Internal Communication 2.0 - Formanchuk & Asociados

Internal Communication 2.0: A Cultural Challenge
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5. Introducing tools 2.0 may affect the culture
I am always asked what will happen if tools 2.0 are introduced in a “broadcasting culture”. Is it of
any good? I think that it’s better to act first on the culture itself. But in case that’s not possible,
we should keep in mind that structures are both structuring and structured. Structured by the
same practice they structure. That sounds paradoxical, doesn’t it?
Introducing tools 2.0 may then have an impact on the culture because in their NDA they carry a
way of Communications, an implied logic, an energy field. They look harmless or neutral but
they aren’t.
It is like when you want to start working out. First, you “buy the tool”, which is the easiest thing
to do. For example you buy a pair of shoes. Then alter a few days you take a look at your shoes
which are in your bedroom, you take a look again, you think about the 200 dollars you spent and
finally you decide to wear them. The tool encourages you to take action and, if everything turns
out to be fine, your working-out routine may even be long-lasting and sustainable.
Sometimes tools 2.0 may be like these shoes. And they may help you to tell the leader: “If we
already have the blog, the wikis, etc. why don’t we really take advantage?
6. Deciding what kind of social media you need to implement
Let’s suppose we have the culture. We have the practices. Do we want tools? Let’s think which
ones we need because they aren’t the same. For example we can focus on the following:
• Expression: If we want to strengthen and ease the creation of contents on the part of the
staff. We use: Blogs, Twitter, etc.
• Interaction: If we are interested in easing or strengthening the communication among the
company staff, creating communities or forums. We use: Facebook, Linkedin, Friendster,
MySpace, Orkut, Skyrock, Netlog, Hi5, Tuenti, etc.
• Collaboration and education: If we seek to create collaboration and learning, we should
open a space where the staff can cooperate to create contents and ask for help or give
help. We use: Wikis or social bookmarkers such as Delicias o StumbleUpon.
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