Comments on: Behavior Migration is H-A-R-D, but Possible

By: John Davis

John Davis — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:20:18 +0000

Thanks! Really interesting. I wish i could spend my time on writing articles…just have no time for it.

By: Gia Lyons

Gia Lyons — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:54:10 +0000

Thanks for the “comment” Fred! Most of my Jive Clearspace customers don’t have a problem figuring out why to use Clearspace, but I do think that mid-management has a problem with any new tool, because they already have SO MANY “collaboration” tools. They probably think, “didn’t we already solve this problem? I’m going to keep using email only anyway, so let’s not waste our time yet again pretending to find value in another tool.”

By: Fred

Fred — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:17:51 +0000

Great thoughts here! until you get Mgmt buy-in, “social SW” (e.g LC) will be seen as “optional tools” for employees & therefore not a MUST, there needs to be a major shift in “Mgmt thinking” & I believe it is up to people like us e.g. the “Early Adopters” / firm believers to convince & show them on daily basis the benefit to change our ways of working.. (my two cents.. )

By: Gia Lyons

Gia Lyons — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:32:16 +0000

Luis, well said! For me, my approach has been, “hey, I’ve got some stuff, feel free to use it, feel free to ignore it. Up to you.” Good point on the mid-manager’s potential fear that his/her people will “waste time” on the social thing.

By: Luis Benitez

Luis Benitez — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:16:39 +0000

LOL

So, one of my fears before I started sharing, was “losing control”. Control in the sense that if I have the knowledge, I have the power to control my career. At the same time, I was always frustrated because there were so many projects out there that were failing because they weren’t using me, they weren’t using my collateral.

And now you are saying, “Luis, don’t be stupid.. they can’t use your collateral unless you share it!”.. But at that time I was thinking “People should be able to find me, *somehow*”… and that’s where the whole system broke. I had no way to publicize my skills. People had no way to discover me. Then, when I started blogging and dogearing, it finally clicked. It was all making sense. People were able to find me and I was able to find people easily.

Another fear, which may be Latin America specific, is record keeping policies at some companies just like “la chica” says: http://socializeme.blogspot.com/2008/07/lotus-notes-8-on-my-mac-helps-me.html?showComment=1216851480000#c4961831126735219868.

Finally, one fear that I’ve heard a couple of times too.. is the fear of sharing because that may bring you more recognition (i.e. more work!) In my experience, that hasn’t happened to me, but I assume mid-level managers may be afraid of losing the control of their employees if these are distracted by “other things”.

By: Adrius42

Adrius42 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:44:33 +0000

Surely you can’t mean “Forwarding” internally? We have to change our language to help those Middle Managers get the importance and magnitude of the Infomation SHaring Culture change! I just blogged on the subject and provided a link to this seminal blog!

By: Gina

Gina — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:17:35 +0000

I would change that last problem to many folks CAN’T share stuff till it’s done. That’s an issue where I work – some stuff has to stay under wraps until very close to release for all sorts of reasons.
Nice article – will be forwarding it internally.

By: Gia Lyons

Gia Lyons — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:30:15 +0000

Yeah, I wrote this on Friday, scheduled it to publish today, and realized I hadn’t changed the reference to time. As you see, I have done that now.

By: Luis Benitez

Luis Benitez — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:25:12 +0000

Hey Gia.. what were you doing working on a Sunday ??