As I talk to people about Enterprise 2.0 I find those who resist it because they take what they know and apply it to what they don’t know. I can’t blame them. Projection is common and we do it all the time. We take the information we know and apply it to a new situation and the gaps are filled in with our best assessment. But in this scenario, doing so can be very misleading.
Before I go on, I want to make a distinction between three main types of uses. To be clear, I fully understand that there can be (and often is) a lot of overlap with some of these given certain circumstances, but here is what I see as the major break down:
- Personal Use – Staying in touch with friends, relatives, others, and everything that comes along with it.
- External Organizational Marketing – Engaging current or potential customers.
- Internal Organizational Performance Improvement – Enterprise 2.0.
(This post will focus on #1 & #3)
It is not so much about HOW it is used, as it is WHY it is used, or how we perceive it would be used.
If we look at Twitter, we might see:
@TrinaRenee21o_0: Just ate some Sonics breakfast. That breakfast burrito is delicious and I love french toast sticks! Mmmm.
@aacheron: Yawn!!!!! Stretch!!!!!!
@tsitra: is sitting in the computer chair…wasting tiii—iiimmmee….
If we look at Facebook, we might see:
People poking friends or throwing a sheep at a friend.
or…
or…
Are these useful? Many would argue to the contrary. This is their perception and they project their perception from one context to another. They see the above abuses uses and think, “How on earth can that be productive in a business setting?! It can’t!” And they would be right.
Yet here is the difference: That’s not how you use it in business. They are similar tools, but have different uses.
“But the tools can still be abused in a business – and will be!” Again, true. First, can they? Yes, but anyone can also abuse the use of a pencil, or paper clip, or as we have all seen, the phone, the break room or the corporate credit card.
Still, when I tell these naysayers, “But that’s not how they are used in a business context,” they don’t believe me because they haven’t seen it. And there is the key: Most people won’t understand until they USE it. They must have experience with it before they understand it. Even most of those who try it the first time don’t get it, but at least they are trying! Then, after some use something clicks, the lightbulb turns on and the possible uses starts flooding the mind.
So, do you know a luddite? Get them to try it. That’s the only way they will ‘get it.’
(NOTE: Twitter and Facebook can be used for very productive purposes. But those cases are not brought up when the accusations fly.)
