The Power of Collaboration: Drinking the Social Media Kool-Aid

Working with Central Desktop, a web-based collaboration software platform, has me thinking about the overall power of collaboration. As I mentioned in my previous post, Central Desktop is one of OpenView Venture Partner’s expansion stage portfolio companies. In just these past few weeks, the Dali Lama used social media to circumvent the Chinese government, a high-school student organized a state-wide walkout via Facebook and two long-lost brothers found one another via Twitter. Good, bad? It is completely subjective but all three examples illustrate the prominence and power of social media.

Time Magazine’s May 31st issue includes a cover and feature story highlighting Facebook. Dan Fletcher’s article takes a detailed look at the social media giant and the many privacy issues that are surfacing. With nearly 500 million users, Facebook seems to be redefining society at an exponential speed. Originally intended for Ivy Leaguers, 28% of the site’s users are now older than 34; Facebook’s fastest-growing demographic. As noted in the article, “Facebook has changed our social DNA, making us more accustomed to openness.” Clearly we are in a transparency-seeking, intuitive world but, as illustrated in Mr. Fletcher’s article, such might come at a cost.

The Facebook, Twitter and Linked Ins of the world are all in the business of connecting people. And now, Central Desktop, among other collaboration software platforms, is diving into the business of connection. Central Desktop allows users, both internal as well as external, to collaborate; users share documents, communicate with co-workers and clients and manage projects regardless of their location. Pretty powerful stuff.