Field Notes Inside an Integrated Communications Agency

More information is coming out about Toyota's stunning recall that has now expanded to Europe and China. Some say that Toyota had to take action before federal regulators stepped in. Some are speculating that in their quest to big bigger they took their eye off of quality and Toyota seems to be confirming this speculation.

"Our president, Akio Toyoda, has said that expansion may have occurred to the extent where it is difficult for us to keep an eye on the ball," said Paul Nolasco, a Toyota spokesman in Tokyo. "Other executives have said that part of the troubles we are having today have been because of speedy moves in the past," he added, the Washington Post reports.

Several years ago I read a great book, Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big, by Bo Burlingham. The book profiles eight very different companies that rejected fast growth strategies. The companies are vastly different, but they all share a unwavering commitment to being the best at what they do. These small companies also have other interesting qualities in common, but I won't spoil the book for you.

I'm not saying big is bad. The Toyota recall should serve as a wake-up call to every business large and small, particularly those businesses that grew rapidly before this latest recession. Growth at the expense of quality will always come back to bite you. In the case of Toyota, it may destroy the brand. Now is a great time to reevaluate processes, quality control and your company's standards of excellence.

 

At SXSW09, I attended a very informative panel entitled “Building Strong Online Communities."  Jam packed with useful information for running your own successful communities, I’ve distilled some of the most relevant “don'ts" for us to remember as we create and continue to foster existing communities here at Capstrat.

• Don't troll your users too much, it sets the wrong tone.
  
• Don't "over listen" to your community when something on the site changes. If users freak out with change, give it two weeks. Any lash back was likely stemming from a lack of warning about change, not about your community in general.
  
• In terms of moderating for quality, resist the urge to remove posts that you think don't "forward the discussion". If they are of poor quality, they will find their way down to the bottom organically.
  
• Don't ridicule and/or flame people, no matter what their actions are; don't cross over into that vindictive place. This can often be a challenge when you're overwhelmed with negative feedback and in the heat of the moment. Don't let yourself get sucked into the negativity. Take a break and come back before taking further action, if you need to.

Try looking at it from this perspective.

• Running your community is sort of like throwing a party at your home. It's your house. You hope all your friends start coming over, have a lot of fun at the party, and invite all their friends.
  
• Now, having said that, it's still a party. Someone is probably going to spill a beer or two on your carpet before the night's over; you have to know that going in.  No use in crying over spilt beer.  At the end of the day, it's you're house and you're responsible for fostering an environment where your friends and family want to continue to gather in the future.