I just learned about a new virtual meeting tool that makes it easy to have virtual meetings – of all sizes – in virtual reality.

Of course we’ve been able to use Second Life this way for several years already. But many people find Second Life too complex and a little too immersive for their tastes. I’ve been one of those people myself. I just couldn’t see the ROI for taking the additional time to create scenes and develop avatars. I like everyday 3D reality a lot and I want to get off my computer and get outside as often as I can. Besides, I really like getting things done quickly with people I don’t happen to be co-located with. So, before now, virtual reality meetings just haven’t been nearly as interesting as being able to quickly see and hear other people in something closer to our everyday reality – using VOIP and webcams and whiteboards.

But today, on a tip from Jane Hart, I wandered over to Assemb’Live and I have to say, I’m curious enough about the simple frames and navigation they’re offering that I signed up for a test drive. On first inspection, it looks like the developers have been thinking about what I would call “meeting culture” in the same ways I already think about it. Meeting setup and invitation processes follow the same kinds of protocols as other meeting tools. Webcam participation is still possible. Voice is fully integrated into the participation process. People attending your meeting can participate fully with you – and you can manage the sound if you need to. Being able to choose from a simple set of templates for scene setting simplifies the experience of hosting. This leaves more time to think about what you actually intend to accomplish with your meeting – beyond just having fun playing with each other.

My imagination is provoked and my curiosity piqued – but not overwhelmed – by the possibilities in Assemb’Live. I’ll need to go inside and spend some time before I say more. If you’re looking for more virtual reality in your virtual meetings – and your attendees would enjoy that, too – you might want to give Assemb’Live a spin. If you do decide to try it, please leave me a comment below and I’ll come experiment with you over the next 30 days.

And, hey! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you, too!!

When times get tough, the tough get going, they say. Well, times remain tough, don’t they? I’m having so many people telling me they need my help but can’t afford it that I’ve decided to create my own Economic Stimulus Package for 2010. It’s called “Meri Bucks.”

Here’s how it works: I want and need to exchange my services for cash so I can pay the rent and buy groceries and fuel while we reinvent the economy together. Clients and potential clients want and need my help tweaking their businesses processes so they CAN take advantage of the incredible time and cost savings virtual meetings have to offer. Most people would really like to use web conferencing and other kinds of virtual meetings with clients, customers, coworkers, and suppliers. They just don’t want to risk losing their relationships with people. They don’t want to look stupid. They don’t think they have time to learn something new. And, worst of all, they don’t know how to tweak the way they’re doing things now – just a little – so they can translate some of their service processes into virtual meeting spaces.

On top of that, everyone needs to be able to squeeze every last drop of value out of whatever cash they do have. That means they’re agonizing over which help they can afford to get now – and what just has to wait.

So, here’s my offer: Throughout the entire year of 2010, I’m going to be trading in “Meri Bucks.” These certificates of service come in two denominations only, $1250 and $625. I’m trading them for $1000 or $500 in US greenbacks. This means that “Meri Bucks” are paying 25% return on investment.

Now I know – and you know – that no one is offering to give you a 25% return on investment for your precious greenbacks right now. So this is a terrific deal for you! And the deal is worth it to me because I have some holes in my calendar and want to fill them now. So, I’m willing to offer this extraordinary return as part of playing fair and doing my part to stimulate the economy in 2010.

I know you can’t afford to keep coping with workarounds that are costing you profits you need to pocket. And I can’t do what I love to help small business people if you can’t afford to get the service you need from me.

If you’re ready to make a few changes to your business processes – and learn quickly and painlessly how you can use virtual meetings to pocket more real profits throughout 2010 and all the years ahead – you can get an extra FREE 25% service from me by purchasing and trading in “Meri Bucks” right now. This could translate into you getting several team members trained for FREE, several hours of management consulting for FREE, several hours of producer support for FREE, or some other kind of help you know you need to get busy transitioning into virtual meeting space. You design your project and, using “Meri Bucks,” I’ll deliver 25% extra into it for FREE.

So, tell Santa. Tell your partners. Tell your CFO. Tell your investors. Tell your husband/wife… Starting right now you can use “Meri Bucks” to get a leg up on transitioning your business into the 21st century using virtual meetings.

If you’re interested in taking me up on this offer and want to discuss it further, please feel free to phone me directly at 541.488.7942.

You will need to call soon, though, because I have minted a LIMITED NUMBER of these certificates and when they’re gone, they’re gone. You can use them for service anytime in 2010, but you will need to purchase them now if you’re interested!

“Meri Bucks” to the rescue for 2010!!

What Matters Now

It’s no secret to my friends and regular readers of this blog that I love Seth Godin. For years, I’ve loved Seth’s crazy, irreverent approach to getting people unstuck and into action about what matters most. He’s direct, creative, and funny as hell. And, at the same time, he suffers no foolishness… which is extremely helpful to me. His intelligence just cuts right through excuses, leaving the scraps on the floor in a heap.

This morning, Rene Fabre passed me a link to “What Matters Most” with a message that said, “Now, more than ever, we need a different way of thinking, a useful way to focus and the energy to turn the game around.” Amen, Brother Love!!

It turns out that “What Matters Most” is a sweet, FREE book Seth compiled from the thoughts of a bunch of other smart folks. And Seth’s set it up to see how fast his fans can make it viral. I think he said he’d like to see how fast 5 million people could get it.

I’m playing. Here’s a copy you can enjoy right here, right now.

If you like it enough to pass it on, feel free to
1) send others a link or a Tweet that they can read it here,
2) embed it in your blog
3) download it for yourself from Scribd
4) print a copy and pass it out for free on the street
5) anything else you can think to do with it for FREE.

On the 1st of Christmas, my true friend gave to me…a frrreeee e-book copyyyyyy…. Enjoy!

Here’s a useful, provocative Flash animation in the middle of a McKinsey report on “Using Technology to Improve Workforce Collaboration.”

If you can’t get the full animation from clicking above, go to the report itself here, scroll down to the subhead, “Improving Collaboration,” and click on the graphic to launch the Flash animation. Clicking on any one of the different types of knowledge workers brings up suggestions for online, collaborative, Web 2.0 technologies that can best improve productivity in their jobs.

I’m not sure that the suggestions are comprehensive or even totally accurate. But this is certainly the kind of thinking we all need to be engaged in this year. And this animation is a great place to start the kinds of conversations we need to be having about how we can tweak business work processes in 2010 so we can work together more efficiently and productively. Many thanks to George Siemens and Harold Jarche for their pointers to this report!

Not at all surprising is the fact that virtual meeting tools show up in almost every single occupation!

Enjoy! And what do you think?