JP Rangaswami coins a great phrase, “the enterprise immune system,” over at the Confused of Calcutta blog. JP writes:
“As far as I can make out, enterprise immune systems tend to try and reject the implementation of social software on one or more of five grounds:
The McEnroe Defence. You cannot be serious. This isn’t work. It’s a waste of time. Just look at the terms used: blogs, wikis, chat, Really Simple Syndication. You’re paid to do hard work, do you think this is a holiday camp? Next you’ll be asking for massage parlours and pedicures and pool tables. Get real. Ostrich-Head-Meets-Sand. I have enough trouble trying to manage my e-mail and voicemail, now you want me to look in more places for more things and spend more time doing that. What are you, some kind of sadist? Just make my e-mail work, will you? And leave me alone. It’s All Rubbish Anyway. Just look at the crap that gets published and circulated. What’s the matter, suddenly you think everyone’s an expert? if you really think so, we don’t need you, do we? So go fire yourself and leave us real experts to get on with our jobs. Say It Ain’t So, Clayton. Look, I just want what I already have to work faster, cheaper, better. What do you mean, Innovator’s Dilemma? I’ll give you Dilemma. Some of us have real jobs and don’t have time to read. Where’s The Beef? So show me the ROI, get the business heads to sign up and commit, get the finance guys to vet independently, then do it. No tickee no payee.”
In the post, JP paricularly addresses the “It’s All Rubbish, Anyway” objection, and nails it. (Go read the whole thing, including the comments.)
Although the original context is around social software, I think the objections above (especially numbers 2, 4 and 5) are endemic, and are roadblocks in the face of many (most?) kinds of organizational change.
In overcoming these objections, Ross Mayfield and Suw Charman have put together a great article entitled “An Adoption Strategy for Social Software in the Enterprise.” Buried in the article is the nugget that I think is the most relevant, lead by example. The best thing about this approach is that anyone can do it. If it’s the right approach, others will follow (although it may take a while). That’s where the core of real, sustainable change comes from…not from top-down mandates or arbitrary process change.
I’m interested in your thoughts. In general (i.e. doesn’t need to be related to social software), does anyone have any good stories of how they effected change and addressed one of the objections noted above?
Great post and right on target. My comments focus on the “lead by example” as an adoption strategy. I think this could work in a few corporations, 3M and Starbucks to name two. But unless the “leader by example” is a powerful executive and force for change within the business, I think most of his/her corporate peers, including the excutive team, will see him/her as a disruptive force. Having been this sort of corporate manager, my ideas and critiques were welcomed for about two years, and then most of the other managers just wanted me to go away. I created too much work for those just wanting a job: Few want a new passion in their lives. The “enterprise immune system,” just another term for fear of change and/or risk-taking, remains the driving force in most mid- to large-sized companies, I fear.