The “New” Crisis of Meaning?

October 4, 2011

What’s up with the word “new” in the phrase “meaning is the new motivator”? From all corners of the interwebz conversation about ‘business’, I see mention of this idea that meaning at work is something new, something that we have just begun to desire. Seriously. It seems to come as a surprise, or as a [...]

Read the full article →

Pay Attention to How Social Media Communities Create ‘the Organization’

September 20, 2011

Why do so many social business advocates overlook the organizational value of online communities? Too many people dismiss online communities for not being central to the organizations they serve.  These critics dismiss communities for being merely social, just another way to chat or swap tips. Even when they acknowledge how communities can be critical for [...]

Read the full article →

My Nose, Other People’s Business

September 1, 2011

[(As I prepare for teaching the first class of the Business Technology Consulting Practicum, I've been reflecting on how to encourage the students to identify the unique gifts that they have and to consider how they'll bring these gifts to the teams and the projects they choose this year.  It's only fair, I think, for me to pony up [...]

Read the full article →

Help Me Find Consulting Projects for my Business & Technology Students!

August 15, 2011

I am so excited about the class I’m teaching this fall that I’m breaking down the Chinese wall between serious topical blog posts and the practical fun of my work life, to post this Call for Projects for my students. I’m hoping that some of you readers in the New York/ New Jersey/Hoboken area may [...]

Read the full article →

4 Reasons Why Socializing Your Intranet Makes Organizational Change Easier

August 3, 2011

You can make the process of becoming a Social Organization a little easier if you start by socializing your intranet. Why? Because the shared, cohering nature of your intranet makes ‘social’ change efforts more comprehensive, more democratic, less scary, and more reinforcing of collective identity. In my previous post, I argue that we should develop [...]

Read the full article →

Social Organizations from the Inside Out: Start with Your Intranet

July 27, 2011

What’s the best strategy for making your organization more social? Where do you start to transform your systems, so that you can transform your organization? Many social media experts suggest that you work from the outside-in. They encourage organizations to start with one function and one stakeholder group, and ‘get social’ by linking CRM (customer [...]

Read the full article →

How Social Media Can Help Us Generate Productive Momentum

July 18, 2011

Social Media systems inside organizations should not be designed just to support tasks.  Social business systems should also be designed to support the emotional elements of interpersonal relationships, since these build momentum by helping us feel more meaningful and valuable as we work together. Often, people assume that digital social systems inside organizations should help [...]

Read the full article →

Purpose is the Killer App: Why Organizations Need Social Business Tools

July 12, 2011

What will it really take to get organizations to adopt social media tools inside the enterprise? Mere numbers won’t compel us, so don’t count on ROI. The shiny object syndrome won’t hold our attention, so back off with the bells and whistles. And, please, don’t work on us with peer pressure. We’re above trying to [...]

Read the full article →

6 Terrific Business Books That Deserve Your Attention

June 30, 2011

It’s too easy to overlook great business books. Even with sites like 800-CEO-Read, authors’ own promotional activities, and reviews by thoughtful & prominent business bloggers, many terrific books languish on Amazon’s shelves. Of course, I may be a little — shall we say undisciplined — in the ways that I come by my books. Recommendations [...]

Read the full article →

How to Design Social Business Systems For Engaged, Social Organizations

June 23, 2011

Organizations are social — they always have been. But, organizations have rarely been designed intentionally to help us flourish as social beings while we work together. Neither our analog systems nor our digital systems have been designed to help us bring more of our social selves to our work together. But, it’s not that hard [...]

Read the full article →