Working Out Loud is one of the most crucial practices for value creation in an enterprise social network. For many, it is also the least comfortable. We need to work at this new practice to deliver value.
Working out loud is the core new practice as sharing grows in an enterprise social network. When the conversation moves from sharing personal information to sharing work, value for the individual and organisation rises dramatically. That sharing is critical to the maturity of value creation in an enterprise social network. Without sharing of work, you hold back the benefits from other forms of work collaboration.
Working out loud creates great value in a network because:
- working out loud gives a work purpose to the connection that has been formed in the network
- working out loud invites community to form around people and their work enabling others to help, share knowledge and make work easier.
- working out loud is not natural to many in the traditional workplace, but when people overcome hesitation and practice it they start to see the benefits of new forms of collaboration, that it makes work much easier & the culture much richer – a core driver of personal adoption
- working out loud is the transition point to much wider collaboration across the organisation and particularly collaborative sharing and problem solving – work that is open is work that can be made better
- working out loud exposes the work which allows for better strategic alignment, reduced duplication and importantly recognition of the great work underway.
- working out loud enables role modelling of transparency, vulnerability, learning, agility and experimentation.
- working out loud by leaders can change the leadership dynamic from one based in control and expertise to one that leverages networks and collaboration.
Some great resources are available to help you with working out loud:
- The best thing is just start with 3 tiny habits but also keep it up long enough to see benefit – how about a 99 day commitment with no self-promotion
- Euan Semple wrote about embracing the scariness to learn
- John Wenger has written a working out loud credo
- Adopt a new mindset
- Luis Suarez has documented many practitioners and resources
- John Stepper recently wrote about working out loud circles as a way to support yourself in the process
- If your organisation wants help building a culture of working out loud, Change Agents Worldwide is a great place to start as it is a team of practitioners who both practice and help others with working out loud.
If you would like to create greater value in your enterprise social network or discuss how the Value Maturity Model applies to assist your organisation to create strategic value, please get in contact. I am available through @simongterry or Linkedin or www.simonterry.com
