that’s an interesting point but my gut tells me that if you try to think and/or plan based on that premise, it may become contrived and self-defeating. I still think it should flow and evolve organically and not by force feeding it. The FB’s shouldn’t feel compelled to just hang around to give face time to others..unless they really WANT to. We’re all here to learn and in our own ways. Would I like to have more discussions with the powers that be? Sure I would. But only if that mutual interest is there to converse.

It has been argued to me that the “FB” only gets to see the other “FB” at conferences and it is a catchup time. However, with skype, twitter, email, etc — that can’t totally be a true argument anymore, can it??

I know that FB’s do need the down time, the recoup time, and the friendship time too…..but hopefully not at the exclusion of the NYFB and LR.

Personally, and I know I will get flack for this, I would hope that the FB would use the hours (like 8 – 3) to be meet new people time, mingle, etc….. and then use the time in the evenings for the socializing with other FB’s and also including the new friends. Of course, the FB’s can mingle with other FB’s during the daytime, but just be a bit more aware of the NYFB and LR.

Then everyone wins.

However, the bottom line does become – conversations will happen and they cannot be forced upon anyone.

I have found many FB’s to be quite accommodating, friendly, and helpful….and I look forward to seeing more LR and NYFB’s become FB’s and do the same.

Thanks for this thought this morning. I look forward to reading other comments.

J

PS — I did have a giggle writing this using your abbreviations!! Thanks!

If the FB wants to be left alone, they should go to their hotel room and close the door. A couple of conferences of that and there will be fewer and fewer LRs.

If the FB wants to be with other FBs, they should get in touch with them and arrange meetings that do not happen on the floor of the conference. Especially in the evening. Not rocket surgery.

If the FB is annoyed by NYFBs at a conference, they should stop coming to conferences, and probably start looking for a non FB career.

The ONLY requirement for 2 people spending time together in F2F conversation is that they both ‘value’ the assumed synthesis/take-away’s of what will unfold. In business or any legit professional arena, this is called networking once it gets beyond the first ‘ask’ (or intro).

What we’re talking about is the skillset of strategic professional networking, not the “please be my friend” sleepover introduction. This is old skool bizness stuff, folks. Why are we acting like giddy-shy kids sitting on the bleachers at the middle school dance crunching our toes in hopes that someone will want to slow dance with us when Air Supply starts to play? No wonder the rest of the world has a hard time taking teachers who blog about blogging, Twitter about Twittering seriously. Seriously!

Twitter (et al) notwithstanding, the ONLY way to make an impact on someone for the first time you perceive to be a FB (or whatever silly social construct we kick around rhetorically) in a conference/professional setting is to offer them something of value that is a good use of their time/energies. Simple. Works at Rotary, in the CEO’s golf 4some, and at the SwoonOverFB Unconference 08 all the same.

Instead of acting like a 12 year old at a Jonas Bros concert hoping to get backstage to be BFF’s, why not send out a salient message by email (you choose your medium, sportsfans) before or after the big ‘boat show’ making a specific connection that offers a relevant reason for FB (again, ridiculous) to spend time in F2F conversation. Whether one wants to talk about tools or consulting or eating pot roast nachos, it works the same. Learn to network the old fashioned way by sending a well posed introduction and making it worthwhile for the FB (oy!) to want to connect.

This — here’s the drum roll moment — is how most FB (yikes) built their network and laptop carnival connections with other FBs…over time…through hard work…based on something that mattered to both parties…with an eye on both learning and developing as professionals in real biz arenas) even a few called ‘school’.

This ridiculous emerging culture of “Hey, I just wanted you to know I follow you on Twitter…” or “OMG, I can’t believe that’s FB (ugh!) sitting only 3 rows in front of me. I can’t wait to meet ,him/her in person and tell them I just, OMG love his/her blog…” is beneath the entire premise of a supposed edublogosphere culture pretending to want to have an impact on kids, schools, and the larger system of education.

This ain’t a 2-bit bubblegum pop concert down at the mall. And it ain’t a middle school sleepover wishlist.

This is business, no matter what edu-name you give it. Act like a professional with a hint of networking savvy, and anyone will take you seriously. No matter what title (FB, NYFB, LR, FOOL, etc) we toss around.

Beyond that, offer to buy them a drink or to cover their pot roast nachos tab.