I enjoy playing and watching sports. Sometimes I have an opportunity to really watch teams and players develop. When I have a chance to follow a sport in more detail it leads me to really enjoy the games more. Better understanding the players, the coaches, their history and their struggles makes the games richer and more entertaining. The #domosocial experiment has done the same thing to work for me.

I am friendly at work but I also like my own space. For years, I have asked co-workers how they are doing as we greet in the morning or as we wait for a meeting to start. Since engaging in the #domosocial experiment, I have found my interactions with co-workers is much deeper and more interesting. It has changed the way I work.

For example, I know Brian from our QA group. We interact on a daily basis. We are friendly and work together well.  Recently Brian and I have been competing in foursquare. We have been very close on the leaderboard. I recently checked in at a fast food location but then I changed my mind and went to another fast food restaurant. A few minutes later I received a message from Brian asking how I could eat at both locations? We had some fun banter about this for the next day or two. Now when I interact with Brian, I think of a creative and fun person in addition to the excellent quality professional I know during the day.

Examples like this have surprised me. Ned is an IT person that I interact with infrequently (maybe once every week or two). Ned is very active in the social experiment. In the last few days, I needed Ned’s help and he came over and helped. I felt like it was a friend that was helping me rather than just someone doing a job. Other examples, Alan the product manager is now the product manager that also has a daughter that does bebop flute (really) and the astronomer that captured a jet silhouette during the Venus transit (amazing photo). Ken the professional service engineer is an amazing biker and all around outdoorsman. Wes the designer is also Wes the family man. Jenny the executive assistant has transformed into a very fun and interesting person. Thamina the marketing manager is also an amazing volume tweeter with personality.

Last but not least, following the tweets from Josh our CEO continues to amaze me. He is a very busy guy. He works like crazy and he still tweets on a regular basis. The amazing part is that he continues to make me think in different and insightful ways with only 140 characters. That is a real talent.

I have also found myself willing to share and interact more. I have fun sharing and getting support from others as my brother is in a tight race to go to the Olympics in London.

Now when I greet co-workers, I say the same words but it means so much more…