More than three years ago, I began to notice that different professionals (the ones who saw the potential of Web 2.0 years ago) were frustrated that their chosen fields did not seem excited about leading efforts in using these Web 2.0 tools within organizations. I heard:
- “Why aren’t marketers leading the Web 2.0 tools?”
- “Why aren’t public relations seeing the wonders of Web 2.0 tools?”
- “Shouldn’t professional development professionals be leading by example by using Web 2.0 tools?”
Today, though, it seems that in most organizations, marketing departments are leading the social media efforts.
What if, instead of the marketing departments taking the lead, that professional development professionals or research and development units take the lead in social media use in organizations? What if the expectations were shifted to individual employees who become responsible for their own learning through networks built using social media?
If social media tools were thought more often as tools for learning, listening, sharing, adjusting, and co-creating, and less often about pushing and selling, then the online landscape would look very different.
Social media within organizations would look more like what is described in this presentation: Creating a Personal Learning Network
