The crowdsourced story of a socially engaged organisation

Editor's Notes

1. Hello, this is going to be the most interesting presentation I’ve ever delivered, mostly because I’ve not actually written it. It’s a social collaboration, and as such means I’m relying on the goodwill and input of those who care to contribute. I hope you enjoy! Written by Sukh Pabial
2. Each and every individual within an organisation has something that could be offered to conversations that take place. Being a socially engaged organisation is all about creating a culture of collaboration, sharing best practice and breaking down silos. What’s not to love about that? Written by Sinead Carville.
3. Quite a lot, actually. I’m the MD here and each and every person in my organisation has their job to do. If they need something they can ask. I don’t need them chattering away all day in the name of collaboration thankyou very much. Written by Martin Couzins,
4. But where some may see inane chatter, others see opportunity. Human beings are social animals, who in the main want to work together to achieve group goals. Organisations are no different. New tools help us assist each other and improve through collaboration, wherever we are. Written by Robert Weeks.
5. And in the new world of work, people expect to be able to be connected in ways they haven’t been able to be before. This opens up the exciting prospect of more collaborative, flexible, and innovative businesses. It’s essential that HR understand this connected world and the risks and opportunity it introduces. Written by Pam Ross.
6. It’s all very well talking about the connected world but like the MD says we’ve got jobs to do, brands to protect and KPIs to hit. Who’s done it already? How will we get from here to there?! What’s the process? Written by Rob Jones.
7. Good questions to ask: Why, who, what, when, where, how? Look for possibilities and opportunities. Industrial Age #1, #2, #3? How work gets done is changing because of new tools available. Ignoring this is costly. Written by Karin Wills.
8. Dear Martin, Here is my resignation letter. It's not you, it's me. I just can't work for a company where the boss thinks that conversation isn't at the heart of how we get work done. Yours sincerely, your best salesman. Written by Doug Shaw.
9. Martin, it’s the sales manager here. I can’t find a replacement for Doug. The agencies haven’t got good candidates, the ad response is awful. All the good salesmen are headhunted through LinkedIn or talking to competitors on social media. But we’re blocked from it. Written by Mervyn Dinnen.
10. I work best when I am trusted and when I can manage my own time and priorities. Engaging in social media makes me better connected, more knowledgeable, more engaged and better at my job. I’m sure you wouldn’t ban workplace conversations with colleagues...would you? Written by Alison Chisnell.
11. If it’s good enough for our customers, then its good enough for our employees. The smartest and most successful companies appear to moving towards one ecosystem, where employees and customers engage and network freely. Innovation, loyalty, empathy, success - all these can come from collaboration. If you allow it. Written by Gareth Jones.
12. Customer service team here; we’ve had two brilliant colleagues join the team via social.  They saw us chatting on FB and tweeting, and thought it sounded great here.  Our team leader knows we chat, and also knows we get our problems solved without escalating everything. Written by Meg Peppin.
13. Dear Martin, your Director of Comms here. Our employees are connecting and communicating collaboratively outside work, using all sorts of social media. They're even coming up with money and time saving ideas. Think we need to embrace and encourage the 'chatter'. Happy to discuss further. Written by Rachel Miller.
14. Excuse me Boss, does social just mean social media? Or can we find other ways to be socially engaged? It’s just we work on the shop floor instead of behind desks. How are you going to include us in the conversation? We don’t want to be left out. Written by Sam Lizars.
15. Hi, Coco Cosmo new social media manage herer, CEO wanted some SEO to stop the no-show and go-go, yah, it's amazing, we’re all, like, collaborating and chilling y’know, we got twigger and fazebook and yah, crap just spilt my latte, and oh - I’ve been fired. Written by Neil Usher.
16. Dear MD, you might not know it but there is a vibrant (offline) network of communications here already. It’s informal and doesn’t have anything to do with the org chart.  It’s the key to our success. Don’t you want to make it more effective? Written by John Costello.
17. I’m with the OD Manager - encouraged by your enthusiasm but I see passion, not a biz case. If people are twittering and facebooking anyway, why do I need to do anything? If I facilitate it don’t I break it by making it part of the establishment? Written Kevin Ball.
18. And so the years passed by – many of the organisation’s best people still leaving, things going nowhere, the occaisional sacking of someone for putting something on Facebook that they shouldn’t have…  During that time the world outside changed dramatically, but things inside just carried on.  Employees started to give up hoping that things would change…  Until... Written by Jon Ingham.
19. Martin had the great idea of opening up that very discussion 'in the wild', inviting interested parties to contribute and debate, thus demonstrating the potential for conversations to open up collaboration and harvesting of relevant and interesting ideas. The challenge now... Written by Niall Gavin.
20. . . . was to distill all that information in multiple, meaningful, compelling formats. Then we can share our story with others, engaging and inspiring them to take control of the conversations in their organisation so we can ALL live happily ever after.... Written by Jon Bartlett.