SAP Global Survey: Montreal's Michel LeBlanc
Candor on Montreal Culture and Radical Transparency
[Michel LeBlanc File Photo.]
Michel LeBlanc
is the most prominent French-Language blogger in Quebec Province, and
probably all Canada's most popular French language business blogger. I invited him to participate in my SAP Global Survey of
Social Media's Impact on Business and Culture because language is a continuously reemerging issue, and in North America, that triangulates to Montreal, our most bilingual city, and where there is a history of
strain over language and culture.
But in speaking with Michel, I was surprised to discover that his personal life had traversed onto a significantly more controversial issue than just language. In so doing, this interview provides the best example so far of the benefits and influence of what he calls, "radical transparency."
But in speaking with Michel, I was surprised to discover that his personal life had traversed onto a significantly more controversial issue than just language. In so doing, this interview provides the best example so far of the benefits and influence of what he calls, "radical transparency."
A respected Internet enterprise consultant, Michel has impressive educational credentials. He holds an M.Sc. in eCommerce from HEC Montreal/U, an interdisciplinary program involving Law School, Computer School and HEC, Quebec's premier business school. He specialized in web management and conducted extensive research in Web marketing. He published extensively related to that.
His masters research was published at the
Center for Interuniversity Research (CIRANO) on analysis of the organization which is usually only for PhD candidates. In connection
with that degree, he presented his first of many keynotes on the impact
of web services on businesses.
After graduating, he founded Adviso inc., Canada's first French-language Internet business consulting service, which he sold in 2005. More recently, he started Analyweb. Despite the corporate name, Analyweb is simply Michel Leblanc. He works alone as a consultant, speaker and writer on Web marketing, web strategies and the use of innovative technologies in business settings. His clients are mostly North American and French blue chips, but he also works with small and medium enterprises that have a strong Web presence.
Here are his answers to my questions. I have taken some liberties,
by inserting some of his comments from subsequent email:
1. Montreal is considered the most bi-lingual major City in North America. What percentage of Montreal speaks English and what percentage speaks French? What percentage of Montreal is bilingual?
I do not have official statistics, but I estimate Montreal is 20%
unilingual English; 80% French; and 40% bilingual. The French, of
course, are a minority in our country and on our continent. Sometimes, the Anglos are so powerful that we feel we are a minority event in Montreal. Anyhow, we are submerged by Anglo culture and media on a regular basis.
Historically Montreal is divided in two at Saint Laurent Blvd. West of it is English and East of it is French. Both cultures connect and mix on the boulevard.
There is still some prejudice and misunderstanding between French and Anglos. There is still a separatist movement in Quebec Province, but the clashes are coming mostly from outside Montreal and are rhetorical rather than actual physical confrontations.
3. When I met you a year ago at a wonderful blogger dinner there were more than 30 bloggers in the room, about half French speaking. I was later told that this was the first time French and English language bloggers had a dinner together. Have their been more in the last year? Why or why not?
1. Montreal is considered the most bi-lingual major City in North America. What percentage of Montreal speaks English and what percentage speaks French? What percentage of Montreal is bilingual?
2. Culturally, how much do the French and English speaking
populations mix together? Would you say Montreal is a culturally
integrated or separated society? Is their much prejudice between the
two cultures?
Historically Montreal is divided in two at Saint Laurent Blvd. West of it is English and East of it is French. Both cultures connect and mix on the boulevard.
There is still some prejudice and misunderstanding between French and Anglos. There is still a separatist movement in Quebec Province, but the clashes are coming mostly from outside Montreal and are rhetorical rather than actual physical confrontations.
3. When I met you a year ago at a wonderful blogger dinner there were more than 30 bloggers in the room, about half French speaking. I was later told that this was the first time French and English language bloggers had a dinner together. Have their been more in the last year? Why or why not?
The dinner where you came is called Yulbiz
and it is a meeting of business people interested in technologies such
as blogs, and bloggers who are interested in business. This concept has
been exported to other places and is now in five countries. I started
it nearly two years ago.
Occasionally, English and French speaking bloggers get together and at another event called Yulblog (for any type of bloggers). Both communities mix well. But at Yulbiz, we still have problems attracting the core of English-speaking business bloggers. They started their own thing, the Montreal Tech Entrepreneur Breakfasts. Both communities interact at events such as basecamp, casecamp or facebookcamp. But those events were started in the English world first and it is the French who joined in rather than the opposite.
Occasionally, English and French speaking bloggers get together and at another event called Yulblog (for any type of bloggers). Both communities mix well. But at Yulbiz, we still have problems attracting the core of English-speaking business bloggers. They started their own thing, the Montreal Tech Entrepreneur Breakfasts. Both communities interact at events such as basecamp, casecamp or facebookcamp. But those events were started in the English world first and it is the French who joined in rather than the opposite.
4. Tell me about business. Do the French and English-speaking communities conduct business together? what language is used?
French and English business people are working together but it is
always in English. I presume it would be the same scenario as with the
Spanish speaking community in California. Minorities are the one that
have to adapt.
5. Let's talk about you. What social media tools do you use? Are they for business for personal use?
My blog really changed my business.
Right now, more than half my business has come directly from my blog and the other half comes from the perceived notion that I am "the" expert. My blog has attracted a lot of media attention. I am regularly asked as an expert guest by media that wants to discuss e-economy, the web in business context and innovation. This contributes to my "aura" of being an expert and helps me sell speaking engagements that again, brings water to the mill.
So it is all interconnected. I also am using LinkedIn to gather positive feedback from client and I use Facebook to get to know my clients on a more personal level.
6. How has social media changed your personal reputation? I recently used my blog to reveal a condition from which I
am suffering. I have Gender Identity Dysphoria and the only way to cure
myself, is to become a woman. I started hormone therapy two months age
and will change everything else in the following months.
Since I told my readers (Michel's English translation) customers and friends, I have received a wave of support like you could not believe. I have retained all my customers and even gained new ones because of the perceived truthfulness and courage they saw in my disclosure (In fact, it was rather survival and the belief in radical transparency on my part, but I am very happy about how it has come out). I also created a Myspace Account under a pseudonym where I am connected to two hundred transsexuals worldwide and it is, in fact, my personal virtual support network.
7. You must have had a great deal of faith in your readers and your clients to make that post.
It is a bit more complicated than that. I did not have faith in my readership support. As a matter of fact I was flabbergasted by it. I did it more out of conviction and because I did not want to lie about my physical changes than anything else.
Right now, more than half my business has come directly from my blog and the other half comes from the perceived notion that I am "the" expert. My blog has attracted a lot of media attention. I am regularly asked as an expert guest by media that wants to discuss e-economy, the web in business context and innovation. This contributes to my "aura" of being an expert and helps me sell speaking engagements that again, brings water to the mill.
So it is all interconnected. I also am using LinkedIn to gather positive feedback from client and I use Facebook to get to know my clients on a more personal level.
6. How has social media changed your personal reputation?
Since I told my readers (Michel's English translation) customers and friends, I have received a wave of support like you could not believe. I have retained all my customers and even gained new ones because of the perceived truthfulness and courage they saw in my disclosure (In fact, it was rather survival and the belief in radical transparency on my part, but I am very happy about how it has come out). I also created a Myspace Account under a pseudonym where I am connected to two hundred transsexuals worldwide and it is, in fact, my personal virtual support network.
7. You must have had a great deal of faith in your readers and your clients to make that post.
It is a bit more complicated than that. I did not have faith in my readership support. As a matter of fact I was flabbergasted by it. I did it more out of conviction and because I did not want to lie about my physical changes than anything else.
8. Let's return to the issues of language and culture. You blog
in French and you don't translate, although you speak English extremely
well. Why do you not post in two languages the way Loic Le Meur does it?
It is a matter of time and resources. Loïc does not blog alone.
His wife is by his side and he has a team that works with him. In fact,
I also have an English blog www.web-marketing-frog.blogspot
I am proud of my French origins and I know I can be of great help to my fellow French-speaking readers as in English, I would be lost in the sea of the Web and there are far more pertinent resources in English than there are in French.
I am proud of my French origins and I know I can be of great help to my fellow French-speaking readers as in English, I would be lost in the sea of the Web and there are far more pertinent resources in English than there are in French.
9. What impact do you think social media has had on Canadians in business? How do you see that changing?
Facebook has been widely adopted by Canadians but business people
are still scared of it. Several businesses are trying to firewall it
and they do not see the potential benefit of knowing your business
contacts on a more personal level. Although personal blogs have a very
long history in Canada, business blogs are still just emerging.
In several ways, Canadians are not that innovative on the online scene (except for developers, Facebook is a Canadian product. So is Blackberry). My explanation for it is that while France was still playing with Minitel, Canadians were investing in mainframes and heavy business applications.
Then France caught up with the Web and started with a clean slate. Here, the traditional integrators are very powerful and are still "the" reference for major clients. Furthermore, they are still thinking of leveraging their old investments (in the wrong way with old school integration) rather than trying to see what else they could be doing. I wrote 5 years ago about how Web Services could change the way we integrate business applications and how much money it could save and five years later, I could count on one hand, the projects that are being developed.
In several ways, Canadians are not that innovative on the online scene (except for developers, Facebook is a Canadian product. So is Blackberry). My explanation for it is that while France was still playing with Minitel, Canadians were investing in mainframes and heavy business applications.
Then France caught up with the Web and started with a clean slate. Here, the traditional integrators are very powerful and are still "the" reference for major clients. Furthermore, they are still thinking of leveraging their old investments (in the wrong way with old school integration) rather than trying to see what else they could be doing. I wrote 5 years ago about how Web Services could change the way we integrate business applications and how much money it could save and five years later, I could count on one hand, the projects that are being developed.
Thank you for this great post about Michel Leblanc and the Montreal scene. I applaud Michel for taking such brave steps in the name of transparency and truthfulness. The reaction that he has received restores a little of my faith in the compassion of humanity.
Shel, thank you for showing such sensitivity to both Michel and the unique language and culture that make up my city.
Posted by: Adele McAlear | January 27, 2008 at 04:42 PM
michel is a champ. his coming out on his blog was tremendously courageous, and it's really cool of you to interview him. cheers dude.
Posted by: julien | January 27, 2008 at 09:59 PM