Security versus vulnerability in the digital era
In the industrial era the focus was on security. Don’t share what you don’t have to. Generosity of spirit does not win chess games. This made for guarded business development meetings. “Can you really do what you say” on one side being met with “you aren’t seeing anything of value until you have signed”. Both parties looking to minimise their risk before entering into an agreement.
In the digital era holding back your value is akin to saying I have nothing of value. And even if I have, I am so insecure about its my role in its value that I can’t risk divulging it. This is the business equivalent of being anti-social because in respect of digital business social and business heavily overlap.
Embracing the industrial engagement model in the social economy is most likely to ensure that your capability remains one of the best kept secrets in the market. For every person who exploits your vulnerability many more will become buyers or at the very least routers of your capability to likely buyers.
If you think about it, haven’t all the great advances in your life taken place when you took a chance and just went for it? Those that thrive in the digital economy will be those that actively seek to expose themselves to high-upside risk.