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Terry
Grunwald offers some tips on how to make the changes necessary
in the culture of organisation if it is to use the Net successfully.
See also Avoiding the technology trap
on how to get from old, old ways of working to new, new.
Changing
the culture
- It
WILL happen … if the Executive Director says so.
- Top
down + bottom up
- Make
it the way you work: no more paper
- On
suggestion: Establish a transition time… then no options
- Not
"you have to join this listserv," but "here
is a task and this is how we will do it"
- Recognize
that people have different styles
- Insure
there is a quick response to problems
Tips:
Staff Relations
- Build
a tech agenda item into staff meetings
- Try
instant messaging — even within your office
- Devise
some online contests for the staff. Don’t forget the
prizes.
- Make
sure your tech "nudge" does their job
- Cheerlead
Tips:
Training
- Training
is not a one shot deal. Need to keep at it
- Make
it just-in-time
- Provide
follow-up support
- Don’t
forget new staff
- Archive
old trainings Video
-
Schedule periodic advanced sessions: maybe brown-bag lunches
- Forget
the Buddy system (it usually doesn’t work too well)
Tips:
Discussion Lists
- Broadcast
(one-way) works!
- Interactive
communication (many-to-many) may work (it’s much, much
harder)
- Jump
start an interactive discussion by focusing it on a concrete
task or special event. Make sure it is time-limited.
- Model
interaction by a self selected subgroup or "teamlet"
- A
good facilitator is key
- To
reduce maintenance headaches use Yahoo! Groups or similar
web-based system
- "Chat"
at your own risk. It works for some; not others.
Tips:
External Strategies
- Involve
external collaborators in your online activities
- Integrate
media strategies: broadcast voicemail as well as e-mail
- Create
a new approach to your newsletter: make it an e-newsletter
- Coordinate
design of print and electronic materials
- Make
sure that you answer e-mail - promptly
- Reinforce:
e-mail & web addresses go on all print material. Collect
e-mail addresses everywhere you go -- include in sign-up
sheets at meetings.
See
also on the Getting Communities Connected site:
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