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

I WANT AN INTERNAL FACEBOOK

As discussed in the last section, the notion of what an ESN might look like is shaped by what people see externally. Often, the discussions start by using well-known external platforms as examples and talking about some of the differences. As a result, the one driving the technology side of it might say something like, “What I had in mind would be an internal Facebook within the firewall.” On the one hand, that comparison is useful as it describes what type of platform one has in mind. On the other hand, if people don’t like certain Facebook features or behaviors, the comparison could create misconceptions and anxiety. The way that Facebook has succeeded in taking up a larger and larger portion of people’s time will surely spawn the idea that an ESN is a time-waster—an idea common with many senior leaders who do not understand the potential benefits. Similarly, among Facebook’s fastest-growing features are apps, games, and advertisements, which are not necessarily associated with productivity in an organizational setting.

If you use the Facebook analogy to explain what an enterprise social media platform might look like, it is important that you point out some significant differences. Here are some examples:

• If you use advertising at all in your ESN it will be to highlight strategic initiatives and news that can help keep the site business-focused. Since advertising is a key component of Facebook’s business model, it is designed to distract users from ...