Description - The Elements of Social

According to J.P. Rangaswami, former chief scientist at Salesforce, an advancing business has three key objectives: first, reduce the time between obtaining information and making decisions. Second, migrate from seeking out information to having information flow through to you. And third, leverage the Community to build out ideas. Implemented properly, Social Technologies can help an enterprise achieve all three of these goals. 

Social Technologies create transparency and connectedness. They accelerate conversations and, therefore, learning cycles. Most importantly, they move a company toward zero latency—a state in which the time between idea, acceptance, and implementation all but disappears, providing a significant return on investment. 

Prior to the COVID pandemic, most CIOs were attempting to prohibit social tools, deeming them too unruly to manage. However, the pandemic forced them to reconsider and embrace these tools. Consequently, the tools themselves have evolved and become more potent. Further, the growth of internal social networks has continued unabated.

Importantly, Social Technologies should not be confused or conflated with social media. While corporate social networks may use popular social media applications, Social Technologies as an attribute is characterized by peer-to-peer communication and collaboration, not simply friendly social contact. “Social Technologies,” says systems architect and ExO ambassador Diego Soroa, “enhances team creativity — even in the face of, or because of, a shift to remote work, which has created more diverse networks of contacts and accelerated new ways of thinking and interacting, despite declines in in-person communication.”

Social Technologies enable the “real-time enterprise,” meaning an organization that operates with low latency. They promote peer-to-peer communication, break down hierarchical barriers, and enhance collaboration, thereby fostering a sense of community and shared purpose within organizations. Here are some examples:

• Social Networking Platforms. Tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter allow employees to connect, share ideas, and collaborate, providing a platform for a more inclusive and participatory form of communication. Moreover, platforms like Yammer and Slack offer dedicated spaces for project coordination, resource sharing, and real-time interaction, facilitating more efficient teamwork and problem-solving.

• Collaboration and project management tools. Applications like Trello, Asana, and Jira provide platforms for team coordination, project management, and task tracking. They encourage transparency, foster responsibility, and enable better project execution through shared timelines, goals, and feedback.

• File sharing and document collaboration. Technologies such as Google Docs and Dropbox facilitate real-time collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. They allow multiple users to edit and comment simultaneously, promoting an exchange of ideas, facilitating knowledge sharing, and reducing duplication of effort.

• Video Conferencing tools. With the rise of remote work, platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet have become indispensable for maintaining communication. They enable face-to-face interaction, making team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and presentations more personal and interactive.

• Enterprise social networks (ESNs). ESNs like Chatter (Salesforce) or Connections (IBM) provide an internal platform for employees to engage in social interaction, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving. They enhance connectivity, foster a sense of community, and can boost innovation and productivity.

• Wikis and intranets. These tools are great for accumulating, preserving, and distributing institutional knowledge. They promote a culture of learning and information-sharing, helping to onboard new staff and keeping everyone on the same page.

• Social learning platforms. Tools like Degreed, Coursera for Business, or LinkedIn Learning offer opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, skill sharing, and professional development, thereby boosting employee engagement and productivity.

In addition, two major new dimensions have joined Social Technologies. 

The first is crypto economics and Web3 tokens. These are revolutionizing organizational structures by fostering decentralized, trustless, and incentivized collaboration. They reward participants in decentralized networks for their contributions. They function not just as a medium of exchange but also as a mechanism for aligning the interests of various stakeholders. For instance, blockchain-based projects often issue native tokens that give holders governance rights, encouraging active participation in decision-making processes and fostering a sense of collective ownership. They also allow an organization to seamlessly extend social technologies into the Community and even the Crowd.

Second is generative AI, which will revolutionize Social Technologies by automating and enhancing various tasks. Generative AI will generate insightful data analysis, draft reports or emails, offer personalized content recommendations, and even aid in decision-making processes, thus freeing up time for employees to engage in higher-value interactions. Further, with capabilities like natural language processing, it can stimulate and moderate brainstorming sessions, contribute innovative ideas, and serve as an impartial mediator in discussions, eliminating biases and promoting inclusivity. Moreover, it can provide personalized learning and development resources, encouraging continuous growth within teams.