Social Business Digest
by caro
Curated hints on Digital Transformation, Enterprise 2.0, Enterprise Social Networks, Social Intranets, Social Collaboration, Knowledge Management, HR 2.0, ... and all the rest
Dr.-Ing. Carsten Rose – Effective: 30.06.2015
Dr.-Ing. Carsten Rose – Effective: 30.06.2015
Archive 06/2015
Why do I have to cooperate?
30.06.2015
by Esko Kilpi - Somebody recently asked me: "Why do we have to cooperate? I know my job. If I do my job and everybody else does his, we will be fine. The people I work with every day know what to do. I don't get it why I need to be communicating with those other guys." I answered that work is not separate actions but connected tasks. Today's organizations are complex systems that require continuous, responsive coordination to be effective. Work is much less repetitive than before. Job roles and work instructions can never be complete descriptions of ...
30.06.2015
by Esko Kilpi - Somebody recently asked me: "Why do we have to cooperate? I know my job. If I do my job and everybody else does his, we will be fine. The people I work with every day know what to do. I don't get it why I need to be communicating with those other guys." I answered that work is not separate actions but connected tasks. Today's organizations are complex systems that require continuous, responsive coordination to be effective. Work is much less repetitive than before. Job roles and work instructions can never be complete descriptions of ...
How Digital Collaboration is Fragmenting, and Why It's a Major Opportunity
30.06.2015
by Dion Hinchcliffe - A significant issue has been developing in digital collaboration for the last several years, and it's now starting to become somewhat acute. I'm referring here to the pronounced trend towards app, environment, and channel fragmentation. Over the last few of years, I have been speaking with beleaguered IT managers who are struggling to cope with the sheer proliferation of software, systems, and applications that purport to help workers with collaboration. It's not a new problem, and smart folks like Dave Winer have long worried ...
30.06.2015
by Dion Hinchcliffe - A significant issue has been developing in digital collaboration for the last several years, and it's now starting to become somewhat acute. I'm referring here to the pronounced trend towards app, environment, and channel fragmentation. Over the last few of years, I have been speaking with beleaguered IT managers who are struggling to cope with the sheer proliferation of software, systems, and applications that purport to help workers with collaboration. It's not a new problem, and smart folks like Dave Winer have long worried ...
Enterprise collaboration for corporates: four core use cases
30.06.2015
Secure file sharing, external collaboration, project management and enterprise social networking. These are four key areas that all organisations have an issue with when it comes to technology and providing solutions to staff and customers. So what are the problems, and how can enterprise collaboration software help to solve them? Secure file sharing External collaboration Project management Enterprise social networking [...] ...
30.06.2015
Secure file sharing, external collaboration, project management and enterprise social networking. These are four key areas that all organisations have an issue with when it comes to technology and providing solutions to staff and customers. So what are the problems, and how can enterprise collaboration software help to solve them? Secure file sharing External collaboration Project management Enterprise social networking [...] ...
4 easy ways to encourage collaboration on your intranet
30.06.2015
How many times have you overheard a conversation in your office and taken positive action as a result? Imagine accessing all the conversations in your organisation and filtering the ones relevant to you. Consider the time saved and the reduction in duplicated effort that would bring. An intranet can maintain a good company culture built on information exchange and collaboration - this is the crux of a social intranet. Intranets make it easier to move information within an organisation. Departments that once rarely interacted can now collaborate on big ...
30.06.2015
How many times have you overheard a conversation in your office and taken positive action as a result? Imagine accessing all the conversations in your organisation and filtering the ones relevant to you. Consider the time saved and the reduction in duplicated effort that would bring. An intranet can maintain a good company culture built on information exchange and collaboration - this is the crux of a social intranet. Intranets make it easier to move information within an organisation. Departments that once rarely interacted can now collaborate on big ...
Will Enterprise Chat Supplant Email?
30.06.2015
Enterprise chat, sometimes referred to as team messaging, has emerged as a viable alternative to email and might just knock it off its throne. At the very least, there is the potential for enterprise chat to absorb much of the communication that is now done through email. Since the emergence of email as the primary form of corporate communication, everyone has complained that there is too much of it. What knowledge workers really mean (unless they're talking about spam) is that it is too hard to use for the way most people want to communicate: What ...
30.06.2015
Enterprise chat, sometimes referred to as team messaging, has emerged as a viable alternative to email and might just knock it off its throne. At the very least, there is the potential for enterprise chat to absorb much of the communication that is now done through email. Since the emergence of email as the primary form of corporate communication, everyone has complained that there is too much of it. What knowledge workers really mean (unless they're talking about spam) is that it is too hard to use for the way most people want to communicate: What ...
Structuring Calls To Action Within A Community
30.06.2015
When registered members visit your community landing page, what do you ask them to do? You can choose between four positive behaviours: Ask a question to get help on a problem (ask) Answer questions (help) Share advice/expertise (publish) Find/consume information (find) You want members to ask, help, publish, and find value. This often matches the stage of the lifecycle too. In the inception stage, asking for help is the key behaviour. In the establishment, getting responses from the right people is key. In the maturity stage, you need people to publish ...
30.06.2015
When registered members visit your community landing page, what do you ask them to do? You can choose between four positive behaviours: Ask a question to get help on a problem (ask) Answer questions (help) Share advice/expertise (publish) Find/consume information (find) You want members to ask, help, publish, and find value. This often matches the stage of the lifecycle too. In the inception stage, asking for help is the key behaviour. In the establishment, getting responses from the right people is key. In the maturity stage, you need people to publish ...
Why Most Companies Fail at Community Management
30.06.2015
Most companies fail at community. And instead of taking a good long look in the mirror at what they're doing wrong, they just declare that community doesn't work as a strategy. They're wrong. You can make sure that you get it right. It's time for you to look in the mirror. If your community efforts are failing, it's probably because you haven't grasped the definition of community or how community building actually functions within a business context. You're claiming that everyone who buys something from you or likes your content is part of your ...
30.06.2015
Most companies fail at community. And instead of taking a good long look in the mirror at what they're doing wrong, they just declare that community doesn't work as a strategy. They're wrong. You can make sure that you get it right. It's time for you to look in the mirror. If your community efforts are failing, it's probably because you haven't grasped the definition of community or how community building actually functions within a business context. You're claiming that everyone who buys something from you or likes your content is part of your ...
How To Kill An Online Community In 15 Easy Steps
30.06.2015
by Vanessa DiMauro - Almost a decade ago, I blogged about the top 10 ways to kill engagement. It was an instant internet sensation even though online communities were just coming onto the business scene. Time has passed, tools have changed and the industry has evolved, so I figured it was time to update this list with fresh, updated tactics. By now, nearly every organization has taken the community leap in one form or another -- from Facebook fan pages and LinkedIn groups to, for the bravest, a dedicated online community for their customers, clients ...
30.06.2015
by Vanessa DiMauro - Almost a decade ago, I blogged about the top 10 ways to kill engagement. It was an instant internet sensation even though online communities were just coming onto the business scene. Time has passed, tools have changed and the industry has evolved, so I figured it was time to update this list with fresh, updated tactics. By now, nearly every organization has taken the community leap in one form or another -- from Facebook fan pages and LinkedIn groups to, for the bravest, a dedicated online community for their customers, clients ...
How to structure your intranet
30.06.2015
by Rachel Miller - How does your intranet affect your ability to reach colleagues, communicate important matters, and start dialogues? Intranets may be the foundation of your digital internal communications, but they have to be designed and configured in the right way. I have news of a course to help you do just that, and a guest post to guide you through decision-making. What's clear is that continuous improvement is needed if your intranet and digital comms are to keep up with organisational change and business objectives. Your intranet can't remain ...
30.06.2015
by Rachel Miller - How does your intranet affect your ability to reach colleagues, communicate important matters, and start dialogues? Intranets may be the foundation of your digital internal communications, but they have to be designed and configured in the right way. I have news of a course to help you do just that, and a guest post to guide you through decision-making. What's clear is that continuous improvement is needed if your intranet and digital comms are to keep up with organisational change and business objectives. Your intranet can't remain ...
An inspiring case study of Knowledge Harvesting
30.06.2015
by Nick Milton - How can we provide the right people with the right knowledge at the right time? How can we support co-workers in transferring and implementing knowledge? And how can we cope with the challenges involved? It is these and similar questions that the international non-profit organisation SOS Children's Villages has been intensively exploring over the past decade. At a time when many are questioning the health of Knowledge management, it is refreshing to find it alive and thriving over many years within an organisation. This organisation ...
30.06.2015
by Nick Milton - How can we provide the right people with the right knowledge at the right time? How can we support co-workers in transferring and implementing knowledge? And how can we cope with the challenges involved? It is these and similar questions that the international non-profit organisation SOS Children's Villages has been intensively exploring over the past decade. At a time when many are questioning the health of Knowledge management, it is refreshing to find it alive and thriving over many years within an organisation. This organisation ...
Is knowledge management on life support in most organizations?
30.06.2015
by Stan Garfield - [...] I was asked to participate in the KMWorld 2008 panel A105: Where in the World Is KM Going? I was unable to attend that year, but I prepared some remarks. I have updated them here to reflect changes over the past seven years. My views are based on doing knowledge management for 19 years. I am still actively practicing KM, both within and external to my firm. When people ask me about what I do, and I tell them "knowledge management," and then I have to explain what KM is. I say that KM allows one part of an organization to take ...
30.06.2015
by Stan Garfield - [...] I was asked to participate in the KMWorld 2008 panel A105: Where in the World Is KM Going? I was unable to attend that year, but I prepared some remarks. I have updated them here to reflect changes over the past seven years. My views are based on doing knowledge management for 19 years. I am still actively practicing KM, both within and external to my firm. When people ask me about what I do, and I tell them "knowledge management," and then I have to explain what KM is. I say that KM allows one part of an organization to take ...
CEO, Is Social Media the Future of Building Your Team?
30.06.2015
What's the biggest challenge facing your organization as you grow? For my clients, it's finding, developing, and retaining the right people for their team. As the economy continues growing and many baby boomers move toward retirement, many organizations struggle with finding the best people for their organizations. Several years ago, I attended a presentation in which the speaker shared that organizations would spend more money on finding talent than marketing their products in the next ten years. To be candid, you could hear some laughter among many ...
30.06.2015
What's the biggest challenge facing your organization as you grow? For my clients, it's finding, developing, and retaining the right people for their team. As the economy continues growing and many baby boomers move toward retirement, many organizations struggle with finding the best people for their organizations. Several years ago, I attended a presentation in which the speaker shared that organizations would spend more money on finding talent than marketing their products in the next ten years. To be candid, you could hear some laughter among many ...
Innovation Starts with the Heart, Not the Head
30.06.2015
Gary Hamel - [...] For me, the point of his story was simple but profound: empathy is the engine of innovation. That's why I often worry about just how de-humanized our organizations have become. Listen to the speech of a typical CEO, or scroll through an employee-oriented website, and notice the words that keep cropping up--words like execution, solution, advantage, focus, differentiation and superiority. There's nothing wrong with these words, but they're not the ones that inspire human hearts. And that's a problem--because if you want to innovate, ...
30.06.2015
Gary Hamel - [...] For me, the point of his story was simple but profound: empathy is the engine of innovation. That's why I often worry about just how de-humanized our organizations have become. Listen to the speech of a typical CEO, or scroll through an employee-oriented website, and notice the words that keep cropping up--words like execution, solution, advantage, focus, differentiation and superiority. There's nothing wrong with these words, but they're not the ones that inspire human hearts. And that's a problem--because if you want to innovate, ...
Regain Freedom at Work
29.06.2015
by Céline Schillinger - Corporate Rebels United, Rebels At Work and Change Agents Worldwide recently organized an amazing 24-hour Rebel Jam where corporate change makers from around the world shared ideas and advice. The diagnosis is now well established: organizations must change the way they work. But how do we do, in practice? My contribution to the Jam consisted in supporting people who suffer from a controlling work culture and want to do something about it. Change agents, it's time to be tactical! Here are 15 tips anyone can use. They've been ...
29.06.2015
by Céline Schillinger - Corporate Rebels United, Rebels At Work and Change Agents Worldwide recently organized an amazing 24-hour Rebel Jam where corporate change makers from around the world shared ideas and advice. The diagnosis is now well established: organizations must change the way they work. But how do we do, in practice? My contribution to the Jam consisted in supporting people who suffer from a controlling work culture and want to do something about it. Change agents, it's time to be tactical! Here are 15 tips anyone can use. They've been ...
5 Biggest Differences between Social Media and Social Networking
29.06.2015
Trying to figure out the difference between social media and social networking is like trying to fully understand every ranking factor that Google uses for SEO: it's not easy. To really understand the difference between the two, we first need to define them. Merriam-Webster defines social media and social networking as the below: Social Media: forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos). ...
29.06.2015
Trying to figure out the difference between social media and social networking is like trying to fully understand every ranking factor that Google uses for SEO: it's not easy. To really understand the difference between the two, we first need to define them. Merriam-Webster defines social media and social networking as the below: Social Media: forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos). ...
Internal Communications Check-Up: What's Your Organization's Temperature?
29.06.2015
I firmly believe that leaders are always communicating, whether they intend to or not. And just like a leader sends a message by communicating - or not - an organization shows its commitment to communication whether it intends to or not. That's why, when clients come to us for help on improving communication, we start by taking the organization's temperature. That means evaluating some big-picture indicators of its commitment to the practice and value of communication. Here are some elements of our internal and leadership communications "temperature ...
29.06.2015
I firmly believe that leaders are always communicating, whether they intend to or not. And just like a leader sends a message by communicating - or not - an organization shows its commitment to communication whether it intends to or not. That's why, when clients come to us for help on improving communication, we start by taking the organization's temperature. That means evaluating some big-picture indicators of its commitment to the practice and value of communication. Here are some elements of our internal and leadership communications "temperature ...
Don't Let Your Community Manager Go It Alone
29.06.2015
As the resident expert, the association online community manager often serves as an internal consultant to teach other staff about online member engagement. In the future, though, we may all be community managers. For a long time, if you wondered which staff at your association interacted with the most members most frequently, the answer was the member-service staff, or whoever was answering phone calls and emails from members with questions. Today, the front line has moved at many associations. For those that host online communities for their members, ...
29.06.2015
As the resident expert, the association online community manager often serves as an internal consultant to teach other staff about online member engagement. In the future, though, we may all be community managers. For a long time, if you wondered which staff at your association interacted with the most members most frequently, the answer was the member-service staff, or whoever was answering phone calls and emails from members with questions. Today, the front line has moved at many associations. For those that host online communities for their members, ...
How Organizations Learn
29.06.2015
An employee quits or retires, and as he or she walks out the door, so too does the knowledge that they learned about the projects they've done, the clients they've worked with. A particular project goes badly, and all everyone wants to do is forget about it, yet even as that happens the seeds for that same failure are cast into the soil of future projects. Demos are produced for a client, but the servers get repurposed, the code gets out of date, and when a sales team wants to showcase what the company has done, they end up having to rebuild ...
29.06.2015
An employee quits or retires, and as he or she walks out the door, so too does the knowledge that they learned about the projects they've done, the clients they've worked with. A particular project goes badly, and all everyone wants to do is forget about it, yet even as that happens the seeds for that same failure are cast into the soil of future projects. Demos are produced for a client, but the servers get repurposed, the code gets out of date, and when a sales team wants to showcase what the company has done, they end up having to rebuild ...
If enterprise social networks might help us remake organizational learning, what is our pedagogy?
29.06.2015
In Why Start with Pedagogy 4 Good Reasons, 4 Good Solutions, Cathy Davidson writes: "If your goal is equality in a world where inequality is structural and violent and pervasive, you can at least start with your classroom as a place in which to model a better way... Be an activist in the realm where you have control. You can change to a pedagogy of liberation today." This past week was a big week of reminders about structural inequality in the U.S. Although Davidson's post appeared as many of these reminders were unfolding I don't believe it was timed ...
29.06.2015
In Why Start with Pedagogy 4 Good Reasons, 4 Good Solutions, Cathy Davidson writes: "If your goal is equality in a world where inequality is structural and violent and pervasive, you can at least start with your classroom as a place in which to model a better way... Be an activist in the realm where you have control. You can change to a pedagogy of liberation today." This past week was a big week of reminders about structural inequality in the U.S. Although Davidson's post appeared as many of these reminders were unfolding I don't believe it was timed ...
Where is KM and its spirit?
29.06.2015
Is it dead? Is it dying? Is it in comms? Is it in my work? Is it in my head? The danger of terms like knowledge management is their undue mystifying power. It means many things to many people. And it tends to confuse everyone - much like the term 'knowledge' itself anyway. But the point is simple - and rather than define KM, let's rather look at some key situations when 'KM is inside'. When you want to stop talking at people, when you want to disrupt one-sided communication and you want all people to engage in meaningful conversations with each other, ...
29.06.2015
Is it dead? Is it dying? Is it in comms? Is it in my work? Is it in my head? The danger of terms like knowledge management is their undue mystifying power. It means many things to many people. And it tends to confuse everyone - much like the term 'knowledge' itself anyway. But the point is simple - and rather than define KM, let's rather look at some key situations when 'KM is inside'. When you want to stop talking at people, when you want to disrupt one-sided communication and you want all people to engage in meaningful conversations with each other, ...
Why Death of Chief Knowledge Officers is a Good Thing
29.06.2015
Recently, I was asked to find organizations with CKOs (Chief Knowledge Officer). It occurred to me that I haven't really heard of one in recent memory. So why is that? While I don't have a definitive answer, I have a suspicion (a hope really): not only are CKOs not needed, we shouldn't want them. That may seem like an outlandish statement from someone who loves knowledge management, but there is a very good reason why we shouldn't lament the demise of the CKO. First and foremost, organizational knowledge management shouldn't be a function--it should ...
29.06.2015
Recently, I was asked to find organizations with CKOs (Chief Knowledge Officer). It occurred to me that I haven't really heard of one in recent memory. So why is that? While I don't have a definitive answer, I have a suspicion (a hope really): not only are CKOs not needed, we shouldn't want them. That may seem like an outlandish statement from someone who loves knowledge management, but there is a very good reason why we shouldn't lament the demise of the CKO. First and foremost, organizational knowledge management shouldn't be a function--it should ...
Do you really want to work for managers who fear the use of social media?
29.06.2015
It's popularly said that the reason many C-level execs have difficulties "accepting" social media in business is because of the word "social". This apparently makes these executives fear that their people will muck about all day being "social". Does that make sense to you? That executives worry about their people being social? It sure doesn't to me, because being human and social is how great businesses succeed - in fact it's how great business leaders succeed. Let's break that down to what it might mean, and think it through. It may mean that the executives ...
29.06.2015
It's popularly said that the reason many C-level execs have difficulties "accepting" social media in business is because of the word "social". This apparently makes these executives fear that their people will muck about all day being "social". Does that make sense to you? That executives worry about their people being social? It sure doesn't to me, because being human and social is how great businesses succeed - in fact it's how great business leaders succeed. Let's break that down to what it might mean, and think it through. It may mean that the executives ...
How to train your employees to use a social platform
26.06.2015
There are three aspects to training: Helping people understand how to use the platform features; familiarizing them with the site structure and contents; and giving them confidence to use them as part of their job. Many people will expect to learn by doing, and so won't look for training until something goes wrong. But the support must be in place as it forms a key part of the culture and governance of the platform. (And it is not unknown for the Executive Suite to need training to write their own blogs rather than rely on staff to post for them - though ...
26.06.2015
There are three aspects to training: Helping people understand how to use the platform features; familiarizing them with the site structure and contents; and giving them confidence to use them as part of their job. Many people will expect to learn by doing, and so won't look for training until something goes wrong. But the support must be in place as it forms a key part of the culture and governance of the platform. (And it is not unknown for the Executive Suite to need training to write their own blogs rather than rely on staff to post for them - though ...
Effective Employee Engagement Doesn't Involve Email
26.06.2015
If you're still using email to stay in touch with your team, chances are your engagement strategy is on a one-way road to nowhere. With email traffic at an all-time high, the sad truth is that most internal communications go straight from the inbox to the trash. With no way to respond except a "reply all," how do you even know if people are reading your important internal communications? Numbers show that productivity increases 15% across the enterprise when employees can talk back. Below you'll find some suggestions to raise employee engagement. What ...
26.06.2015
If you're still using email to stay in touch with your team, chances are your engagement strategy is on a one-way road to nowhere. With email traffic at an all-time high, the sad truth is that most internal communications go straight from the inbox to the trash. With no way to respond except a "reply all," how do you even know if people are reading your important internal communications? Numbers show that productivity increases 15% across the enterprise when employees can talk back. Below you'll find some suggestions to raise employee engagement. What ...
How One Company Reduced Email by 64%
26.06.2015
If you're going to achieve growth in the knowledge economy, your employees need to be able to quickly find people inside and outside the company whose expertise can help them solve critical business problems. That takes a highly effective communication tool. Oh, we already have that, you might say: email. Email is indeed good for enabling employees to communicate with colleagues they already know. But it hasn't changed much in all these years, and it remains ill-suited for helping employees find experts they don't know, particularly in other companies. ...
26.06.2015
If you're going to achieve growth in the knowledge economy, your employees need to be able to quickly find people inside and outside the company whose expertise can help them solve critical business problems. That takes a highly effective communication tool. Oh, we already have that, you might say: email. Email is indeed good for enabling employees to communicate with colleagues they already know. But it hasn't changed much in all these years, and it remains ill-suited for helping employees find experts they don't know, particularly in other companies. ...
Great Leaders Ask For the Check
26.06.2015
To lead and influence others, you need to communicate effectively. We explored this issue by first looking at Why Is Effective Communication So Difficult? The answer boils down to a lack of alignment between the three critical elements of communication: Sender (what you mean) Message (what you say) Receiver (what I hear) The earlier post shared the giant mistake communicators make: assuming that what you mean is what gets heard. Or, as George Bernard Shaw put it: "The greatest problem with communication is the illusion that it's been accomplished." ...
26.06.2015
To lead and influence others, you need to communicate effectively. We explored this issue by first looking at Why Is Effective Communication So Difficult? The answer boils down to a lack of alignment between the three critical elements of communication: Sender (what you mean) Message (what you say) Receiver (what I hear) The earlier post shared the giant mistake communicators make: assuming that what you mean is what gets heard. Or, as George Bernard Shaw put it: "The greatest problem with communication is the illusion that it's been accomplished." ...
Digital transformation won't happen without sense of urgency
26.06.2015
by Bertrand Duperrin - There are, in my view, two things that are a prerequisite to a successful digital transformation : a sense of urgency and the clear and non-ambiguous involvement of the C-Suite. Without these two elements, nothing is going to happen. Budget comes after. As a matter of fact even if you have millions to spent, if not one gets the urgency and/or if leaders don't show the way in an explicit and exemplary way nothing will happen. I've made a similar analysis regarding to enterprise social networks and the model applies here too with ...
26.06.2015
by Bertrand Duperrin - There are, in my view, two things that are a prerequisite to a successful digital transformation : a sense of urgency and the clear and non-ambiguous involvement of the C-Suite. Without these two elements, nothing is going to happen. Budget comes after. As a matter of fact even if you have millions to spent, if not one gets the urgency and/or if leaders don't show the way in an explicit and exemplary way nothing will happen. I've made a similar analysis regarding to enterprise social networks and the model applies here too with ...
10 differences between an intranet and digital workplace homepage
25.06.2015
As intranet managers, from time-to-time we all do it, despite bearing the scars from the last time. We decide to re-launch our intranet homepage. A triumph of optimism over experience. We know we'll get hate mail from users the day it launches no matter how good it actually is ... but we just can't help ourselves. And so it is now in BT. We're full speed ahead on developing a new intranet homepage site which will be launched before Christmas. [...] My digital workplace homepage needs to be 'useful to me' rather than 'good for me' - by which I mean I ...
25.06.2015
As intranet managers, from time-to-time we all do it, despite bearing the scars from the last time. We decide to re-launch our intranet homepage. A triumph of optimism over experience. We know we'll get hate mail from users the day it launches no matter how good it actually is ... but we just can't help ourselves. And so it is now in BT. We're full speed ahead on developing a new intranet homepage site which will be launched before Christmas. [...] My digital workplace homepage needs to be 'useful to me' rather than 'good for me' - by which I mean I ...
The Why of Working Out Loud
25.06.2015
by John Stepper - Earlier today, Seth Godin captured perhaps the best reason to help someone work out loud. He was talking about our expectations of ourselves and of each other, and how limiting they can be. "If we can help just one person refuse to accept false limits, we've made a contribution. If we can give people the education, the tools and the access they need to reach their goals, we've made a difference." Giving people the education, tools, and access. It's why I wrote the book. It's why people sometimes buy a copy for a friend. "They could ...
25.06.2015
by John Stepper - Earlier today, Seth Godin captured perhaps the best reason to help someone work out loud. He was talking about our expectations of ourselves and of each other, and how limiting they can be. "If we can help just one person refuse to accept false limits, we've made a contribution. If we can give people the education, the tools and the access they need to reach their goals, we've made a difference." Giving people the education, tools, and access. It's why I wrote the book. It's why people sometimes buy a copy for a friend. "They could ...
I've been blogging for 8 freaking years.
25.06.2015
Here's what I learned as I went along. Just put your stuff out there. Somebody will like it. True fact. There are people out there who GET you. And your voice will call out to them, and somehow, connect. It's wild. People will steal everything you do. Whatever: you can have more ideas. They apparently can't. Don't be afraid of your own voice. It's the only one you have (unless you write fiction). Whatever you say, someone will be offended. Whatever. Creative habits are healthy. Drawing a little graph every day helps me think better. It doesn't matter ...
25.06.2015
Here's what I learned as I went along. Just put your stuff out there. Somebody will like it. True fact. There are people out there who GET you. And your voice will call out to them, and somehow, connect. It's wild. People will steal everything you do. Whatever: you can have more ideas. They apparently can't. Don't be afraid of your own voice. It's the only one you have (unless you write fiction). Whatever you say, someone will be offended. Whatever. Creative habits are healthy. Drawing a little graph every day helps me think better. It doesn't matter ...
Keeping Social, Digital Communities Health
25.06.2015
by David F. Carr - Professionals who manage online communities are beginning to command respect, at least to the point of not having to defend their reason for existing anymore, according to the latest research from The Community Roundtable. As The CR's cofounder Rachel Happe puts it in her introduction to a report based on a survey of her membership, "Resistance to communities now seems more practical in nature, and less philosophical. That is phenomenal progress for a complex discipline in just a few short years, and something of which all of us who ...
25.06.2015
by David F. Carr - Professionals who manage online communities are beginning to command respect, at least to the point of not having to defend their reason for existing anymore, according to the latest research from The Community Roundtable. As The CR's cofounder Rachel Happe puts it in her introduction to a report based on a survey of her membership, "Resistance to communities now seems more practical in nature, and less philosophical. That is phenomenal progress for a complex discipline in just a few short years, and something of which all of us who ...
4 Ways Successful Leaders let Employees Take the Wheel
25.06.2015
Many organizations want employees to embrace change, but that doesn't go far enough. They should drive it. Employees have trouble embracing change because they have to get behind something they did not create. While some strategies appear to be effective at getting employees to embrace change, a stronger and longer-lasting solution comes from having skin in the game and constant employee involvement in the changing organization. Businesses have become much more transparent. Giving employees more of a say is hard to avoid. Instead of hiding company challenges ...
25.06.2015
Many organizations want employees to embrace change, but that doesn't go far enough. They should drive it. Employees have trouble embracing change because they have to get behind something they did not create. While some strategies appear to be effective at getting employees to embrace change, a stronger and longer-lasting solution comes from having skin in the game and constant employee involvement in the changing organization. Businesses have become much more transparent. Giving employees more of a say is hard to avoid. Instead of hiding company challenges ...
The curse of prior knowledge (why bullet points don't work for knowledge transfer)
25.06.2015
by Nick Milton - The Curse of Prior Knowledge is a real problem when it comes to knowledge sharing, or trying to transfer knowledge to the Unknown User. It's also one of the reasons why lesson management systems are full of mushy motherhoods and useless bullet points. The curse of prior knowledge refers to the fact that when we know something, it seems obvious to us, so we assume its obvious to everyone else. Therefore we underestimate the difficulty of transferring that knowledge to someone else; to whom it is not obvious. Chip and Dan Heath, ...
25.06.2015
by Nick Milton - The Curse of Prior Knowledge is a real problem when it comes to knowledge sharing, or trying to transfer knowledge to the Unknown User. It's also one of the reasons why lesson management systems are full of mushy motherhoods and useless bullet points. The curse of prior knowledge refers to the fact that when we know something, it seems obvious to us, so we assume its obvious to everyone else. Therefore we underestimate the difficulty of transferring that knowledge to someone else; to whom it is not obvious. Chip and Dan Heath, ...
Why 90% of Organisations would NOT Survive a Digital Disruption
25.06.2015
Really? 90%? Well let me qualify that and say that that 90% includes those organisations that also try to take advantage of a digital disruption opportunity and are not successful. Nevertheless it's still a big number, so here is how we are justifying it. We provide some compelling 'reality data mining' analysis to support our case. Surviving a Digital Disruption will require a major change in the way organisations currently work Not as controversial? Well let's look at how Organisational Change guru and Harvard Professor John Kotter sees it in his ...
25.06.2015
Really? 90%? Well let me qualify that and say that that 90% includes those organisations that also try to take advantage of a digital disruption opportunity and are not successful. Nevertheless it's still a big number, so here is how we are justifying it. We provide some compelling 'reality data mining' analysis to support our case. Surviving a Digital Disruption will require a major change in the way organisations currently work Not as controversial? Well let's look at how Organisational Change guru and Harvard Professor John Kotter sees it in his ...
Mitarbeiter vernetzen - Die Vorteile von Social Media für Unternehmen
24.06.2015
Der Begriff "Social Media" ist in aller Munde. Die sogenannten sozialen Medien, die sowohl im privaten Bereich, als auch auf dem Gebiet des Marketings kaum mehr wegzudenken sind, können allerdings auch intern für Unternehmen enorme Vorteile bei der Vernetzung der Mitarbeiter und deren Identifikation mit dem eigenen Arbeitgeber bieten. Der nachfolgende Artikel soll eine Übersicht bieten, wie Einzelunternehmen die sozialen Medien für ihren Betrieb optimal nutzen können. Neben den notwendigen offiziellen Organisations- und Führungsstrukturen existieren ...
24.06.2015
Der Begriff "Social Media" ist in aller Munde. Die sogenannten sozialen Medien, die sowohl im privaten Bereich, als auch auf dem Gebiet des Marketings kaum mehr wegzudenken sind, können allerdings auch intern für Unternehmen enorme Vorteile bei der Vernetzung der Mitarbeiter und deren Identifikation mit dem eigenen Arbeitgeber bieten. Der nachfolgende Artikel soll eine Übersicht bieten, wie Einzelunternehmen die sozialen Medien für ihren Betrieb optimal nutzen können. Neben den notwendigen offiziellen Organisations- und Führungsstrukturen existieren ...
In social networks, group boundaries promote the spread of ideas, study finds
24.06.2015
Social networks affect every aspect of our lives, from the jobs we get and the technologies we adopt to the partners we choose and the healthiness of our lifestyles. But where do they come from? In a new study, the University of Pennsylvania's Damon Centola shows how social networks form and what that means for the ideas that will spread across them. Counterintuitively, he finds that breaking down group boundaries to increase the spread of knowledge across populations may ultimately result in less-effective knowledge sharing. Instead, his research ...
24.06.2015
Social networks affect every aspect of our lives, from the jobs we get and the technologies we adopt to the partners we choose and the healthiness of our lifestyles. But where do they come from? In a new study, the University of Pennsylvania's Damon Centola shows how social networks form and what that means for the ideas that will spread across them. Counterintuitively, he finds that breaking down group boundaries to increase the spread of knowledge across populations may ultimately result in less-effective knowledge sharing. Instead, his research ...
Networked unmanagement
24.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - What are fundamental changes necessary to shift the dominant organizational model toward stronger networks and temporary, mutually negotiated hierarchies? Yesterday I spoke with the founders of a small start-up that has seen good growth and is looking at how best to structure for the future. They realized that most existing management models did not make sense for their case, as they have both for-profit and non-profit divisions, and while small, have operations on two continents. They have been provided with a lot of advice around ...
24.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - What are fundamental changes necessary to shift the dominant organizational model toward stronger networks and temporary, mutually negotiated hierarchies? Yesterday I spoke with the founders of a small start-up that has seen good growth and is looking at how best to structure for the future. They realized that most existing management models did not make sense for their case, as they have both for-profit and non-profit divisions, and while small, have operations on two continents. They have been provided with a lot of advice around ...
Show Your Work
24.06.2015
by Jane Bozarth - Rather than telling employees how to do something, show them. We spend a great deal of time in this business talking about learning--how other people learn, and how to help other people learn so organizations can perform better. When you ask, "What does learning look like?" the answer is rarely: "Someone talking in front of a room." We learn by doing, telling what we're doing, watching others do things, and showing others how we did something. Sharing what we're doing is an important part of workplace learning and makes up ...
24.06.2015
by Jane Bozarth - Rather than telling employees how to do something, show them. We spend a great deal of time in this business talking about learning--how other people learn, and how to help other people learn so organizations can perform better. When you ask, "What does learning look like?" the answer is rarely: "Someone talking in front of a room." We learn by doing, telling what we're doing, watching others do things, and showing others how we did something. Sharing what we're doing is an important part of workplace learning and makes up ...
How Working Out Loud Helps Us Learn
24.06.2015
by Jane Bozarth - One lesson from my grad school days: the qualitative researcher needs to allow room for new information to emerge. When I was researching Show Your Work: The Payoffs And How-Tos of Working Out Loud (2014: Wiley/ATD), I saw examples falling into several categories: "how I learned...," "why I learned...," and "what I learned the hard way...," and so forth. One category that emerged was "why I did it this way...." For example, in this blog post, Mig Reyes explains why he chose particular fonts for the redesigned Signals vs Noise site. ...
24.06.2015
by Jane Bozarth - One lesson from my grad school days: the qualitative researcher needs to allow room for new information to emerge. When I was researching Show Your Work: The Payoffs And How-Tos of Working Out Loud (2014: Wiley/ATD), I saw examples falling into several categories: "how I learned...," "why I learned...," and "what I learned the hard way...," and so forth. One category that emerged was "why I did it this way...." For example, in this blog post, Mig Reyes explains why he chose particular fonts for the redesigned Signals vs Noise site. ...
6 Things Rock-Star Community Managers Never Do
24.06.2015
Over the past ten years, my blog has offered many suggestions on community management strategy and operations best practices, as well as ideas for programs and lots of practical advice. But one thing we haven't done (until now) is look at community management from the inside out - from the community manager's perspective. It's no secret that community management is one of the most challenging roles for a knowledge worker. Success relies on minute-by-minute mini decisions, driven by an overall strategy. Great community managers must be equal parts therapist, ...
24.06.2015
Over the past ten years, my blog has offered many suggestions on community management strategy and operations best practices, as well as ideas for programs and lots of practical advice. But one thing we haven't done (until now) is look at community management from the inside out - from the community manager's perspective. It's no secret that community management is one of the most challenging roles for a knowledge worker. Success relies on minute-by-minute mini decisions, driven by an overall strategy. Great community managers must be equal parts therapist, ...
3 Ways to Reduce Risk of Managerial Failure
24.06.2015
It's remarkable to see huge companies go up in flames due to managerial failure. And yet it happens regularly. Why? Frequently, the cause of managerial failure is rooted in corporate culture. Managerial failure often springs from a lack of humility, curiosity, and open-mindedness that is reflected in the attitudes, language and behavior -- the culture -- of the people in a company, and in particular, the company's leaders. For example, a company fails to notice and respond to the changing marketplace or to opportunities to bring about disruptive innovation ...
24.06.2015
It's remarkable to see huge companies go up in flames due to managerial failure. And yet it happens regularly. Why? Frequently, the cause of managerial failure is rooted in corporate culture. Managerial failure often springs from a lack of humility, curiosity, and open-mindedness that is reflected in the attitudes, language and behavior -- the culture -- of the people in a company, and in particular, the company's leaders. For example, a company fails to notice and respond to the changing marketplace or to opportunities to bring about disruptive innovation ...
Siemens CEO on KM
24.06.2015
by Nick Milton - "Between 60% and 80% of the value added we generate is linked directly to knowledge - and the percentage is growing. As a result, one of our company's first priorities is to network and manage our internal knowledge so that we will be even more efficient and provide even greater benefits to our customers." "There aren't too many problems that one of our business segments hasn't already solved. Whether it is installing a complete metropolitan subway system, constructing a pharmaceutical plant on a turnkey basis or putting ...
24.06.2015
by Nick Milton - "Between 60% and 80% of the value added we generate is linked directly to knowledge - and the percentage is growing. As a result, one of our company's first priorities is to network and manage our internal knowledge so that we will be even more efficient and provide even greater benefits to our customers." "There aren't too many problems that one of our business segments hasn't already solved. Whether it is installing a complete metropolitan subway system, constructing a pharmaceutical plant on a turnkey basis or putting ...
Lessons from Hollywood on capability development and knowledge sharing
24.06.2015
by Andrew Gerkens - By the 1930s, cinema was America's eight largest industry, so when the country entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hollywood quickly mobilised to support the war effort. Many of us will be familiar with the films and cartoons that were used to keep up the spirits of the troops and support the home front, but the work of American film studios went far beyond morale and propaganda. A major focus for Hollywood was the use of film to speed up the training cycle, preparing troops for the front line in the shortest possible ...
24.06.2015
by Andrew Gerkens - By the 1930s, cinema was America's eight largest industry, so when the country entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hollywood quickly mobilised to support the war effort. Many of us will be familiar with the films and cartoons that were used to keep up the spirits of the troops and support the home front, but the work of American film studios went far beyond morale and propaganda. A major focus for Hollywood was the use of film to speed up the training cycle, preparing troops for the front line in the shortest possible ...
FTC: Businesses Should Provide Employees with Social Media Training
24.06.2015
"Employee advocacy," empowering and encouraging employees to use social media to help promote a company's brand in the social space, has become the fashion for some of the biggest companies. In a set of guidelines just released by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a regulatory authority charged with ensuring truth in advertising, employers are advised to "establish a formal program to remind employees" that they should "not post positive reviews online without clearly disclosing their relationship to the company." The recommendation presupposes the ...
24.06.2015
"Employee advocacy," empowering and encouraging employees to use social media to help promote a company's brand in the social space, has become the fashion for some of the biggest companies. In a set of guidelines just released by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a regulatory authority charged with ensuring truth in advertising, employers are advised to "establish a formal program to remind employees" that they should "not post positive reviews online without clearly disclosing their relationship to the company." The recommendation presupposes the ...
Why Interconnectedness Matters for Industrial Companies
24.06.2015
The convergence of the digital and the physical in the industrial world is a profound transformation that is far from fully appreciated. A connected device or machine becomes something entirely new. A smart phone, for example, still performs its original function; it allows you to make and receive telephone calls. But interconnectedness has rendered this a secondary function. The smart phone has new ways to make us more connected and informed (video chat, social networks, e-reader, and news and weather alerts). It is our concierge (restaurant reviews ...
24.06.2015
The convergence of the digital and the physical in the industrial world is a profound transformation that is far from fully appreciated. A connected device or machine becomes something entirely new. A smart phone, for example, still performs its original function; it allows you to make and receive telephone calls. But interconnectedness has rendered this a secondary function. The smart phone has new ways to make us more connected and informed (video chat, social networks, e-reader, and news and weather alerts). It is our concierge (restaurant reviews ...
Wann haben Sie zuletzt die Welt verändert?
23.06.2015
von Harald Schirmer - Im Personalmanagement Fachmagazin "HR Performance" (bundesweit, Auflage 9700) ist in der Ausgabe 03/2015 jetzt ein 6-seitiger Artikel über die Einführung von Social Media im Konzern und dem "Erfolgsfaktor - GUIDE Konzept" erschienen. Folgende Themen habe ich dabei fokussiert: GUIDE or be guided Wozu Social Media im Unternehmen? Transparenz als Fortschrittsmotor Struktur und Informationsflut Der "Blick über die digitale Schulter" als Basis für lernende Organisationen Simultanes Arbeiten "Work smarter not harder" Human Relations ...
23.06.2015
von Harald Schirmer - Im Personalmanagement Fachmagazin "HR Performance" (bundesweit, Auflage 9700) ist in der Ausgabe 03/2015 jetzt ein 6-seitiger Artikel über die Einführung von Social Media im Konzern und dem "Erfolgsfaktor - GUIDE Konzept" erschienen. Folgende Themen habe ich dabei fokussiert: GUIDE or be guided Wozu Social Media im Unternehmen? Transparenz als Fortschrittsmotor Struktur und Informationsflut Der "Blick über die digitale Schulter" als Basis für lernende Organisationen Simultanes Arbeiten "Work smarter not harder" Human Relations ...
8 Ways Curation Can Supercharge Your Social Media and Content Marketing Impact
23.06.2015
Do you feel as if you're in a constant battle with the content beast to come up with ideas for your next ebook, blog post, newsletter or social media post? Have you ever considered curating other people's content? In this article, I'll show 8 ways that companies use content curation to boost their content marketing and social media activities. Why content curation? As great as your own content may be, there are three reasons why you should consider sharing other people's content: Free Content: You will be able to produce more content by sharing, in ...
23.06.2015
Do you feel as if you're in a constant battle with the content beast to come up with ideas for your next ebook, blog post, newsletter or social media post? Have you ever considered curating other people's content? In this article, I'll show 8 ways that companies use content curation to boost their content marketing and social media activities. Why content curation? As great as your own content may be, there are three reasons why you should consider sharing other people's content: Free Content: You will be able to produce more content by sharing, in ...
#wolan - Working Out Loud in A Network
23.06.2015
I've been developing this Enterprise Social Network (ESN) #wolan methodology for about a year using my know-how as an Internal Communications digital channel/Yammer community manager, plus utilizing exceptional in-house Lean Sigma/agile business improvement training inside a global healthcare company. I've anxiously schlepped the model round with the awful title: Qualitative business value model to improve employee empowerment, engagement and alignment; build trust and maximize the ROI by using Enterprise Social Networking (eg., Yammer; Jive). ...
23.06.2015
I've been developing this Enterprise Social Network (ESN) #wolan methodology for about a year using my know-how as an Internal Communications digital channel/Yammer community manager, plus utilizing exceptional in-house Lean Sigma/agile business improvement training inside a global healthcare company. I've anxiously schlepped the model round with the awful title: Qualitative business value model to improve employee empowerment, engagement and alignment; build trust and maximize the ROI by using Enterprise Social Networking (eg., Yammer; Jive). ...
Quanitifed success story #89: Lesson learning ensures early delivery at Airbus
23.06.2015
by Nick Milton - One of the stand-out presentations for me at KMUK this year was by Rafi Oghoubian of CIMPA, Airbus. Rafi talked about the introduction of Lesson-learning in aircraft production, and the impact it had on delivery of the Airbus 350XWB. One of the problems besetting the aircraft industry is delays in delivery, or (in the jargon) "entry into service". As Daniel James, the MRO guest blogger, says - "rarely, if ever, do new aircraft types get delivered in time to the airlines that have been waiting in line for their shiny new combination ...
23.06.2015
by Nick Milton - One of the stand-out presentations for me at KMUK this year was by Rafi Oghoubian of CIMPA, Airbus. Rafi talked about the introduction of Lesson-learning in aircraft production, and the impact it had on delivery of the Airbus 350XWB. One of the problems besetting the aircraft industry is delays in delivery, or (in the jargon) "entry into service". As Daniel James, the MRO guest blogger, says - "rarely, if ever, do new aircraft types get delivered in time to the airlines that have been waiting in line for their shiny new combination ...
Part 1: Knowledge Management is simple
23.06.2015
It's true. Knowledge Management (KM) isn't a complicated idea. Of course, there are plenty of potential complexities in designing a KM programme or process. There are plenty of potential refinements and options. And there are lots of ancillary skills we may need to learn to do it right. However, fundamentally, the recipe for KM is simple: In whatever you do right now, learn from experience. Learn by doing, Learn by reflecting on doing. Learn with and from the experienced masters. Change your assumptions, methods and set-up based on your experience ...
23.06.2015
It's true. Knowledge Management (KM) isn't a complicated idea. Of course, there are plenty of potential complexities in designing a KM programme or process. There are plenty of potential refinements and options. And there are lots of ancillary skills we may need to learn to do it right. However, fundamentally, the recipe for KM is simple: In whatever you do right now, learn from experience. Learn by doing, Learn by reflecting on doing. Learn with and from the experienced masters. Change your assumptions, methods and set-up based on your experience ...
Part 2: Knowledge Management is impossible
23.06.2015
Why is the simplest idea so difficult to do? KM is a simple idea. So why does this simple idea turn out to be so hard to do? It's true, the basic ideas of KM are simple and really don't need much explaining: Learn from experience. Improve the way you work by reflecting on and acting on each experience of doing the work. So how come this happens so little? Innovate - try new ideas out. Easy! Yet there is a constant flow of anguished business writing about the need to innovate more. Share knowledge. Of course! Collaborate, help each other, share ...
23.06.2015
Why is the simplest idea so difficult to do? KM is a simple idea. So why does this simple idea turn out to be so hard to do? It's true, the basic ideas of KM are simple and really don't need much explaining: Learn from experience. Improve the way you work by reflecting on and acting on each experience of doing the work. So how come this happens so little? Innovate - try new ideas out. Easy! Yet there is a constant flow of anguished business writing about the need to innovate more. Share knowledge. Of course! Collaborate, help each other, share ...
Was in Netzwerken arbeiten bedeutet - Teil 1: Arbeiten in Netzwerkstrukturen
22.06.2015
von Siegfried Lautenbacher - Die eindimensionale Arbeitsweise, in der alles von oben nach unten durchgebetet wird, ist endgültig passé. Das beteuern aktuell viele Unternehmen und schlagen in Tippelschritten ihren Weg Richtung kollaborativer Zusammenarbeit ein. Ein guter Grund, genauer zu analysieren, aus welchen "Unternehmensecken" die echten Netzwerkeffekte mit Business-Mehrwert kommen - und was sie bringen. Viele Firmen haben sich bereits in Richtung "Enterprise 2.0" - eines der Wörter, die in den Marketingbroschüren ganz vorne, aber bei der Umsetzung ...
22.06.2015
von Siegfried Lautenbacher - Die eindimensionale Arbeitsweise, in der alles von oben nach unten durchgebetet wird, ist endgültig passé. Das beteuern aktuell viele Unternehmen und schlagen in Tippelschritten ihren Weg Richtung kollaborativer Zusammenarbeit ein. Ein guter Grund, genauer zu analysieren, aus welchen "Unternehmensecken" die echten Netzwerkeffekte mit Business-Mehrwert kommen - und was sie bringen. Viele Firmen haben sich bereits in Richtung "Enterprise 2.0" - eines der Wörter, die in den Marketingbroschüren ganz vorne, aber bei der Umsetzung ...
How Collaboration Tools Can Turn Your Business Into A Social Enterprise
22.06.2015
Social networks for business help enterprises collaborate securely across departments, offices and countries. Many available tools give employees a sense of online community and help forge connections between different parts of the business and your customers. However, some business leaders struggle to understand the benefits of the "social business". Furthermore, organizations that have made the leap often find that after embracing the technology initially, employees' enthusiasm soon dies down and only a handful of workers continue to use the technology. ...
22.06.2015
Social networks for business help enterprises collaborate securely across departments, offices and countries. Many available tools give employees a sense of online community and help forge connections between different parts of the business and your customers. However, some business leaders struggle to understand the benefits of the "social business". Furthermore, organizations that have made the leap often find that after embracing the technology initially, employees' enthusiasm soon dies down and only a handful of workers continue to use the technology. ...
How do you "work out loud" across continents? There's an app for that.
22.06.2015
Imagine you were given the opportunity to restore sight to someone who was blind. And the better you did your job, the greater number of people who could see. I work for an eye bank, and my colleagues and I wake up to this opportunity every day. For those of us who work in the same office, the opportunity to share promising practices presents itself through a variety of every day interactions - sitting next to one another, in the lunchroom, at the water cooler, in weekly staff meetings or daily huddles. It's less easy, however, to share new thoughts ...
22.06.2015
Imagine you were given the opportunity to restore sight to someone who was blind. And the better you did your job, the greater number of people who could see. I work for an eye bank, and my colleagues and I wake up to this opportunity every day. For those of us who work in the same office, the opportunity to share promising practices presents itself through a variety of every day interactions - sitting next to one another, in the lunchroom, at the water cooler, in weekly staff meetings or daily huddles. It's less easy, however, to share new thoughts ...
#wolweek Day 7 - the power of naming
22.06.2015
by Simon Terry - We don't see things as they are. We see them through our intentions. The power of #wolweek is naming our intent and sharing it with others. Many people work out loud naturally or have done so since social tools became available. They rightly query why we need #wolweek. The simple answer is it is not for them, except as a celebration of their exemplary efforts. Wolweek is about change in the way people work. If you already work out loud then you also know the majority don't share your approach. In Meg Wheatley's Two Loops model of change ...
22.06.2015
by Simon Terry - We don't see things as they are. We see them through our intentions. The power of #wolweek is naming our intent and sharing it with others. Many people work out loud naturally or have done so since social tools became available. They rightly query why we need #wolweek. The simple answer is it is not for them, except as a celebration of their exemplary efforts. Wolweek is about change in the way people work. If you already work out loud then you also know the majority don't share your approach. In Meg Wheatley's Two Loops model of change ...
I Thought Technology No Longer Carried Such A Heavy Cognitive Load: Scratching My Head Out Loud #WOLweek
22.06.2015
by Jonathan Anthony - I thought, for a while there, that technology had unleashed me on to an unsuspecting world (just ask some of my warier colleagues). Technology as liberator! Technology that unlocks the door and then, wait for it, steps aside and ushers me through with a polite bow and a knowing wink. I positively sauntered through, whistling a little ditty. Yammer was my shiny toy of choice. There were others, and there are still others more. Slack seems to be the butter wouldn't melt in your mouth app today. No matter which you chose, because ...
22.06.2015
by Jonathan Anthony - I thought, for a while there, that technology had unleashed me on to an unsuspecting world (just ask some of my warier colleagues). Technology as liberator! Technology that unlocks the door and then, wait for it, steps aside and ushers me through with a polite bow and a knowing wink. I positively sauntered through, whistling a little ditty. Yammer was my shiny toy of choice. There were others, and there are still others more. Slack seems to be the butter wouldn't melt in your mouth app today. No matter which you chose, because ...
The Perils of the Educated Precariat
22.06.2015
Alright, I'm in. I'm going to give this Work Out Loud thing a shot. This blog is to explain why. For those dear readers who do not know, Work Out Loud is a movement which aims to improve the world of work through combining practices of "Observable Work + Narrating Your Work". John Stepper, one of the movement's most important facilitator's, unpacked this in The 5 elements of working out loud: Making your work visible Making your work better Leading with generosity Building a social network Making it all purposeful. People who Work Out Loud put these ...
22.06.2015
Alright, I'm in. I'm going to give this Work Out Loud thing a shot. This blog is to explain why. For those dear readers who do not know, Work Out Loud is a movement which aims to improve the world of work through combining practices of "Observable Work + Narrating Your Work". John Stepper, one of the movement's most important facilitator's, unpacked this in The 5 elements of working out loud: Making your work visible Making your work better Leading with generosity Building a social network Making it all purposeful. People who Work Out Loud put these ...
Looking to Contain Your Company Email Monster? Here's 7 Important Things to Keep in Mind
22.06.2015
I recently had a conversation with a business reporter on the trend among companies to "eliminate" email. The concern is that too many workers are spending far too much unproductive time glued to their laptops. While email volume is clearly a growing concern, I'd like to put the issue in perspective. You don't need to ban email to make a major dent on email overload. We've seen companies get great results just by focusing on better email practices. From the work we've done with companies to control email volume, here are some of the most important strategies ...
22.06.2015
I recently had a conversation with a business reporter on the trend among companies to "eliminate" email. The concern is that too many workers are spending far too much unproductive time glued to their laptops. While email volume is clearly a growing concern, I'd like to put the issue in perspective. You don't need to ban email to make a major dent on email overload. We've seen companies get great results just by focusing on better email practices. From the work we've done with companies to control email volume, here are some of the most important strategies ...
Time to start cooperating
22.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - In tribal societies, your family is your source of power. In institutions, it is your position in the hierarchy. In markets, dominance is through competition. We are a tri-form society: Tribal + Institution + Markets. The latter currently dominates how we organize as a society. It is competitive. School is competitive, with individual grades. Work is competitive, with many more applicants than positions available. Individual performance reviews dominate in the workplace. We are told that we have to create our personal brands, because ...
22.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - In tribal societies, your family is your source of power. In institutions, it is your position in the hierarchy. In markets, dominance is through competition. We are a tri-form society: Tribal + Institution + Markets. The latter currently dominates how we organize as a society. It is competitive. School is competitive, with individual grades. Work is competitive, with many more applicants than positions available. Individual performance reviews dominate in the workplace. We are told that we have to create our personal brands, because ...
How to identify and motivate your ESN champions
19.06.2015
Want to ensure that your new collaborative site is going to be a success? You are going to need a small army of champions throughout the organisation. Here's how. There are numerous benefits to creating a network of champions to support the implementation of your platform. Identifying change champions in each division or team as the platform is rolled out can dramatically accelerate adoption. However, it is vitally important that organizations select and train the right people to act as platform champions. The role of a champion is very important ...
19.06.2015
Want to ensure that your new collaborative site is going to be a success? You are going to need a small army of champions throughout the organisation. Here's how. There are numerous benefits to creating a network of champions to support the implementation of your platform. Identifying change champions in each division or team as the platform is rolled out can dramatically accelerate adoption. However, it is vitally important that organizations select and train the right people to act as platform champions. The role of a champion is very important ...
4 Reasons You Need an Interactive Intranet, Now
19.06.2015
Business has changed remarkably since the end of the last century. It's become more global and customer-focused. Process execution time and product lifecycles have shrunk as the overall pace of business has increased. Business now places a premium on traits such as speed and agility, rather than resilience and predictability. Intranets have been around to support businesses since the 1990s. While the capabilities of most vendors' intranet products and services have evolved and expanded since then, many organizations have not yet considered or deployed ...
19.06.2015
Business has changed remarkably since the end of the last century. It's become more global and customer-focused. Process execution time and product lifecycles have shrunk as the overall pace of business has increased. Business now places a premium on traits such as speed and agility, rather than resilience and predictability. Intranets have been around to support businesses since the 1990s. While the capabilities of most vendors' intranet products and services have evolved and expanded since then, many organizations have not yet considered or deployed ...
The Purpose of Networking And How It Can Improve Your Work / Life #WOLweek
19.06.2015
A message to colleagues in my company today... Back story Until about 5 years ago, I thought I had to do it all on my own - that I had to take full ownership of an idea or a project; that its success was solely down to my own initiative, knowledge or skill. Then, I discovered 'social' - media, tools, techniques and, mostly, networks. These networks have connected me far and wide - within them I am closely and/or loosely connected with practitioners, thought leaders, fellow travelers around the globe. It doesn't matter what topic, hobby, interest I have ...
19.06.2015
A message to colleagues in my company today... Back story Until about 5 years ago, I thought I had to do it all on my own - that I had to take full ownership of an idea or a project; that its success was solely down to my own initiative, knowledge or skill. Then, I discovered 'social' - media, tools, techniques and, mostly, networks. These networks have connected me far and wide - within them I am closely and/or loosely connected with practitioners, thought leaders, fellow travelers around the globe. It doesn't matter what topic, hobby, interest I have ...
How to Really Manage Information
19.06.2015
I would like to introduce a new managerial discipline I call "Information Management." The thing we used to call Information Management has never been about information or management and it certainly hasn't been about managing information. It was a term of art used for activities accomplished by IT or Records Management professionals. I often tell co-workers (very tongue in cheek) that companies have institutional maturity around information management in the same way that we had institutional maturity around sexual harassment in the 1960s. If ...
19.06.2015
I would like to introduce a new managerial discipline I call "Information Management." The thing we used to call Information Management has never been about information or management and it certainly hasn't been about managing information. It was a term of art used for activities accomplished by IT or Records Management professionals. I often tell co-workers (very tongue in cheek) that companies have institutional maturity around information management in the same way that we had institutional maturity around sexual harassment in the 1960s. If ...
Getting organizational redesign right
19.06.2015
Companies will better integrate their people, processes, and structures by following nine golden rules. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again." If W. E. Hickson, the British author known for popularizing that familiar proverb in the mid-19th century, were alive today, he might easily be applying it (disparagingly) to the efforts of modern corporations to redesign their organizations. Recent McKinsey research surveying a large set of global executives suggests that many companies, these days, are in a nearly permanent state of organizational ...
19.06.2015
Companies will better integrate their people, processes, and structures by following nine golden rules. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again." If W. E. Hickson, the British author known for popularizing that familiar proverb in the mid-19th century, were alive today, he might easily be applying it (disparagingly) to the efforts of modern corporations to redesign their organizations. Recent McKinsey research surveying a large set of global executives suggests that many companies, these days, are in a nearly permanent state of organizational ...
Agieren wie ein Startup: Wie ein Digital Mindset in Traditionsunternehmen etabliert werden kann
18.06.2015
von Willms Buhse - Was macht ein Startup erfolgreich? Es hat die richtige Idee zum richtigen Zeitpunkt. Und setzt diese erfolgreich im Markt um, bevor es jemand anders tut. Schon jetzt sind 90 Prozent aller Innovationen digital gesteuert. Das heißt, um überhaupt mit dem Markt mithalten zu können, müssen auch große Traditionsunternehmen die Mechanismen von Startups in ihre Kultur integrieren. Sonst baut nämlich jemand anderes das emissionsfreie Luxusauto. Ein Digital Mindset muss her. Aber woher? Und wie? Und was ist das überhaupt? Fangen wir mit der ...
18.06.2015
von Willms Buhse - Was macht ein Startup erfolgreich? Es hat die richtige Idee zum richtigen Zeitpunkt. Und setzt diese erfolgreich im Markt um, bevor es jemand anders tut. Schon jetzt sind 90 Prozent aller Innovationen digital gesteuert. Das heißt, um überhaupt mit dem Markt mithalten zu können, müssen auch große Traditionsunternehmen die Mechanismen von Startups in ihre Kultur integrieren. Sonst baut nämlich jemand anderes das emissionsfreie Luxusauto. Ein Digital Mindset muss her. Aber woher? Und wie? Und was ist das überhaupt? Fangen wir mit der ...
4.74 Degrees of Separation: Bill Higgins
18.06.2015
I've always believed the most powerful element of social business is its power to create relationships between people who otherwise would've never met. After learning that Jessica Ramirez had named him as one of the most important people whom she'd met via Connections, it took Bill a matter of seconds to name who that person was for him. Bill Higgins' Story: Over the past several years I've studied and embraced DevOps culture and practices to help deliver better products to IBM customers. I wasn't the only one. As IBM increasingly ...
18.06.2015
I've always believed the most powerful element of social business is its power to create relationships between people who otherwise would've never met. After learning that Jessica Ramirez had named him as one of the most important people whom she'd met via Connections, it took Bill a matter of seconds to name who that person was for him. Bill Higgins' Story: Over the past several years I've studied and embraced DevOps culture and practices to help deliver better products to IBM customers. I wasn't the only one. As IBM increasingly ...
5 ways that multi-location businesses must communicate to stay whole
18.06.2015
The majority of organizations do their work in multiple locations. Whether we're talking about offices in multiple cities or multiple countries, restaurants or retail outlets, it has become rare for an organization's workforce to be in one place most of the time. What happens at these dispersed workplaces is that people diverge. They lose sight of one another physically and metaphorically. They also lose sight of leadership. They are walled off from the tone, content and tempo of communication and operations. There are fewer and fewer universal touchstones ...
18.06.2015
The majority of organizations do their work in multiple locations. Whether we're talking about offices in multiple cities or multiple countries, restaurants or retail outlets, it has become rare for an organization's workforce to be in one place most of the time. What happens at these dispersed workplaces is that people diverge. They lose sight of one another physically and metaphorically. They also lose sight of leadership. They are walled off from the tone, content and tempo of communication and operations. There are fewer and fewer universal touchstones ...
Why Work Out Loud? (for #wolweek)
18.06.2015
Why should one work out loud (aka Show Your Work)? Certainly, there are risks involved. You could be wrong. You could have to share a mistake. Others might steal your ideas. So why would anyone want to be Working Out Loud? Because the risks are trumped by the benefits. Working out loud is all about being transparent about what you're doing. The benefits of these are multiple. First, others know what you're doing, and can help. They can provide pointers to useful information, they can provide tips about what worked, and didn't, for them, and they're ...
18.06.2015
Why should one work out loud (aka Show Your Work)? Certainly, there are risks involved. You could be wrong. You could have to share a mistake. Others might steal your ideas. So why would anyone want to be Working Out Loud? Because the risks are trumped by the benefits. Working out loud is all about being transparent about what you're doing. The benefits of these are multiple. First, others know what you're doing, and can help. They can provide pointers to useful information, they can provide tips about what worked, and didn't, for them, and they're ...
Encouraging Others to Work Out Loud
18.06.2015
Last week was international Working Out Loud week. It's my role to introduce new ideas about social collaboration and learning, such as WOL, to my work (a 22,000+ employee global brand). The company is over one hundred years old and it sometimes feels like many of the processes have been around the same amount of time. Internal social is frighteningly new to some as it opens up silos, geographies, processes, systems and accountabilities. I was torn at first: should I encourage people to WOL in our open Yammer network anywhere, or a private group? ...
18.06.2015
Last week was international Working Out Loud week. It's my role to introduce new ideas about social collaboration and learning, such as WOL, to my work (a 22,000+ employee global brand). The company is over one hundred years old and it sometimes feels like many of the processes have been around the same amount of time. Internal social is frighteningly new to some as it opens up silos, geographies, processes, systems and accountabilities. I was torn at first: should I encourage people to WOL in our open Yammer network anywhere, or a private group? ...
#Wolweek Day 4 - The Human Spirit of Sharing
18.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Working out loud can be a practice of social media. More importantly sharing work in progress for learning and help is an every day human practice. The value of working out loud is to take that every day practice and make it deliberate, more accessible and more often repeated. The medium is less important than the creation of human connection when two people share a work challenge. Share their collective insights, knowledge and expertise is what creates the value from working out loud. This human connection will involve concepts like ...
18.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Working out loud can be a practice of social media. More importantly sharing work in progress for learning and help is an every day human practice. The value of working out loud is to take that every day practice and make it deliberate, more accessible and more often repeated. The medium is less important than the creation of human connection when two people share a work challenge. Share their collective insights, knowledge and expertise is what creates the value from working out loud. This human connection will involve concepts like ...
A framework for content curation
18.06.2015
In conversation at EduTECH earlier this month, Harold Jarche evoked George E. P. Box's quote that "all models are wrong, but some are useful". Of course, the purpose of a model is to simplify a complex system so that something purposeful can be done within it. By definition, then, the model can only ever be an approximation of reality; by human error, furthermore, it won't be as approximate as it could be. Nevertheless, if we accept the inherent variability in (and fallibility of) the model, we can achieve a much better outcome by using it than by not. ...
18.06.2015
In conversation at EduTECH earlier this month, Harold Jarche evoked George E. P. Box's quote that "all models are wrong, but some are useful". Of course, the purpose of a model is to simplify a complex system so that something purposeful can be done within it. By definition, then, the model can only ever be an approximation of reality; by human error, furthermore, it won't be as approximate as it could be. Nevertheless, if we accept the inherent variability in (and fallibility of) the model, we can achieve a much better outcome by using it than by not. ...
The benefits of becoming an experience company
18.06.2015
by Bertrand Duperrin - In a long series of posts I investigated the concept of experience which is returning on the front stage as digital transformation becomes a major concern. [...] In the age of digital transformation, experience can be a pivotal concept that helps bringing coherence to multiple and sparse initiatives. And that's a lot ! Experience makes your digital transformation strategy more coherent Then, but it's strongly related with my first point, it helps to reconcile customer and employee facing initiatives, to align them. Give meaning ...
18.06.2015
by Bertrand Duperrin - In a long series of posts I investigated the concept of experience which is returning on the front stage as digital transformation becomes a major concern. [...] In the age of digital transformation, experience can be a pivotal concept that helps bringing coherence to multiple and sparse initiatives. And that's a lot ! Experience makes your digital transformation strategy more coherent Then, but it's strongly related with my first point, it helps to reconcile customer and employee facing initiatives, to align them. Give meaning ...
"Mittleres Management? - Zum Vergessen."
17.06.2015
von Michael Hafner - Braucht man jetzt eigentlich Management-Commitment, um ein Social Intranet-Projekt umsetzen zu können, oder geht es auch ohne? Das ist noch immer eine recht häufig diskutierte Frage. Mein Eindruck aus diesen Diskussionen: Je unerfahrener die Beteiligten in großen Organisationen sind, desto nachdrücklicher bestehen sie auf dem Commitment des Topmanagements. Die Frage ist allerdings, was das heißt. Der Vorstandsvorsitzende sollte Social Intranet Initiativen vielleicht nicht gerade verbieten, sie aber von seinem Engagement abhängig ...
17.06.2015
von Michael Hafner - Braucht man jetzt eigentlich Management-Commitment, um ein Social Intranet-Projekt umsetzen zu können, oder geht es auch ohne? Das ist noch immer eine recht häufig diskutierte Frage. Mein Eindruck aus diesen Diskussionen: Je unerfahrener die Beteiligten in großen Organisationen sind, desto nachdrücklicher bestehen sie auf dem Commitment des Topmanagements. Die Frage ist allerdings, was das heißt. Der Vorstandsvorsitzende sollte Social Intranet Initiativen vielleicht nicht gerade verbieten, sie aber von seinem Engagement abhängig ...
Metadata Is a Love Note to the Future
17.06.2015
We are living in a data-driven society, with globalized economies and ubiquitous access to everything from everywhere. Across information gateways such as websites, file shares, instant messaging and collaboration systems both in the cloud and on premises, data is free-flowing within and outside an organization's walls. Information technology trends such as the cloud and worker mobility are completely redefining the IT landscape and how employees collaborate. The Changing Security Landscape Metadata Now for the Future Data Tagging and Classification ...
17.06.2015
We are living in a data-driven society, with globalized economies and ubiquitous access to everything from everywhere. Across information gateways such as websites, file shares, instant messaging and collaboration systems both in the cloud and on premises, data is free-flowing within and outside an organization's walls. Information technology trends such as the cloud and worker mobility are completely redefining the IT landscape and how employees collaborate. The Changing Security Landscape Metadata Now for the Future Data Tagging and Classification ...
Lower Training Costs with Social Collaboration
17.06.2015
Prior to social collaboration tools, knowledge-dependent firms, such as consulting firms and investment banks, encouraged group-wide emails when someone asked or answered a question related to their work. That's because they found that the same questions were being asked over and over when the answer only went to one person. By copying the entire group on these emails, everyone could learn from the answer. While this was an improvement, the information didn't necessarily arrive when anyone needed it, it wasn't easy to search for at a later date, and ...
17.06.2015
Prior to social collaboration tools, knowledge-dependent firms, such as consulting firms and investment banks, encouraged group-wide emails when someone asked or answered a question related to their work. That's because they found that the same questions were being asked over and over when the answer only went to one person. By copying the entire group on these emails, everyone could learn from the answer. While this was an improvement, the information didn't necessarily arrive when anyone needed it, it wasn't easy to search for at a later date, and ...
#wolweek Day 4: Weak Network links and serendipitous surprises
17.06.2015
by Simon Terry - #wolweek continues to be an amazing learning experience. I am fascinated to see what others choose to share and to learn more about there work. Many of the greatest learnings have been as a result of the #wolweek tag and @wolweek account creating new links to distant people in my network. Last night I facilitated a #wolcircle using John Stepper's guide to the process of purposefully working out loud for 12 weeks. The discussion was dominated by revelations of little moments of serendipity. All the people in the circle had experienced ...
17.06.2015
by Simon Terry - #wolweek continues to be an amazing learning experience. I am fascinated to see what others choose to share and to learn more about there work. Many of the greatest learnings have been as a result of the #wolweek tag and @wolweek account creating new links to distant people in my network. Last night I facilitated a #wolcircle using John Stepper's guide to the process of purposefully working out loud for 12 weeks. The discussion was dominated by revelations of little moments of serendipity. All the people in the circle had experienced ...
TheCR's Working Out Loud Framework
17.06.2015
by Rachel Happe - his week is 'International Working Out Loud Week' or #wolweek - a week to highlight the growing practice of creating better organizations by sharing not just our work products, but our work processes. It's fitting that this year #wolweek coincides with the release of John Stepper's new book - Working Out Loud: For a better career and life, as John has been instrumental in applying the concept and documenting both how to do it well and its value. At The Community Roundtable, where we focus on how to create healthy and productive communities, ...
17.06.2015
by Rachel Happe - his week is 'International Working Out Loud Week' or #wolweek - a week to highlight the growing practice of creating better organizations by sharing not just our work products, but our work processes. It's fitting that this year #wolweek coincides with the release of John Stepper's new book - Working Out Loud: For a better career and life, as John has been instrumental in applying the concept and documenting both how to do it well and its value. At The Community Roundtable, where we focus on how to create healthy and productive communities, ...
Working Out Loud with Millennials #WOLweek
17.06.2015
by Jonathan Anthony - We sit together and discuss content out loud, dropping in and out of each other's conversations. We wear headphones when we want to focus. We write up themes and projects on a whiteboard so we can massage serendipity. We share interesting content and ideas on a Yammer "FYI" group. We maintain another Yammer group for work projects so there is an audit trail and an open invitation to participate. We use multiplechannels to source ideas and topics of conversation - our network is part of the solution! We participate in different ...
17.06.2015
by Jonathan Anthony - We sit together and discuss content out loud, dropping in and out of each other's conversations. We wear headphones when we want to focus. We write up themes and projects on a whiteboard so we can massage serendipity. We share interesting content and ideas on a Yammer "FYI" group. We maintain another Yammer group for work projects so there is an audit trail and an open invitation to participate. We use multiplechannels to source ideas and topics of conversation - our network is part of the solution! We participate in different ...
The Value of Butting Out: How to Stop Micromanaging
17.06.2015
With the explosion of social, mobile and cloud platforms, the way we work has radically changed. Information is no longer buttoned up in emails and reports that go up and down the chain of command. It now flows throughout a company digitally and organically, freeing up managers to spend time on more impactful work. With better access to information, the hovering micromanager who needs to direct every employee action and check in on every decision has no role. Middle managers won't disappear altogether but their role is evolving into one that involves ...
17.06.2015
With the explosion of social, mobile and cloud platforms, the way we work has radically changed. Information is no longer buttoned up in emails and reports that go up and down the chain of command. It now flows throughout a company digitally and organically, freeing up managers to spend time on more impactful work. With better access to information, the hovering micromanager who needs to direct every employee action and check in on every decision has no role. Middle managers won't disappear altogether but their role is evolving into one that involves ...
The Network Secrets of Great Change Agents
17.06.2015
Change is hard, especially in a large organization. Numerous studies have shown that employees tend instinctively to oppose change initiatives because they disrupt established power structures and ways of getting things done. However, some leaders do succeed -- often spectacularly -- at transforming their workplaces. What makes them able to exert this sort of influence when the vast majority can't? So many organizations are contemplating turnarounds, restructurings, and strategic shifts these days that it's essential to understand what successful change ...
17.06.2015
Change is hard, especially in a large organization. Numerous studies have shown that employees tend instinctively to oppose change initiatives because they disrupt established power structures and ways of getting things done. However, some leaders do succeed -- often spectacularly -- at transforming their workplaces. What makes them able to exert this sort of influence when the vast majority can't? So many organizations are contemplating turnarounds, restructurings, and strategic shifts these days that it's essential to understand what successful change ...
The Best Digital Strategists Don't Think in Terms of Either/Or
17.06.2015
It has become an axiom that "strategy is about making hard choices," as we have been advised for over 20 years by leading thinkers including Michael Porter and Roger Martin. But our work with a community of senior executives in the Bay Area suggests that today's market leaders are following the advice of Yogi Berra: "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Faced with hard choices, innovators find ways to transcend the tradeoffs. While their competitors make the hard choice between one or the other path, these businesses reap the benefit of both. ...
17.06.2015
It has become an axiom that "strategy is about making hard choices," as we have been advised for over 20 years by leading thinkers including Michael Porter and Roger Martin. But our work with a community of senior executives in the Bay Area suggests that today's market leaders are following the advice of Yogi Berra: "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Faced with hard choices, innovators find ways to transcend the tradeoffs. While their competitors make the hard choice between one or the other path, these businesses reap the benefit of both. ...
Social Business Discussions Are The New Documentation
16.06.2015
by Dennis Pearce - Social business is changing how we document business processes and IT operations. Here's why. [...] Inside an organization, the problem is often the opposite - there's too little documentation, not too much. Think about your process for ordering office supplies or having your laptop updated: Most internal tools and business processes are poorly documented, if at all. Some are legacy systems whose creators are long gone. Some are ad hoc systems that were thrown together on the fly but worked so well that they've gradually ...
16.06.2015
by Dennis Pearce - Social business is changing how we document business processes and IT operations. Here's why. [...] Inside an organization, the problem is often the opposite - there's too little documentation, not too much. Think about your process for ordering office supplies or having your laptop updated: Most internal tools and business processes are poorly documented, if at all. Some are legacy systems whose creators are long gone. Some are ad hoc systems that were thrown together on the fly but worked so well that they've gradually ...
Your Fear Of Collaboration Is Bad for Business
16.06.2015
Silos in business persist in large part for one reason: the people in each function -- marketing, finance, IT and so on -- believe the people in the other functions don't understand what they do. I suppose it somehow seems easier to avoid one another than to balance priorities across the organization. Unfortunately, though, that kind of avoidance doesn't render any of the functions more effective. Rather, it does just the opposite. Silos lead to misunderstanding, complications and frustration, which make it more difficult for everyone to do their jobs. ...
16.06.2015
Silos in business persist in large part for one reason: the people in each function -- marketing, finance, IT and so on -- believe the people in the other functions don't understand what they do. I suppose it somehow seems easier to avoid one another than to balance priorities across the organization. Unfortunately, though, that kind of avoidance doesn't render any of the functions more effective. Rather, it does just the opposite. Silos lead to misunderstanding, complications and frustration, which make it more difficult for everyone to do their jobs. ...
People Spend Two Hours a Day Looking For Information. Shifting to Knowledge Sharing.
16.06.2015
We waste time orchestrating work, instead of actually working. We fiddle away mornings and afternoons joining meetings that lead to nothing. The old fashioned rules of thumb at the office need a major update, as the race to be more productive is approaching a dead end. The way we work is "terribly inefficient," Timothy Morey and Roberto Veronese say. "There are some obvious moments when this inefficiency is exposed." The average information worker spends two hours per day searching for information, an additional 1.5 in meeting, while another hour is ...
16.06.2015
We waste time orchestrating work, instead of actually working. We fiddle away mornings and afternoons joining meetings that lead to nothing. The old fashioned rules of thumb at the office need a major update, as the race to be more productive is approaching a dead end. The way we work is "terribly inefficient," Timothy Morey and Roberto Veronese say. "There are some obvious moments when this inefficiency is exposed." The average information worker spends two hours per day searching for information, an additional 1.5 in meeting, while another hour is ...
Working Out Loud Is Like Bamboo: You Can Physically Observe Growth
16.06.2015
by Jonathan Anthony - [...] Bizarrely, and even though it is true, I have to keep reminding myself of this fact, some bamboo, like in my garden, can grow so fast that you can physically see it grow in front of your eyes. It is a majestic growth too, straight and true, and able to carry the weight of several fully grown humans. It bends and sways, yet bounces back upright. It forgives. It has the power to burrow straight through walls of concrete. Bamboo is a beast. It is tough to chew; a panda has to be pretty focused all day long to wear it down. I ...
16.06.2015
by Jonathan Anthony - [...] Bizarrely, and even though it is true, I have to keep reminding myself of this fact, some bamboo, like in my garden, can grow so fast that you can physically see it grow in front of your eyes. It is a majestic growth too, straight and true, and able to carry the weight of several fully grown humans. It bends and sways, yet bounces back upright. It forgives. It has the power to burrow straight through walls of concrete. Bamboo is a beast. It is tough to chew; a panda has to be pretty focused all day long to wear it down. I ...
Working out loud: a #SocialAge trait
16.06.2015
by Julian Stodd - One recurring feature of the Social Age is the nature of working out loud: developing our ideas within our communities, sharing them before they are fully formed and getting the benefit from the wisdom of the tribe. That's the approach i've taken around Social Leadership recently, iterating from the first ideas around 'traits', through to 'behaviours' and, finally, 'curriculum', although that too is just a first draft. [...] ...
16.06.2015
by Julian Stodd - One recurring feature of the Social Age is the nature of working out loud: developing our ideas within our communities, sharing them before they are fully formed and getting the benefit from the wisdom of the tribe. That's the approach i've taken around Social Leadership recently, iterating from the first ideas around 'traits', through to 'behaviours' and, finally, 'curriculum', although that too is just a first draft. [...] ...
Getting Started with #NoEmail - 10 Top Tips To Slay The Email Beast
16.06.2015
"If you're going to coach the swimming team, at some point you're going to have to get in the water." The above quote is from the person who coined the phrase "No-Email" back in... the day. Seriously, you'll have to do your own research if you want to know exactly when #NoEmail was started. Or ask him, his name is Paul Jones. 'The Real Paul Jones' in fact and you can find him on the internet in various places - he blogs here and tweets here and you can listen to him being a real life human being and talking about his #NoEmail journey here. Can you really ...
16.06.2015
"If you're going to coach the swimming team, at some point you're going to have to get in the water." The above quote is from the person who coined the phrase "No-Email" back in... the day. Seriously, you'll have to do your own research if you want to know exactly when #NoEmail was started. Or ask him, his name is Paul Jones. 'The Real Paul Jones' in fact and you can find him on the internet in various places - he blogs here and tweets here and you can listen to him being a real life human being and talking about his #NoEmail journey here. Can you really ...
Science of Learning 101: Are We Doing the Right Things?
16.06.2015
Currently, corporate learning and development (L&D) is still skewed heavily toward building courses and content, but this approach is not really in sync with the exponential rate of knowledge change and today's knowledge-heavy work processes -- or the instructional "piecework" L&D provides. Consequently, L&D is dangerously close to becoming irrelevant in many organizations. The Knowledge Doubling Curve Employee Skills Gap L&D Skills Gap Ability to Continually Learn Moving Forward [...] ...
16.06.2015
Currently, corporate learning and development (L&D) is still skewed heavily toward building courses and content, but this approach is not really in sync with the exponential rate of knowledge change and today's knowledge-heavy work processes -- or the instructional "piecework" L&D provides. Consequently, L&D is dangerously close to becoming irrelevant in many organizations. The Knowledge Doubling Curve Employee Skills Gap L&D Skills Gap Ability to Continually Learn Moving Forward [...] ...
Knowledge Management tools and software: A real value preposition or marketing pitch?
16.06.2015
Microsoft recently announced the launch of Infopedia, a tool which seeks to exploit the myriad Sharepoint and Office components in order to thrust forward knowledge sharing and creation. It comes accompanied by graph driven insights which helps to understand "who share and creates", a Pinterest like board in order to keep a visual record of relevant information (and share it with others) and many other tools which promise to keep users motivated and collaborative. Technology certainly makes things seem much easier. But knowledge sharing is in essence ...
16.06.2015
Microsoft recently announced the launch of Infopedia, a tool which seeks to exploit the myriad Sharepoint and Office components in order to thrust forward knowledge sharing and creation. It comes accompanied by graph driven insights which helps to understand "who share and creates", a Pinterest like board in order to keep a visual record of relevant information (and share it with others) and many other tools which promise to keep users motivated and collaborative. Technology certainly makes things seem much easier. But knowledge sharing is in essence ...
How to Locate Expertise
16.06.2015
by Stan Garfield - Here are my thoughts on the subject. I start by asking the question "Once you locate an expert, what do you plan to do next?" Contact them by email, phone, instant message, or ESN (enterprise social network) post so that they answer a question, talk to a client, attend a meeting, commit to a project, supply documents, etc. Add them to a distribution list, community of practice, or ESN group Include them in a summary of the organization's expertise, for example, we have 22 experts in knowledge management If these are the actions you ...
16.06.2015
by Stan Garfield - Here are my thoughts on the subject. I start by asking the question "Once you locate an expert, what do you plan to do next?" Contact them by email, phone, instant message, or ESN (enterprise social network) post so that they answer a question, talk to a client, attend a meeting, commit to a project, supply documents, etc. Add them to a distribution list, community of practice, or ESN group Include them in a summary of the organization's expertise, for example, we have 22 experts in knowledge management If these are the actions you ...
Die Story des GUIDE Netzwerkes
15.06.2015
von Harald Schirmer - Auf der diesjährigen CeBIT wurde ich von Simon Dückert / Cogneon zur Geschichte (Entstehung und Umsetzung) des Continental GUIDE Netzwerkes interviewt. Das ist jetzt auf seiner Seite zum Nachhören online. Mir war wichtig hier auch einige Hintergrundinformationen zu geben, zu denen man in den Vorträgen und meist doch recht knapp bemessenen Diskussionen kaum kommt. Im Fokus steht die Haltung, die in meinen Augen wichtigster Bestandteil in modernen Veränderungsprojekten steht. Erst über einen Vision, Respekt und Vertrauen gepaart ...
15.06.2015
von Harald Schirmer - Auf der diesjährigen CeBIT wurde ich von Simon Dückert / Cogneon zur Geschichte (Entstehung und Umsetzung) des Continental GUIDE Netzwerkes interviewt. Das ist jetzt auf seiner Seite zum Nachhören online. Mir war wichtig hier auch einige Hintergrundinformationen zu geben, zu denen man in den Vorträgen und meist doch recht knapp bemessenen Diskussionen kaum kommt. Im Fokus steht die Haltung, die in meinen Augen wichtigster Bestandteil in modernen Veränderungsprojekten steht. Erst über einen Vision, Respekt und Vertrauen gepaart ...
Lassen Sie uns über die digitale Transformation der Arbeit diskutieren!
15.06.2015
von Bjoern Negelmann - Die Diskussion um den Fortschritt der digitalen Transformation steht nicht nur im deutschen Sprachraum hoch im Kurs. Auch in den USA, wo ja doch global die digitale Transformation ihren Motor hat, ist man - bzw. ein paar führende Köpfe aus dem Silicon Valley und der akademischen Elite in Boston - nicht ganz zufrieden mit dem Fortschritt der digitalen Transformation. So haben diese Köpfe vor ein paar Tagen einen "Open Letter on the Digital Economy" veröffentlicht, der die "digitale Revolution" einmal mehr als fundamentalen Wandel ...
15.06.2015
von Bjoern Negelmann - Die Diskussion um den Fortschritt der digitalen Transformation steht nicht nur im deutschen Sprachraum hoch im Kurs. Auch in den USA, wo ja doch global die digitale Transformation ihren Motor hat, ist man - bzw. ein paar führende Köpfe aus dem Silicon Valley und der akademischen Elite in Boston - nicht ganz zufrieden mit dem Fortschritt der digitalen Transformation. So haben diese Köpfe vor ein paar Tagen einen "Open Letter on the Digital Economy" veröffentlicht, der die "digitale Revolution" einmal mehr als fundamentalen Wandel ...
Metadaten für Intranets: Strukturelles Allheilmittel?
15.06.2015
Metadaten sollen Benutzern im Intranet helfen, relevante Inhalte schneller zu finden und in den richtigen Kontext zu setzen. Sie stellen ein wirksames Mittel dar, die Inhalte zu klassifizieren und relevante Kerninformationen strukturiert für verschiedene Zwecke anzubieten. Die Idee klingt zunächst verlockend: Man pflegt einfach ein paar zusätzliche Informationen an den Inhalten und der Informationsdschungel lichtet sich für den Suchenden. Ein einfacher Klick auf den Datumsfilter und das Unterholz aus "aktuellen Verfahrensanweisungen" von vor 10 Jahren ...
15.06.2015
Metadaten sollen Benutzern im Intranet helfen, relevante Inhalte schneller zu finden und in den richtigen Kontext zu setzen. Sie stellen ein wirksames Mittel dar, die Inhalte zu klassifizieren und relevante Kerninformationen strukturiert für verschiedene Zwecke anzubieten. Die Idee klingt zunächst verlockend: Man pflegt einfach ein paar zusätzliche Informationen an den Inhalten und der Informationsdschungel lichtet sich für den Suchenden. Ein einfacher Klick auf den Datumsfilter und das Unterholz aus "aktuellen Verfahrensanweisungen" von vor 10 Jahren ...
Warum IT-Leiter an Intranet Projekten scheitern
15.06.2015
So mancher Mitarbeiter reagiert wenig begeistert auf das Wort "Intranet". Häufig denkt man eine Seite, die sich beim Öffnen des Browsers am Arbeitsplatz öffnet und die wenig nützliches bietet. Dabei birgt eine gute Zusammenarbeit das grösste Zukunftspotenzial in unserer personalkostengetriebenen Arbeitswelt. Für Betriebe genauso wie für den Mitarbeiter selbst. Wie lässt sich diese Lücke erklären? Die falschen Fragen stellen Die Bedeutung von Beratung Das Kreuz mit der Standardsoftware Ansteckender Virus: Exceleritis Alles ist ein Tool Falsch verstandene ...
15.06.2015
So mancher Mitarbeiter reagiert wenig begeistert auf das Wort "Intranet". Häufig denkt man eine Seite, die sich beim Öffnen des Browsers am Arbeitsplatz öffnet und die wenig nützliches bietet. Dabei birgt eine gute Zusammenarbeit das grösste Zukunftspotenzial in unserer personalkostengetriebenen Arbeitswelt. Für Betriebe genauso wie für den Mitarbeiter selbst. Wie lässt sich diese Lücke erklären? Die falschen Fragen stellen Die Bedeutung von Beratung Das Kreuz mit der Standardsoftware Ansteckender Virus: Exceleritis Alles ist ein Tool Falsch verstandene ...
Internal Social Media Is Not a Magic Bullet
15.06.2015
Despite the potential of Enterprise Social Media (ESM) to foster leader-to-employee dialogue and peer-to-peer collaboration, it's important to remember that social media is not in itself a panacea for every challenge your company faces. It's true that ESM can enhance the way information flows inside your organization. But on their own, internal social media platforms can't create dialogue and engagement out of thin air. At its best, ESM enriches a healthy communications landscape--a landscape that should feature strong leadercommunicators?, compelling ...
15.06.2015
Despite the potential of Enterprise Social Media (ESM) to foster leader-to-employee dialogue and peer-to-peer collaboration, it's important to remember that social media is not in itself a panacea for every challenge your company faces. It's true that ESM can enhance the way information flows inside your organization. But on their own, internal social media platforms can't create dialogue and engagement out of thin air. At its best, ESM enriches a healthy communications landscape--a landscape that should feature strong leadercommunicators?, compelling ...
Empower with people-oriented governance for Enterprise Social
15.06.2015
There's no argument that governance is a critical component of any successful Enterprise Social deployment; but the truth is, most implementations begin with little to no governance. Why's that? Because this promising method of collaboration and communication will not be stuffed into the tight box of control and comply. As a result, there's broad uncertainty about how best to construct effective policies. Make no mistake, an old school, IT-oriented approach to governing will fail. Here's why. One clear source of value-creation from Enterprise Social ...
15.06.2015
There's no argument that governance is a critical component of any successful Enterprise Social deployment; but the truth is, most implementations begin with little to no governance. Why's that? Because this promising method of collaboration and communication will not be stuffed into the tight box of control and comply. As a result, there's broad uncertainty about how best to construct effective policies. Make no mistake, an old school, IT-oriented approach to governing will fail. Here's why. One clear source of value-creation from Enterprise Social ...
The "KM nonsense" index
15.06.2015
by Nick Milton - There is a simple index you can calculate to determine whether any article supposedly about Knowledge Management is really about KM at all. I call it the "KM Nonsense" index. The title of the index comes from the excellent paper by TD Wilson entitled "the nonsense of knowledge management". Wilson makes two points - one is the old argument that "tacit knowledge cannot be managed" (an argument that I suggest doesn't mean that KM is an oxymoron, or that KM is nonsense), and a second point, that much of what is presented as Knowledge ...
15.06.2015
by Nick Milton - There is a simple index you can calculate to determine whether any article supposedly about Knowledge Management is really about KM at all. I call it the "KM Nonsense" index. The title of the index comes from the excellent paper by TD Wilson entitled "the nonsense of knowledge management". Wilson makes two points - one is the old argument that "tacit knowledge cannot be managed" (an argument that I suggest doesn't mean that KM is an oxymoron, or that KM is nonsense), and a second point, that much of what is presented as Knowledge ...
Finding people who know
15.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - Jane McConnell published her 9th annual report on The Organization in the Digital Age last month. Jane recently posted 10 key findings from the nearly 300 organizations surveyed. "4. Finding People "Who Know" Is Winning Over Finding "The Information I Need" Enterprise search is stuck at a low level of satisfaction with results. Organizations are prioritizing their efforts between finding information or finding people and the latter is the more frequent choice. Lack of good information management practices is a concern because the ...
15.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - Jane McConnell published her 9th annual report on The Organization in the Digital Age last month. Jane recently posted 10 key findings from the nearly 300 organizations surveyed. "4. Finding People "Who Know" Is Winning Over Finding "The Information I Need" Enterprise search is stuck at a low level of satisfaction with results. Organizations are prioritizing their efforts between finding information or finding people and the latter is the more frequent choice. Lack of good information management practices is a concern because the ...
Leading change with #wol: #wolweek
15.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Working out loud can be an agent of change. Leaders can leverage working out loud to make change. Here's a story I heard last week of a leader using working out loud for change. Unfortunately I need to make the story anonymous which robs it of a little detail. A new leader took over a team with average performance. Halfway through his first conversation with the team he realised they weren't receptive to his introduction of the changes of a new leader's agenda. So midway through the first team talk, his strategy changed. The leader ...
15.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Working out loud can be an agent of change. Leaders can leverage working out loud to make change. Here's a story I heard last week of a leader using working out loud for change. Unfortunately I need to make the story anonymous which robs it of a little detail. A new leader took over a team with average performance. Halfway through his first conversation with the team he realised they weren't receptive to his introduction of the changes of a new leader's agenda. So midway through the first team talk, his strategy changed. The leader ...
How do we make #wolweek more valuable? - Day 1
15.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Our third International Working Out Loud week from 15-21 June 2015 is raising some familiar questions. This post is to share the current work to address these questions and invite some help in making sure that we are helping everyone get the most value out of #wolweek and the practice of working out loud. I would love your input because I think there is more we can do. Here are the four commonest questions and the current attempts at answers: How do I work out loud or get involved with #wolweek? Why is there a week? Shouldn't people ...
15.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Our third International Working Out Loud week from 15-21 June 2015 is raising some familiar questions. This post is to share the current work to address these questions and invite some help in making sure that we are helping everyone get the most value out of #wolweek and the practice of working out loud. I would love your input because I think there is more we can do. Here are the four commonest questions and the current attempts at answers: How do I work out loud or get involved with #wolweek? Why is there a week? Shouldn't people ...
Collaboration trumps competition for 88% of Millennials
15.06.2015
By 2020, half of the workforce in every organisation in the world will be aged between 18 to 34 years - and these folks love collaboration. In a new research by PGi, it emerged that 88% of Millennials would rather be collaborating than competing with their peers. Another quarter (25%) said they want an opportunity to prove their leadership ability in the workplace, suggesting their collaboration skills may be used beyond internal stakeholders. The report also found the five traits of a successful team: Body language is focused on the speaker, and members ...
15.06.2015
By 2020, half of the workforce in every organisation in the world will be aged between 18 to 34 years - and these folks love collaboration. In a new research by PGi, it emerged that 88% of Millennials would rather be collaborating than competing with their peers. Another quarter (25%) said they want an opportunity to prove their leadership ability in the workplace, suggesting their collaboration skills may be used beyond internal stakeholders. The report also found the five traits of a successful team: Body language is focused on the speaker, and members ...
Jochen Adler: Working Out Loud - kurz #wol - schult zur besseren, virtuellen Arbeit in Netzwerken!
12.06.2015
von Bjoern Negelmann - Im letzten Beitrag habe ich ja schon darüber berichtet - wie wichtig es ist, die digitale Transformation durch geeignete Methoden der Mitarbeiterbefähigung zu unterstützen. Ein interessanter Ansatz in diesem Zusammenhang könnte das Prinzip des "Working Out Loud" sein. Die Begrifflichkeit wurde erstmalig durch Bryce Williams 2010 in einem Blog-Beitrag aufgebracht. Er definierte es mit der Formel: Working Out Loud = Observable Work + Narrating Your Work. Viel Fahrt hat das Thema dann durch das Engagement von John Stepper bei der ...
12.06.2015
von Bjoern Negelmann - Im letzten Beitrag habe ich ja schon darüber berichtet - wie wichtig es ist, die digitale Transformation durch geeignete Methoden der Mitarbeiterbefähigung zu unterstützen. Ein interessanter Ansatz in diesem Zusammenhang könnte das Prinzip des "Working Out Loud" sein. Die Begrifflichkeit wurde erstmalig durch Bryce Williams 2010 in einem Blog-Beitrag aufgebracht. Er definierte es mit der Formel: Working Out Loud = Observable Work + Narrating Your Work. Viel Fahrt hat das Thema dann durch das Engagement von John Stepper bei der ...
Vergessen Sie Zielvereinbarungen!
12.06.2015
Wer Leistung will, braucht eine gute Unternehmenskultur. Sie ist der Nährboden für Bestleistungen und muss Verantwortung ermöglichen. Man kann ein Unternehmen führen. Man kann ein Unternehmen managen. Der Unterschied ist nicht gerade trivial. Wer führt, sieht Menschen. Wer Menschen sieht, nimmt deren Leistung wahr. Wer managt, sieht Zahlen. Wer Zahlen sieht, übersieht allzu leicht, wie diese Zahlen zustande kommen. Im Denkmodell "Leistungskultur" kennt man keinen Widerspruch von zahlenbasierter Leistung als Ergebnis und menschlicher Leistung als Ablauf. ...
12.06.2015
Wer Leistung will, braucht eine gute Unternehmenskultur. Sie ist der Nährboden für Bestleistungen und muss Verantwortung ermöglichen. Man kann ein Unternehmen führen. Man kann ein Unternehmen managen. Der Unterschied ist nicht gerade trivial. Wer führt, sieht Menschen. Wer Menschen sieht, nimmt deren Leistung wahr. Wer managt, sieht Zahlen. Wer Zahlen sieht, übersieht allzu leicht, wie diese Zahlen zustande kommen. Im Denkmodell "Leistungskultur" kennt man keinen Widerspruch von zahlenbasierter Leistung als Ergebnis und menschlicher Leistung als Ablauf. ...
Intranetstudie 2015: Drei Empfehlungen für Ihre Projektarbeit
12.06.2015
Studien helfen. Und zeigen Richtungen auf. Die jährlich durchgeführte Intranetstudie der add-all AG gehört dabei zu den gern verwendeten Daten und Fakten in der Bewertung eigener Leistungen und Strategien im Intranetbereich. Was waren denn die besonders erwähnenswerten Ergebnisse der aktuellen Studie? Welche Essenzen daraus sind nennenswert? Wir haben einmal drei interessante Aspekte für Ihre Projektarbeit herausgefiltert. Für uns hat sich die diesjährige IntraNET-Studie der add-all AG mit zwei zentralen Themen beschäftigt: Welche Ziele werden mit Hilfe ...
12.06.2015
Studien helfen. Und zeigen Richtungen auf. Die jährlich durchgeführte Intranetstudie der add-all AG gehört dabei zu den gern verwendeten Daten und Fakten in der Bewertung eigener Leistungen und Strategien im Intranetbereich. Was waren denn die besonders erwähnenswerten Ergebnisse der aktuellen Studie? Welche Essenzen daraus sind nennenswert? Wir haben einmal drei interessante Aspekte für Ihre Projektarbeit herausgefiltert. Für uns hat sich die diesjährige IntraNET-Studie der add-all AG mit zwei zentralen Themen beschäftigt: Welche Ziele werden mit Hilfe ...
Working Out Loud is the Lean Start-up of Knowledge
12.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Working out loud enables early validation and engagement of others in ideas. By putting ideas to the test early when formed only to a minimum viable level wasted effort is avoided and the ideas move to fruition quicker. In this way working out loud reflects the value creation approaches of lean start-up. Working out loud on Minimum Viable Ideas One of the exercises in Harold Jarche's PKM in 40 days program is around Narration of your work. I am a huge fan of working out loud and initially I wasn't sure that I had much to learn. However, ...
12.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Working out loud enables early validation and engagement of others in ideas. By putting ideas to the test early when formed only to a minimum viable level wasted effort is avoided and the ideas move to fruition quicker. In this way working out loud reflects the value creation approaches of lean start-up. Working out loud on Minimum Viable Ideas One of the exercises in Harold Jarche's PKM in 40 days program is around Narration of your work. I am a huge fan of working out loud and initially I wasn't sure that I had much to learn. However, ...
A Safe Place: Encouraging Staff to Share Ideas
12.06.2015
There are moments in life and work where we're all looking at each other, willing one another to come up with an idea. There's a new problem and it's clear that the usual solutions won't fix it. The first workable idea will be given a hero's welcome. But that's not the most common situation. Usually a new idea appears as the outsider at a party. We're hanging out with our old solution, we know its flaws but we're used to it. Plus, the person who introduced us to the old idea is still at the party, and it seems rude to show too much interest ...
12.06.2015
There are moments in life and work where we're all looking at each other, willing one another to come up with an idea. There's a new problem and it's clear that the usual solutions won't fix it. The first workable idea will be given a hero's welcome. But that's not the most common situation. Usually a new idea appears as the outsider at a party. We're hanging out with our old solution, we know its flaws but we're used to it. Plus, the person who introduced us to the old idea is still at the party, and it seems rude to show too much interest ...
Uncover. Align. Adapt. Refine... with Enterprise Social Analytics
12.06.2015
You've done all the right stuff. Your organization has evangelized and implemented Enterprise Social capabilities, and from what you can tell, employees are making connections and creating value inside and outside the company. Yes, things are humming along nicely. You know this because you've been diligent about observing and listening. But here's where things can get sticky. How do you take the next step to uncovering and assessing, in an evidentiary way, the extent and benefit of what's going on? The easy answer is - analytics. Right? Sure, that seems ...
12.06.2015
You've done all the right stuff. Your organization has evangelized and implemented Enterprise Social capabilities, and from what you can tell, employees are making connections and creating value inside and outside the company. Yes, things are humming along nicely. You know this because you've been diligent about observing and listening. But here's where things can get sticky. How do you take the next step to uncovering and assessing, in an evidentiary way, the extent and benefit of what's going on? The easy answer is - analytics. Right? Sure, that seems ...
Why bother with knowledge management?
12.06.2015
It is a rather disturbing irony that, although we operate in an information-driven economy, most organisations simply don't put to work the invaluable in-house knowledge assets they already possess, says Nevena Sloan, general manager Portals and Collaboration Digital at Britehouse. The information freely available in an organisation's employees and its history is a massive competitive resource that no organisation could afford if it had to pay for it. Every organisation owes its stakeholders the value it should be able to realise from this ...
12.06.2015
It is a rather disturbing irony that, although we operate in an information-driven economy, most organisations simply don't put to work the invaluable in-house knowledge assets they already possess, says Nevena Sloan, general manager Portals and Collaboration Digital at Britehouse. The information freely available in an organisation's employees and its history is a massive competitive resource that no organisation could afford if it had to pay for it. Every organisation owes its stakeholders the value it should be able to realise from this ...
Ageism at work is widening the leadership skills gap
12.06.2015
Workers aged over 50 are routinely being overlooked for promotion despite possessing the essential knowledge and experience needed to fill the UK's leadership skills gap, according to a new report released today by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). 'Untapped talent: Can over 50s bridge the leadership skills gap', which has drawn from a survey of over 1400 UK managers, reveals that many organisations wrongly assume that staff over 50 lack the desire to develop and progress into more senior leadership roles. ILM found that managers rated ...
12.06.2015
Workers aged over 50 are routinely being overlooked for promotion despite possessing the essential knowledge and experience needed to fill the UK's leadership skills gap, according to a new report released today by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). 'Untapped talent: Can over 50s bridge the leadership skills gap', which has drawn from a survey of over 1400 UK managers, reveals that many organisations wrongly assume that staff over 50 lack the desire to develop and progress into more senior leadership roles. ILM found that managers rated ...
Getting your enterprise social network strategy right
11.06.2015
Enterprise social networks (ESNs) are becoming increasingly popular among larger organisations, but how can HR encourage employees to engage with them? In an era where people of all ages are increasingly comfortable with the concept of social networking - using sites such as Facebook or Twitter to share status updates, pictures and other information - it is perhaps no surprise these tools are becoming widespread in the workplace. On the face of it, enterprise social networks (ESNs), usually confined to people who work for that company only, should herald ...
11.06.2015
Enterprise social networks (ESNs) are becoming increasingly popular among larger organisations, but how can HR encourage employees to engage with them? In an era where people of all ages are increasingly comfortable with the concept of social networking - using sites such as Facebook or Twitter to share status updates, pictures and other information - it is perhaps no surprise these tools are becoming widespread in the workplace. On the face of it, enterprise social networks (ESNs), usually confined to people who work for that company only, should herald ...
Improve Employee Engagement with Social Collaboration
11.06.2015
According to Gallup, only 31.5% of employees were engaged in their jobs in 2014. The lack of employee engagement is a serious economic issue and a costly problem to most organizations. Disengaged employees are less productive and unhappier at work, affecting their quality of work and that of those around them. The Bureau of National Affairs in the US estimates American businesses lose $11 billion annually due to employee turnover when disengaged employees leave. Engaged employees, on the other hand, drive profit. Employees who care about their work ...
11.06.2015
According to Gallup, only 31.5% of employees were engaged in their jobs in 2014. The lack of employee engagement is a serious economic issue and a costly problem to most organizations. Disengaged employees are less productive and unhappier at work, affecting their quality of work and that of those around them. The Bureau of National Affairs in the US estimates American businesses lose $11 billion annually due to employee turnover when disengaged employees leave. Engaged employees, on the other hand, drive profit. Employees who care about their work ...
Enterprise Social News Feeds are all about action!
11.06.2015
In Enterprise Social, the News Feed (also known as the activity stream or conversation thread) is where the action is. This free-flowing sequence of pure engagement provides the framework for making magic happen. How? Because it's an always-on live stream of authentic consciousness that gets people sharing ideas, asking questions, and supporting each other in often surprising ways. No matter where individuals are, organizations can communicate better across the company, give everyone a voice regardless of title and enhance business agility. Here are ...
11.06.2015
In Enterprise Social, the News Feed (also known as the activity stream or conversation thread) is where the action is. This free-flowing sequence of pure engagement provides the framework for making magic happen. How? Because it's an always-on live stream of authentic consciousness that gets people sharing ideas, asking questions, and supporting each other in often surprising ways. No matter where individuals are, organizations can communicate better across the company, give everyone a voice regardless of title and enhance business agility. Here are ...
2015: Transforming How We Work, via Search
11.06.2015
Just as top athletes enter "the flow" when they perform at their best, when everything simply comes together, in 2015 more of us will work "in the flow," at the top of our abilities, as what we need to upskill and do our best work simply "comes together" for us as we are working-thanks to advanced enterprise search & relevance technology. Many profound and accelerating workplace changes are converging to make this possible: The digitization of the workplace, "so-lo-mo" digital natives approaching a majority of the workforce, the growing skills shortage, ...
11.06.2015
Just as top athletes enter "the flow" when they perform at their best, when everything simply comes together, in 2015 more of us will work "in the flow," at the top of our abilities, as what we need to upskill and do our best work simply "comes together" for us as we are working-thanks to advanced enterprise search & relevance technology. Many profound and accelerating workplace changes are converging to make this possible: The digitization of the workplace, "so-lo-mo" digital natives approaching a majority of the workforce, the growing skills shortage, ...
On the Shoulders of Giants - #wolweek
11.06.2015
by Simon Terry - We do our best work together. "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants." - Isaac Newton On The Shoulders My best work builds on the ideas of others. I am supported in my work by networks of people who give generously of their ideas their time and their networks. Working out loud helps me to better leverage these networks and leverage their boost up to see just a little further. Sharing work in progress makes it open to the contributions of my network of giants. #wolweek is a chance to share that experience ...
11.06.2015
by Simon Terry - We do our best work together. "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants." - Isaac Newton On The Shoulders My best work builds on the ideas of others. I am supported in my work by networks of people who give generously of their ideas their time and their networks. Working out loud helps me to better leverage these networks and leverage their boost up to see just a little further. Sharing work in progress makes it open to the contributions of my network of giants. #wolweek is a chance to share that experience ...
The Missing Link Between Connecting and Collecting
11.06.2015
How readily accessible is the information in your organization? According to knowledge management experts at the U.S. Army, 80 percent of the information in an organization isn't written down anywhere. Instead, most of that information is considered "tribal knowledge" -- data stored as expertise in people's heads. As the speed of business increases, employees are too busy to stop and write everything down. Increased speed results in increased complexity, which compounds the problem by creating more exceptional cases to deal with. Forget standard operating ...
11.06.2015
How readily accessible is the information in your organization? According to knowledge management experts at the U.S. Army, 80 percent of the information in an organization isn't written down anywhere. Instead, most of that information is considered "tribal knowledge" -- data stored as expertise in people's heads. As the speed of business increases, employees are too busy to stop and write everything down. Increased speed results in increased complexity, which compounds the problem by creating more exceptional cases to deal with. Forget standard operating ...
The link between KM and national culture
11.06.2015
by Nick Milton - There are few if any comparative studies of the link between the adoption of KM and national culture. So I did a little experiment. The results are interesting. One of the most famous studies of national culture was by Geert Hofstede. Hofstede looked that the national culture of IBM employees, and divided national culture into 6 dimensions; Power distance - the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. Individualism - The degree to which individuals ...
11.06.2015
by Nick Milton - There are few if any comparative studies of the link between the adoption of KM and national culture. So I did a little experiment. The results are interesting. One of the most famous studies of national culture was by Geert Hofstede. Hofstede looked that the national culture of IBM employees, and divided national culture into 6 dimensions; Power distance - the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. Individualism - The degree to which individuals ...
How Should Organizations Actually Go About Digital Transformation?
11.06.2015
by Dion Hinchcliffe - This is now the question that is top of mind in a large number of enterprises today, as speeding up adaptation to rapidly evolving digital markets is now not just a requirement to grow today, but increasingly to survive. This is not incautious language and I've been pointing to the relatively urgent data for several years: One major slip as organizations fully digitize their workforces, supply chains, and externally facing products and services is easily enough to put an organization into significant and potentially permanent decline. ...
11.06.2015
by Dion Hinchcliffe - This is now the question that is top of mind in a large number of enterprises today, as speeding up adaptation to rapidly evolving digital markets is now not just a requirement to grow today, but increasingly to survive. This is not incautious language and I've been pointing to the relatively urgent data for several years: One major slip as organizations fully digitize their workforces, supply chains, and externally facing products and services is easily enough to put an organization into significant and potentially permanent decline. ...
The literacy of the 21st century
11.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - Work is learning, and learning is the work. I have repeated this hundreds of times over the past six years and I know some people may think it is a trite statement. But the fact that learning is usually supported by an organizational department that has less influence than sales, marketing, operations, or information technology, shows that learning is not a priority in most enterprises. It's often bolted on after the major decisions have been made. Several times on consulting engagements I have been perceived as 'the learning guy' ...
11.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - Work is learning, and learning is the work. I have repeated this hundreds of times over the past six years and I know some people may think it is a trite statement. But the fact that learning is usually supported by an organizational department that has less influence than sales, marketing, operations, or information technology, shows that learning is not a priority in most enterprises. It's often bolted on after the major decisions have been made. Several times on consulting engagements I have been perceived as 'the learning guy' ...
Das Social Intranet und der Erfolg - eine Frage der Zielsetzung
10.06.2015
von Michael Hafner - Ratgeber für den Erfolg mit Social Intranets sind im vergangenen Jahr in ziemlich großer Zahl aus dem Internet gesprossen. Sie funktionieren in einer ähnlichen Logik - wenn auch in kleinerem Rahmen - wie die etwa fünfzehn Jahre davor populären Ratgeber "So werden sie im Internet reich": (Erfolg)reich wird dabei nur der Ratgeberautor. Das Gemeine an vermeintlich praktischen und konkreten Praxistipps rund um interne Kommunikation im allgemeinen: Kein Unternehmen ist gleich, keine Organisation funktioniert gleich wie die andere. Interne ...
10.06.2015
von Michael Hafner - Ratgeber für den Erfolg mit Social Intranets sind im vergangenen Jahr in ziemlich großer Zahl aus dem Internet gesprossen. Sie funktionieren in einer ähnlichen Logik - wenn auch in kleinerem Rahmen - wie die etwa fünfzehn Jahre davor populären Ratgeber "So werden sie im Internet reich": (Erfolg)reich wird dabei nur der Ratgeberautor. Das Gemeine an vermeintlich praktischen und konkreten Praxistipps rund um interne Kommunikation im allgemeinen: Kein Unternehmen ist gleich, keine Organisation funktioniert gleich wie die andere. Interne ...
New Work: Vorschau auf die neue Arbeitswelt
10.06.2015
New Work, Arbeitswelt der Zukunft - dieses Thema ist in aller Munde: Wie wird die Digitalisierung die Büro- und Industrielandschaft verändern? Diese Frage lässt sich noch nicht hinlänglich beantworten. Fest steht nur, dass der rasante technologische Fortschritt das Arbeitsleben komplett umkrempeln könnte. Gewisse Entwicklungen ermöglichen jedoch schon jetzt eine vorsichtige Vorschau auf die neue Arbeitswelt. Los geht's: Schauen wir uns an, wie die nächste Generation arbeiten wird... New Work: Ein sozialphilosophischer Begriff New Work: Arbeit wird mobil, ...
10.06.2015
New Work, Arbeitswelt der Zukunft - dieses Thema ist in aller Munde: Wie wird die Digitalisierung die Büro- und Industrielandschaft verändern? Diese Frage lässt sich noch nicht hinlänglich beantworten. Fest steht nur, dass der rasante technologische Fortschritt das Arbeitsleben komplett umkrempeln könnte. Gewisse Entwicklungen ermöglichen jedoch schon jetzt eine vorsichtige Vorschau auf die neue Arbeitswelt. Los geht's: Schauen wir uns an, wie die nächste Generation arbeiten wird... New Work: Ein sozialphilosophischer Begriff New Work: Arbeit wird mobil, ...
5 Reasons Why You Need to Overhaul Your Employee Intranet Portal
10.06.2015
Let's face it, your employee intranet portal is outdated. It once stored information employees needed for HR and some projects, but how much are they really using it now? It's common knowledge that the way we communicate has changed. In our personal lives, we're using online search and social networks to easily find anyone and anything we want. Why can't it be the same at work? Upgrading your employee intranet portal to take advantage of these technologies can make all the difference - reduction in email, less time needed to find resources, and ultimately ...
10.06.2015
Let's face it, your employee intranet portal is outdated. It once stored information employees needed for HR and some projects, but how much are they really using it now? It's common knowledge that the way we communicate has changed. In our personal lives, we're using online search and social networks to easily find anyone and anything we want. Why can't it be the same at work? Upgrading your employee intranet portal to take advantage of these technologies can make all the difference - reduction in email, less time needed to find resources, and ultimately ...
Is yours "a collaborative organisation"?
10.06.2015
Over the last few years, I've spent a lot of time writing and talking about the benefits of collaboration and the technology to support collaboration in its many forms. What has become clear during that time, however, is just how nebulous and confusing the term "collaboration" is. But while it's easy to get caught up in defining what "collaboration" itself actually means (and yes, MWD has its own definition too!), I've come to realise that its not necessarily the act of collaborating that needs defining, but what this means in the context ...
10.06.2015
Over the last few years, I've spent a lot of time writing and talking about the benefits of collaboration and the technology to support collaboration in its many forms. What has become clear during that time, however, is just how nebulous and confusing the term "collaboration" is. But while it's easy to get caught up in defining what "collaboration" itself actually means (and yes, MWD has its own definition too!), I've come to realise that its not necessarily the act of collaborating that needs defining, but what this means in the context ...
4 Keys to Successful Community Sites
10.06.2015
In an enterprise, a Community Site is a place where colleagues with specific common interests come together. In this virtual environment, users share information and insights, exchange ideas, discover experts, collaborate on issues or documents, and offer their expertise. Essentially, these sites provide a way to categorize and cultivate discussions across like-minded groups. Today, enterprise Community Sites are either communities of interest, team sites, or (more recently) sites that surface Business Intelligence to selected stakeholders. How to make ...
10.06.2015
In an enterprise, a Community Site is a place where colleagues with specific common interests come together. In this virtual environment, users share information and insights, exchange ideas, discover experts, collaborate on issues or documents, and offer their expertise. Essentially, these sites provide a way to categorize and cultivate discussions across like-minded groups. Today, enterprise Community Sites are either communities of interest, team sites, or (more recently) sites that surface Business Intelligence to selected stakeholders. How to make ...
One Thousand #WolCircles
10.06.2015
by Simon Terry - 1000 Cranes bring peace. 1000 #WolCircles connect people in purpose. Great things happen when people embrace a bold dream. For some time John Stepper and I have been discussing how we make his wonderful work enabling others to work out loud available to more people. John has developed a great facilitation process using circles of 4-5 people to support each other as they work out loud. I have led a circle and the outcomes were invaluable. At a recent event, John's talk on the value of working out loud inspired the establishment of 18 ...
10.06.2015
by Simon Terry - 1000 Cranes bring peace. 1000 #WolCircles connect people in purpose. Great things happen when people embrace a bold dream. For some time John Stepper and I have been discussing how we make his wonderful work enabling others to work out loud available to more people. John has developed a great facilitation process using circles of 4-5 people to support each other as they work out loud. I have led a circle and the outcomes were invaluable. At a recent event, John's talk on the value of working out loud inspired the establishment of 18 ...
10 Ways to Build Expertise in Knowledge Management
10.06.2015
by Stan Garfield - The field of knowledge management (KM) is now about 20 years old. As Patrick Lambe previously pointed out, knowledge management existed before 1995, but the term KM was not widely used. I have been active in this field for most of that time, and I am often asked how to develop expertise in it. As with most fields, there are no shortcuts to becoming an expert. You have to read, write, listen, attend training and events, and interact with others in the field. But mostly, you need to practice the profession by actually doing the work ...
10.06.2015
by Stan Garfield - The field of knowledge management (KM) is now about 20 years old. As Patrick Lambe previously pointed out, knowledge management existed before 1995, but the term KM was not widely used. I have been active in this field for most of that time, and I am often asked how to develop expertise in it. As with most fields, there are no shortcuts to becoming an expert. You have to read, write, listen, attend training and events, and interact with others in the field. But mostly, you need to practice the profession by actually doing the work ...
How to Knit a Compelling Story in an Age of Change
10.06.2015
One of the biggest questions I (as well as many others in my personal learning network - PLN) have been asking is, "how come we 'GET' social and others don't?" I've been asking this same question over and over in my head and I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave over organisations to sprinkle magical silver fairy unicorn dust to inspire everyone to see what we are seeing and to open their minds to life long learning. Sharing, asking, learning, thinking, reflecting and building something for themselves, their organisation, their community and society. ...
10.06.2015
One of the biggest questions I (as well as many others in my personal learning network - PLN) have been asking is, "how come we 'GET' social and others don't?" I've been asking this same question over and over in my head and I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave over organisations to sprinkle magical silver fairy unicorn dust to inspire everyone to see what we are seeing and to open their minds to life long learning. Sharing, asking, learning, thinking, reflecting and building something for themselves, their organisation, their community and society. ...
CEOs and Employees Want Change. So Why Isn't It Happening?
10.06.2015
One of the things I consistently notice when speaking to employees about culture change is the finger-pointing back at senior management. I hear "They need to change" or "Management needs to change their behaviors". Non-coincidentally, this exact same sentiment is shared when speaking with management. They're saying: "Our employees don't want to change. We have to force them to comply". There's no doubt that changing an organization's culture requires both management and employees to be in it together, however, we've fallen too deep into the trap of ...
10.06.2015
One of the things I consistently notice when speaking to employees about culture change is the finger-pointing back at senior management. I hear "They need to change" or "Management needs to change their behaviors". Non-coincidentally, this exact same sentiment is shared when speaking with management. They're saying: "Our employees don't want to change. We have to force them to comply". There's no doubt that changing an organization's culture requires both management and employees to be in it together, however, we've fallen too deep into the trap of ...
Working Out Loud - 1. Treffen in Frankfurt am Main
09.06.2015
von Simon Dückert - Heute fand in Frankfurt am Main das erste Treffen der deutschsprachigen Working-Out-Loud-Szene statt. Raumsponsor ist die deusche Bank, die Organisation hat der Initiator der Webseite workingoutloud.de Jochen Adler übernommen. Der Begriff "Working Out Loud" (WOL) wurde von John Stepper (@johnstepper) geprägt, dessen Buch zum Thema in Kürze erscheint. Der Untertitel "for a better carrer and life" der Webseite workingoutloud.com deutet an, dass es bei der Idee im Kern nicht um Altruismus, sondern um einen zentralen Erfolgsfaktor für ...
09.06.2015
von Simon Dückert - Heute fand in Frankfurt am Main das erste Treffen der deutschsprachigen Working-Out-Loud-Szene statt. Raumsponsor ist die deusche Bank, die Organisation hat der Initiator der Webseite workingoutloud.de Jochen Adler übernommen. Der Begriff "Working Out Loud" (WOL) wurde von John Stepper (@johnstepper) geprägt, dessen Buch zum Thema in Kürze erscheint. Der Untertitel "for a better carrer and life" der Webseite workingoutloud.com deutet an, dass es bei der Idee im Kern nicht um Altruismus, sondern um einen zentralen Erfolgsfaktor für ...
#wolweek 15-21 June 2015
09.06.2015
We are pleased to announce that in 2015 there will be two International Working Out Loud weeks following on the success of our two events in 2014. International Working Out Loud week is a campaign to promote working out loud as a key practice to enable people to benefit from collaboration in their networks and communities. Working out loud involves sharing work in progress with other people to enable them and you to benefit from the learning and collaboration that results. The first International Working Out Loud week will be held from 15-21 June 2015 ...
09.06.2015
We are pleased to announce that in 2015 there will be two International Working Out Loud weeks following on the success of our two events in 2014. International Working Out Loud week is a campaign to promote working out loud as a key practice to enable people to benefit from collaboration in their networks and communities. Working out loud involves sharing work in progress with other people to enable them and you to benefit from the learning and collaboration that results. The first International Working Out Loud week will be held from 15-21 June 2015 ...
Improving Connection, Communication and Collaboration
09.06.2015
The humble intranet has been used by businesses for many years, but in more recent times has evolved to become a much more powerful tool than it was in the past. This has been helped along by the advances in technology that we've seen take place over the past couple of decades. An intranet is like a scaled-down version of the internet, where employees can access shared documents, social profiles, wikis and more. Given the right tools, the intranet can also be used for effective collaboration, both internally and externally. Whilst once connecting to ...
09.06.2015
The humble intranet has been used by businesses for many years, but in more recent times has evolved to become a much more powerful tool than it was in the past. This has been helped along by the advances in technology that we've seen take place over the past couple of decades. An intranet is like a scaled-down version of the internet, where employees can access shared documents, social profiles, wikis and more. Given the right tools, the intranet can also be used for effective collaboration, both internally and externally. Whilst once connecting to ...
5 ways to Show Up in your profile
09.06.2015
Profile Pages are the point of origin for participating in Enterprise Social. They represent home base; the bottom line on who you are and what you're interested in. Here's where folks should create and strengthen a personal brand; it's you, when you're physically absent. Though branding is a big part of what profile pages are about, they also offer the opportunity for seamless access to topics, documents and people of interest. While these Enterprise Social thresholds should be taken seriously, showing up dull, stiff and without personality is, well...not ...
09.06.2015
Profile Pages are the point of origin for participating in Enterprise Social. They represent home base; the bottom line on who you are and what you're interested in. Here's where folks should create and strengthen a personal brand; it's you, when you're physically absent. Though branding is a big part of what profile pages are about, they also offer the opportunity for seamless access to topics, documents and people of interest. While these Enterprise Social thresholds should be taken seriously, showing up dull, stiff and without personality is, well...not ...
Starting a community on your intranet social network
09.06.2015
When I first started working on intranets back in the late 90s I remember searching high and low for tips on starting up a forum on an intranet. How do you get the ball rolling? But it seemed there was little interest in the dynamics of digital communities whether on intranets or even the world wide web. Dan Hawtrey from Content Formula guests for us and shares his insights on building community. Things are very different today. Companies have now invested large budgets on exciting toys like SharePoint 2103, Office 365, Yammer, Jive, Newsgator, Chatter ...
09.06.2015
When I first started working on intranets back in the late 90s I remember searching high and low for tips on starting up a forum on an intranet. How do you get the ball rolling? But it seemed there was little interest in the dynamics of digital communities whether on intranets or even the world wide web. Dan Hawtrey from Content Formula guests for us and shares his insights on building community. Things are very different today. Companies have now invested large budgets on exciting toys like SharePoint 2103, Office 365, Yammer, Jive, Newsgator, Chatter ...
5 Ways to Strengthen Trust With Weak Ties
09.06.2015
I would describe our meeting as a roll of the dice. Perhaps someday we will upgrade our relationship to "weak ties," but yesterday we were just 2/850 at the Great Ideas Conference chatting through our freebie Hyatt sunglasses over lunchtime brisket and gluten-free potato salad. "Joe," the CEO (named substituted for anonymity and rhyme), seemed genuinely intrigued by our LGL mission. He works with significant innovators (with a capital I- think people who will invent the next product you must have and will be willing to spend too much for.) "Karin, what ...
09.06.2015
I would describe our meeting as a roll of the dice. Perhaps someday we will upgrade our relationship to "weak ties," but yesterday we were just 2/850 at the Great Ideas Conference chatting through our freebie Hyatt sunglasses over lunchtime brisket and gluten-free potato salad. "Joe," the CEO (named substituted for anonymity and rhyme), seemed genuinely intrigued by our LGL mission. He works with significant innovators (with a capital I- think people who will invent the next product you must have and will be willing to spend too much for.) "Karin, what ...
The Million Dollar Question: What Is Intranet Success?
09.06.2015
How do you determine the success (or otherwise) of your intranet? It's the million dollar question and there are many ways to answer it. Would you consider your intranet successful if: 60 percent or more of your intranet target audience view content at least once a day (where the intranet is not the default organizational browser home page), or 24 percent or more of the intranet target audience contribute content at least once a day (contributions can include posting a comment, updating a page, contributing to a discussion, uploading a document). That ...
09.06.2015
How do you determine the success (or otherwise) of your intranet? It's the million dollar question and there are many ways to answer it. Would you consider your intranet successful if: 60 percent or more of your intranet target audience view content at least once a day (where the intranet is not the default organizational browser home page), or 24 percent or more of the intranet target audience contribute content at least once a day (contributions can include posting a comment, updating a page, contributing to a discussion, uploading a document). That ...
What is the relationship between organizational culture and the digital workplace?
09.06.2015
The digital workplace is complex. Organizational culture is complex. The two seem deeply intertwined, but how can one shape the other? This is the first of a two-part series exploring the question. One of my favourite classic children's story books is "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". There is nothing quite like the experience of joining hands with Alice to venture down the rabbit hole, exclaiming "Curiouser and curiouser!" at the strange wonders before you, encountering the roll call of wonderful creatures, experimenting with the various potions ...
09.06.2015
The digital workplace is complex. Organizational culture is complex. The two seem deeply intertwined, but how can one shape the other? This is the first of a two-part series exploring the question. One of my favourite classic children's story books is "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". There is nothing quite like the experience of joining hands with Alice to venture down the rabbit hole, exclaiming "Curiouser and curiouser!" at the strange wonders before you, encountering the roll call of wonderful creatures, experimenting with the various potions ...
Using A Knowledge Library To Build Employee Thought Leadership
09.06.2015
Altimeter Group has a great quote referencing content measurement across multiple disciplines: "But measuring only for sales and leads - or simply relying on volume or vanity metrics such as "likes" and "views" that contain little innate business value or meaning - undermines and devalues investments in time, media, employees, technology, and vendor relationships." The last part, focussing on employees specifically, is very important. Content has changed, especially within the enterprise. What was once a purely marketing tactic has now evolved into ...
09.06.2015
Altimeter Group has a great quote referencing content measurement across multiple disciplines: "But measuring only for sales and leads - or simply relying on volume or vanity metrics such as "likes" and "views" that contain little innate business value or meaning - undermines and devalues investments in time, media, employees, technology, and vendor relationships." The last part, focussing on employees specifically, is very important. Content has changed, especially within the enterprise. What was once a purely marketing tactic has now evolved into ...
What Makes an Organization "Networked"?
09.06.2015
In 1904, the great sociologist Max Weber visited the United States. As Moises Naim describes in The End of Power, travelling around the vast country for three months, he believed that it represented "the last time in the long-lasting history of mankind that so favourable conditions for a free and grand development will exist." Yet while Weber saw vast potential and boundless opportunities, he also noticed problems. The massive productive capacity that the industrial revolution had brought about was spinning out of control. Weber saw that traditional ...
09.06.2015
In 1904, the great sociologist Max Weber visited the United States. As Moises Naim describes in The End of Power, travelling around the vast country for three months, he believed that it represented "the last time in the long-lasting history of mankind that so favourable conditions for a free and grand development will exist." Yet while Weber saw vast potential and boundless opportunities, he also noticed problems. The massive productive capacity that the industrial revolution had brought about was spinning out of control. Weber saw that traditional ...
Social Media Nutzung als Social Intranet Abbild?
08.06.2015
Viele Unternehmen haben bereits seit vielen Jahren die externe Kommunikation mit ihren Kunden über das Internet optimiert. Gerade die sozialen Kanäle zusätzlich zu einem Internet-Auftritt und Email bringen noch einmal einen zusätzlichen Effizienzgewinn. Laut BITKOM Studie liegt der Anteil der Unternehmen mit Social Media Einsatz aktuell bei ca. 37%. Ein solches Vorgehen lässt sich natürlich direkt auf eine interne Kommunikation in Form von einem Mitarbeiterportal, Social Intranet, Digital Workplace oder anderen Schlagwort belegen. Nach meiner Erfahrungen ...
08.06.2015
Viele Unternehmen haben bereits seit vielen Jahren die externe Kommunikation mit ihren Kunden über das Internet optimiert. Gerade die sozialen Kanäle zusätzlich zu einem Internet-Auftritt und Email bringen noch einmal einen zusätzlichen Effizienzgewinn. Laut BITKOM Studie liegt der Anteil der Unternehmen mit Social Media Einsatz aktuell bei ca. 37%. Ein solches Vorgehen lässt sich natürlich direkt auf eine interne Kommunikation in Form von einem Mitarbeiterportal, Social Intranet, Digital Workplace oder anderen Schlagwort belegen. Nach meiner Erfahrungen ...
Das vernetzte Unternehmen - Führung, Management und Organisation
08.06.2015
von Sebastian Thielke - Das sich etwas ändert, spüren wir alle. Die Mitarbeiter, die sich im Unternehmen vernetzen und das Miteinander als freien und vor allem effizienten Teil der täglichen Arbeit wahrnehmen. Die Organisation, weil sie agiler, innovativer und vor allem flexibler wird in ihren Prozessen und Projekten. Und nicht zuletzt ist es die Unternehmensführung, die sich den neuen Herausforderungen stellen muss. Heißt dies nun, dass radikal alle Manager keine Manager mehr sind, dass die Unternehmensführung ihre Führung abgibt und ALLEN überlässt? ...
08.06.2015
von Sebastian Thielke - Das sich etwas ändert, spüren wir alle. Die Mitarbeiter, die sich im Unternehmen vernetzen und das Miteinander als freien und vor allem effizienten Teil der täglichen Arbeit wahrnehmen. Die Organisation, weil sie agiler, innovativer und vor allem flexibler wird in ihren Prozessen und Projekten. Und nicht zuletzt ist es die Unternehmensführung, die sich den neuen Herausforderungen stellen muss. Heißt dies nun, dass radikal alle Manager keine Manager mehr sind, dass die Unternehmensführung ihre Führung abgibt und ALLEN überlässt? ...
Führungskultur in der Arbeitswelt 4.0 - bisher mehr Wunsch als Wirklichkeit
08.06.2015
von Stephan Grabmeier - Die Frage, wie wir in Zukunft arbeiten, beinhaltet auch die Frage, wie wir in Zukunft zusammen arbeiten werden. Wie werden sich die Beziehungen zwischen Kollegen verändern? Wie werden sich die Beziehungen zwischen Führungskräften und Mitarbeitern verändern? Werden sich Hierarchien am Ende ganz auflösen - zugunsten einer immer stärkeren Vernetzung und Kooperation? Welche Rolle spielt dabei die Digitalisierung - wird sie nachhaltigen Einfluss auf die Führungskultur haben? Und: Was davon ist Wunsch, was ist schon Wirklichkeit? Schizophrene ...
08.06.2015
von Stephan Grabmeier - Die Frage, wie wir in Zukunft arbeiten, beinhaltet auch die Frage, wie wir in Zukunft zusammen arbeiten werden. Wie werden sich die Beziehungen zwischen Kollegen verändern? Wie werden sich die Beziehungen zwischen Führungskräften und Mitarbeitern verändern? Werden sich Hierarchien am Ende ganz auflösen - zugunsten einer immer stärkeren Vernetzung und Kooperation? Welche Rolle spielt dabei die Digitalisierung - wird sie nachhaltigen Einfluss auf die Führungskultur haben? Und: Was davon ist Wunsch, was ist schon Wirklichkeit? Schizophrene ...
Tipps von Gartner: So erstellen CIOs ein Digital Workplace Manifest
08.06.2015
In den Zielen jedes fünften CIOs wird 2020 stehen, gemeinsam mit der HR-Abteilung das Mitarbeiter-Engagement zu steigern. Das prognostiziert Gartner. CIOs und Personalchefs müssen gemeinsam ein "Digital Workplace Manifest" entwickeln Unabhängig von firmenspezifischen Inhalten sollte dieses Manifest fünf Punkte umfassen Der CIO wird insbesondere Sachbearbeitern mit viel Kundenkontakt mehr Mitsprache einräumen Die sonst so nüchternen US-Marktforscher von Gartner verwenden dieses Mal einen schillernden Begriff: Nicht weniger als ein Digital Workplace Manifest ...
08.06.2015
In den Zielen jedes fünften CIOs wird 2020 stehen, gemeinsam mit der HR-Abteilung das Mitarbeiter-Engagement zu steigern. Das prognostiziert Gartner. CIOs und Personalchefs müssen gemeinsam ein "Digital Workplace Manifest" entwickeln Unabhängig von firmenspezifischen Inhalten sollte dieses Manifest fünf Punkte umfassen Der CIO wird insbesondere Sachbearbeitern mit viel Kundenkontakt mehr Mitsprache einräumen Die sonst so nüchternen US-Marktforscher von Gartner verwenden dieses Mal einen schillernden Begriff: Nicht weniger als ein Digital Workplace Manifest ...
I'm not getting any benefits from my ESN!
08.06.2015
Dear Frank, I understand the scepsis you and your board have with regards to further investment in your Enterprise Social Network (ESN) and thanks for asking for my take on this. There are many reasons why you're not seeing much benefit from your ESN. One of them we discussed earlier where people are believed to know how to use ESN because they can also use Facebook; which isn't true. However, there are 2 key aspects that constitute most to your ESN ROI. First, every community on it needs a clear business purpose. Second, every community member needs ...
08.06.2015
Dear Frank, I understand the scepsis you and your board have with regards to further investment in your Enterprise Social Network (ESN) and thanks for asking for my take on this. There are many reasons why you're not seeing much benefit from your ESN. One of them we discussed earlier where people are believed to know how to use ESN because they can also use Facebook; which isn't true. However, there are 2 key aspects that constitute most to your ESN ROI. First, every community on it needs a clear business purpose. Second, every community member needs ...
4 roads to Success in Enterprise Social
08.06.2015
Now that you're embarking on the Enterprise Social journey, you'll need to nail down a starting point. Being selective is critical, but it doesn't have to be difficult. Simply target processes and functions you know could benefit from a more streamlined approach. Maybe sales cycles are long and complex. Or design and engineering seem bogged down. Wherever you land, hold on to these ideas. A) Executive commitment is a must! And there needs to be agreement on visible participation. B) User adoption is a crucial element of success. Create a worthy plan ...
08.06.2015
Now that you're embarking on the Enterprise Social journey, you'll need to nail down a starting point. Being selective is critical, but it doesn't have to be difficult. Simply target processes and functions you know could benefit from a more streamlined approach. Maybe sales cycles are long and complex. Or design and engineering seem bogged down. Wherever you land, hold on to these ideas. A) Executive commitment is a must! And there needs to be agreement on visible participation. B) User adoption is a crucial element of success. Create a worthy plan ...
EductechAU Workplace Learning - Building Strategic Capability for Change
08.06.2015
by Simon Terry - As our organisations look to adapt to a connected world, learning will need to play a far more strategic role. Learning functions need to move from being order takers to change agents in the transformation of leadership, culture, work and organisational structures. After all, we won't achieve our strategic goals if people don't have the capabilities we need. Changing the Learning Game Change was at the forefront of the agenda of the EdutechAU workplace learning congress this week. There wasn't a speaker or a panel that did not seek ...
08.06.2015
by Simon Terry - As our organisations look to adapt to a connected world, learning will need to play a far more strategic role. Learning functions need to move from being order takers to change agents in the transformation of leadership, culture, work and organisational structures. After all, we won't achieve our strategic goals if people don't have the capabilities we need. Changing the Learning Game Change was at the forefront of the agenda of the EdutechAU workplace learning congress this week. There wasn't a speaker or a panel that did not seek ...
Create a Digital Workplace Manifesto for Executives and Employees
08.06.2015
How a plain-spoken manifesto articulating the business goals and company culture in a digital workplace program demonstrates its value to leadership and employees. The IT division has produced a compelling digital workplace initiative to help the company realize the promise of the digital economy by exploiting consumerization trends to boost employee engagement and agility. Now comes the hard part: helping the leadership and staff understand, invest, participate and thrive in the digital workplace. According to Matthew W. Cain, Gartner vice president ...
08.06.2015
How a plain-spoken manifesto articulating the business goals and company culture in a digital workplace program demonstrates its value to leadership and employees. The IT division has produced a compelling digital workplace initiative to help the company realize the promise of the digital economy by exploiting consumerization trends to boost employee engagement and agility. Now comes the hard part: helping the leadership and staff understand, invest, participate and thrive in the digital workplace. According to Matthew W. Cain, Gartner vice president ...
Should Your Company Become a Holacracy?
08.06.2015
by Dion Hinchcliffe - With many eyes in the business world now watching the company-wide open experiment in next-generation business at Zappos that some have labelled a vital new management trend, we find it's worth using this industry discussion to ask the question about how your organization is preparing the vital groundwork towards its future. For his part, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is convinced that an emerging discipline known as Holacracy is a better, more modern way of running a business in the digital era, and so it may be. A surprising number of ...
08.06.2015
by Dion Hinchcliffe - With many eyes in the business world now watching the company-wide open experiment in next-generation business at Zappos that some have labelled a vital new management trend, we find it's worth using this industry discussion to ask the question about how your organization is preparing the vital groundwork towards its future. For his part, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is convinced that an emerging discipline known as Holacracy is a better, more modern way of running a business in the digital era, and so it may be. A surprising number of ...
Social Collaboration - Erfolgreich ist, wer kollaborativ arbeitet
05.06.2015
von Willms Buhse - Gemeinsam sind wir schlauer, schneller, besser. Diese Erkenntnis behält auch im digitalen Zeitalter ihre Gültigkeit. Denn Technologien wie Social Intranet und Collaboration-Plattformen revolutionieren die Art und Weise, wie Teams miteinander arbeiten und interagieren. Im Gegensatz zur klassischen Zusammenarbeit, die auf konventionellen Hierarchien aufbaut, meint Social Collaboration eine neue Form der vernetzten Zusammenarbeit, die durch soziale Technologien und Werte der Digital Natives geprägt ist. In unserer Blogreihe über die ...
05.06.2015
von Willms Buhse - Gemeinsam sind wir schlauer, schneller, besser. Diese Erkenntnis behält auch im digitalen Zeitalter ihre Gültigkeit. Denn Technologien wie Social Intranet und Collaboration-Plattformen revolutionieren die Art und Weise, wie Teams miteinander arbeiten und interagieren. Im Gegensatz zur klassischen Zusammenarbeit, die auf konventionellen Hierarchien aufbaut, meint Social Collaboration eine neue Form der vernetzten Zusammenarbeit, die durch soziale Technologien und Werte der Digital Natives geprägt ist. In unserer Blogreihe über die ...
Microblogging statt Mailen - Die Vorteile von Twitter im Unternehmen
05.06.2015
von Lukas Pfeiffer - "Microblogging ist eine Form des Bloggens, bei der die Benutzer kurze, SMS-ähnliche Textnachrichten veröffentlichen können. Die Länge dieser Nachrichten beträgt meist weniger als 200 Zeichen." So beginnt die Definition von Microblogging in der Wikipedia. Mit fast 300 Millionen Mitgliedern ist Twitter der bekannteste Microblogging-Dienst. Die Intensivität der Twitter-Nutzung zeigt, kurze Mitteilungen sind schneller und effizienter als lange Emails. Emails sind in einigen Bereichen sicherlich unabdingbar, jedoch sind sie in der Team-Kommunikation ...
05.06.2015
von Lukas Pfeiffer - "Microblogging ist eine Form des Bloggens, bei der die Benutzer kurze, SMS-ähnliche Textnachrichten veröffentlichen können. Die Länge dieser Nachrichten beträgt meist weniger als 200 Zeichen." So beginnt die Definition von Microblogging in der Wikipedia. Mit fast 300 Millionen Mitgliedern ist Twitter der bekannteste Microblogging-Dienst. Die Intensivität der Twitter-Nutzung zeigt, kurze Mitteilungen sind schneller und effizienter als lange Emails. Emails sind in einigen Bereichen sicherlich unabdingbar, jedoch sind sie in der Team-Kommunikation ...
Alles ändert sich: die Generationen X, Y und Z - Wandel bei Human Resources
05.06.2015
Arbeitgeberattraktivität ist entscheidend - Kultur wird es! Der demografische Wandel und der stetig zunehmende Fach- und Führungskräftemangel sind in aller Munde. Können wir ihnen ein Schnippchen schlagen? Doch wie funktioniert das? Wie sehen eigentlich die Realität und vor allem die Zukunft der Arbeitswelt aus? Im Rahmen des Arbeitskreises "Jugend und Wirtschaft" werde ich im Folgenden in knappen Zügen über die wesentlichen Entwicklungen und Trends berichten sowie die Herausforderungen an die Wirtschaft und an die jüngeren Generationen aufzeigen. Sie ...
05.06.2015
Arbeitgeberattraktivität ist entscheidend - Kultur wird es! Der demografische Wandel und der stetig zunehmende Fach- und Führungskräftemangel sind in aller Munde. Können wir ihnen ein Schnippchen schlagen? Doch wie funktioniert das? Wie sehen eigentlich die Realität und vor allem die Zukunft der Arbeitswelt aus? Im Rahmen des Arbeitskreises "Jugend und Wirtschaft" werde ich im Folgenden in knappen Zügen über die wesentlichen Entwicklungen und Trends berichten sowie die Herausforderungen an die Wirtschaft und an die jüngeren Generationen aufzeigen. Sie ...
The future of work is now
05.06.2015
by Gloria Lombardi - "The future of work is right here, right now," says Chief Executive Officer at Jive Elisa Steele (pictured right). People have started expecting new ways of working as a consequence of technology changing their lifestyle. Steele's leadership story is interesting. She became CEO of the leading communication and collaboration solutions provider a few months ago. But even before joining the company, she was a passionate customer. It was in 2007 when Steele adopted the Jive platform for the first time. A massive change was going ...
05.06.2015
by Gloria Lombardi - "The future of work is right here, right now," says Chief Executive Officer at Jive Elisa Steele (pictured right). People have started expecting new ways of working as a consequence of technology changing their lifestyle. Steele's leadership story is interesting. She became CEO of the leading communication and collaboration solutions provider a few months ago. But even before joining the company, she was a passionate customer. It was in 2007 when Steele adopted the Jive platform for the first time. A massive change was going ...
6 BIG don'ts on the road to Enterprise Social
05.06.2015
It's clear that deploying Enterprise Social technologies can represent big wins for businesses. You agree, right? So how best can you position your organization for success? Begin by avoiding a few seemingly harmless pitfalls. These simple mistakes can create unwanted drag on your efforts; crushing participant enthusiasm and leading to lackluster outcomes. If your organization falls prey to any one of these errors, you'll likely end up wedged in a corner trying to figure out how to jumpstart momentum and regain credibility. Let's evaluate what not to ...
05.06.2015
It's clear that deploying Enterprise Social technologies can represent big wins for businesses. You agree, right? So how best can you position your organization for success? Begin by avoiding a few seemingly harmless pitfalls. These simple mistakes can create unwanted drag on your efforts; crushing participant enthusiasm and leading to lackluster outcomes. If your organization falls prey to any one of these errors, you'll likely end up wedged in a corner trying to figure out how to jumpstart momentum and regain credibility. Let's evaluate what not to ...
Forrester's Nate Elliott: There's No 'Community Building' on Social
05.06.2015
Speaking at the Lithium Technologies LiNC conference in San Francisco, Forrester Research vice president and principal analyst Nate Elliott dropped some truth on brand managers and marketers: you don't build a community on social or have any meaningful customer relationships on Facebook. Elliott's advice to brands looking for real, measurable results through social media: integrate social aspects into a platform you own, such as your company's website. Elliott talked with SocialTimes about the pitfalls of brands attempting to build a community on sites ...
05.06.2015
Speaking at the Lithium Technologies LiNC conference in San Francisco, Forrester Research vice president and principal analyst Nate Elliott dropped some truth on brand managers and marketers: you don't build a community on social or have any meaningful customer relationships on Facebook. Elliott's advice to brands looking for real, measurable results through social media: integrate social aspects into a platform you own, such as your company's website. Elliott talked with SocialTimes about the pitfalls of brands attempting to build a community on sites ...
9 Instant Employee Engagement Benefits To Ending Internal Email
05.06.2015
I work at a company that killed internal emailing. What that means is no more emails from your co-workers and managers. No more email chains. No more cc's or bcc's. It feels good. I know what you are thinking - "How do you guys get anything done?" We use a simple internal chat tool called Slack. The chat tool allows us to talk individually to anyone in the company, by groups (like teams and office locations), and also channels for project specific collaboration. We also use the chat tool to share files, get notifications from other software ...
05.06.2015
I work at a company that killed internal emailing. What that means is no more emails from your co-workers and managers. No more email chains. No more cc's or bcc's. It feels good. I know what you are thinking - "How do you guys get anything done?" We use a simple internal chat tool called Slack. The chat tool allows us to talk individually to anyone in the company, by groups (like teams and office locations), and also channels for project specific collaboration. We also use the chat tool to share files, get notifications from other software ...
Why Special Ops Stopped Relying So Much on Top-Down Leadership
05.06.2015
When Fredrick Winslow Taylor designed the world's first modern assembly line and forever changed industry, persuasion was the last thing on his mind. Taylor believed assembly line workers simply needed clear direction on how to execute prescribed tasks. His belief, which manifested in both physical design and organizational structures during the decades that followed, was that the human factor should be removed from the production equation to the greatest extent possible. Stopwatch and measuring tape in hand, Taylor designed and advocated for systems ...
05.06.2015
When Fredrick Winslow Taylor designed the world's first modern assembly line and forever changed industry, persuasion was the last thing on his mind. Taylor believed assembly line workers simply needed clear direction on how to execute prescribed tasks. His belief, which manifested in both physical design and organizational structures during the decades that followed, was that the human factor should be removed from the production equation to the greatest extent possible. Stopwatch and measuring tape in hand, Taylor designed and advocated for systems ...
So scheitern Social-Enterprise-Projekte garantiert
04.06.2015
Im Arbeitskreis Social Media des BITKOM gehen wir auch der Frage nach, was sich aktuell innerhalb kleiner wie großer Unternehmen durch mehr digitale Vernetzung ändert. Leider zeigt die Erfahrung, dass viele Social-Enterprise-Projekte scheitern oder hinter den Erwartungen zurückbleiben. Die Gründe dafür sind vielfältig. Die folgende prägnante Checkliste identifiziert 15 Herangehensweisen, mit denen Sie ein Social-Enterprise-Projekt ganz sicher zum Scheitern bringen. Anhand dieser Liste können Sie herausfinden, ob sich auch Ihr Unternehmen eventuell ...
04.06.2015
Im Arbeitskreis Social Media des BITKOM gehen wir auch der Frage nach, was sich aktuell innerhalb kleiner wie großer Unternehmen durch mehr digitale Vernetzung ändert. Leider zeigt die Erfahrung, dass viele Social-Enterprise-Projekte scheitern oder hinter den Erwartungen zurückbleiben. Die Gründe dafür sind vielfältig. Die folgende prägnante Checkliste identifiziert 15 Herangehensweisen, mit denen Sie ein Social-Enterprise-Projekt ganz sicher zum Scheitern bringen. Anhand dieser Liste können Sie herausfinden, ob sich auch Ihr Unternehmen eventuell ...
Five reasons to launch Enterprise Social NOW!
04.06.2015
Enterprise Social is top-of-mind for every business leader worth his or her paper. That's why SPR Consulting is bringing its well-earned insight to the topic via an eight-part blog series; designed to help organizations get the most from this pivotal trend. Consumers are serious about social. A full 67% of all Internet users are active on social media sites. And the numbers suggest undeniable value for the participants. After all, month after month, they keep coming back. Yet many business leaders still ask, can the value of social tools really translate ...
04.06.2015
Enterprise Social is top-of-mind for every business leader worth his or her paper. That's why SPR Consulting is bringing its well-earned insight to the topic via an eight-part blog series; designed to help organizations get the most from this pivotal trend. Consumers are serious about social. A full 67% of all Internet users are active on social media sites. And the numbers suggest undeniable value for the participants. After all, month after month, they keep coming back. Yet many business leaders still ask, can the value of social tools really translate ...
ESN - The Objective is not Collaboration
04.06.2015
by Mike Green - There's a range of results and business gains possible with enterprise social media. The key capabilities of any new enterprise social platform are - profiles, social network, microblogging, activity streams, collaboration and discussion spaces, idea crowdsourcing, anytime / any device. However, the problem today is living between the two worlds being social and traditional. Organisations aren't there yet in terms of being a true social business. On this journey it is important to remember that a social business isn't ...
04.06.2015
by Mike Green - There's a range of results and business gains possible with enterprise social media. The key capabilities of any new enterprise social platform are - profiles, social network, microblogging, activity streams, collaboration and discussion spaces, idea crowdsourcing, anytime / any device. However, the problem today is living between the two worlds being social and traditional. Organisations aren't there yet in terms of being a true social business. On this journey it is important to remember that a social business isn't ...
5 ways to make your colleagues actually use the intranet
04.06.2015
Let's state the obvious: the intranet is an important element in your range of Internal Communication tools. Approximately 97% of companies are aware of this and have therefore set up an intranet. However, creating an engaging intranet is not an easy task. Most people come up against 2 important questions: How do you get your employees to use your intranet? How do you make them come back to it? Our experience shows us that there are 5 essential conditions for creating an engaging intranet. Make it useful and relevant Functional - yes! Boring - no! Connect! ...
04.06.2015
Let's state the obvious: the intranet is an important element in your range of Internal Communication tools. Approximately 97% of companies are aware of this and have therefore set up an intranet. However, creating an engaging intranet is not an easy task. Most people come up against 2 important questions: How do you get your employees to use your intranet? How do you make them come back to it? Our experience shows us that there are 5 essential conditions for creating an engaging intranet. Make it useful and relevant Functional - yes! Boring - no! Connect! ...
Seven golden rules when using Yammer
04.06.2015
by Rachel Miller - How can you ensure employees know the best way to use Yammer inside your organisation, and how can you create a digital workspace? I've been writing about Yammer and all things enterprise social network (ESN) related on my blog since 2009, and have shared hundreds of case studies, tips and ideas. If you've reached this article while looking for help, see my Yammer Time article for a collation of resources, including illustrations by the talented Virpi Oinonen. Today I've got seven golden rules of Yammer to share with you thanks to ...
04.06.2015
by Rachel Miller - How can you ensure employees know the best way to use Yammer inside your organisation, and how can you create a digital workspace? I've been writing about Yammer and all things enterprise social network (ESN) related on my blog since 2009, and have shared hundreds of case studies, tips and ideas. If you've reached this article while looking for help, see my Yammer Time article for a collation of resources, including illustrations by the talented Virpi Oinonen. Today I've got seven golden rules of Yammer to share with you thanks to ...
It's here! The State of Community Management 2015 Report
04.06.2015
by Rachel Happe - Today is a big day for The Community Roundtable - it's the day we publish our annual research, The State of Community Management. Each year, we look forward to providing more data to support the work of online community professionals - those that enable, facilitate and inspire network of people to contribute in ways that generate more value than the sum of each individual contribution. When we started The Community Roundtable we felt that research into the practices and resulting impacts of community was a core missing piece that could ...
04.06.2015
by Rachel Happe - Today is a big day for The Community Roundtable - it's the day we publish our annual research, The State of Community Management. Each year, we look forward to providing more data to support the work of online community professionals - those that enable, facilitate and inspire network of people to contribute in ways that generate more value than the sum of each individual contribution. When we started The Community Roundtable we felt that research into the practices and resulting impacts of community was a core missing piece that could ...
Knowledge Management - not an oxymoron
04.06.2015
by Nick Milton - "Knowledge Management" is not an oxymoron, the term is merely being read the wrong way round. The primary argument against the term "Knowledge Management" is that knowledge is an intangible, is personal and context specific, and is not an object in it's own right, so how can it be managed? However the management of intangibles is common practice in the business world. Talent management, Quality Management, Customer Relationship management, Brand management, Reputation management, Environmental management; all are established disciplines ...
04.06.2015
by Nick Milton - "Knowledge Management" is not an oxymoron, the term is merely being read the wrong way round. The primary argument against the term "Knowledge Management" is that knowledge is an intangible, is personal and context specific, and is not an object in it's own right, so how can it be managed? However the management of intangibles is common practice in the business world. Talent management, Quality Management, Customer Relationship management, Brand management, Reputation management, Environmental management; all are established disciplines ...
What You Need to Know about Resistance to Change
04.06.2015
Overcoming resistance to culture change needs reimagined. Many change teams lament the existence of resistance when they should be using it to their advantage. Leaders are shocked when their organizations don't immediately embrace their culture shifting initiatives. Rather than allowing resistance to undermine change, leaders and teams can leverage resistance when they understand it and when they apply the principles of strength and simplicity. Recognize Real Resistance Don't Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater - Build on Strength K.I.S.S. - Make ...
04.06.2015
Overcoming resistance to culture change needs reimagined. Many change teams lament the existence of resistance when they should be using it to their advantage. Leaders are shocked when their organizations don't immediately embrace their culture shifting initiatives. Rather than allowing resistance to undermine change, leaders and teams can leverage resistance when they understand it and when they apply the principles of strength and simplicity. Recognize Real Resistance Don't Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater - Build on Strength K.I.S.S. - Make ...
How to deliver the workplace of the future
04.06.2015
Intranets2015 was just over a week ago, and it exceeded all expectations. There were plenty of great speakers, covering a wide range of topics and challenges. Closing the conference was a keynote by James Robertson, founder of Step Two. Slides and notes are shared below. Key messages shared in the presentation include: While there is an inexorable shift towards the digital workplace, there's no guarantee that it will be any less of a mess than the current state. Our challenge is therefore to design and shape a great outcome. "The digital workplace consists ...
04.06.2015
Intranets2015 was just over a week ago, and it exceeded all expectations. There were plenty of great speakers, covering a wide range of topics and challenges. Closing the conference was a keynote by James Robertson, founder of Step Two. Slides and notes are shared below. Key messages shared in the presentation include: While there is an inexorable shift towards the digital workplace, there's no guarantee that it will be any less of a mess than the current state. Our challenge is therefore to design and shape a great outcome. "The digital workplace consists ...
Enterprise Social Software - Setting Out The Landscape
03.06.2015
Social software is big business. Facebook has 1.3 billion monthly active users . LinkedIn has 300 million users. Twitter has 271 million monthly active users. These are huge numbers - which indicate that these are sites that people want to use. To the corporate IT crowd they are present a challenge. Most people do not want to use the finance or HR systems of their employers. They only do so because they have to. So the idea of cashing in on the cred and hype of Facebook et al and implementing systems that people want to use is enticing. At the same ...
03.06.2015
Social software is big business. Facebook has 1.3 billion monthly active users . LinkedIn has 300 million users. Twitter has 271 million monthly active users. These are huge numbers - which indicate that these are sites that people want to use. To the corporate IT crowd they are present a challenge. Most people do not want to use the finance or HR systems of their employers. They only do so because they have to. So the idea of cashing in on the cred and hype of Facebook et al and implementing systems that people want to use is enticing. At the same ...
Enterprise Social Networks - Case Studies
03.06.2015
In the previous article, we recounted a brief history of social media in both the public world of the internet, the private spaces of organisations and the blurred lines in between. This article is less theoretical and more practical in focus. We will begin by discussing the elements that make up Enterprise Social Network (ESN) platforms and how they differ from other collaboration tools that have been around for longer. We discuss how these tools can generate value for users and the case studies where they have had a positive impact on the performance ...
03.06.2015
In the previous article, we recounted a brief history of social media in both the public world of the internet, the private spaces of organisations and the blurred lines in between. This article is less theoretical and more practical in focus. We will begin by discussing the elements that make up Enterprise Social Network (ESN) platforms and how they differ from other collaboration tools that have been around for longer. We discuss how these tools can generate value for users and the case studies where they have had a positive impact on the performance ...
How communities and networks support enterprise content management
03.06.2015
s the volume of documents and information in enterprise content repositories grows to record proportions, many employees are finding that traditional search and navigation techniques return too many results, often without the context needed to pinpoint the best information. An increasing number of firms are tapping into social networks and feedback to help employees filter out noise and find popular content others have found valuable. Social tools can also link people to experts and knowledgeable colleagues who can help them interpret the content they ...
03.06.2015
s the volume of documents and information in enterprise content repositories grows to record proportions, many employees are finding that traditional search and navigation techniques return too many results, often without the context needed to pinpoint the best information. An increasing number of firms are tapping into social networks and feedback to help employees filter out noise and find popular content others have found valuable. Social tools can also link people to experts and knowledgeable colleagues who can help them interpret the content they ...
How Social Technology has Emerged as an Enterprise Management Model
03.06.2015
by Dion Hinchcliffe - It was surely bound to happen, as high technology has become so deeply intertwined in our personal and business lives, and now it has: The digital world has reshaped how we manage and operate our organizations like never before, unleashing potent new possibilities while simultaneously posing major challenges that must be overcome. It's a complex and unfolding story - even more so because it's very much not driven by the resources or agenda of any one organization, technology, or interest group - but rather a loosely connected, ...
03.06.2015
by Dion Hinchcliffe - It was surely bound to happen, as high technology has become so deeply intertwined in our personal and business lives, and now it has: The digital world has reshaped how we manage and operate our organizations like never before, unleashing potent new possibilities while simultaneously posing major challenges that must be overcome. It's a complex and unfolding story - even more so because it's very much not driven by the resources or agenda of any one organization, technology, or interest group - but rather a loosely connected, ...
Three types of tacit knowledge
03.06.2015
by Nick Milton - In a recent New Scientist article, Harry Collins (author of "Tacit and Explicit Knowledge") describes three types of Tacit Knowledge. We know about the concept of tacit knowledge, which originally was described as knowledge which cannot be expresses (although often nowadays people use the term for knowledge which has not been documents. Collins describes it as "knowledge that is not and sometimes cannot be made explicit". Tacit knowledge is "unspoken knowledge" and it remains unspoken for one of three reasons. Somatic Tacit Knowledge ...
03.06.2015
by Nick Milton - In a recent New Scientist article, Harry Collins (author of "Tacit and Explicit Knowledge") describes three types of Tacit Knowledge. We know about the concept of tacit knowledge, which originally was described as knowledge which cannot be expresses (although often nowadays people use the term for knowledge which has not been documents. Collins describes it as "knowledge that is not and sometimes cannot be made explicit". Tacit knowledge is "unspoken knowledge" and it remains unspoken for one of three reasons. Somatic Tacit Knowledge ...
Put your name on it
03.06.2015
I've been in a number of discussions lately with different programme sectors about how they can better document and share experience. There is both an interest from headquarters to "tell the story" of what we do and what works, and an appetite from our country offices and our partners to get more concrete examples of successful programmes i.e. not just guidance and research, but also some real case studies that show how it is done in practice. I'll try to write moire later on the whole issue of what approaches to use to do this, and some of the challenges ...
03.06.2015
I've been in a number of discussions lately with different programme sectors about how they can better document and share experience. There is both an interest from headquarters to "tell the story" of what we do and what works, and an appetite from our country offices and our partners to get more concrete examples of successful programmes i.e. not just guidance and research, but also some real case studies that show how it is done in practice. I'll try to write moire later on the whole issue of what approaches to use to do this, and some of the challenges ...
Preparing for 2020
03.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - This is a synopsis of my opening keynote for the workplace learning & VET stream at EduTECH15 in Brisbane today. We cannot look at the 2020 workplace merely from the perspective of what will be different from today, as if these five years will pass in splendid isolation. How we think of work has changed over the millennia and one major factor has been our communications technologies. When communication changes, work does too, as well as our understanding of what is knowledge, and what it means to be knowledgeable. When our various ...
03.06.2015
by Harold Jarche - This is a synopsis of my opening keynote for the workplace learning & VET stream at EduTECH15 in Brisbane today. We cannot look at the 2020 workplace merely from the perspective of what will be different from today, as if these five years will pass in splendid isolation. How we think of work has changed over the millennia and one major factor has been our communications technologies. When communication changes, work does too, as well as our understanding of what is knowledge, and what it means to be knowledgeable. When our various ...
Mitarbeiterkommunikation 2.0: Wie social darf's denn sein?
02.06.2015
Kommunikation muss sich an den Informationsbedürfnissen der Stakeholder orientieren - darüber war man sich auf der SCM-Tagung Interne Kommunikation Anfang Mai in Düsseldorf einig. Was wie eine Plattitüde klingt, zwingt die Unternehmenskommunikation umzudenken. Denn vielerorts fungiert sie als Verlautbarungsorgan und kommuniziert das, was die Geschäftsführung "los werden will". Ohne zu bedenken, ob und wie die Botschaften bei den Mitarbeitern ankommen. Sind Glaubwürdigkeit und Authentizität der Hebel für eine wirksame Kommunikation? Braucht es dafür ...
02.06.2015
Kommunikation muss sich an den Informationsbedürfnissen der Stakeholder orientieren - darüber war man sich auf der SCM-Tagung Interne Kommunikation Anfang Mai in Düsseldorf einig. Was wie eine Plattitüde klingt, zwingt die Unternehmenskommunikation umzudenken. Denn vielerorts fungiert sie als Verlautbarungsorgan und kommuniziert das, was die Geschäftsführung "los werden will". Ohne zu bedenken, ob und wie die Botschaften bei den Mitarbeitern ankommen. Sind Glaubwürdigkeit und Authentizität der Hebel für eine wirksame Kommunikation? Braucht es dafür ...
Digitaler Darwinismus: Unternehmen unter Veränderungszwang
02.06.2015
Wir leben in dynamischen Zeiten: Seit dem Jahr 2000 sind 52 Prozent der Fortune 500 Unternehmen entweder in den Konkurs gegangen, wurden aufgekauft oder stillgelegt. Aber nicht nur für große Firmen stellt das 21. Jahrhundert eine enorme Herausforderung dar, denn Geschwindigkeit, Volumen und Komplexität der Veränderungen nehmen stetig zu. Im ersten Teil unserer Analyse untersuchen wir die Gründe, die zu diesem "digitalen Darwinismus" geführt haben. Während es unterschiedliche Ursachen für das Unternehmenssterben gibt, verstärken technologische Umwälzungen ...
02.06.2015
Wir leben in dynamischen Zeiten: Seit dem Jahr 2000 sind 52 Prozent der Fortune 500 Unternehmen entweder in den Konkurs gegangen, wurden aufgekauft oder stillgelegt. Aber nicht nur für große Firmen stellt das 21. Jahrhundert eine enorme Herausforderung dar, denn Geschwindigkeit, Volumen und Komplexität der Veränderungen nehmen stetig zu. Im ersten Teil unserer Analyse untersuchen wir die Gründe, die zu diesem "digitalen Darwinismus" geführt haben. Während es unterschiedliche Ursachen für das Unternehmenssterben gibt, verstärken technologische Umwälzungen ...
Innovation lohnt sich nicht: Warum Kreativität bestraft wird
02.06.2015
Psychologie: Ohne Innovation kann heute kaum eine Organisation erfolgreich sein. Aber zahlen sich innovative Vorschläge für sie tatsächlich aus? Unsere Studien zeigen, dass viele Mitarbeiter sogar für ihren Erfindungsreichtum bestraft werden. Stellen Sie sich einen Mitarbeiter vor, mit dem Sie nicht gerne zusammenarbeiten. Welche Persönlichkeit hat dieser Mitarbeiter? Die Wahrscheinlichkeit ist hoch, dass er anders tickt als Sie. Wenn Sie zum Beispiel sehr gewissenhaft sind und alles immer sehr ordentlich und gründlich tun, werden Sie eher mit anderen ...
02.06.2015
Psychologie: Ohne Innovation kann heute kaum eine Organisation erfolgreich sein. Aber zahlen sich innovative Vorschläge für sie tatsächlich aus? Unsere Studien zeigen, dass viele Mitarbeiter sogar für ihren Erfindungsreichtum bestraft werden. Stellen Sie sich einen Mitarbeiter vor, mit dem Sie nicht gerne zusammenarbeiten. Welche Persönlichkeit hat dieser Mitarbeiter? Die Wahrscheinlichkeit ist hoch, dass er anders tickt als Sie. Wenn Sie zum Beispiel sehr gewissenhaft sind und alles immer sehr ordentlich und gründlich tun, werden Sie eher mit anderen ...
C-Suite Engagement via Social: Why It's Not a Choice Anymore
02.06.2015
by Ted Rubin - If you haven't picked up Charlene Li's new book, The Engaged Leader: a Strategy for Your Digital Transformation, I highly recommend you do so. Charlene is a well-regarded author and researcher on leadership issues, and if you're an executive, it's a must-read. In a Forbes article recently, Li told a priceless story that I think epitomizes the attitude of many 60-something execs these days: "A CEO once told me, 'I don't believe in this digital stuff. I believe in leading people by going around, shaking their hand, looking them in the eye, ...
02.06.2015
by Ted Rubin - If you haven't picked up Charlene Li's new book, The Engaged Leader: a Strategy for Your Digital Transformation, I highly recommend you do so. Charlene is a well-regarded author and researcher on leadership issues, and if you're an executive, it's a must-read. In a Forbes article recently, Li told a priceless story that I think epitomizes the attitude of many 60-something execs these days: "A CEO once told me, 'I don't believe in this digital stuff. I believe in leading people by going around, shaking their hand, looking them in the eye, ...
Social Collaboration Meets Knowledge Management
02.06.2015
I spent part of May on the road, traveling to two very different events. At the start of the month I had the pleasure of once again attending the J. Boye Groups' annual North American conference in Philadelphia. The website is still up, and you can download many of the presentations here. A week later I had my first trip to Ottawa, for a meeting of the Council on Information and Knowledge Management of the Conference Board of Canada. As I mentioned, two very different events, but they shared some common themes. Putting People First in Philly [...] There ...
02.06.2015
I spent part of May on the road, traveling to two very different events. At the start of the month I had the pleasure of once again attending the J. Boye Groups' annual North American conference in Philadelphia. The website is still up, and you can download many of the presentations here. A week later I had my first trip to Ottawa, for a meeting of the Council on Information and Knowledge Management of the Conference Board of Canada. As I mentioned, two very different events, but they shared some common themes. Putting People First in Philly [...] There ...
NoEmail: Revelation and Revolution
02.06.2015
A normal day at work? Just a few weeks ago, I started my day at work in the usual ritualistic autopilot kind of headspace (put lunch in fridge, found workstation, put snacks in strategic easy-reach locations, filled water bottle, plugged phones in to charge...) and settled into the familiar hum of the computer firing up; clucking and whirring as I tried to remember which password was going to let me into the network. And relax... Then, something phenomenal happened... I opened Microsoft Outlook. ...OK, I admit it, there's absolutely nothing phenomenal ...
02.06.2015
A normal day at work? Just a few weeks ago, I started my day at work in the usual ritualistic autopilot kind of headspace (put lunch in fridge, found workstation, put snacks in strategic easy-reach locations, filled water bottle, plugged phones in to charge...) and settled into the familiar hum of the computer firing up; clucking and whirring as I tried to remember which password was going to let me into the network. And relax... Then, something phenomenal happened... I opened Microsoft Outlook. ...OK, I admit it, there's absolutely nothing phenomenal ...
Sharing and learning: the 'glue and grease' of comms and (I)KM
02.06.2015
The 'glue and grease' - what a horrible expression! The first time I heard a former colleague of mine use that expression to refer to the role of communication I didn't like it either. But I've got to say that until I find a better expression for it, it's a pretty accurate description of what our (then) comms team was supposed to be to others: the glue that brings everyone together, and the grease that lets knowledge flow easily. But the 'glue and grease' only happens when the sharing (and learning) in KM comes together with communication. [...] ...
02.06.2015
The 'glue and grease' - what a horrible expression! The first time I heard a former colleague of mine use that expression to refer to the role of communication I didn't like it either. But I've got to say that until I find a better expression for it, it's a pretty accurate description of what our (then) comms team was supposed to be to others: the glue that brings everyone together, and the grease that lets knowledge flow easily. But the 'glue and grease' only happens when the sharing (and learning) in KM comes together with communication. [...] ...
The essentials of being a knowledge worker
02.06.2015
by Nick Milton - A blog post appeared in the Huffington Post a couple of weeks ago entitled "you are more than a knowledge worker", which, in my view, completely missed the essential point of knowledge work. The basic premise on which the blog post is constructed was that being a knowledge worker means "your worth at work is directly related to how much you [personally] know". The author then went on to say that knowledge alone is not enough, you need other things, such as Experience, Expertise, Eccentricity and Educability. However the worth of a knowledge ...
02.06.2015
by Nick Milton - A blog post appeared in the Huffington Post a couple of weeks ago entitled "you are more than a knowledge worker", which, in my view, completely missed the essential point of knowledge work. The basic premise on which the blog post is constructed was that being a knowledge worker means "your worth at work is directly related to how much you [personally] know". The author then went on to say that knowledge alone is not enough, you need other things, such as Experience, Expertise, Eccentricity and Educability. However the worth of a knowledge ...
Social Intranet - der Mensch im System
01.06.2015
Der CEO gibt eine Stellungnahme zu den jüngsten Gerüchten um eine Standortschließung ab, die Unternehmenskommunikation veröffentlicht Nachrichten aus den Geschäftsbereichen und die Mitarbeiter studieren gespannt den aktuellen Speiseplan der Werkskantine. So oder so ähnlich sah das betriebliche Intranet vor nicht allzu langer Zeit vielfach noch aus. Es ging primär um Informationsweitergabe - geplant, zentral gesteuert, weitestgehend unidirektional und vor allem Top-Down. Unterdessen hat sich einiges getan. Längst haben die etablierten sozialen Mechanismen ...
01.06.2015
Der CEO gibt eine Stellungnahme zu den jüngsten Gerüchten um eine Standortschließung ab, die Unternehmenskommunikation veröffentlicht Nachrichten aus den Geschäftsbereichen und die Mitarbeiter studieren gespannt den aktuellen Speiseplan der Werkskantine. So oder so ähnlich sah das betriebliche Intranet vor nicht allzu langer Zeit vielfach noch aus. Es ging primär um Informationsweitergabe - geplant, zentral gesteuert, weitestgehend unidirektional und vor allem Top-Down. Unterdessen hat sich einiges getan. Längst haben die etablierten sozialen Mechanismen ...
Organisational Burnout: Die paralysierte Firma
01.06.2015
Von einem Burnout-Syndrom, zu Deutsch "Ausgebranntsein", ist die Rede, wenn ein extremer Erschöpfungszustand erreicht ist. Meist kommt es dazu, wenn Druck, Stress und Überlastung im Job zum Dauerzustand werden: Der Körper streikt und schaltet auf Sparflamme. Das passiert aber nicht nur einzelnen Arbeitnehmern, auch ganze Organisationen können ausbrennen. In Krisensituationen ist die Gefahr eines sogenannten organisational Burnouts besonders groß... Organisational Burnout: Wenn ganze Firmen ausbrennen Vom Burnout einer ganzen Firma zu reden, mag kurios ...
01.06.2015
Von einem Burnout-Syndrom, zu Deutsch "Ausgebranntsein", ist die Rede, wenn ein extremer Erschöpfungszustand erreicht ist. Meist kommt es dazu, wenn Druck, Stress und Überlastung im Job zum Dauerzustand werden: Der Körper streikt und schaltet auf Sparflamme. Das passiert aber nicht nur einzelnen Arbeitnehmern, auch ganze Organisationen können ausbrennen. In Krisensituationen ist die Gefahr eines sogenannten organisational Burnouts besonders groß... Organisational Burnout: Wenn ganze Firmen ausbrennen Vom Burnout einer ganzen Firma zu reden, mag kurios ...
10 Steps to Social Knowledge Network Success
01.06.2015
Business leaders today are becoming more aware of the many ways social knowledge networks can bring value to an organization. Communication is enhanced, knowledge is organized and accessible, products and customer service are improved, and business culture is strengthened through team collaboration. However, what many business leaders are failing to remember is that finding the right technology is only the first step in implementing a successful social knowledge network. The technology must be paired with smart planning and a well-thought-out structure. ...
01.06.2015
Business leaders today are becoming more aware of the many ways social knowledge networks can bring value to an organization. Communication is enhanced, knowledge is organized and accessible, products and customer service are improved, and business culture is strengthened through team collaboration. However, what many business leaders are failing to remember is that finding the right technology is only the first step in implementing a successful social knowledge network. The technology must be paired with smart planning and a well-thought-out structure. ...
5 ways that multi-location businesses must communicate to stay whole
01.06.2015
The majority of organizations do their work in multiple locations. Whether we're talking about offices in multiple cities or multiple countries, restaurants or retail outlets, it has become rare for an organization's workforce to be in one place most of the time. What happens at these dispersed workplaces is that people diverge. They lose sight of one another physically and metaphorically. They also lose sight of leadership. They are walled off from the tone, content and tempo of communication and operations. There are fewer and fewer universal touchstones ...
01.06.2015
The majority of organizations do their work in multiple locations. Whether we're talking about offices in multiple cities or multiple countries, restaurants or retail outlets, it has become rare for an organization's workforce to be in one place most of the time. What happens at these dispersed workplaces is that people diverge. They lose sight of one another physically and metaphorically. They also lose sight of leadership. They are walled off from the tone, content and tempo of communication and operations. There are fewer and fewer universal touchstones ...
Key to social success? Launch a social intranet without telling anyone
01.06.2015
Launching a social network within an organisation is almost inevitably a big deal but is the razzamatazz the best way to introduce internal platform to colleagues? Banking giant Deutsche Bank doesn't think so. It launched its ESN with barely a whisper - an outside-the-box approach that has paid handsome dividends. It is an intriguing situation. Fanfare for the arrival of a long-awaited social network is understandable. Months of painstaking planning and elbow work go into successfully integrating a new comms platform into an organisation so celebrating ...
01.06.2015
Launching a social network within an organisation is almost inevitably a big deal but is the razzamatazz the best way to introduce internal platform to colleagues? Banking giant Deutsche Bank doesn't think so. It launched its ESN with barely a whisper - an outside-the-box approach that has paid handsome dividends. It is an intriguing situation. Fanfare for the arrival of a long-awaited social network is understandable. Months of painstaking planning and elbow work go into successfully integrating a new comms platform into an organisation so celebrating ...
The Role of Social Power inside Organisations
01.06.2015
by Gloria Lombardi - Organisational network analysis (ONA) may be best known for its essential and lasting contribution in studying unstructured communication and the dynamics of social networks within an organisation. Since middle 2000 many companies have used this methodology to understand their network structures. However, according to Jason Langley (pictured right) and his research at London School of Economics (LSE), ONA also allows organisations to measure their social power. Langley, who defines himself "a sort of hybrid", is a Lawyer with over ...
01.06.2015
by Gloria Lombardi - Organisational network analysis (ONA) may be best known for its essential and lasting contribution in studying unstructured communication and the dynamics of social networks within an organisation. Since middle 2000 many companies have used this methodology to understand their network structures. However, according to Jason Langley (pictured right) and his research at London School of Economics (LSE), ONA also allows organisations to measure their social power. Langley, who defines himself "a sort of hybrid", is a Lawyer with over ...
I don't need adoption! It's social media, people will know how to use it!
01.06.2015
Dear Frank (*), Good to hear from you again. I understand the doubts you have with regard to spending money on the adoption of social networks in your company. Most other CEO's I speak to have similar questions. Somehow, it is hard to get your head around the fact that millions of people have no problem at all to spend hours Facebooking and WhatsApping in their private life, and yes, during working hours too , and that all the sudden Enterprise Social Tools (ESN) need 'adoption programs'. I'll try to explain the reasons why people need help in adopting ...
01.06.2015
Dear Frank (*), Good to hear from you again. I understand the doubts you have with regard to spending money on the adoption of social networks in your company. Most other CEO's I speak to have similar questions. Somehow, it is hard to get your head around the fact that millions of people have no problem at all to spend hours Facebooking and WhatsApping in their private life, and yes, during working hours too , and that all the sudden Enterprise Social Tools (ESN) need 'adoption programs'. I'll try to explain the reasons why people need help in adopting ...
Written to A Recipe or Written to Help?
01.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Writing this blog has made me particularly susceptible to the many posts floating around social realms with advice on writing blogs. I love advice and I am always interested to learn from others. I have found some gems. I have found a lot of dross. Write to a Recipe However, I am surprised how many recommend the same recipe in their advice: [...] Write to Share I can make no claims to have special insights into what makes a successful blog. This isn't a high traffic blog and the small growth in attention over time has been purely organic. ...
01.06.2015
by Simon Terry - Writing this blog has made me particularly susceptible to the many posts floating around social realms with advice on writing blogs. I love advice and I am always interested to learn from others. I have found some gems. I have found a lot of dross. Write to a Recipe However, I am surprised how many recommend the same recipe in their advice: [...] Write to Share I can make no claims to have special insights into what makes a successful blog. This isn't a high traffic blog and the small growth in attention over time has been purely organic. ...
Is market the future of enterprise?
01.06.2015
by Bertrand Duperrin - In a context of uncertainty and perpetual disruption, there is only one thing certain for businesses: they will have to learn to adapt and reinvent themselves continuously. What implies a couple of things: -- adhoc team reconfiguration: the needs at a given moment determines the structure. That's not the structure that dictates the way the organization responds to a need. -- "talent mix": bring the right talents together, at the right place, develop the existing ones and quickly find those that lack, mostly on emerging matters. ...
01.06.2015
by Bertrand Duperrin - In a context of uncertainty and perpetual disruption, there is only one thing certain for businesses: they will have to learn to adapt and reinvent themselves continuously. What implies a couple of things: -- adhoc team reconfiguration: the needs at a given moment determines the structure. That's not the structure that dictates the way the organization responds to a need. -- "talent mix": bring the right talents together, at the right place, develop the existing ones and quickly find those that lack, mostly on emerging matters. ...