper relationships and brand loyalty.

“Even before a good media placement potentially spreads across the social Web, many product and service messages that reach a smaller but more targeted audience are likely to generate more meaningful results,” Zuk said. “The maturity of social networking within niche audiences will help further prove this out.”

Through social media, communicators also have the opportunity to become content creators or their own news hubs.

“There is certainly an opportunity now to cover ourselves, so to speak – creating hubs for your organizations and clients is certainly wise if you’re not already doing this,” Zuk said. “Maybe it’s a blog for some, an online newsroom for others, or perhaps an online customer community functioning as the central information hub. I do think there is good reason to post our information both to our own social hubs as well as in outside forums accordingly. Each forum benefits from acknowledging, supporting and promoting the other.”

As valuable as social media is, it does come with a few important caveats, one of which is contributing to the conversation in an informative and relevant way rather than pushing a one-sided sales pitch. Communicators new to social media should go in with a plan.

“I suggest outlining and prioritizing your goals, initially focusing on the top one or two,” Zuk said. “What is your value proposition? Who needs to hear it and what action do you want them to take? What is your dream headline and in what publication or blog? Start with reasonable objectives and build an online presence that targets this audience and the media that covers it with sharp, original content. Be sure to bridge virtual with reality too. Meeting people face to face at conferences, networking events and lunches, etc. still has the most impact in my opinion. Creating your presence and getting it circulating is the main thing. Awareness creates opportunities.”

Ryan Zuk can be reached on Twitter: @ryanzuk or via his blog: http://criticalmasspr.com. Zuk also authors a monthly Digital Dialogue column for PRSA Tactics.

Global Twitter-Based Charity Event Returns with Local Twist

PHOENIX (Sept. 7, 2009) – Twestival, an event that gathers social media users to benefit a local nonprofit, will return to the Valley Friday, Sept. 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. at aLoft Tempe located at 951 E. Playa Del Norte Drive in Tempe. The event, which is expected to draw a crowd of more than 200 will benefit the Phoenix-based St. Mary’s Food Bank.

Twestival Phoenix is one of several meet-ups that will occur in various cities around the world between Sept. 10 and13th, each designed to benefit a local charity. For the Phoenix event, local Twitter users chose St. Mary’s Food Bank as the benefiting charity. During the event, Phoenix “tweeps” will get to participate in a silent auction, meet other local Twitter users, enjoy food and one complimentary drink, and of course post Tweets.

“It’s amazing how quickly everyone worked to pull Twestival Phoenix Local together,” said Chris Lee. “We have an incredible silent auction, a great location at aLoft Tempe and have already received overwhelming response from the community. We hope to see lots of Phoenix tweeps come out to have an amazing time and generate lots of cash and awareness for St. Mary’s Food Bank.”

The first 24-hour “‘Tweet-up with a social conscience” inspired thousands and raised $250,000 for charity:water, which enabled the drilling of 55 wells serving more than 17,000 people in Uganda, Ethiopia and India. Following the success of the first Global Twestival last February, in which more than 200 cities participated, Phoenix Twitter users were determined to participate, especially this time with the focus on a local charity.

About Twestival
A Twestival, or Twitter-Festival, is a global series of events organized by volunteers around the world in rapid-fire time frames. Twestival was started in London in September 2008 by a group of Twitter users who wanted to bring people together offline and support a great cause. A few months later, in February 2009, Twestival Global launched in more than 200 cities around the world, including Phoenix, to benefit charity: water. Twestival is operated entirely by volunteers and independently from the nonprofits of which it supports, though the organizing teams do work closely with the nonprofits to outline an achievable and measurable fundraising target. For more information visit, www.phoenix.twestival.com

Links and contacts:
• http://twestival.com/media/
• @twestival

Local:
• http://phoenix.twestival.com
• @twestivalphx
• Email: twestivalphx@gmail.com
• @chrislee, clee@customersystemsinc.com