Can you ever imagine these situations in a business setting?
By by D'Arcy Norman on Flickr
- Billy grabs a pen and paper and starts writing, “Hi. I am writing this note because I was told I should. I am not sure who I am writing to or why I am writing, I just am.”
- Jane picks up the phone and dials a random number, “Hi. I am calling you because I was told I should use this thing. I am not sure who you are or why I am calling, I just am.”
- You get an email invite to the meeting entitled, “A meeting.” In the body it says, “Hi. Please come to this meeting that I was told to have. I am not sure why we are having it or why you are invited. But we need to have a meeting.”
You would never see that. Why? Because the pen and paper, a phone and meetings are not end results. They are tools used when there is a purpose and it makes sense to use them.
Do we ever think, “I am going to use the phone,” without following that up with, “to talk with…”
Why, then, do we feel we need to use a blog or a wiki or a discussion group? Why do we feel others should use them? To often we say, “You should write your blog,” Or “You should try a wiki.” But using these tools won’t lead to any positive outcome unless we have a reason to use them.
This is why it is so important to make sure these potentially powerful tools are used correctly and for the right purposes. We need to weave them in the way we work.
Don’t write a blog post. Instead, share with everyone where you are on your project.
Don’t create a wiki page. Instead, collaborate more efficiently.
Don’t create a discussion. Instead, ask a diverse set people for an answer to a tough question and have a conversation.
Don’t tweet. Instead, share your insights and links.
