S.M.A.R.T. Blog

Increasing Social Engagement: A Little Recognition Goes a Long Way

You know that new social intranet or knowledge-sharing platform you built, beta-tested and launched with great fanfare? It WILL increase your team’s collaboration and productivity, but you need to provide the right level and type of recognition.

This is the first guest post from Richard D’Ambrosio, a trusted executive communications advisor and member of our Global Leadership Team. The value of having one’s contributions acknowledged is underscored by recent developments in the area of social recognition, both as stand-alone software systems (e.g., You Earned It, MTM’s Carousel, and Small Improvements) and integrated into larger applications (e.g., NewsGator’s Spotlight module for Microsoft SharePoint). I expect we’ll see even more synergy among various social engagement movements and tools over time.

- Courtney Shelton Hunt

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Neuroscientists are just now beginning to grasp the full ebb and flow of chemical reactions in our brains, and how that flow triggers our actions.

As a professional communicator for 20+ years, I’ve worked on projects from national sales conferences, to small team meetings, to being the community manager for online knowledge sharing platforms. What I’ve found, and what many sophisticated neuroscience researchers are proving, is that a simple system of recognition can go a long way to triggering the neurons that incent the right social media behaviors.

This holds tremendous potential for knowledge sharing and other objectives sought by social media platform managers. According to a recent survey from the IBM Institute for Business Value, almost two-thirds of companies are applying social capabilities internally “to find information and collaborate more effectively.” Eighty percent expect to do so within the next two years.

However, these firms may not maximize their investment and obtain the results they need if they don’t fully comprehend the dynamics of popular social media sites like Facebook, where one out of three adult Internet users are sharing some kind of content.

 

A Thank-You Can Go a Long, Long Way

When I helped launch a knowledge sharing platform in a prior role, we worked in advance with people leaders to identify key objectives our sales team was already working towards. We chose a handful of core expertise needs and built some offline activities supplemented by an online center of excellence for each of the initiatives.

We uploaded job aids and other critical sales tools to these sites. More importantly, we seeded the centers with comments from some of the sales leaders and individual contributors working on the project. Then, we actively and very publicly recognized anyone who contributed. Our SVP also chimed in online and off, personally thanking subject matter experts and sales people who were joining the conversation.

The reaction was phenomenal. The sales team and others ramped up their contributions as they saw their peers receiving positive feedback. The engagement far exceeded previous online usage, and unlike the launch of the tool two years earlier, we didn’t have to hold raffles or provide financial incentives to get our teams to contribute.

In fact, we didn’t spend a dime outside the project buildout. Participation was driven solely by personal leader recognition, both online in the tool, as well as at town halls, staff meetings and other offline activities. We also saw a correlation between contributions and peer-to-peer informal recognition.

 

The Gamification of Knowledge Sharing

In an article published last year in the MIT Sloan Management Review, Andrew McAfee, Principal Research Scientist at the MIT Center for Digital Business, spoke about an experience he had with TCS, Tata Consultancy Services, the Indian software development company.

TCS was using a tool where any of its 200,000 employees around the world could ask questions to and get answers from the entire enterprise. Employees were rated and recognized for their participation. After a while, the company did some analysis of the discussions being shared and who was participating. According to McAfee, they noticed that some people were offering answers and expertise not directly relevant to their role.

McAfee believes that “some combination of the peer recognition and being on top of the leader board, that kind of status, was so valuable to them that they were doing stuff that was exactly outside their job description.” He goes on: these employees were “doing it for the joy, doing it for the peer recognition, doing it because of the game-ification. Making visible how good you are.“

 

Put These Tactics on Your Checklist

I have witnessed this dynamic over and over again throughout my career as a communications professional and consultant.  But getting there isn’t easy. There are still a number of core activities that need to be in place to create a rich environment that will kick off and reward contribution.

I strongly advocate a number of strategies including:

• ensuring subject matter experts are readily accessible through all internal social tools and are rewarded for responding to questions and requests in a timely manner
• targeting and incenting experienced high-performers and leaders for contributions
• leveraging multimedia wherever and whenever possible
• directly demonstrating the link between business goal achievements and social knowledge sharing through prominent company-wide communications and events

There are a number of other very productive supporting strategies that require buy-in from internal business partners that also could trigger the neurons that initiate and sustain the right behaviors. Key among them is incorporating knowledge sharing in annual performance goals and reviews. McAfee suggests “enterprise-level collegiality” make up to 10-15% of performance reviews.

Unfortunately, I’ve found changing performance management programs, which speak to the broader culture of an organization, are much harder to come by. More on that in another post…

 

Richard D’Ambrosio is a writer and consultant with 20+ years of experience in the media and with large and mid-size corporations. His passion is for helping organizations achieve their goals, through leadership development and effective communications. Richard believes that social media is rapidly changing the way institutions organize workflows, share knowledge and develop talent, and is collaborating with SMinOrgs to advance strategies and tactics that will assist individuals and organizations in reaching their full potential. You can read more of musings on his Narrativity blog.

500+ Books about Social & Digital Technology: Trends and Opportunities

It’s probably no surprise that over 500 books have been written about social and digital technologies over the past 15+ years, and that many of these focus on social media marketing. What’s more intriguing are the topics that have not received much attention yet from thought leaders and authors. This post offers a brief introduction to a research project that explores the Digital Era literature and (in true 2.0 fashion) invites people to participate in its ongoing development.

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Last year, with the help of Marci Stewart and Genifer Snipes, I embarked on a project to identify all the books that had been written about social and digital technologies. It was a naïve quest that has turned into a very ambitious undertaking. Although I was aware of the most well-known books from the past five or so years, I had no idea how many other publications were out there, or how far back they stretched. We’re now at 520 – and counting!

In this post I share some project details, the initial high-level results, and what we plan to do next. More importantly, I’d like to invite folks to participate in the development of the project by sharing the questions, analyses, and information they’re most interested in. And of course I welcome recommendations for books lists, titles, and authors, to make sure our final list is as complete and accurate as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you!

- Courtney Shelton Hunt, PhD

 

Methodology

Here, in a nutshell, is the approach we have used to create the database:

• We selected Goodreads as our primary source of information, primarily because it’s vendor neutral – and of course it’s a social media platform in its own right!
• We seeded the list with titles from “best of” lists like The 25 Best Social Media Books of 2011, 10 Best Social Media Books, and Top Social Media Marketing Books.
• For each book we collected the publication data, Goodreads rating information, title, author(s) and book description.
• To expand the initial list we checked the titles listed under “Readers also enjoyed similar books” and “Lists with This Book.” Once we had exhausted those sources we conducted 40+ searches using all the potentially relevant terms we could think of, including general terms like social media and big data as well as specific terms like Facebook and Tumblr.
• In an effort to make the data collection effort more manageable, we only included books that were written in English and had at least one review. Yes, that’s somewhat arbitrary – but we needed some kind of cutoff! We also tried to limit the database to books that were targeted to non-technical readers.
• Throughout the process we added relevant titles as they were brought to our attention if we hadn’t already identified them.

Using the book descriptions, we created a three-tiered coding scheme to reflect their focus:

• Perspective: conceptual (focused more on conveying information or discussing topics at a high level) and tactical (“how to” oriented).
• General focus: categories ranged from macro to micro and included society, commerce, marketing, workplace, individual, and data.
• Specific focus: used to indicate if a book was specifically focused on a single topic (e.g., cloud computing, Twitter, mobile, LinkedIn).

We’re happy to provide more details about our methodology upon request. Please add a comment or email books@sminorgs.net with your specific questions.

 

Initial Results

To convey a general sense of what these 500+ books are all about, we have created two Wordles using the books’ titles (after cleaning them up by deleting unnecessary words and combining similar terms).

The first Wordle includes all the relevant terms (click to enlarge):

Because SocialMedia, Guide, Marketing and Business dominated the results, we created a second Wordle without those terms to dig a bit deeper into the books’ focus (click to enlarge):

The initial results may seem “no duh-ish” to some folks, especially early adopters. There’s nothing particularly revelatory about the fact that the books published to date have had a heavy emphasis on business, specifically social media in the context of marketing. The “how to” focus of many of these books, as well as the promises of success, are also not surprising.

But some of the emphases are less obvious. For example:

• Blogging (which has been declared “dead” at least twice in the past 5 years) remains a primary topic.
• Even though Facebook is a significantly larger platform, Twitter and LinkedIn have received relatively more emphasis as book topics.
• Although people are still wrapping their brains around what to do with data, there have been a relatively substantial number of books focused on the topic (e.g., analytics, metrics). Similarly, cloud computing has also been a fairly significant topic of discussion.

And perhaps most importantly, we need to think about what’s not been addressed, as those are the areas in which there is perhaps the greatest need – and the greatest opportunity for thought leaders and authors. These include:

• More discussion and guidance about topics like gamification and mobile technologies.
• How social and digital technologies can and should be used in non-commercial sectors, including in non-profit and religious organizations, public sector entities, and academic institutions. In a similar vein, there’s probably a need and opportunity for more focused discussions on digital communities and community management.
• Applications and implications of new technologies inside organizations (e.g., enterprise 2.0, social business, social enterprise).
• Leadership-oriented discussions, especially in terms of what it means to be a leader in the Digital Era.
• The human-capital management implications of new digital technologies, as well as legal/policy issues and risk management considerations.
• Applications and implications of new technologies for individuals, including digital competencies, jobs, professions, and careers.

 

Coming Up

We are conducting more in-depth analyses of the data (including a formal text analysis in conjunction with Silverman Research) and plan to share more results in the coming weeks/months, including:

• A slide deck of Wordles that reveal emphases by year, category, etc.
• An infographic, which will include things like the first time Social Media appears in a book title and most popular buzzword(s), as well as various representations of general and specific categories.
• A white paper that offers a more formal treatment of the methodology, results, and implications.

If you’d like to be informed as soon as these and other results are published, please join our mailing list or subscribe to the S.M.A.R.T. Blog.

 

What’s on Your Mind?

To enhance the value of this project, we’d love to hear from you. Specifically, we’d like to know things like:

• What books would you like to make sure we include? Are there specific “best” lists we should double check? Favorite books or authors? Your own tomes? We’re especially interested in hearing about recently-published books, as we are more likely to have missed them.
• What other topics, categories and/or questions do you think are important to explore?
• What questions do you have? What would you like to know? What are you curious about?

Please add a comment or email books@sminorgs.net with your specific suggestions. Thanks!

 

Related Content

Paper or Digital? The Results are In… And It’s a (Virtual) Tie! With over 500 votes and nearly 200 comments, the results of a recent poll indicate people are fairly evenly split between paper and digital book formats. Although the poll wasn’t perfectly scientific, the richness of its results can be of great value to authors, book publishers, and designers, as well as professionals in other fields such as training and development, academia, and communications.

4 Big Barriers to Social Media Adoption in Organizations: Key Research Findings. The results of a unique and ground-breaking study by Silverman Research (n=644+) indicate that there are four main barriers to increased adoption of social technologies in organizations: lack of knowledge and understanding, unprepared leadership, fear, and the absence of a well-grounded business case. This post highlights those findings and offers recommendations for overcoming the barriers. It also provides a link to a free report with details on the research and its results.

Online Social Learning Communities: Necessary but not Sufficient

As the Digital Era progresses, professionals at all levels and career stages need to develop and maintain a core set of digital competencies. These competencies can be developed informally, through online social learning communities, but they must also be developed through formal education and training programs. Academic and other organizational leaders must recognize that it is in their own best interests to make bridging the new (and expanding) digital divide a strategic and tactical priority.

In 5 Ways Social Learning Communities Transform Culture and Leadership, Meghan Biro asserts that "we are seeing the beginnings of an online social movement which will enhance traditional classroom education and breathe new life into the world of work" and describes some of the shifts behind this movement:

1. Online learning communities are challenging the value of academic ‘brands’.
2. Online learning communities have leveled the financial playing field and advantaged learners, not purveyors of degrees.
3. Online learners are empowered, and they will change your culture.
4. Leaders are born and made.
5. Online social learning communities are changing the value of employer brands.

I love the term "online social learning communities," which aptly describes the focus of the two digital communities I have founded: Social Media in Organizations (SMinOrgs) and the Global Center for Digital Era Leadership (GCDEL). Like many early adopters, my knowledge of new technologies was informally acquired, through my own efforts - and mostly through cyberspace. As I've learned, I've shared that knowledge and expertise with others and have facilitated their ability to share as well. But as valuable as my informal learning has been, I know it's not for everyone. In fact, it's not for most people. I deal with digital rookies all the time, and I can personally attest to how challenging it is for them to develop and execute a self-directed learning plan. Many of them don't even know where to start. I've explored the new Digital Divide and the need for Digital Era competencies, and I don't believe we have the luxury of time for people to be self taught. The situation is becoming too urgent.

I've recently started talking about the flaws in our LIY (learn it yourself) approach to skill development. As Meghan notes, organizations are reluctant to invest in training and developing their staffs - and when it comes to digital skills in particular, there's a prevailing assumption that people can figure things out on their own. They can't - and they don't - which creates tremendous inefficiencies and diminished effectiveness. This is as true for so-called Digital Natives as it is for Digital Immigrants.

Many early adopters and social technology mavens scoff at the notion of formal education and training in maximizing the use of new technologies. I've addressed that issue too, arguing that though formal learning is not a substitute for experience, it does lay an effective foundation that enables people to climb their learning curves faster and better.

The bottom line, as Meghan alludes to, is balance. We need both formal and informal learning, in whatever combination makes the most sense for an individual and an organization. The key, though, is to recognize and respect that learning MUST be a priority. If nothing else, enlightened self-interest should compel leaders to make it an operational priority.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

- Courtney Shelton Hunt, PhD

 

Related Resources

The New Digital Divide: Thoughts for Leaders and Laggards

Digital Era Competencies: How Do You Stack Up?

Social Media Education and Training: Pro or Con? Please Discuss…

Social Media Education & Training: Where We Are. Where We’re Going.

A Master’s Degree Specialization in Social Media & Online Communities

What's Your Social Media Sophistication? The SMQ (version III)

For even more resources, check out slides 35-42 from my closing Impact99 keynote, The Road Forward: Striving for Balance. More recent pieces can be found in the November and December blog archives. 

Digital Era Adaptation in 2013: A Long and Winding Road

As the Digital Era progresses, technological capabilities continue to outstrip our capacity to address the opportunities and challenges they present. We may be more willing to move forward in 2013, but we're not necessarily more able. In this post I reflect back on the changes that took place in 2012 and offer pragmatic thoughts for the year ahead.

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In my first post of 2013 - Social and Digital Tech Trends: 9 Take-Aways for YOU – I shared a number of resources addressing technology trends for 2012 and 2013 and highlighted the implications of those trends for individuals and the organizations of which they're a part.

As I was working on that post, I decided to revisit a piece I wrote a year ago entitled 12 Hopes for 2012: Enhanced Adoption of Digital Technologies, to see how many of my hopes had been realized and how much the digital landscape had changed (or not, as the case may be), in the past 12 months.

In this post I reflect back on 2012 and offer some thoughts for the year ahead. My attitude going into 2013 is much more pragmatic, but my ideals and aspirations are unchanged. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next twelve months brings.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

- Courtney Shelton Hunt, PhD

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Click here for an excerpted list of my 2012 hopes

Media hype and impassioned advocacy continue to mask the reality that the vast majority of working adults – particularly those in leadership positions at organizations of all types – are still sitting on the sidelines of the digital movement. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is that we continue to be mired in an economic malaise that causes many people to be reluctant to take risks and/or venture into still mostly-uncharted waters.

Throughout the past year there were a number of discussions about the importance of socially (and digitally) savvy leaders, as well as a few related research studies and reports, but generally speaking there was much more talk than action. Toward the end of the year, however, I started getting a stronger sense that leaders recognized they couldn’t ignore the trends and/or put off action any longer. Interestingly, the continued integration of social media into modern life was unlikely to have influenced them much. From my perspective, in fact, I think the (perceived) dominance of social media has been one of the key factors holding them back. The rise of mobile technology and cloud computing, however, as well as growing talk about big data and analytics, has piqued their curiosity – and their appetites – and has probably been a much bigger factor in their changes of heart.

The vilification of social media has continued, but with less heat and volume, primarily because the honeymoon is effectively over. That doesn’t mean social media is going away. It just means that it’s now generally viewed more as a utility or a commodity than a novelty, much as we view other utilities like electricity and commodities like email. The fact that we no longer put Millennials/Digital Natives on super-high pedestals when it comes to new technology may be a result of this shift. We’ve come to realize that digital engagement is much more about hard work than fun, as well as something that requires a broader skill set and judgment that comes from years of experience. It’s much easier to learn the technical details of a technology tool than it is to gain wisdom and perspective…

But we’re still a long way away from “getting” what new technology is all about and realizing its potential benefits, especially in professional and organizational settings. More to the point, we haven’t made the necessary behavioral shifts. Old habits die hard – but it’s more than that. The gap between what technology can do and how humans can harness and leverage that technology continues to grow. The lack of knowledge and understanding, combined with critical deficiencies in digital competencies, is perhaps the biggest obstacle to moving forward. Without a significant shift in attitudes toward education and training, both generally and specifically in the area of digital literacy, it will become increasingly difficult to bridge that gap.

The ROI challenges continue (more on that in a future post), but they seem to have lessened as well, perhaps in part because of the shift toward viewing new technologies as utilities, and in part because of a growing recognition that the environment is too dynamic and evolving to apply specific metrics in any meaningful way. That’s not to say that return on investment is not important, but people seem to be slowing down and trying to address the question in more strategic, thoughtful, and deliberate ways. It's no longer just about "bang for the buck."

Although there hasn’t been an expressed movement toward private digital networks, there has been an increasing recognition that public platforms cannot be relied on as exclusive or even primary engagement channels, especially when it comes to internal and other private communication and collaboration. And as more software vendors and service providers adapt their offerings to include social elements, there will be an increasing number of viable options that help organizations reap the benefits of new 2.0 technologies while minimizing their risks. This shift can also be seen as an indicator that we’re maturing from an emphasis on splashy, disruptive technologies to those that can extend and enhance existing competencies.

Finally, when it comes to risk management, there doesn’t seem to have been much change on that front in 2012. Many organizations still lack adequate policies, procedures, training and guidelines to mitigate Digital Era risks.

All things considered I view 2012 as a mixed bag. There were lots of encouraging signs, especially toward the end of the year, but no real dramatic changes with respect to new technology adoption by professionals and in organizations.We are still far from the tipping point...

Although resistance to new technologies has lessened, that doesn’t mean we’ll see a dramatic increase in adoption any time soon. There are still a number of barriers to be overcome, including global economic challenges, limited resources, conflicting priorities, lack of time, relatively few success stories that leaders can relate to, and the general lack of a roadmap or established best practices. The journey ahead will continue to be long, slow and rough. But traverse it we must...

We must continue to pay attention to trends, watch industry titans, and listen to thought leaders, but we must remember that although what they do and say are extremely important, their actions and views are not necessarily representative of the world most of us live in. They are explorers, adventurers, and prospectors – and they occupy space on the leading edge of the digital movement. Most of the world, however, is comprised of people who have only just begun to think about leaving the comfort of a civilization they know to become pioneers, settlers, and immigrants in a world that seems as full of dangers as it is of possibilities.

WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?) will remain a powerful motivator. No amount of reasoning, cajoling, selling, threatening or teasing can make someone change if they don’t want to. As we strive to find ways to move forward, this question must constantly be top of mind, regardless of what form it takes. It lies at the root of every challenge, every point of resistance, every criticism… and every advocate, proponent and change agent must be able to answer it – not from their own perspective, but from the perspective of others. Put another way, to help others think outside the box, champions must think inside the box.

But for me above all else, we must educate.

Tumbln into Tumblr V

Highlighting the activity on the SMinOrgs (and GCDEL) Tumblelog, this post recaps and provides links to entries about social and digital technologies including images and videos that reflect Digital Era realities, insights from attorneys about managing Digital Era risks, and several retrospective pieces that put today's opportunities and challenges in perspective (often with serious doses of humor!). The post also features five of our best and favorite Tumblr posts from November 2012 (the Medieval Help Desk was a runaway hit!).

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Earlier this year SMinOrgs (and GCDEL) established a presence on Tumblr, and I have become an ardent fan. I detailed some of the reasons for my Tumblr enthusiasm in a post entitled Tumbln into Tumblr: 7 Reasons it Hits a Social Media “Sweet Spot”. To demonstrate the platform's versatility, I share some our activity as a regular feature on this blog. I hope you enjoy the entries as much as we do.

- Courtney Shelton Hunt

Here are some of the items we "tumbld" in November 2012. Click on the titles to check each entry out. I've also highlighted a few of our best and favorite posts below. Note: the Medieval Help Desk was a runaway hit - and a must watch!

The Global Employer: The Social Media Issue. Baker & McKenzie asked some of their leading Labor and Employment attorneys to provide answers to questions that many companies are facing with regard to the use of social media. In this issue, you will find answers to questions that relate to recruitment, discipline and dismissal, protecting the business, and legal proceedings in 17 different jurisdictions.

A composite of favorite Digital Era images from the aftermath of SuperStorm Sandy.

An ironic rant: from self-righteousness to self-deprecation. Two Facebook posts from Tim McDonald are both damn funny and offer an important lesson: Even the most experienced and savvy among us can make mistakes. Rather than trying to hide or delete them, handling them with a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor - and good-natured aplomb - is a much better approach.

Managing Employer Risks in the Digital Era: 4 Recent Stories. This post provides links to four pieces from three countries, all written by attorneys. They address Digital Era issues that all employers should be concerned about. Three focus on social media and related policies, and one focuses on risks associated with BYOD (bring your own device) programs.

Joshua Topolsky on the Jimmy Fallon Show. In a hilaroius (and naughty) segment, they try to preview the Surface, Lumia, Nexus 4, Nexus 10, iPad mini and maxi.

The Early Bird May Get the Worm, But the Brave Bird Gets… The Fries?!?! In June 2010, I (unintentionally) shared my lunch with some bold sparrows who made me reflect on the role of bravery in the context of social media adoption. The ideas still resonate today...

1994 Today Show: “What is the Internet, Anyway?” This video makes me chuckle, but the underlying truth is sobering. We’ve come a long way in the last twenty years, yet there are still many people who are trying to wrap their brains what new technology is and what it means. In the Digital Era, I think we’ll be in a perennial state of confusion as technology continues to advance far faster than our human capacity to absorb and comprehend it.

Tourist info for the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC…Is rather 20th century (the book on the right is for finding names on the wall). I think they need a digital upgrade… : ) But not everything in DC is so “old school.” Check out the other Digital Era Images and THIS is Social Media pictures we posted on Pinterest after a recent visit.

Social Media Video 2013 (by Erik Qualman). Though I’m happy the video contents have been updated, I’m even happier that the original soundtrack from Fat Boy Slim has returned! You can also view the video with alternative music. Erik has updated his book, Socialnomics, as well as the video. Click here to read the related blog post and link to the book.

Computer History Museum’s online exhibition called Revolution. The story of computing is epic. It’s driven by the human passion for tinkering, inventing and solving difficult problems where accidents and luck can be as important as brilliant engineering. Explore the revolution that has changed our world…

Big Blue Embraces Social Media (2008). People ask me all the time when and how I got interested in social media, and how and why I started the Social Media in Organizations (SMinOrgs) Community. I consider this Businessweek article my Genesis. Although I had had an abiding interest in digital communication for a number of years, when I read this piece in 2008, I thought “this changes everything.”

Content – An Illustrated History. An infographic summarizing the history of media and its content. A repost of one of the many cool images we share via our Pinterest presence.

Medieval Help Desk with English Subtitles. This. is. hysterical. I mean, ridiculously funny with an undeniable ring of truth! Whether you represent the “help desk” or the flabbergasted and confused end user, I’m sure you can relate! Many thanks to Assistant Community Manager Sean Pearson for bringing this to my attention.

We generally post one item to Tumblr each morning, Monday through Friday, which also gets tweeted out just after 8 am CT. If you'd like to be notified of our Tumblr content as soon as it's published, you can follow us if you have your own Tumblr account or you can subscribe to our Tumblr posts via RSS feed or email. We also share occasional “Today on Tumblr” posts via LinkedIn, and of course you can visit our page whenever you like!

Also check out:

• Tumblin into Tumblr IV
• Tumbln into Tumblr III
• Tumbln into Tumblr II
• Tumbln into Tumblr I

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A composite of images from the aftermath of SuperStorm Sandy
Posted November 5, 2012

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An ironic rant: from self-righteousness to self-deprecation
Posted November 6, 2012

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1994 Today Show: “What is the Internet, Anyway?”
Posted November 15, 2012

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Social Media Video 2013 (by Erik Qualman)
Posted November 20, 2012

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Medieval Help Desk with English Subtitles
Posted November 30, 2012

LinkedIn Poll: Books about Social and Digital Technology

For the past few years I have wanted to create a definitive list of books written about social and digital technologies. This year I have finally been able to undertake the project in earnest, thanks to the help of Marci Stewart and (especially) Genifer Snipes.

Our data collection efforts are winding down, and we are getting ready to start sharing some of our findings. Before we do, I'm curious to know people's perceptions of the number of titles available, so I've created a quick poll on LinkedIn. I appreciate your taking a minute to respond to the poll (below or directly on LinkedIn) and reshare it with your social and digital networks.

Interested in learning what the poll reveals, as well as the correct answer? Check back in about a month or subscribe to the SMinOrgs S.M.A.R.T. Blog to be updated as soon as they're published. In the next few weeks we'll be sharing a post that presents our "Wordle analyses" of the titles and descriptions of the books we've found so far, and in early 2013 we'll be presenting infographics with some fascinating statistics.

Don't know what a Wordle is? Read this post to learn more.

You may also be interested in a related poll we conducted in 2011: Paper or Digital? The Results are In... And it's a (Virtual) Tie!

And speaking of polls, you may also want to check out: Leveraging LinkedIn Polls: 21 Quick Tips to Maximize Success

- Courtney Shelton Hunt

 

Impact99: HR Summit 2012... Tidbits and Take-aways

Using social tools Storify, SlideShare, and Hashcaster, as well as some original images and other attendees's blog posts, this post shares excerpts that offer a bit of flavor and some insights from the 2012 Impact99 Conference in Toronto.

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On October 24, 2012 I had the honor of being the closing keynote speaker at Impact99, HR Summit 2012, in Toronto. I also had the privilege of attending the entire event - listening to other speakers, watching and participating in a very active live Twitter feed (#impact99), and meeting and interacting with a diverse group of professionals who were nearly-uniform in their interest in and enthusiasm for creating and supporting the workplace of the future.

One of the biggest take-aways from the Toronto event, as well as the preceding one in Vancouver, is that it needs to be replicated in as many places as possible - and as often as possible! Not just because the idea of facilitating social workplaces is so important, but because there was something unique and wonderful about the design of the day and how the speakers and topics inspired people and motivated them to action.

Though I can't possible do the event justice, I'd like to share some excerpts that offer a bit of flavor and perhaps some insights. First off, I created two Storify stories from the Twitter stream: one to capture my tweets during the day, and the other to capture the tweets during my closing talk.

• Impact99 - SMinOrgs Observations, Toronto (2012)
• Impact99 - Closing Keynote, Toronto (2012)

You can view the final slide deck for my keynote below or via the SMinOrgs SlideShare channel. 

You can also check out the Impact99 Hashcaster page for a more complete collection of tweets and other digital content. And here are post-conference reflections from some other attendees:

• Impact99 - Igniting a Social Workplace (Jim Crocker)
• Impact 99 (Sarah Hallam)

Finally, I included a few more images from the day below. It was a great conference, and I'm glad I was able to help end the day on a high note. Christine McLeod, Pam Ross and their volunteer crew did an awesome job putting the event together. I'm looking forward to the next one!

- Courtney Shelton Hunt

 

Impact 99 Closing Keynote from Social Media in Organizations (SMinOrgs)

Getting started

Eight Principles of a Social Workplace - Attendee Assessment

One of the CEO Think Tank presentations

Learning Pod sign-up sheets - sometimes you gotta kick it old school!

Dan Pontefract's Learning Circle

Last Week on @SMinOrgs VI

Here is the sixth installment in our weekly blog post that recaps some of the most interesting content and exciting activity in the @SMinOrgs Twitter account from the preceding week. It’s written by our Twitter co-manager, Lizz Farmer, and is intended to share the @SMinOrgs Twitter activity more broadly and entice more folks to follow us. Plus, Lizz is a hoot (no pun intended)! We welcome your feedback.

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This is the latest installment of “Last Week on @SMinOrgs,” written by our Twitter co-manager Lizz Farmer (aka "- epf") (click here for the first installment and an explanation of this new feature). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. : ) Based on the feedback we’ve gotten from readers, it seems that people find them valuable, so we’re going to keep producing them until Lizz runs out of steam (or time – I’m pretty sure she won’t run out of jokes…)

If you'd like to be notified as soon as these updates and our other S.M.A.R.T. posts are published, please subscribe to the blog. 

- Courtney Shelton Hunt

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The saga continues on @SMinOrgs. Who killed Laura Palmer? Will Luke marry Laura, again? Was it all just a dream, and Bobby's in the shower? We'll just have to see if any of our followers have the slightest clue about these references.

 

Tweets of Note

Tips For Getting More Tweets As A Conference Speaker [INFOGRAPHIC] - AllTwitter http://ow.ly/czqu6 via LI by Jill Formeister 

Tweets are sound bites, and sound bites are fun, so try to prepare your presentation in sound bites. Remind people to spread the word, and let them know from the start that this is not the movie theatre, so they can tweet during your presentation without fear of kick-outage.  (Kick-outage is a word.  It IS!  Okay, it's not.) For more tips on getting people to tweet like mad during and about your speaking engagement, check out this sweet Post-It Note Infographic.

TD Bank Gets Social, Cashes In on IT-Business Teamwork http://CIO.com http://ow.ly/czqDO via LI by @karinHRConcise

Check out this CIO piece about TD Bank's super successful social network deployment. Strong executive sponsorship helped TD Bank make the most of getting into Enterprise Social Media (though a major IBM investment certainly didn't slow things down). They tested their methods on a pilot program and quadrupled their users by the end of the pilot. The social network expanded, and the number of emails went down 40 to 1. So worth it, apparently.

Social Business: Training Is Not Enough SideraWorks http://ow.ly/cDPSA via LI by @karinHRConcise 

Training's great and all, but it's not everything there is. Your induction program for new people should also include education (not to be confused with training) and immersion. Culture is so important, and the only way to really know the culture is to experience it. Investing in your new workers is worth it, so make sure you give them every opportunity to succeed.

Will Your Company Benefit from Social Media? Creative Thinking http://ow.ly/czqMD via LI by @ashlaurenperez 

The easy answer is no, right?  Social media is a distraction, yada yada yada. But actually, if you do it right, social media can make it easier for your employees to collaborate, get more exposure to higher executives (the proof is in the Pinterest!), and social media helps everyone brainstorm more effectively. And, it's happening, naysayers. Seriously!  Embrace the Tweet! (You might as well.)

 

We’re #SMOPin!

#TGIF - Thank Goodness It's Infographic Friday! Here is an interesting infographic about an "internet minute" http://ow.ly/ctaM2 #SMOPin

Follow our hashtag  #SMOPin (SMinOrgs on Pinterest) for more great social media and digital technology visuals. And check out our latest blog post - Pinterest for Professional Purposes? Not as Preposterous as it Sounds! - in which we offer our own experience as a case study to demonstrate that Pinterest isn't just about weddings, fashion, and dream vacations.

 

Retweets of Note

@SocialKaty - Must read: The Top 5 Things Businesses Can Do On Pinterest http://bit.ly/ODVn9x  #pinterest #tips << Interesting!

@SproutSocial - Why Your Company Needs an Internal Social Network http://bit.ly/OLs0Cc via @Sprout_Insights

Last Week on @SMinOrgs III

This is the third blog post highlighting some of the interesting content and exciting activity in the @SMinOrgs Twitter account the preceding week. It’s written by our Twitter co-manager, Lizz Farmer, and is intended to share the @SMinOrgs Twitter activity more broadly and entice more folks to follow us. Plus, Lizz is a hoot (no pun intended)! We welcome your feedback.

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This is the third installment of “Last Week on @SMinOrgs,” written by our Twitter co-manager Lizz Farmer (aka "- epf") (click here for the first installment and an explanation of this new feature; click here for the second installment). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. : ) 

- Courtney Shelton Hunt

 

These are a Few of My Favorite Tweets

Top 3 Strategies On How to Build an Engaged and Captivated Audience: This article, initially shared by @RohanD87 in our LinkedIn group, focuses on how to build a solid, dedicated audience.  The majority of your readers stay that way because of the value your blog’s content holds for them, not just the amount or even the validity.  Creativity and brevity are equally important, subscription buttons are smart, and giving away free content will never be a bad thing.  Who doesn’t like free stuff?  Crazy people, that’s who.  Check out the info here: http://t.co/8CKJPRiu. 

Workplace Social Networking Frustration:  A surprising tidbit from LinkedIn group member @BKneuer that told us how Twitter usage has almost doubled in the last 6 months, and what that means for social networking traffic in terms of bandwidth and, believe it or not, morale. Detes here: http://ow.ly/c8X9s. 

Tech Companies Leave Phone Calls Behind: The New York Times gave us an interesting piece (http://t.co/IfGVOIwO ) on customer service phone calls and social media.  FYI:  So last season. There is a valid point here; Facebook has 1 employee per 300,000 users and therefore can’t possibly be bothered to chat about why your photos won’t let you tag the way you want to tag.  Snark aside, there have been casualties, including a father of an ailing daughter whose Twitter awareness account got suspended because he posted his family’s website enough times for the site to consider it SPAM.  Because of the no-phone call situation, he had no recourse.  What do you think about a No Phone Call Policy?

 

Trending Tweets 

The SMinOrgs Hashtag guidance is still a popular post – if you’ve not read it yet, check it out here:  http://t.co/h9SgmuUN. In fact, many of our Twitter posts continued to be reshared, including 15 Worst Practices and the Hashtag flowchart.

4 Big Barriers to Social Media Adoption in Orgs: Key Research Findings. The S.M.A.R.T. Blog (right here: http://t.co/XnaaWq5T) keeps us abreast of the latest in opinions on social media in businesses, including why some don’t get it and how we can help them learn to embrace it. 

Measuring An Employee's Worth? Consider Influence (http://ow.ly/c8WWj) via LI from @karinHRConcise. Influencer, by Salesforce.com, measures how influential you are based on your social contributions in the company.  Rypple, another great tool, lets you give your fellow mates a badge for a job well done.  It’s amazing how much a little pat on the back means at work!

It's Technology Over Time Thursday! Check out our POTD from our Pinterest board of a West Loop alley in Chicago http://ow.ly/bZfND. Wanna see more? Just check out our hashtag: #SMOPin.

 

Retweets of Note 

A little light on the Retweets last week, folks.  There was just the one: 

Google+ Recommendations Rolling Out to All Users Today: http://see.sc/gCtd4J - from @SocialMedia411.

 

Parting Thought 

We hope you're loving the content and keeping tabs on us, but all the same - give us your thoughts! Perhaps a bit more Retweeting?  How do you feel about our response time?  What is missing from the feed that you wish you could see a bit more of, specifically?  You know we love that feedback, so don’t hold back!

And speaking of feedback, don't forget out our "Tweets per Day" LI poll, which closes next week. Here's the link to vote and check out the almost 450 responses so far. http://linkd.in/NzX4EN. Help us hit 500+! 

- epf

 

Building a Social Media Bookshelf: What Do You Recommend?

As part of SMinOrgs's ongoing effort to provide resources to folks regarding the organizational implications of social media and other digital technologies, we'd like to collect and share a list of books that people have found valuable. We appreciate your letting us know your favorite(s) and/or must-read recommendations, adding a few words about why you like it/them.

Some of you may recall that I had put out a similar call a couple of years ago. I got great responses, but I was never able to compile all the results into a usable format. Now, with help from Marci Stewart, we can actually get it done! 

I'd like the list to be as comprehensive as possible, including "classics" as well as the latest reads. Works like Groundswell, Wikinomics and Enterprise 2.0 will definitely be on the list, as well as more current books like Digital Leader and Engage!.

What else would you add? Please list your favorite titles below, and/or provide links to resources you think offer definitive lists. Thanks!

We'll be sharing the final list via the S.M.A.R.T. Blog and on SlideShare, in addition to adding all the individual titles to Pinterest. Please be sure to subscribe to the blog and or follow us on one or more of our social media platforms to be notified about the final results (and more!).

- Courtney Shelton Hunt