Four ways to make social networking work for your company
Social networking at the corporate level requires leadership, adaptability and a no-fear attitude.
- Adapt social media to your business processes. "Design the tool suite around the way your knowledge workers do business," said Jeff Welaish, director of architectural services at Lockheed Martin Corp.
- Get senior leaders on board to ensure success. "I had the [top executives] in the firm saying, 'Let us know what you need to make this successful,'" said Walton Smith, a senior associate at Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. "That was just critical for our success."
- Recognize that building a social-networking environment is more than an information technology project. "It's not a technology purchase," Smith said. "It's a method of leveraging the information you already have."
- Don't be afraid of social networking. "Embrace it," said Sondra Barbour, Lockheed Martin's chief information officer.