Overcoming the Fear

What C-Level execs are afraid ofwhen it comes to social intranets

“Hey, we’re going to let all theemployees publish content to the

intranet.”intranet.”

What is everyone so afraid of?

Planned Trigger Points

Non-Work Related InformationPersonal OpinionsInformation Critical to Employer

Organizations

Insurance Company, West Coast (800)Government Agency, Ontario (480)Financial Institution, Midwest (240)Financial Institution, Midwest (2,000)Financial Institution, Midwest (2,000)Product Company, Midwest, (2,700)Health Services Company, U.S. (3,500)Etc.

Interviewees

Director of CommunicationsDirector for Internal CommunicationsChief of StaffCorporate CounselCorporate CounselDirecting Officer, Business CommunicationsEtc.

Does this bother you? Why?

The “Reach for the Phone”MomentMoment

Disclaimer:Identification is NOT

Endorsement!Endorsement!

1. Lack of Social Filters

There are people who haven’t beenindoctrinated into the social norms of theorganizationNew hiresNew hiresNew professionals

2. Productivity

Less concerned with actual productivity lossMore concern with the perception ofproductivity lossImplied message: it’s okay to do other stuffImplied message: it’s okay to do other stuffduring company time

3. Confidentiality

Information in an organization operates atgraduated levels of securityIf the default mode is “share,” too much endsup getting sharedup getting shared“Forward-looking statements”

4. Diffusion of OfficialCommunication

How can an employee evaluate the“officialness” of multiple communicationchannels?How can employees determine what theyHow can employees determine what theyshould be accountable for?

5. Trails of Discoverability

Sarbanes–OxleyEvery communication is inherently taxed bya “burden of discoverability”

6. “Concerted Activities”

National Labor Relations Act protects unionorganizing activitiesEmployees are protected whenever theycollaborate to improve the terms of theircollaborate to improve the terms of theiremploymentEfforts to censor this may be illegal

7. Mob Mentality

If one person complains, everyone willcomplainUnspoken critiques of the organizationshould stay unspoken, lest they multiplyshould stay unspoken, lest they multiply

Broken Window Theory

Image by Flickr user “GloomyCorp”

Organizational Surface Tension

Image by Andre Roberto Doreto Santos

8. Asymmetrical Usage

Some people will communicate a lotSome people won’t communicate much…orwell.What value judgments will people draw fromWhat value judgments will people draw fromthis?

Solutions?

The Benefit Must Be Sold

All organizational communication carriesriskAny attempt to broaden communication hasto have a larger benefit than the inherent riskto have a larger benefit than the inherent risk

Localize

Decision makers were much more receptiveto inter-team/unit communication thanorganization-wide communicationCommunication needs contextCommunication needs contextLocalization breeds context

Promote Respect for Norms

Tie the ability to contribute to time in theorganizationAccess and privileges expand with timeelapsed from DOHelapsed from DOH

Leverage Your Vendor’s Experience

There’s a tendency to pretend irrationalreasons don’t existBe honest with your vendor, even if it’sembarrassingembarrassingAsk what other customers have done toovercome these issues

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