There’s no doubt that social media is fast becoming a complementary component to other corporate communication methods. In November 2011, we published a prediction that warned against ignoring incoming messages from social media. We projected that by 2014, social media will be just another communication channel that must be monitored and responded to.
It is important to note the distinction between using social media for communication and using social media concepts to redesign business processes. In the first case, social is an adjunct to other communication channels such as the telephone and email. In the latter case, social networking concepts and approaches are employed to change how work gets done.
There is a big difference between the two.
I came face to face with this issue during a recent social media workshop. The intent of the workshop is to explore opportunities to use social media in ways that will amplify the enterprise and engage a community. One of the people in the workshop had an idea for using social media but mostly as an outward-facing broadcast tool. There was little interaction in that particular work practice that would engage a community. In other words, they were thinking of carrying out the work the same way they always had but adding social media to the communication mix. In effect, they had uncovered a situation where social media really wouldn’t help them that much, especially once all of their competitors started to use social media the same way.
Therein lies the opportunity and the risk.
The risk is that some organizations will think standing up a Facebook page and tweeting is a social media strategy. Those actions alone won’t create much business value but they will require resources to tend the sites.
The opportunity is to scope out community-driven situations where social enhances the work people already do, and leads them to question how work can be changed for the better.
Social media leaders: find the BPM experts in your organization and turn them into your new BFFs.
