The 100 most in Wales.... aka, pub lists!

This early part of the year is most often, strangely as the first part of a new year, the part of the year when we look back at last year. This is most obvious in the film, television and theatre industry, with the BAFTA's last week, and the OSCAR's next week.

In Wales, we have similar traditions. But to spice things up, our version of The Times - better known as Media Wales through its South Wales Echo and Wales on Sunday publications - has regular through out the year awards and ceremonies.

Now, when I first came across these, I thought there was some thought and seriousness about them. But now I conclude that they are not much more than pub lists, debated over a couple of pints of Brains SA, by a few hacks who long for what was Fleet Street.

The traditional list is the 100 most beautiful women in Wales. Now, I am certianly NOT saying that Wales doesn't have any cracking looking women - its part of the reason that I live here - and no they are not all called Catherine or Zeta or Jones. Some of then are called Sian, and if there's been a bit of Gavin and Stacey shown in the past 18months - yes, even a repeat - then a Gower girl called Joanna zooms up the charts. But I started questioning who put this list together when the various news readers of BBC Wales and ITV Wales would seem to inter change like handbags trying to be matched with the latest trendy dress.

The lastest list is the 100 best networkers in Wales. Now quite how you are supposed to rank one persons network against anothers person network is a new science to me: I always though the question was, does your network do what you want it to do for you/your business/your career? Some English idiot last week tried to suggest that the answer to Silicon Valley employment now was completely held within your Klout ranking, but that's Silicon Valley and he was a leading Social Networker in 2000, but in online terms that's ages ago.

Amusingly part of the "ranking" used in this latest hacks pub quiz must include LinkedIn. How do I know this? Because they refer to in some of the rankings. For instance, the ever wonderful Alison Hoy, CEO of leading Welsh law from Berry Smith, has the comment: "Alison has a relatively small number of connections on Linkedin in a classic case of quality over quantity." Then over on the J's section - we are Wales, so a lot of J's - is the ever insightful and driven Ron Jones of Tinopolis (like many good business people, if ever you get the chance, go listen to Ron talk - passionate about his sector and business, highly entertaining plus insightful), on who it is commented: "Ron is an active user of both Twitter and Linkedin."

Now being inquisitive on the scheme used to rank people in this scheme, I checked Alison's and Ron's connection levels on LinkedIn. As Alison has 52 connections and Ron 57, I can only assume that the difference between "quality over quantity" and "active" in this ranking system is around 5 connections. Lordy, what must my lack of quality with 3500+ connections be seen as from the bottom of a second pint of SA? I will just take this thought a bit further:

Dan Langford: group marketing director of Newport-based recruitment and training company Acorn "has more than 400 connections on LinkedIn."

Russell Lawson: public affairs manager for the Federation of Small Businesses in Wales has "embraced Social Networking." (150 connections) Last tweet on 8th December 2010 was "Sainsbury's overcharged me £1.58 on a four pack of tuna last Saturday. It's still playing on my mind. Land pirates..."

Bill Main: Chief Executive of one of Wales’ fastest-growing indigenous businesses MSS Group has "more than 50 connections on LinkedIn, and twet's regularly." I don't know when his last tweet was, his feed is protected

I could go on, but honestly just beyond the M's and N's, it got depressing and wholly laughable! The only other people I will pick up on are:

Jeremy Salisbury: Chairman of the CBI North Wales branch, who has "registered on Linkedin but has yet to cultivate any contacts." So why is he on the list then?

Wil Stephens: CEO of media company Cube, who "uses Linkedin (195 connections) and Twitter the latter where he has more than 800 followers."

Richard Thomas: CEO of development network business Cardiff & Co., who "is equally comfortable communicating to his network via Twitter and Linkedin (465 connections)."

I'll give you a thought on how this list was "created" on some substance, beyond the local hacks drinking hole. Every year, Media Wales who own the South Wales Echo and Wales on Sunday produce a "Who's Who in Welsh business." Its a vanity directory, in that almost every entry has been paid for. The first time I saw it was at a Welsh business exhibition, where they were giving away what I had been told only the day before in a sales cold call was a "quality directory distributed to key influencers in the Welsh buisness community." Yet now it was being given away to the few UWIC and UCC students who had been bothered to get up that day, as they toured an empty event looking for inspiration for their next assignment - I believe they call it research! Browsing my copy showed huge lists of local members of each of the busines sbanking teams that could be found on a 5minute walk down Queen Street, and the occasional secretary ofor a new business start up, but one of the key influencers who from my then short time in Wales I knew I had to have in my address book to get anywhere or anything done.

So how was this list created on some substance? PS: its time to renew your subscription to "Who's Who in Welsh business!!!"

The problem with this list is that it is reflective of an old Wales business culture. One thing as an incomer that I noticed, was the huge gap betwee the old boyo's, and the new Welsh buisness culture. It's hugely youth driven (sub 30), online, and when person drinks and discussion based. Its why Wales has more BNI groups per head of capita than most parts of England. Unable to get into places like the County Club - actually, not wanting to join stuffy and dusty places like the County Club - they drive new agenda's using new social media. I'll pick two people out of this new grouping, and ask how they didn't get on the list:

Elio Assuncao: Cardiff Ambassador, CEO Wales Connects International - 500+ on Linkedin 3000+ on Twitter, and tweeted today

Bernie Jackson: ILM trainer and coach, a Cardiff Council Member at South Wales Chamber of Commerce, 500+ on LinkedIn, 1500+ followers on Twitter, tweet'd today

Part of Welsh culture and Welsh life, is proud of being Welsh - I get that, its why I live here. While much of the rest of the UK has lost its drive, strength and uniqeness, Wales has not. Part of that Welsh cultural revival is through its language - and even though I speak less than 10words of the sacred bardic language, I will defend it and its teaching to the hilt. As apparently will most of the incoming non-Welsh speaking parents, who in Cardiff que outside Welsh-medium schools just to get their children into what are proven to be better learning institutes.

But please, don't decry and insult your readership and country by producing a vanity list, created on a criteria of needing to fill a few column inches, thought up while downing a few pints in a hacks driking hole. Either do it properly or don't do it at all!