Apr 28th, 2009 |
At NRCan we are in the second year of our Web 2.0 implementation. Depending on who you speak with in the department, Web 2.0 is the best thing since sliced bread, and is enabling employees to work more collaboratively than ever before – or, you might be met with indifference and a dismissive wave of the hand informing you that Web 2.0 technology has no place government and is just a passing fad.
Given that over half of all NRCan employees are actively using internal tools like the Wiki, blogs, discussion forums, polling software, social networking tools and, many are using FaceBook, YouTube and Twitter externally to share knowledge and mobilize communities, I would say with confidence that Web 2.0 is much more than a passing fad at NRCan. By their nature alone, Web 2.0 tools are designed to be shared, used interactively and simultaneously. They are about bringing people together, enabling interaction and building upon interests and expertise. They are also immediate and easy to use.
Why then, after almost two years do we not have 100% of NRCan employees fully exploiting our suite of Web 2.0 tools?
It’s all about change.
As the “chief engagement officer” of Web 2.0 at NRCan (self titled to satisfy my long-standing desire to be CEO), I am always looking for interesting, new ways to engage employees. My goal is to get them as excited as I am about changing the way government works. I want to get them thinking about information differently – to get them experimenting with the tools and discovering for themselves the power they have to really make a difference in the department…in government.
When we launched our Wiki with a departmental Hawaiian Luau and delivered an innovative podcast message from our Deputy Minister, we ensured that every single NRCan employee knew about the Wiki. We have continued our quirky award recognitions, extensive Wiki training sessions and barn raisings, Web 2.0 orientations and we never miss an opportunity to promote the Wiki and other tools. We celebrate many successes.
Early adopters have embraced Web 2.0 and have become evangelical about using the tools to change the way they work. Their enthusiasm is infectious. The challenge now is finding ways to support and encourage those employees that aren’t quite so sure about Web 2.0.
My research tells me not to worry. Not to get hung up on achieving a 100% take up rate. The risk in putting too much emphasis on engaging those who are truly unwilling or afraid to change the way they work is in losing the support and trust of lead users.
Engagement is a key enabler for culture change. It increases awareness and builds community, confidence and trust. By continuing to profile the innovation, creativity and bold approaches of champion users, we can demonstrate the value of Web 2.0 in government – the power it has to simplify administrative processes, to improve collaboration and to enable the integration of knowledge. It is through consistent, innovative, fun, bold, risky, thoughtful and ongoing engagement that true culture change will begin to take root.
