Connecting Organizational Silos: Taking Knowledge Flow Management to the Next Level with Social Media

"As you try to move along the continuum of knowledge flow, going from communication to collaboration to innovation to speed of innovation in your organization, you will not find a better primer than this book on how to do it. I recommend it highly."
From the Foreword by Robert H. Buckman, former CEO of Buckman Laboratories, and author of Building a Knowledge–Driven Organization

It′s time to put social media to work for your business

Offering practical and specific guidance on what to do and not do when introducing social media in your organization, Connecting Organizational Silos offers a nuts–and–bolts look at how to get started in social media and drive it to success.

Approaching social media within the enterprise from a knowledge flow management perspective, this concise, easy–to–read guide examines:

The principles of knowledge flow and the development of social media tools How you can introduce your organization to social media tools and platforms Social media: your business′s new super–watercooler Mobilizing your social media evangelizers Why social media is about more than just socializing Choosing the right KPIs for your business

We are moving toward a global arena where it has become necessary to share knowledge across an entire organization. Enhance the performance of Enterprise Social Networks in your business. Learn to guide knowledge flows in your organization. Find out how social media can lead to dynamic success in your organization with Connecting Organizational Silos: Taking Knowledge Flow Management to the Next Level with Social Media.

Foreword xi

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xxi

Chapter 1 Your Organization Is Not The Web 1

Terminology and Definitions 1

From Documents to Flows 6

Social Side of Knowledge Flows 7

KFM versus Social Media 10

Case Study 1: The Hub (SAS) 11

Case Study 2: RedNet (Red Ventures) 15

Notes 17

Chapter 2 Why Should You Care about Social Media? 19

Motivations 19

Network Dynamics 24

Breaking Isolation 26

The Super Watercooler 29

Handling the Dynamic Organization 32

Innovation Enablement 33

Notes 36

Chapter 3 Getting Started 37

Inside versus Outside Social Media 37

Differences in the World 39

Laying the Foundation 45

How to Really Get It Off the Ground 50

Launch: Project or Initiative? 55

Technology: Build or Buy 56

Notes 58

Chapter 4 Roles 61

More Than Just Socializing 61

Individuals and Departments 68

Mobilize Your Evangelizers 74

Notes 77

Chapter 5 Driving for Success 79

Get All Stakeholders Involved Early 79

Go Viral 82

Freedom within Borders: The Power of Guidelines 85

Training Portfolio 87

Pulse 91

Executive Participation: Not Just Buy–In 93

Notes 96

Chapter 6 Fighting Barriers  97

Fear of Losing Control 97

Unlearning 100

Dealing with Stupid 102

Integration 103

No Time to Post: Portfolio Management 110

Legal Concerns 111

Note 114

Chapter 7 Technology: The Enabler 115

Social or Supporting Social 115

I Want an Internal Facebook 118

The Power of Simplicity 120

Multidimensional Navigation 125

Groups or Communities 130

Notification Management 134

Notes 138

Chapter 8 Social Media Analytics  139

Analyze What Is Going On 139

Social Network Analysis versus Reporting 146

Choosing the Right KPIs 151

Notes 155

Chapter 9 What s Next 157

Advances in Technology 157

Dealing with Channel Overload 162

More Social or More Technology 164

Interaction Trends 167

Notes 168

Chapter 10 Final Thoughts  171

Appendix A Key Success Factors 175

Appendix B Additional Resources 181

About the Author 183

Index 185

FRANK LEISTNER is Chief Knowledge Officer for SAS Global Professional Services. He has been in the IT industry for more than twenty years, beginning as a systems programmer for Nixdorf Computer in his native Germany. From 1989 to 1993, he worked for Siemens–Nixdorf in a liaison role out of Mountain View, California, focusing on the development of UNIX multiprocessor operating systems. In 1993, Leistner joined the European headquarters of SAS, shifting his focus to application development and field consulting. Based on his experiences in the field, he founded the SAS knowledge management program in 1997 and, since then, has been leading a range of knowledge exchange initiatives on a global level.