Social Business : Building a business without walls

Social Business : 
Building a business without walls
What is driving this new era ?
As the world becomes more interconnected and intelligent and people use social computing , today's businesses face a transformation in the way they communicate internally ,externally and in the way they work. This is becoming known as the era of Social Business.

What is a Social Business ?
A Social Business uses what we today regard as social networking tools to make a business more connected , transparent , more human , adaptive and intelligent. 

What is in the recipe to make a business social ?
There are three ingredients that are used in the the recipe for success in building a social business. The first is the ability to connect people to expertise. Whether that is customers, suppliers, distributors or employees. The second is the removal of unnecessary walls between subject matter experts within and outside of the business. The third ingredient is our old favourite, Agility.

What will this new approach achieve ?
A social business moves the focus of a business away from documents, plans and other spurious observations to the real source of creativity and decision making that will move the business forwards. By being more connected and transparent, we increase the flow of information inside and across the organisation. By creating a social business environment we increase trust with our peers and our clients.

What are the first steps we can take ?
Clearly the backbone of any Social Business has to be the integration of networks involving employees, customers, suppliers and partners. Trusted experts collaborating and forming agile approaches that allow for the creation and nurturing of ideas. Networks of like minded colleagues that form communities of common interests, that initiate actions that fulfil the real business needs. Connecting, exploring ,empowering, improving and problem solving. Using devices that are best suited to an individual's needs and keeping them connected wherever and whenever they are needed. Speed and relevance being the mantra in a world where currently we are never in a situation long enough to learn by our mistakes.

The key is Trust 
Empowering employees in any organisation needs a level of trust to be more transparent and equally it requires trust in its customers to join in maintaining an openness that often is not shown in the way we work today. This of course must be balanced by governance and discipline that is set by social agreement across the community driven by common interests.

The overall value gained by creating a Social business
Its becoming clear to everyone ,that in harnessing the full potential of a Social Business that one can generate real business value through innovation,transparency and making best use of the subject matter skills and information often hidden in organisational stove pipes, be they of a personal or technological form. Deepening relationships, Driving product and service innovation and improving efficiencies, effectiveness and economy across the ecosystem are a key outcome of building a business without walls.

David Gay 
July 2015
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/davidggay