Stepping out of the echo chamber
by Andy Piper on Jun 25, 2010
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Talk given at Digital Surrey on June 24th 2010
Talk given at Digital Surrey on June 24th 2010
How and why businesses can be more social online, and why they should
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IBM
2. I work for a large company.
This presentation is partly inspired by my own personal story / journey inside that company in learning “how” to “be social” - but I’m not here to sell anything, just to share a point of view - my own.
There are 380,000 employees in ~165 countries
Employees are highly mobile
Several large divisions
✦ Systems and Technology
✦ Consulting Services
✦ Software
✦ Research
3. Certainly, IBM is nothing like this...
4. Definitely also nothing like this...
5. But actually... in my opinion... it’s a lot like this
6. So let’s start by thinking about echo chambers
7. What I mean by and dislike in the “echo chamber” is this.
Companies that only talk to themselves inside tend to be:
Self-reinforcing, inward-looking
Stagnant
Believe their own hype
8. In particular, I’ve noticed recently, how NOT to do social, especially at events
Everyone inside the company re-tweeting each other... “look at us!”
The idea that viral can always be created / induced... “suggested tweets” (!)
9. Marilyn Pratt, SAP Community Evangelist spoke at SOMESSO 2009 about the idea of a “walking
conversation” (based on Jane Jacobs)
Listen, participate
Create compelling content and reasons for people to point AT you and interact WITH you
10. So how can we do things differently?
11. Well, at IBM we’ve experimented with many different internal social networks and tools
We have a programme called TAP, the Technology Adoption Program, through which the grassroots can keep on innovating
12. Unleashing individuals and passions via blogs and media
Weʼve been podcasting internally and externally for some time. We run weekly podcasts on developerWorks, and occasional interviews.
Weʼve got demos and videocasts on YouTube... and youʼll find IBMers on Slideshare, Viddler and other sites too (del.icio.us, Dopplr... the list goes on)
Weʼve been using social networks like to build communities like Greater IBM, our alumni network... and also extending that to LinkedIn, Facebook and Second Life http://www.ibm.com/ibm/greateribm/
Twitter enables us to both stay in touch with wider teams and communities, and build relationships with customers and analysts. This has been a great tool for developing individual connections, and weʼve been using similar tools internally.
We have IBM groups on Facebook which enable us to build communities there. Some of my clients have connected with me there, for example. Thereʼs been some recent controversy about Facebook from a privacy and time wasting perspective, but thereʼs an element of common sense here - and it does help to build networks.
Even a social music site like Last.FM can help to build communities - http://ibmrocks.mytoycode.com/
13.
14. At IBM we started with some guidelines. It’s probably foolish to go without.
They are linked with our general Business Conduct Guidelines.
“In 1997, IBM recommended that its employees get out onto the Net - at a time when many companies were seeking to restrict their employees' Internet access. We continue to advocate IBMers' responsible involvement today in this new, rapidly growing space of relationship, learning and collaboration.”
So IBM’s embrace of these technologies builds on a history of innovation.
The message - don’t fear employees, competitors or the public - let them engage constructively
Our blogging guidelines are widely recognised, used as a template, and have been used as a basis for other policies covering podcasting, virtual worlds and conduct in social media
15. Guidelines and continued education and awareness are important
TRUST
If well-educated and employees feel trusted, there’s less need for policing
16.
17.
18. One final book recommendation
Business must adapt to social technology... if companies are not social then employees will go elsewhere
19. So let’s try something new... what I’m going to declare “social alchemy”
20. Bringing it back to this group, to Digital Surrey
It has been growing wonderfully, organically through word of mouth, interest, and trust
Diversity is the key strength and we straddle all kinds of business areas and interests
21. Thank you
Images thanks to CC-licensed images from Flickr (credited per-slide) and sxc.hu 1 year ago Reply