Becoming a hot topic.

This is much needed. Good job on this one!
I wouldn't call Community Managers "up and coming" though. We've been around since the early 90s. It's just that the rest of the business world is finally catching up ;)

Rebbecca your correct about that. They aren't up and coming. Poor choice of words by me. How about they are becoming more mainstream?

Really interested in how you bring personality into the traits of a successful community manager ... I've got a couple of session proposals in now too all about why personality matters and how to use yours. Great idea!

There's a huge need to codify what a community manager does. Rock on!

I like this workshop over the much done "Using Social Media to Create An Online Community ". David, I would be interested in you demonstrating a day in the life during the session or perhaps doing a quite video presenting some of the things you do as a community manager. That would be great!

Added to Panel: Jake McKee is an evangelist for customer collaboration, online communities, and fan groups.

Jake is the Principal and Chief Ant Wrangler at Ant's Eye View, a Dallas-based customer collaboration strategy practice. In a past life, Jake was the Global Community Relations Specialist for the LEGO Company, where he spent five years on the front lines of customer-company interaction.

Sounds like a cool panel. Jake is a great choice!

Added to Panel Bill Johnston. Bill works for Forum One Communications as the Director of Community and Research. He writes the Online Community Report blog and newsletter. He alsoruns the OC Research Network, and conducts research on topics like online community metrics, ROI, and marketing via social media. He recently hosted the Online Community Unconference.

Added to Panel Connie Bensen is recognized as a leader in community management. She is presently working with Network Solutions. She also provides Community Manager training & enjoys mentoring those interested in building community. She has been working with online communities for two years. First as an evangelist & then as a Community Manager for ACDSee.

She blogs at ConnieBensen.com, MarketingTwo.com, & SolutionsArePower.com. She is also the editor of Personal Branding Magazine. Prior to joining ACD Systems, Connie spent 10 years on the brick and mortar side of community building in public library administration, marketing & PR.

I'll I have to say is David Peck is the Pinnacle of Social Networking! Undoubtedly, he has displayed skills that would benefit anyone he is working with. Dave you have my vote hands down.

Thanks for the invite Dave! I'm excited to join the all-star lineup of yourself, Jake & Bill. I love advocating the Community Manager role! Thanks in advance for your vote! Can't wait to meet you all at SXSW

Such a shame I'm so far away, I'm sure it will be a very valuable panel, hope that someone will record it and then post somewhere.. I need to know what do I do for a living :)

What DOES a community manager do!? Everyone seems to have their own take on this. Sounds like a great panel for everyone to argue, er, discuss their point of view, while live-tweeting it via Twitter. ;)

David: Bill, Connie, and Jake are all great additions for the panel.

Raising awareness of the roles that community managers do -- and should play -- is important, and will help raise standards for this growing industry. I'm voting for this panel, and I hope it's selected.

Starting a job with this description in a few weeks. Though March is still some time away, I'm sure I won't have all the answers by then! Looking forward to meeting Connie, too!

Not only am I voting for this panel, but it it gets picked I will totally be there.

Many questions and as usual the answer is "it depends on...". I guess thick skinned, self confidence and decisive are baseline for a CM but at the end of the day the success of a community depends on its member!

I really wish to attend this session!

I will absolutely find a way to be at this. Not just for the subject matter - but for the presenter.

Connie Bensen gets my vote! A real pro and a lovely person besides.

Looks like a great session, Jake!!

As a new community manager, I would love to hear from these panelists.

I can't attend this event. But if I could, I'd be checking this session out. Especially to hear Connie. If you're in this area at all, her Blog is required reading. Between her and Bill - the Unconference expert, I'm sure there will be a ton of great learning for attendees.

Thought it might be a good idea to tell you about myself. I have been active in new media & online communities since 2005. I am currently active in several virtual worlds as a Project Manger. I have helped build online communities for such companies such as UC Berkeley, Harvard, PodShow.com,Coca Cola and Wells Fargo. In addition to virtual world work, I am a New Media strategist and consulted on projects for The Grammys, The Ozzy Osbourne Auction, George Lynch and NPR. Most recently I have joined LSF Interactive as their New Media Strategist.

Thanks

Huge fans of Connie and Jake, so this one is a must-see!

where is the advanced version of this?

Big Connie fan... Bill, too.

I agree with Rohit about comm mgr personality & skillset. As a community mgr myself, one of the key questions is how far this role is seen as an advocate of the community or towing the company line. I would say that key skills are #1 emotional intelligence #2 diplomacy #3 advocacy. All these are more important than e.g. editorial.

If I could get to Austin, I would sure be in the room :)

I completely agree with Mack Collier and Marc Sirkin. I'm a huge fan of both Connie and Jake -- they set the standard, in my humble opinion. And like Marc wrote, this needs to be "Community Management 3.0."

A very good and timely topic. Yes please!

Marc & Michael we can spend some time on the 3.0 aspect

Im a fan of Connie Bensen. So my vote goes to her :) She both the skillset and personality build a successful community.

As Joe Cothrel said at the Unconference Conference, community management is moving into a discipline - there is great experience and expertise to share and buuld upon.
I suggest that JOE Cothrel be part of any panel, he has deep experience in running communities, providing best practices and guidance for enterprise customers on communities - from research, assessment, to launch and community life stage management.
MY vote. Looking forward to the panel.

This sounds like a really good panel and this is a field I'd like to get into. Very interested to hear more about it.

Intersting.