Answering a Question

Someone asked "whether social media/networking helps or hurts business?" on a social networking site a couple of days ago..

Here is my response:

In some ways, even asking the question becomes awkward in today's workplace.

However, you ask a perfect question for us to confront. Living in a Web 2.0 environment changes our perspectives on knowledge sharing and traditional OD frameworks.

"Conversations" become understood as critical. However, with Web 2.0 both meaningful transformation and speculative hype are possible. Tools like ONA (Organizational Network Analysis) and VNA (Value Network Analysis) are tremendously useful to create clearer pictures of a current state for communication patterns and role sharing.

Even when given this kind of scientific imaging, many companies remain the same, as if the information is "interesting".

We are always faced with the fundamental question of any technology advance. What are our intentions? It is a more important question than what is the value of the technology change.

The tools will continue to develop, but it is the intention that is always the best focus to achieve results.

I do not believe that many organizations have really sought to understand the complexity and abilities of Social Networking. The irony is -- that no one can stop it.

We can only learn the need to understand more. My reason for saying that even your question (though perfectly appropriate), may be awkward, is simple.

It's like saying we are at a family reunion but we don't want to admit there are new children in the flock.

Social Networking affects every business and community on earth. Whether we include or exclude critical conversations is directly related to our overall intentions.

Paternalistic communication modes still exist in many organizations but it's getting more difficult not to hear the new kids at play.

Whether social media/networking helps or hurts is up to the communities and what they really want. One can enjoy the sound of new kids in the family or be annoyed at having to share the room tone.


Sal