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Overcoming corporate resistance to social media

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Emma Hamer
Emma Hamer

This document summarizes a workshop on overcoming resistance to social media within corporations. It begins by outlining common excuses and skepticism from employees. It then discusses developing a strategy and securing leadership support. Tactics discussed include educating employees, starting small with volunteers, and sharing success stories. The document argues that social media is an opportunity, not a threat, and that involving champions and measuring results can help overcome resistance to change.

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Workshop: Converting the SkepticsOvercoming Corporate Resistance to Social Media
OverviewSome factsSome challenges to considerSymptoms, diagnosis, and… treatmentNew IdeasWhen People and New Ideas meet …
“Transition Shit” Happens…People dig in their heelsSkepticism aboundsExcuses:No-one has time to learnNo bandwidth; too busy with regular stuffCan’t see the pointJust another fad – this, too, shall passNo-one owns the project
To overcomeyour opponent, you must first understand himStrategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory, but tactics without strategy isthe noise before defeat This is war; make no mistake! Sun Tzu;The Art of War General Carl Von Clausewitz; Principles of War
Why do New Ideas fail?The number one reason:resistance to changeAccording to LISA’s 2008 Global Business Practices Survey:“Staff resistance to change is a factor that complicates roughly half of all technology implementation projects and severely threatens about one in ten”
Common misperceptions:If we explain the business rationale, people will understandIf we tell them what will change, people will adjustIf we give them the toolspeople will use them
Management’s expectation?people will naturally fall in line (and do as they’re told)
The reality?behavior is more complexthan thateveryone has different drivers
Preparing for the Transition1. Develop a Strategy!2. Secure C-level sponsorship3. Develop a tactical plan4. Bring inindependent experts (optional)3. Talk with your people, not just at them
In comes “social media” Oh-oh…Is it just a fad?Is resistance to it a generational thing?Is it trivial, shallow, a waste of time and resources?Who are the skeptics in the company? And why are they skeptical?
Some compelling facts and stats“Victory in marketing doesn’t happen when you sell something, but when you cultivate advocates for your brand” (Steve Knox, CEO of Tremors, P&G’s Word of Mouth Unit)Evangelists spend 13% more than regular customers, and they refer business equal to 45% of the money they spend(source: Satmetrix)SM augments traditional Marketing, allowing you to reach new audiences
More facts and stats:Facebook users that “Like” a brand spend an average of $71.43 more than customers who have not “Liked” the brand* $71,43 = $1,006,732,134.24 = > $1 BILLION!! in potential additional revenue … just sayin’
Share your own storiesItems for sale: 3 y-o SealyPerfect Sleeper King Size mattress setwith headboard and frame $4002 y-o Giant 12-speed mountain bike $50IKEA office furniture (desk & cabinets) $350Results:Craigslist over 10 days: 1 ‘nibble’ for the desk – no salesFacebook: sold everything (same day) at asking price…Why? My FB peeps knew me personally; higher trust factor facilitated quick saleCraiglist.org versus Facebook.com
Do you have stories?In small groups (3 – 5):Each share at least ONE Social Media success storyDiscuss and identify the reasons for the successesShare with the other groups (5 mins max)
How to recognize fear-based resistanceObsessive need for controlIrrational decision-makingIncreased silo-ismDon’t care attitude; apathyMicro-managingJealously guard expertiseLack of sharingPoliticized environment
Understanding ReluctanceChange may be psychologically painful, but uncertainty about the end-state is more painfulFear of loss is a powerful motivatorLoss of what?
Why? Most people …Do NOT like surprises(especially ones that have been thrust upon them without their input)
The Resisters: what they fearMarketing: loss of control over the brandLine managers: loss of control over their staff’s time and effortsLegal/Regulatory: loss of power; fear of litigationHR: loss of oversight; fear of litigationAnyone else you can think of? And their fears?
Knowledge is power – so share itWhat about the objections from:Line Management?Legal/RegulatoryHR?Staff?Split into small groups (3 – 5) and identify 3 reasons ‘why not’, then:Develop a story for each, countering the objection
Learn to ask people for input:Talk about the problem, not the solutionFocus on positive outcomes and benefitsTap into collective memories Provide forum for sharing experiencesInvolve users in defining new rolesUse peer-mentoring
Partnering with stakeholdersBottom-up solutions enhance ownership Managing by results, not by process gets a lot more work finished
Make time for the ones ‘that get it’Fact: most managers spend 80% of their time with the 20% that are poor performersStop it! Face time one-on-one with the boss should be a reward; an earned privilege, and recognition for a job well-done
Start smallSuggest a pilot, to last 6 months or soDo the easy things first – and measure before and afterEducate people on how to communicate on social mediaWhat’s appropriate, what’s proprietary (and should not be shared), and provide a feed-back loop
Segue: who should be involved?Publish a blogPublish your own Web pagesUpload video you created Upload audio/music you createdWrite articles or stories and post them©2008 The Social Technographics Scale – Forrester Research / Josh Bernoff, co-author of GroundswellCreatorsPost ratings/reviews of products/servicesComment on someone else’s blogContribute to online forumsContribute to/edit articles in a wikiCriticsUse RSS feedsAdd “tags” to Web pages or photos“Vote” for Web sites onlineCollectorsMaintain profile on a social networking siteVisit social networking sitesJoinersRead blogsWatch video from other usersListen to podcastsRead online forumsRead customer ratings/reviewsSpectatorsNone of the aboveInactives
Recruit champions and volunteersAs we know:“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”Start your pilot with volunteers who already “get the point of Social Media”Let people know frequently how it’s going
A Twitter success storyAvaya – global enterprise communications co.20,000 employees world-wideStarted small, withStrong customer focusMostly listening, monitoring #Avaya, and responding to tweets and mentionsEnlisted 7 volunteers (which grew to 50)Emphasis on sharing and engaging (customers)
What happened?See this? Something similar triggered a response from Avaya
Twitter earned its ‘kibbles and bits”!In June of 2010, someone tweeted (w/hashtag):“#shoretel or #avaya? Time for a new phone system very soon”Someone from Avaya responded within 15 minutes, and referred the poster to a local sales partnerAnd…
Bingo!The sales partner followed up on the referral, as well, and the prospective buyer was delighted.Result: a $250,000 saleThe next tweet from the new client:“selected #AVAYA as our new phone system. Excited by the technology and benefits”
Avaya Now:5000403613,484
Summary and wrap-upDemonstrate that SM is an opportunity, not a threat; make time to reassure the worriersResearch the facts and collect success stories, and communicate them to the skepticsStart small, with volunteers, and measure!Reinforce the ‘cool factor’ with staff; make them want to be a part of it
The good news:Humans are actually very adaptive and, as always, evolve to suit new worlds
Lastly…Find the slide deck:On www.slideshare.netTag: #LavaconFind the presenter:echamer@hamer-associates.ca604-317-2234 (Vancouver, BC)617-440-3311 (Somerville, MA)

More Related Content

Overcoming corporate resistance to social media

  • 1. Workshop: Converting the SkepticsOvercoming Corporate Resistance to Social Media
  • 2. OverviewSome factsSome challenges to considerSymptoms, diagnosis, and… treatmentNew IdeasWhen People and New Ideas meet …
  • 3. “Transition Shit” Happens…People dig in their heelsSkepticism aboundsExcuses:No-one has time to learnNo bandwidth; too busy with regular stuffCan’t see the pointJust another fad – this, too, shall passNo-one owns the project
  • 4. To overcomeyour opponent, you must first understand himStrategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory, but tactics without strategy isthe noise before defeat This is war; make no mistake! Sun Tzu;The Art of War General Carl Von Clausewitz; Principles of War
  • 5. Why do New Ideas fail?The number one reason:resistance to changeAccording to LISA’s 2008 Global Business Practices Survey:“Staff resistance to change is a factor that complicates roughly half of all technology implementation projects and severely threatens about one in ten”
  • 6. Common misperceptions:If we explain the business rationale, people will understandIf we tell them what will change, people will adjustIf we give them the toolspeople will use them
  • 7. Management’s expectation?people will naturally fall in line (and do as they’re told)
  • 8. The reality?behavior is more complexthan thateveryone has different drivers
  • 9. Preparing for the Transition1. Develop a Strategy!2. Secure C-level sponsorship3. Develop a tactical plan4. Bring inindependent experts (optional)3. Talk with your people, not just at them
  • 10. In comes “social media” Oh-oh…Is it just a fad?Is resistance to it a generational thing?Is it trivial, shallow, a waste of time and resources?Who are the skeptics in the company? And why are they skeptical?
  • 11. Some compelling facts and stats“Victory in marketing doesn’t happen when you sell something, but when you cultivate advocates for your brand” (Steve Knox, CEO of Tremors, P&G’s Word of Mouth Unit)Evangelists spend 13% more than regular customers, and they refer business equal to 45% of the money they spend(source: Satmetrix)SM augments traditional Marketing, allowing you to reach new audiences
  • 12. More facts and stats:Facebook users that “Like” a brand spend an average of $71.43 more than customers who have not “Liked” the brand* $71,43 = $1,006,732,134.24 = > $1 BILLION!! in potential additional revenue … just sayin’
  • 13. Share your own storiesItems for sale: 3 y-o SealyPerfect Sleeper King Size mattress setwith headboard and frame $4002 y-o Giant 12-speed mountain bike $50IKEA office furniture (desk & cabinets) $350Results:Craigslist over 10 days: 1 ‘nibble’ for the desk – no salesFacebook: sold everything (same day) at asking price…Why? My FB peeps knew me personally; higher trust factor facilitated quick saleCraiglist.org versus Facebook.com
  • 14. Do you have stories?In small groups (3 – 5):Each share at least ONE Social Media success storyDiscuss and identify the reasons for the successesShare with the other groups (5 mins max)
  • 15. How to recognize fear-based resistanceObsessive need for controlIrrational decision-makingIncreased silo-ismDon’t care attitude; apathyMicro-managingJealously guard expertiseLack of sharingPoliticized environment
  • 16. Understanding ReluctanceChange may be psychologically painful, but uncertainty about the end-state is more painfulFear of loss is a powerful motivatorLoss of what?
  • 17. Why? Most people …Do NOT like surprises(especially ones that have been thrust upon them without their input)
  • 18. The Resisters: what they fearMarketing: loss of control over the brandLine managers: loss of control over their staff’s time and effortsLegal/Regulatory: loss of power; fear of litigationHR: loss of oversight; fear of litigationAnyone else you can think of? And their fears?
  • 19. Knowledge is power – so share itWhat about the objections from:Line Management?Legal/RegulatoryHR?Staff?Split into small groups (3 – 5) and identify 3 reasons ‘why not’, then:Develop a story for each, countering the objection
  • 20. Learn to ask people for input:Talk about the problem, not the solutionFocus on positive outcomes and benefitsTap into collective memories Provide forum for sharing experiencesInvolve users in defining new rolesUse peer-mentoring
  • 21. Partnering with stakeholdersBottom-up solutions enhance ownership Managing by results, not by process gets a lot more work finished
  • 22. Make time for the ones ‘that get it’Fact: most managers spend 80% of their time with the 20% that are poor performersStop it! Face time one-on-one with the boss should be a reward; an earned privilege, and recognition for a job well-done
  • 23. Start smallSuggest a pilot, to last 6 months or soDo the easy things first – and measure before and afterEducate people on how to communicate on social mediaWhat’s appropriate, what’s proprietary (and should not be shared), and provide a feed-back loop
  • 24. Segue: who should be involved?Publish a blogPublish your own Web pagesUpload video you created Upload audio/music you createdWrite articles or stories and post them©2008 The Social Technographics Scale – Forrester Research / Josh Bernoff, co-author of GroundswellCreatorsPost ratings/reviews of products/servicesComment on someone else’s blogContribute to online forumsContribute to/edit articles in a wikiCriticsUse RSS feedsAdd “tags” to Web pages or photos“Vote” for Web sites onlineCollectorsMaintain profile on a social networking siteVisit social networking sitesJoinersRead blogsWatch video from other usersListen to podcastsRead online forumsRead customer ratings/reviewsSpectatorsNone of the aboveInactives
  • 25. Recruit champions and volunteersAs we know:“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”Start your pilot with volunteers who already “get the point of Social Media”Let people know frequently how it’s going
  • 26. A Twitter success storyAvaya – global enterprise communications co.20,000 employees world-wideStarted small, withStrong customer focusMostly listening, monitoring #Avaya, and responding to tweets and mentionsEnlisted 7 volunteers (which grew to 50)Emphasis on sharing and engaging (customers)
  • 27. What happened?See this? Something similar triggered a response from Avaya
  • 28. Twitter earned its ‘kibbles and bits”!In June of 2010, someone tweeted (w/hashtag):“#shoretel or #avaya? Time for a new phone system very soon”Someone from Avaya responded within 15 minutes, and referred the poster to a local sales partnerAnd…
  • 29. Bingo!The sales partner followed up on the referral, as well, and the prospective buyer was delighted.Result: a $250,000 saleThe next tweet from the new client:“selected #AVAYA as our new phone system. Excited by the technology and benefits”
  • 31. Summary and wrap-upDemonstrate that SM is an opportunity, not a threat; make time to reassure the worriersResearch the facts and collect success stories, and communicate them to the skepticsStart small, with volunteers, and measure!Reinforce the ‘cool factor’ with staff; make them want to be a part of it
  • 32. The good news:Humans are actually very adaptive and, as always, evolve to suit new worlds
  • 33. Lastly…Find the slide deck:On www.slideshare.netTag: #LavaconFind the presenter:echamer@hamer-associates.ca604-317-2234 (Vancouver, BC)617-440-3311 (Somerville, MA)

Editor's Notes

  1. It’s not change they fear, it’s having to do it all by themselvesThey also believe they’re the only ones having a hard time emotionallyCare about their co-workersWant to do the best job they canNeed occasional reassurances