The Conversation on Social Technology is Finally Changing0

Posted on August 30th, 2010 in Digital, Emerging Technologies

August 30, 2010 Here we are at the end of August. For me the end of summer is always a time to look back on the year, get excited for the fall, and consider how the year will run its course.

Today, as I think about this, I am struck by conversations I have had over the last couple of months. The ones that are most memorable focused on how social technologies are creating value (i.e. more effective product launches, better customer service, effective internal collaboration, etc). I have talked with people at Dachis Group, MITX, Jive Software, Crimson Hexagon, as well as my colleagues and our clients, and I believe we are finally at a point where the discussion around social technologies is changing.

For the rest of this year (and for the long-term), keep an eye on how social media is about changing the ways companies go-to-market and conduct business. While this might sound mundane, it is anything but. In fact, this is a sea change. Companies like Cisco, P&G, EMC, Comcast and many more have been embracing social technologies for some time now and fortunately, for the rest of us, are producing public reports that talk of their success. When reading these reports, one thing that is clear, the message is not about a successful Twitter strategy, per se, but about how customer support has changed. It is not about Facebook pages, but about how companies launch products differently.

Takeaway: When reading case studies and press about social technology success, look for how the application changed the way the company conducted business, not just the channel or technology it used.

Keep an eye out on the latest research. Earlier in the year, Charlene Li published Open Leadership – a follow-up to Groundswell (that was co-authored with Josh Bernoff).  As opposed to Groundswell, Open Leadership focuses on how to create an environment and leadership structure that uses social technology philosophies at the core of company. I think it is a must read for any senior manager today. Josh Bernoff has also published a book, Empowered, that is due out in September. From the synopsis, Empowered is taking on the same challenge – helping leadership unleash the potential of its workforce using social technologies. However, the point is not to use social technology, but to recognize how social technologies can create organizational value through a new mindset around employees, partners, and customers.

Key takeaway: Continue to watch out for thought leaders to publish on the intersection of social technology and organization change management.

In short, I am looking forward to the conversation around social technology finally changing to recognize that being social is not about a technology, but about conducting business in a new era. This will be a long journey for many companies, but one well worth the effort. For those that adopt early, it will also be a source of competitive advantage. I am hopeful that the next wave of research focuses on this.