Have you networked with your spouse?

My wife, Kim, doesn't participate in social networks. She doesn't fully understand what I do all day: blogging, commenting, studying and connecting with people.When our book came out she did actually skim read it and her comment was "Looks like a good book for businesses to learn how to use the web but this whole thing about relationships isn't new or earth shattering"

I asked her what do you mean? Her response " The age old problem with relationships is largely a problem with communications. Your book talks about conversations and how conversations are exploding because of the web. My question is will the new web cause people to improve listening or will it just cause people to talk more?. And if more people are involved in online conversations what are they really saying?"

"All this stuff about social media seems like just new ways for marketers to sell me something by trying to have a conversation but no marketer really knows me enough to get my attention. Selling is one thing but building a relationship is another".

Now, as a male I sometimes (Ok, I admit a lot of times) do not hear the emotions of a conversation but rather seem to always look for the logic of the matter being discussed. My wife is very good at insuring that I am not always communicating with my head rather from my heart. She is able to influence my hearing, my learning and subsequently our relationship gets richer every day (not only my words but hers as well).

As I thought about her comments our follow on conversations got richer, deeper and enlightening. My wife knows nothing about the technology behind the web, very little about social networks and has little interest in either. However, she, as most women do, understands relationships and her comments and insights were profound.

So What is The Point of This Post?

As we endeavor to discover new found capabilities, knowledge and possibilities enhanced by the advancement of technology the true value rest in the relationships. While the technology affords us the reach the richness lies within the people. Men, women and children possess the collective power of change when the quality of the conversations enable us to unite with a purpose but without solid relations we cannot capture the essence, the value and the subsequent learning without first focusing on the relationship.

Subsequent to my conversations with my wife I picked up on a post from someone whose relationship I respect and value, Doc Searls. His post was titled "Who new?" and it pointed to a video. I watched the movie and then shared it with my wife and told her where I found it. Her response was "He gets it! Maybe I should go read his book". Go figure :) My wife, Kim, she gets it and insures that I do as well! Do you get it? See the movie below.

What say you?







The Break Up
by geertdesager