Social networking exploded at my workplace with the recent soft launch of Socialcast.
As an internal-use-only social networking tool, Socialcast opens up a conversation space that knocks down territorial walls, expedites knowledge sharing, and builds community.

For example
Just this month, our mobile clinic team began sharing their experiences on the road as they serve various communities, the underserved, the uninsured, and victims of natural disasters. Before, attempts to communicate back to us at corporate consisted of emails with attached photos that bogged down servers, created duplicate copies, and often missed entire departments of interested audiences not served by the email sender.

Now, they post a quick update on Socialcast, add a photo (linked to, not copied a gabillion times), and subscribers immediately see the update.

Resistance is futile
Yes, we do have resistance to this tool. I’ve heard “geez, not another site to go to. I already read email and our intranet.” Or, “I don’t get Twitter and I hate Facebook.” And I understand those fears.
But, there are methods of managing this information stream just as there are methods of managing email. This doesn’t replace other channels of communication. Nor should it add another layer or step in a process. And etiquette matters here just as it should in face-to-face.

Why does it matter?
Conversations are happening at unheard of speeds. Subject matter experts are answering questions. Problems are getting solved. Customers are getting served. And the smart people who became early adopters and facilitators are looking smarter.

If you’re not using a corporate-wide social networking tool such as Socialcast, you’re getting left behind in the competitive world.