Comments on: 10 reasons to tackle corporate email – reason 1 http://www.e8consulting.com/blog/practiceareas/communicatecollaborate/10-reasons-to-tackle-corporate-email-%e2%80%93-reason-1 e8 Consulting blog Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:41:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Leanne Fry http://www.e8consulting.com/blog/practiceareas/communicatecollaborate/10-reasons-to-tackle-corporate-email-%e2%80%93-reason-1/comment-page-1#comment-9 Leanne Fry Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:37:33 +0000 http://www.e8consulting.com/blog/?p=347#comment-9 Oscar, I think culture is the most overlooked issue in KM and social media. My experience has been remarkably similar over a number of years: from the roll-out of web services, to KM initiatives, to the implementation of enterprise 2.0 tools. Culture can actively undermine initiatives, either overtly or more disappointingly, covertly. This can range from ongoing conflict that arises in relation to the use of the tools, or corporate policies that run counter to the behaviours people need to adopt. An example might be a ‘one size fits all’ policy, when what will drive take-up is a healthy sense of individuality. Another might be a culture that doesn’t reward or even countenance anyone sticking their head up and taking a look around, or speaking candidly. Another might be a departmental objective that states ‘play one team’ but all the while managers are cheerfully voicing negative opinions on the merits or wisdom of the initiatives (btw I’m not advocating smokescreens from senior managers, but some discipline around who says what where and when is needed, just as if you were marketing a product externally). I’ve had clients look at the level of knowledge management and sharing that goes on in professional services firms, and ask me why they can’t reach the same level. I explain the professional services culture and business model that supports it. On the flip side I’ve been fortunate enough to have a CEO who was my greatest advocate and advertiser. His leadership included talking it up, demonstrating the uses, and actually using it to further his cause and interact with employees. HR professionals? Good question. I suspect that they need to hold the mirror up to the organisation regarding its culture. Often the link between culture and the way people work is a bit tenuous or not even defined. It’s such a cliché to say that the imperative for these initiatives needs to be driven from the top, and many social media tools are best driven from the ground up, but unless the culture clearly gives the imprimatur for the activities or behaviours it’s a long hard road! Oscar, I think culture is the most overlooked issue in KM and social media. My experience has been remarkably similar over a number of years: from the roll-out of web services, to KM initiatives, to the implementation of enterprise 2.0 tools.
Culture can actively undermine initiatives, either overtly or more disappointingly, covertly. This can range from ongoing conflict that arises in relation to the use of the tools, or corporate policies that run counter to the behaviours people need to adopt. An example might be a ‘one size fits all’ policy, when what will drive take-up is a healthy sense of individuality. Another might be a culture that doesn’t reward or even countenance anyone sticking their head up and taking a look around, or speaking candidly. Another might be a departmental objective that states ‘play one team’ but all the while managers are cheerfully voicing negative opinions on the merits or wisdom of the initiatives (btw I’m not advocating smokescreens from senior managers, but some discipline around who says what where and when is needed, just as if you were marketing a product externally).
I’ve had clients look at the level of knowledge management and sharing that goes on in professional services firms, and ask me why they can’t reach the same level. I explain the professional services culture and business model that supports it.
On the flip side I’ve been fortunate enough to have a CEO who was my greatest advocate and advertiser. His leadership included talking it up, demonstrating the uses, and actually using it to further his cause and interact with employees.
HR professionals? Good question. I suspect that they need to hold the mirror up to the organisation regarding its culture. Often the link between culture and the way people work is a bit tenuous or not even defined.
It’s such a cliché to say that the imperative for these initiatives needs to be driven from the top, and many social media tools are best driven from the ground up, but unless the culture clearly gives the imprimatur for the activities or behaviours it’s a long hard road!

]]> By: Oscar Trimboli http://www.e8consulting.com/blog/practiceareas/communicatecollaborate/10-reasons-to-tackle-corporate-email-%e2%80%93-reason-1/comment-page-1#comment-8 Oscar Trimboli Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:23:14 +0000 http://www.e8consulting.com/blog/?p=347#comment-8 Great insight Leanne What role to you feel organisational culture plays in encouraging or discouraging the adoption of knowledge sharing in organisations? Do you have examples of leadership encouraging knowledge sharing? What role do HR professionals in stimulating a culture of knowledge sharing? Great insight Leanne
What role to you feel organisational culture plays in encouraging or discouraging the adoption of knowledge sharing in organisations?

Do you have examples of leadership encouraging knowledge sharing?

What role do HR professionals in stimulating a culture of knowledge sharing?

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