Your Speakers
Heidi Strand
Blue Door Consulting
Partner/Consultant
@heidistrand
Jaimy Szymanski
Blue Door Consulting
Associate Consultant
@jaimy_marie

Online Poll
Social Media: Challenges heard
more often than solutions.

Online Poll
Poll obstacle choices:
• Upper management sees no value in social media.
• Organization fears losing control over its messages.
• Strict IT security with seemingly no solution.
• There's no one who is passionate about leading the effort.
• Organization has an unwillingness to embrace new learning or professional
development.
• Belief that we need to put policies in place before adopting anything new.
• Organization is set in its ways regarding internal and external
communications.
• There is no time available in employee workday schedules to devote to social
media activities.
• Organization is concerned about using social media because we are in a
highly regulated industry.
• Organization is slow to adopt new technologies.

The Results
Coincidence?
We think not.
One common denominator …

CULTURE CLASH
Social media will always clash with a
traditional, closed culture.
Social media must be supported by
a complimentary set of cultural values.

What is internal culture?
Values. Thoughts. Identity.
Social media integration can be difficult.
Why are some successful and not others?
The answer: company culture.

What is “internal culture”?
Where is your organization on the continuum?
Closed Environment Open Environment
Hierarchical Flat organization
Bureaucratic Ease of organization flow
Inflexible Flexible
IT-driven technology User-driven technology
Centralized Distributed
Silos and boundaries Fuzzy boundaries, open borders
Need to know basis Transparency and engagement
Proprietary On Demand
Long time-to-market cycles Short time-to-market cycles

Change Models
Unfreeze Change Freeze
Lewin’s Change Model

Change Models
Lewin’s Change Model
Kübler-Ross Model

Change Models
Lewin’s Change Model
McKinsey 7S Framework

Change Models
Establish a
Create a Develop a clear
sense of
coalition vision
urgency
Consolidate
Secure short-
and keep
term wins
moving
Empower
Anchor the
people to clear
change
obstacles
Kotter’s 8-Step Model

9 Steps to Change
1. Build your case for change.
2. Start with the big dogs.
3. Pinpoint change agents.
4. Draft your vision and plan.
5. Don’t shut up about it.
6. Defuse resistance bombs.
7. Get moving.
8. Give a taste of victory.
9. Never stop improving.

1: Build your case for change.
Demonstrate social media’s value.
Be strategic in integration.
Constructed. Solid. Purposeful.

1: Build your case for change.
Small wins.
Collaboration.
Buy-in.
Case = Feasibility Study
What is the feasibility of
social media’s success
organization-wide based on our
internal company culture?

1: Build your case for change.
• Use case studies and research.
• Complete a “Social SWOT” analysis.
• Measure and calculate ROI.
• Consider current social media use.
• Is a culture shift necessary?

2: Start with the big dogs.
Get leadership support.
Seek resources.

2: Start with the big dogs.
Goal = Culture that is
more adaptable, transparent and
engaging.
• What proof do you have that social media is worth it?
• How will this affect the organization?
• What is the process for comprehensive social media
integration – how do you plan to get buy-in?
• What will this cost?
• What return on investment can we expect?

2: Start with the big dogs.
Questions you will have for
leadership:
• Can leadership make a commitment to integrating social
media and a shift in culture?
• Will the organization provide top-down support when
change becomes difficult?
• Will the organization provide needed resources?
• Will leadership become role models for openness,
transparency and engagement?

2: Start with the big dogs.
75% buy-in needed
for change.

3: Pinpoint change agents.
Form a “change team” to lead.
Change team = Ambassadors

3: Pinpoint change agents.
Look for passion.
• Using social media tools.
• See the value of an open culture.
• Commitment to progress.

3: Pinpoint change agents.
Organize from a variety of backgrounds.
• Pull from a variety of departments and
levels.
• Get an IT person on board.

3: Pinpoint change agents.
Verbalize support from upper management.
• They are allowed to think outside the box.
• They are allowed to use soft and hard
resources.
• They have support to mold the
organization’s future.

3: Pinpoint change agents.
Hire outside help if needed.
• Look for someone with expertise in change
and communication.

3: Pinpoint change agents.
Build momentum.
• Provide opportunity for involvement.
• Allow anyone to join the change team.

4: Craft yer
vision an’ plan.
What will the change team and the organization
accomplish together?

4: Craft yer vision an’ plan.
Hone in on the vision.
• Combine all change team ideas into one
statement.
• What do you see as the future of the
organization’s culture in order to make social
media work for it?

4: Craft yer vision an’ plan.
Start planning.
• How will you achieve the vision?
• Concentrate on the big picture.
• 30,000-foot strategies are easier to explain
to others for buy-in purposes.

4: Craft yer vision an’ plan.
Talk logistics.
• Flush out tactics.
• Look at timelines.
• Allocate resources.
• Communicate to upper management.

4: Craft yer vision an’ plan.
Practice your “elevator speech.”
• Explain the vision, main planning steps and
strategies.
• Highlight company and individual employee
benefits.
• Lewin: Show why the existing way of doing
things cannot continue.

4: Craft yer vision an’ plan.
Use McKinsey 7S questions as a guide.
• What values was
the company built on?
• How will these
values change?
• Are there any existing
teams within the
company that could
help us achieve the
vision and plan?

4: Craft yer vision an’ plan.
Define expectations.
• What actions will be needed?
• How will your plan affect current employee
tasks and workload?
Establish a feedback system.
• Make it easily accessible.
• Consider an online survey or wiki.

5: Don’t shut up about it.

5: Don’t shut up about it.
Fight for air time.
• Kotter: Organizations should communicate
their vision frequently and powerfully amidst
all other day-to-day messaging.
Encourage others.
• Ask supporters to help spread your
message.
• Ask them to use your vision in their daily
work.

5: Don’t shut up about it.
Lead by example.
• Demonstrate the kind of behavior you
expect from others.
• Walk the walk, too!

5: Don’t shut up about it.
Address concerns.
• Respond in a timely manner, openly and
honestly.
• Work with naysayers individually.
• Highlight the benefit they will receive first,
then follow up with the organization as a
whole.

5: Don’t shut up about it.
Continue vertical communication.
• Keep the big dogs in the loop to maintain
support.
• Keep employees in the loop so they don’t
feel left out or in the dark.
• Be ready and willing to over-deliver on
communication and time.

5: Don’t shut up about it.
Implement training.
• How to use social media tools.
• Clearing up confusion can help get
employees on board.
• Hire outside help if needed.

6: Defuse resistance
bombs.
Employee push-back is inevitable.
Employee buy-in is crucial to progress and change.

6: Defuse resistance bombs.
Identify and remove roadblocks.
• Roadblocks = People, processes or structures.
• Removing barriers causes resisters to re-think
your vision and plan.
• People naturally think of “Why I can’t” vs.
“How I can.”
• Brainstorm ways around current issues to
land at possible solutions.

6: Defuse resistance bombs.
Guide coworkers
through the change
process.
• Speed will vary.
• Reward supporters.
Kubler-Ross Model of Change

6: Defuse resistance bombs.
Dispel rumors with fact.
• High emotions = High probability for
rumors.
• Work proactively.
• Consider an employee resource bank or
FAQ sheet, and maintain an “open door”
policy.

6: Defuse resistance bombs.
Use feedback systems.
• Encourage employees to provide positive
and negative feedback.
• Be transparent to help with buy-in.

7: Get moving.

7: Get moving.
• Implement your action plan.
• Generate excitement.
• Keep the momentum going.
• Remain positive.

8: Give a
taste of
victory.

8: Give a taste of victory.
• Emphasize the “little wins.”
• Create short-term targets.
• Keep on budget.
• Reward those who meet targets.

9: Never stop improving.

9: Never stop improving.
• Evaluate and adjust goals.
• Analyze successes and failures.
• Keep the change team fresh.
• Continue to dedicate resources.
• Communicate, communicate, communicate.

Openness brings happiness.

9 Steps to Change
1. Build your case for change.
2. Start with the big dogs.
3.
4.
Pinpoint change agents.
Draft your vision and plan.
Shifting
5. Don’t shut up about it. internal
6. Defuse resistance bombs.
7. Get moving. culture.
8. Give a taste of victory.
9. Never stop improving.

Q&A
Blue Door Consulting
• www.BlueDoorConsulting.com
• Blogspot.bluedoorconsulting.com
• Facebook.com/BlueDoorConsulting
• Twitter:
• Heidi - @heidistrand
• Jaimy - @jaimy_marie