Is Your Company EMPOWERED for Success?
Posted by Barbara Nowak-Rowe in Business, Change Management, Coaching, Leadership, Management, Mentoring, Strategy, Team ManagementCould those of you who prospered during the GFC please stand up? No? Not you?
The majority of companies did not. You are in good company. Quick look around and think… major banks, corporate, manufacturers had the same problem your company did. This comparison makes you feel better, it is not only you. You are starting to look for justification. It’s the government, the economy, competition, the CUSTOMER! Don’t they know that your product/service/offering is superior? You spent time, invested in research and development. But “THEY” don’t get it.
You use web, you Google… John and Ann (your employees) suggested that your company should allow the use of iPhone, facebook, YouTube, twitter… They suggested that it can be used to promote your company, market products, stay in touch with customers… You know better, they just want to stay in touch with their friends at company expense. You have no time for this “kids stuff”. You can hardly keep up with your email and answer them all. Sounds familiar?
Now for the reality check:
“Facebook Is the Main Web Source for Product Opinions. In online social networks, 62% of all messages about products and services are posted via just one platform: Facebook”
Remember what John and Ann suggested? The authors of the book Empowered call them HEROes. They are
“highly empowered and resourceful operatives. Your company needs them because in the age of Twitter, iPhones, Facebook, YouTube, and an ever-evolving torrent of Web information, your customers now come to the table armed with more data and access than ever before, and in many cases, your company is overmatched.”
Like it or not we are living in age of global digital marketing. The way you promoted and ran marketing in the past allowed you to build and prosper. We are living in time of change. Digital shift if you will. That is why there are more employees like John and Ann who engage with customers using media that they feel comfortable with. Your employees faced with simple day to day domestic dilemmas go to the web to research what their options are, customers act exactly the same. They are technology savvy and know how to compare your product/service/offering. You have a chance to make this shift. Be a Smart Leader and champion of change. Find who your company HEROes are and empower them.
“The truth is, one in three of your information workers already use easily accessible technologies that your company does not sanction. Empowered gives you a prescription for embracing this covert innovation. At the heart of a HERO-powered business is a new pact between these critical employees, company managers, and the IT department: HEROes build new solutions to meet customer needs, management sets clear rules while encouraging more experimentation, and IT expands its role to both support and secure these solutions.”
Today’s post was inspired by the book Empowered by Josh Bernoff and Ted Schadler.
Thank you for an awesome post. I fully agree that the internet’s social networking strategies which includes FaceBook are a huge benefit for any one wanting to promote themselves, their companies, products, or services. You can reach so many people in less time, and what does that mean? Less time, more money! I highly recommend any business entrepreneur to fully grasp not only FaceBook, Twitter, Linkedin and such, but now Videos and most current, mobile marketing. No matter what the economic climate – this platform rides above it. Wishing you much success!