Barack Obama is a powerful speaker. He has captivated a nation and the world with his passion and oratory. I’ve been following his path to the White House for some time and am thrilled as is millions of others around the world with his message of hope and inspiration.

Social media tools when combined with transformative stories can be a potent force for bringing about change. Story telling is a tool that can be used to bring about significant changes in organizations and in the behaviors of individuals. Barack has a knack for telling stories that are simple, yet highly charged with meaning and purpose. This is one of many video’s of Barack’s speeches however his story telling at the end of the speech is what captivated me and obviously many others as well.

My favourite resource for learning about story telling for organizational change is Anecdote. They do workshops with groups around the world and story telling is one of their main themes. This story, originating from Anecdote’s web site exemplifies the power of story telling to motivate and inspire people. Have a look at Barack’s story of “Fired Up – Ready to Go”.

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I am very impressed with the design and thinking that lay behind this video. I think it’s a great example of using social media to present a story that pushes people to rethink very complex social problems related to power, culture and gender that affects people around the world. The potential for viewers to contribute through financial donations or other forms of contributions is significantly increased after viewing the video. It’s a powerful example of using social media (pictures & text) to communicate effectively and simply to mass audiences. The Girl Effect web site tells and even more detailed story of the changes that can be achieved if resources where put in the hands of girls rather than men.

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A few days ago I discovered the UK Online Centres and the incredible work that is been accomplished in Britain to address digital and social inclusion. I went looking for Canada’s strategy in this regard and have found evidence of some progress. I’ll be posting regularly on this subject as I believe the government’s leadership in delivering accessible ICT opportunities for all citizens is critical in a world reliant on digital literacy. My hope is that with leadership coming from the government (like Britain), the non profit and educational sectors will understand the cultural changes occurring and be more open (responsive) to using social media tools as an integral aspect to working with their communities. Social media tools are effective mechanisms for building inclusiveness in society. It’s not about the tools though! It’s about including people in a networked world so they are not left out or kept out of our communities and economy.

Below is an excerpt from IT Business Canada that gives an overview of Canada’s work in adopting social media and web 2.0 tools.

The Federal government’s decision to create a comprehensive system for future online collaboration and social networking projects is growing proof that Canada acknowledges the explosive potential of Web 2.0, industry experts say.

“This definitely signals a long term commitment on the part of the government to move forward on Web 2.0,” according to Michelle Warren, analyst for Info-Tech Research Group based in London, Ont.

She said governments are usually cautious in adopting new technology, and Canada hasn’t been an exception.

The term Web 2.0 is used to refer to online collaboration and user-generated content and the tools that enable these – such as blogs and wikis. Government 2.0 refers to the application of these tools by government agencies. Read the full article……

picture from Digital Inclusion & Enterprise Program

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Barak Obama has launched a new site called Change.gov that pulls together an array of social media tools and continues his mission to lead a participatory and inclusive government. I picked up on this new site via Communicopia and Jason Mogus.

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