Surviving the Future: How to Build a 21st Century Organization

April 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment

We currently live in a hyper connected world characterized by 24/7 access to global communications, with social networks providing ability to self publish and be heard.  We carry more compute power on smart phones than early computers and possess access to information previous generations could not imagine.  Yet, for many organizations, culture and business processes have not kept up.  While business causal has replaced suits and digital has replaced paper, it is not clear that today’s organizations know how to accommodate the more open, collaborative processes that the Internet has fostered and new cohorts of employees expect.

Many companies came of age with hierarchical structures and command and control leadership.   Boundaries were clear and roles rigid.  Yet, despite vast technological change and shifts in how work gets done, many organizational designs  put in place in the last century are still with us.

What should you do?  The following are some steps HR, Marketing and business leaders should take to change culture and processes and, ultimately, enable their businesses to remain competitive.  Social media and social business are transforming the world of work and the only organizations that will thrive are those that have figured out how to use new technologies to their advantage.

  1.  Devise a plan to intelligently implement virtual work and virtual teams.  Despite the recent controversy, they are not going away!  Co-location is necessary for certain jobs, but many knowledge based workers can work virtually with existing technology.    Virtual workers also have a smaller carbon footprint, organizations save money on infrastructure costs and older workers or those with work/life demands can be accommodated.
  2.  Redesign jobs to be modular and allow workers to utilize skills on projects anywhere in the organization.  This  makes good use of human capital, solves skill shortages and can lead to greater productivity and satisfaction among employees.
  3. Redefine the role of leaders.  Encourage leaders to find ways of engaging and not just be seen as ensconced in their offices behind traditional gatekeepers.
  4. Empower employee collaboration.  Provide employees a seat at the table, get their feedback and listen to their suggestions.  They can provide valuable insights and intelligence about trends, competitors and emerging needs.
  5. Train all employees on new technologies.   Many older adults have embraced social networks.  Don’t assume only the  millennials will get it.
  6. Provide guidelines on social media.  Make sure the rules are clear and consequences for bad behavior spelled out.  Your firm’s reputation and brand may depend on this.
  7. Include clients in networks and make innovations more  collaborative.   Social networks are about relationships and collaboration.   Clients’ voices should be heard. They can help articulate their needs and shape new offerings.

We live in a global, fast paced, information rich and boundary spanning era.  We need to create organizations that reflect this.  Otherwise, our businesses will go the way of the fax machine and rotary phone.  They still exist, but no longer serve the purpose they once did.

What do you think?  Contact us at AndreaG@dccInsights.com or  call us at 914 234 3917 if you need a road map to the future, training or even implementation assistance.  We can help!  We can also be reached on Twitter @digitalcultured.

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

10 Tips on How to Handle Social Media Policies

July 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Social media is not just for large companies and can be used  by companies of all sizes to create on-line presence, monitor brands, and improve customer service.  Small companies have found success leveraging Twitter and blogs and others have grown exponentially based on well crafted or viral YouTube videos.

Organizations are also using social media to improve employee engagement, locate hard to find candidates, improve communications, promote virtual work and remove geographic barriers.  There are benefits to having employees participate in social media, but to maximize success and avoid embarassing employee actions, business leaders need to:

1.      Recognize and reinforce the positive role  employees  play in shaping a company’s on-line brand.  They can serve as brand ambassadors, promote core values and new products.

2.      Communicate to employees what is expected and how they should engage in social media.
If employees are not aware of what the company brand stands for, they might inadvertently hurt the brand or alienate current and future customers.

3.      Understand how social media can be misused by employees and develop the appropriate social media guidelines and policies.

4.      Train employees and managers on what the  guidelines mean and the specific actions they should take or not take.

5.      Implement and monitor.  Reward those who comply and punish those that don’t.

If you are writing a policy remember:

6.      If a social media user is not an official company spokesperson they should add a disclaimer and state that the opinions and positions expressed are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of their company.

7.      Social media users need to respect their audience and not use ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, or engage in any conduct that would not be acceptable in the workplace.

8.      Guidelines need to address sticky issues such as whether  managers should be allowed to friend their employees and vice versa.

9.      Guidelines should be specific, policies that are too broad can be misinterpreted

10.   Protect your company and brand.  Ensure employees do not disparage employers in public.

What are your  concerns about having employees engage in social media and how have you addressed this?  Please share your comments on Twitter @dccTips or Facebook at dccUpdate.

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: , , , ,

Don’t Blame the Tool: The Case for Social Media Guidelines

July 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Is social media good or bad for organizations and for society?  The debate rages on.  We hear stories of revolutions being enabled by individuals who now have an outlet to share their grievances and the ability to organize across distances, as well as gratified customers who are able to get instant feedback to their questions and concerns.  On the internal side of organizations,  there are stories of how social media has enabled employees to participate in organizational strategies and collaborate with peers in remote locations.  These cases extol the virtues of  engagement and recognize the value of enabling individuals and employees to have a voice.   It would appear that social media is a tool for good and a way for all of us to be heard.

Yet, we also hear stories of misuse, such as a policeman in Albuquerque, New Mexico listing his job on Facebook as “human waste disposal” or an angry  teacher in Philadelphia writing about  her students that “They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners“.  Of course, these displays are not limited to those in the public sector.  There are plenty of stories of employees being disciplined and or fired after writing negative comments about their managers, employers and customers on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. We scratch our heads and ask, what were they thinking?

Should we be surprised at what appears to be in many cases a lack of judgment?  Aren’t these tools new and aren’t many still experimenting?  Or, perhaps many are still a bit giddy with their ability to publish and be heard.  Some, I am sure, are mislead by the intimacy that is created as they sit alone with their computers.   They might not think about how things have a way of being retweeted or going viral.    Clearly, Congressman Anthony Weiner learned this lesson all too well.

So what should we do to protect folks from themselves or our employees and companies from being embarrassed or put out of business?    The simple answer is to develop social media guidelines, train folks on them, implement and monitor them and reward those who comply and punish those that don’t.  But, unfortunately, there is nothing really simple about doing this.  This is probably the reason that only about a third of American companies currently have social media guidelines in place.

One of the lessons many companies have learned in developing and implementing social media guidelines is that one size fits all guidelines do not make sense.  Social media guidelines need to reflect the industry one is in, the organizational  culture, the existing structure and represent the needs of multiple stakeholders.  They cannot simply be created as an HR owned exercise or developed by an isolated committee with good intentions.  If management or employees do not understand what they mean or how to implement them, the actual guidelines will not do any good.  Like all change, there will be resistance, so getting those that are impacted engaged in the process is critical.  And, since this is about communications, one must make sure marketing and communications professionals are included and actively involved.

Employees play a large role in shaping a company’s brand.  They can serve as brand ambassadors and help promote core values or new products.  But, it is important that they know what is expected of them, and how they should engage on both internal social media platforms and external ones.  Otherwise they may inadvertently hurt the brand or alienate current and future customers.

It is wise to take advantage of those organizations that have learned how to do this well.  Many have learned the hard way what works and what does not.  For starters, check out IBM’s, Intel’s and Kodak’s guidelines.  They are on-line and all you need to do is Google them.  But remember this needs to be the start of the process, not the end.   Social media is a tool and like all tools the instructions for use are critical.  Social media can be a source of good or bad…the key is to recognize the value of using the tools correctly and the danger of doing things poorly.   If you  think your employees are not participating in  social media and you do not need to do something about this, you are probably wrong.  I can almost assure you that they  are indeed talking about you!!  But, if you do not have the skill or time to do this yourself, have no fear, you can always  hire a consultant (hint hint)!

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: , , ,

Profiting from Effective Social Media

October 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I was recently interviewed by Adela Ondruskova, Director Professional Training, marcus evans, in preparation for a  social media training session I am running for them in December.  The questions focused on how to capitalize on ROI driven social media marketing campaigns and the need for effective social media strategies and implementation.  Attached is the interview.

Q: Andrea, can smart social media strategy be considered a powerful source of competitive advantage? How? Are current corporations aware of the potential?

A: Yes, smart social media strategy can definitely be considered a source of competitive advantage.  By allowing companies to effectively and inexpensively reach new markets, create new brand identities, develop and test new products, provide superior customer service and better understand customer and market needs, companies that use social media can definitely have an advantage over those who don’t.  I believe many companies are aware of the potential but have let resistance to change or fear hold them back.

Q:  Why do you say that it may now be a requirement?  What has changed?

A:  The stakes have definitely changed.  When television was first introduced, companies transitioned ads from radio to the new medium.  When Internet commerce was first introduced, consumers and organizations discovered a whole new way to buy and sell.  I think social media represents a similar transition.  The old ways will remain, but a new and powerful way of doing business has emerged.  To ignore it will put companies at a disadvantage and may relegate them to failure.

Q: In your opinion, can social media improve your online reputation?

A: Social media has the power to both improve and hurt reputations.  Not being aware of what is being said about one’s company is problematic.  There are many examples of companies who were hurt because they did not know how to effectively counter negative publicity in a world where things can go viral and anyone can publish.  On the other hand, a well crafted campaign that fully utilizes the potential of on-line communities and networks can work wonders for a brand.

Q: What are some of the concerns that companies have as they implement social media solutions?

A:  Unlike traditional forms of marketing where the power resides in the hands of the marketers and their carefully crafted messages or programs, social media shifts the power to those receiving the messages. It is not a passive medium but is about participation and collaboration.  Companies need to be comfortable giving up control.  In addition, organizations need to understand that their employees can be powerful brand ambassadors and that they too are participating in social networks.  Employees need to have training and social media guidelines need to be in place so that employees have an understanding of what appropriate and inappropriate behavior is in this context.

Q: What are the main advantages of the current “digital culture”?

A:  I believe we are entering an era in business where boundaries are being broken and communications are shifting from one-way to two-way.  From a product development perspective it allows for more creativity and collaborative innovation.  For customers, a digital culture allows their voices to be heard and for them to get the kind of service and support that rarely exists anymore.  And for employees, a digital culture provides them with greater participation, access to decision makers and thought leaders and hopefully results in greater satisfaction and loyalty.  A digital culture is the antithesis of the traditional bureaucratic organization where power, information and control are invested in the hands of a few.

Q:  What do see as the “next big thing” in terms of social media? 

A:  I think the whole area of mobile computing and location based services will take social media to the next level.  We have already seen the popularity of sites such as Foursquare and Gowalla and with Facebook getting in the game, it is clear that there will be an explosion in the use of these capabilities for product promotions, contests, etc.  In fact with the exponential growth in smart phone usage, I think phones will soon become the primary way most of us access social media sites.

Q:  Do you see any downside of this explosion in social media and mobile communications?

 A:  Social media is a tool, and like all tools it can be misused.  I think it is important to have privacy limits and make sure that there are not abuses.  There will always be unscrupulous individuals and organizations that do the wrong thing.  I believe we will see governing bodies emerge so that this is monitored and punishments are levied.  The good thing about this medium is that it is open, so when things are not done properly complaints are raised quickly and loudly.  We have seen both Google and Facebook stumble and correct themselves and I am sure there will be many others who attempt do to objectionable things and get quickly chastised.

 Q:  What is your unique perspective on this?

 A:  I have a fairly unique perspective in that I have worked cross-functionally, holding leadership roles in Human Resources, Communications and Marketing.  This has enabled me to understand the complexity of introducing this type of change in organizations.  I have also spent the majority of my career in technology and have worked on cutting edge strategies that have fundamentally shifted the way business gets done and messages are communicated. While, I understand the traditional way marketing, communications and advertising operate; I also recognize the benefit of introducing new capabilities into the mix.  My perspective is holistic, with a focus on integrated marketing and end-to-end organizational strategy.  Finally, while I understand the current environment, my work on future trends has also given me the insight into where things are heading.

 Q: What are the key areas you will cover in the training course? What will be the main takeaways for the training attendees?

A:   Participants will learn how social media is changing business, communications and marketing and will understand what works, what doesn’t work and why.  They will learn how to improve brand perception and manage online reputations, better target marketing efforts, gain insights into customers and competitors, leverage YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social network channels and understand mobile applications and how they are changing the game.

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Wild Wild West of Social Media

July 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I recently completed a course on Web Analytics. And, although I have been working in the social media field for a while, after spending the time to really understand the full range of tools that are available, I was struck by just how much information can simply be gleamed directly from the web about buyer behavior, one’s own company and one’s competitors. As a marketer and market researcher, I am thrilled by all that I can learn on-line and the diversity of things I can monitor or listen to. But, I have to admit that sometimes it does give me pause.

I remember how much time and effort it took to get data using traditional market research methods. Perhaps one of the good things about that world were that the people we surveyed knew they were being questioned and their answers used for research. Similarly, the people that came to our focus groups knew they were being watched behind the mirror. While this may have been a negative in that we sometimes witnessed contrived behaviors or heard socially desirable response, we erred on the side of informed consent. The world of social media is much different. We observe behavior in a more natural setting. It is almost like we are sitting in someone’s living room just listening in. In the era of reality TV, this does not seem strange. But, the folks in reality TV, for the most part, understand that there are cameras pointed at them. Does the social media using public understand the power of web analytics…I suspect not.

The ability to track behavior and monitor the online conversation is probably greater than most people realize. We gladly accept free Gmail accounts from Google. Do we realize that by doing so we allow them to search through what we are writing? Similarly, we gladly accept free accounts on Facebook and in turn allow ourselves to be searched, advertised to and content analyzed. While we do need passwords to enter our accounts on Twitter and LinkedIn, do we actually expect them to be private.. or do we simply not think about it?

In the direct marketing world, opt in and opt out rules have prevented some of the abuses created by spamming and other practices. I wonder what type of guidelines or laws we will see going forward pertaining to the gathering and use of social media data? Privacy is already a big issue online as the reaction to a recent move by Facebook attested to. I suspect this area will continue to evolve. It will probably take only one malicious high profile action to create a very public call to action. In the era of viral messaging, it does seem that no bad deed stays hidden for too long.

What I hope to do going forward is to use this blog is enlighten folks not only about wide array of marketing and research tools that are out there, but also about the rules or best practices that are evolving over time to bring some structure to the often chaotic social media world. It is not quite the Wild Wild West, but then again, I am not sure all the accoutrements of civilization have arrived either. Please watch this space and let me know what types of things you see on the horizon. I am listening!!

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: , , ,