How does social networking (internal and external) matter to an organization?

I look at my BB handset in awe of its power to keep me socially connected. This handset ensures I am told what my close relatives, my peers in office, my dear friends and at times even what their pets do on a daily basis!

How does it pay off is you are socially networked over the Internet and not in the society you are in? Why are we dependent on our mobile phones, laptops to know what’s going around than meeting people in our neighborhood?

I guess, the answer is simple: Convenience!

Internet socializing offers me the comfort to keep in touch with my friends and relatives at any given point of time, day or night. I do not have to spend money on phone calls, travel to my friends' place, post a greeting card on a friend's birthday and without much effort; in between my travel or at work place I can keep all posted on what I am doing. Convenience. Speed.

How does social networking matter to an organization?

I have and am still playing a key role in evaluating various social networking applications from multinationals selling packaged tools. It is impossible for any ambitious organization to ignore the impact on social networking presence on its public and even industry image.

But why do we need a presence in all the micro blogging, social networking sites?
Is it because all my competitors have a profile of their own? Is it because my business gets a boost with what I post about my organization? Is it because I get to keep track of my alumni? Or is it because, social networking is a combination of informal and formal way of advertising with minimal cost and bigger returns?

I think it is a combination of all the points mentioned above.

Government organisations that are more conservative when it comes to public relations too have realized it is impossible to keep social networking out of their workplace. Young, ambitious organisations have discovered social networking as one of the few powerful medium to expand business and even retain talent. Matured and stable organisations have discovered the wider reach and high volume of responses to their profile refreshing and motivating.

Reasons are many but objective is one: Be seen, followed and read by as many as possible at any given point of time.

Is there a price to pay for being socially connected?

The answer is YES! One has to pay in cash if you are to buy an application that ensures your organisation needs to be socially networked, internally. You will need to pay by adding a couple of teams to be organisation’s spokesperson, professional representatives and even individual teams watching over misuse of the facility.

You may have to pay for application licenses if you are to buy a multi-featured tool which might come free if taken as is but with the plug-ins you like making the vanilla application more useful, trust me you will be shelling out more than what you have budgeted for.

What should one watch out for when negotiating for a good social networking application?

Ensure you KNOW what your organisation wants and be very clear about your requirements when meeting vendors. Tell yourself and your team, just before you get into the meeting room, we will not be lured to shell off more money for 'nice-to-have’ features. Ensure you buy an organization license and not user based. Read and re-read the agreement on after sales technical support, hidden charges on usage, customization of the branding, content editing part after you buy the application and how end user friendly is the UI and features.

The change management should be to showcase the ease of use of the application to your end users and not on how to wade through links before they can create a simple profile! And finally be very careful if there are integrations involved with other systems in your organsiation. Please see to it that the vendor installs, integrates, tests, transfers knowledge about managing the tool before they exit your organisation.

After all these efforts, is it worth enough to have your employees blog, micro blog, create their professional profile, fish for people with skills and add them to a group to chat and share information... all during office working hours?

The answer in today's world is YES. You need to be socially connected on the Internet with outside world by creating your organisations’ profiles, code of conduct in social media for your organization, designated teams to use the public profile and internally linking your employees with internal social networking applications.

Most companies are always on the lookout for innovative retention engagements. I will not totally support the claim that having a social network application will help you retain talent in your organisation but it is indeed a very effective medium to connect with your peers, esp. in a medium to large organisation (5000+ employees)when it comes to knowledge sharing without delay. It feels good to find out how many other employees are there in your organsiation who are as skilled or more skilled as you are and in what technologies or trade.

As this is not a blog to market any particular social networking applications, I have not mentioned any product or company names. I don’t think they need a mention in my blog for more business. :-)

Letter to an Editor

Dear Editor,

Our concern is about the lack of response from the office bearers in
the KSEB office. In the past couple of months, we have been
going through flash power cuts at least 8-10 times a month. The power
loss happens mostly after dusk or late night. If it rains or there is
a medium-strong wind, we wait anxiously to see if the fuse or the
transformer supplying power survives or succumbs to put us in dark.

Unfortunately, the transformer succumbs every time. What transpires
between us and the KSEB office bearers is being given as a dialogue to
help you understand the exact response, words and if possible their
arrogance! Whatever mentioned below is NOT fiction but exact responses
from KSEB office we been hearing for the past 18 months!

Time: 06: 25 PM
State of power supply: No Power
Possible reason: Rains for 20-25 minutes (summer showers)
Waiting period before calling KSEB: 45 mins (To ensure we do not jump
the gun but let them fix it on their own!)

Dialing KSEB’s land line numbers (forever engaged!). Dialing KSEB’s
mobile number … and as there is no known technology to
keep it ‘engaged’ unless there is a call, an officer answers it,
gingerly!

The following is a typical conversation:
KSEB: Hello KSEB...

Consumer: We do not have power for the past 45 minutes…

KSEB: (Grunts) … what is your consumer number?
Consumer: XXXXXX

Response A
KSEB: Aaa! Yes… we are aware of your areas’ problem. It is 09:30 PM now. Linemen have gone for a movie… they will come back by 10:30 PM or
so…. I will see if anyone can help look up the transformer after then…
So, madam… Please adjust till then…

Response B
KSEB: Oh! Is it? Well… I think a transformer (somewhere) is under maintenance. Maybe your area falls under the power supply of the transformer. You may get the power back in another 2-3 hours!

Response C
KSEB: Madam, it was raining all the while. There was lightning too.
Maybe the fuse in the transformer must have broken. All linemen are
here in the office. But if and when there is no lightning (!!), we will
look into it. Else you will get power in the morning. We cannot do
anything for you!

Response D
KSEB: Nobody has complained yet. So we will look into it a little
later. Power may come soon, anytime! Please wait.

Response E
KSEB: Is it so? Where is your place? Does it fall under my KSEB office?

To all the above responses, we have been pleading citing the lonely
surroundings, relying only on the inverter power, for some quick help,
offering directions to reach the area at 11:45 PM and to hear these
words when they reach our gate, “This call for help is such a bother in
the night!

And we have been paying all our bills on time!

Is there any relief to our concern? We are not asking for well
behaved, educated KSEB office bearers (there is a resource crunch
world-wide!!) but all we are requesting the KSEB is to ensure there is
periodic maintenance of the line, ensure transformers in and around
the area are checked frequently and some training to the office
bearers on call management!

As I key you this mail, the power has been playing hide-n-seek for the
fourth time! Time now is 09:00 PM! I can see another call being
attempted to reach KSEB! We will be kept busy by the KSEB officials
all night! Thank you so much!
---------------------------------

Organisational Change Management: A Must Have

"That was a great demonstration of the new project management system", remarked my Portfolio Manager for Applications the other day. We were stepping out of a team meeting where all of us were showed the new Project Management tool to be soon rolled out into the organisation.

It sure was a good demo and an impressive system which was easy to use and looked to have no integration problems with other systems in the organisation.

I take care of the OCM (Organisational Change Management) part for all internal applications and systems roll out in my Information Services team. Change Management to ensure all changes have proper buy-in from the senior management or leadership team, stakeholders in a change, those who are going to use the change or asked for the change and those who are the end user or the target group for who the change means a lot.

Change could be anything in a corporate: M&A, Reorganisation, Restructuring, automating a popular manual process, introduction of a new system along with a new process, change work timings, a new HR policy or a change in the vendor management. It could be anything but involving more than one group.

And in any instance of life or work, when you have two groups or more involved in a change, there is bound to be resistance, queries, push-backs, passive-fence sitters and extremely, passionate promoters or supporters of the change.

the trick is to use the voice of the promoters to convert the fence sitters to promoters, answer queries, testimonies to win over push backs and finally face and manage the resistors. It is 'gathering' process where you gather what you have and get what you do not have but can have! :-)

Where does the success of a change program lie?

It is in identifying resistance, isolating the concerns and groups who show or express resistance to the proposed change.

How to achieve this is by following a simple but intense change management program that has a Pre-Piloting, Piloting and Production phase build over a framework suitable for your organisation.

It is easy to manage a change! Ensure you are bold, patient, innovative, communicate well and are convinced of the fact that the change you are rolling out is for the good. :-)

I can go on and on about OCM, till the cows come home but I have a few change programs for which I need to put to plans around and do all the above mentioned in this blog... Lots to do and have fun too!

Change is a must! Change it well! :-)

It Has Been A While....

It has been a while since I touched by blog. But why is that? Did I not meet a very different new gen ticket collector in the Railways who was not only smart but to-the-point blunt? Did I not tell myself I will write about the interaction to highlight changing Indian Railways? I should have! :)

It has been a while since I turned into a shutterbug. But why is that? Did I not see bright lights from the fireworks during Diwali that fascinated me? Did I not see that teeny-weeny water droplet on the tip of a leaf through which I saw a red shoe flower at a distance? I should I simply pulled my 'Click' and taken these snaps! :)

It has been a while since I updated my resume. But why is that? Did I not get designation advancement recently? Did I not attend couple of leadership workshops? Did I not succeed in creating a new change management framework for project roll outs? I should have updated my resume... :)

It has been a while since I bit into a cheese-filled sinful pizza! It has been a while since I bunked work for a long drive! It has been a while since I dialed a dear dear friend to say, “Hey! Long time... No News!” It has been a while since I told my parents they make my world complete! It has been a while since I called up my grandmother and simply listened to her without interrupting. It has been a while since I gossiped! It has been a while since I had a crush! ;)

So what was I up to all this while? :)

Exactly what most of us these days are immersed in: WORK-LIFE Balance, meetings, phone calls, mails, reports, status reports, review meetings, team meetings, wishing for less or no traffic, cursing a traffic jam, eating less or nothing for lunch, anxiously watching the IPOs and stock market... being Super-Hooper-Zuper Busy! :)

And YET Being So Very Happy!

Did I hear somebody say, "Ditto"? :)

Stop the political vandalism called ‘Hartal’ and ‘Bandh’

If you ask me how I feel today about the political parties ruling my nation and my state: My head hangs down in shame.

If you ask me if I feel proud living in a democratic nation with all-freedom and prosperity growing around me, I would pity your imagination and walk away.

If I am asked what is that ONE thing I want to change in my nation, it will be the human insensitiveness of all political parties in my nation.

They make me feel like a lifeless puppet whose arms and legs are tied to their whims and fancies. My dream to own a car or home or travel abroad or grow my own farm or buy a gold ear ring, or go and sit on the beach side, even viewing any television program will depend on the human sensitiveness or social care or education-level or culture of the political party ruling my state.

Today what I get in plentiful is loose change when I buy a small bag of vegetables for a week. I produce INR 300 and get back INR 5 for a small kitty of vegetables ... most of it will be less than 250 gms. What I get is 2 ltr of petrol for INR 108 and thanks to the very badly managed roads and well-dug potholes the 2 ltr petrol will not take me even 20 KMS around the city! What I get is stinking neighborhood with no or poorly managed garbage management by the corporation. What I get is 30% less salary for all the 198 hours of I put at office.

I really do not wish to go down the spiral thinking about the pitiful state my government is treating me. Let me feel safe and secure in my state. Let me not fear a handful of goons who in the name of political parties call for a hartal or bandh taking price-hike as an excuse. Let me not get late to work or late to reach home to my lil one with a political party holding a protest in middle of the road.

I am willing to pay tax, I will think positive that tomorrow my government will patch up all the potholes and I can drive to and back from work in less time. I am willing to believe my neighborhood will look like the clean, neat streets of Britain from next week. I am ready to see positive image of less price for gas and essentials from next quarter.

But can anybody from the political parties calling for bandh or hartal convince me that all the above will happen with two consecutive bandhs being called within a matter of 5 working days? Can they please show the worth of me participating in their hartal by staying indoors by bringing down 50 paise for fuel or cooking gas? Does my participation in hartals or bandhs not show any result? If the hartal or bandh is against price hike, from the very next day it should cost at least 50 paise less!

If not my participation is a total waste and I will lose one day's salary at work too! Total loss!

And going by the history of hartals and bandhs till date, I do not see it being any effective as a civil disobedience tool. Gone are the days when a government took any bandhs or hartals as public ire or anger. Gone are the days when sincere political leadership had an actual plan to call for a bandh or hartal. Gone are the days when civil disobedience was the most powerful tool to bring the government or political system on their knees or change their ways. Gone are the days when public was considered human and their protests taken seriously.

Today it is all for media, publicity and keeping the next general, state, municipal or even panchayath election in mind. Today it is done to give public an extended weekend, today hartals and bandhs are kept around the semi finals or finals of World sporting events, today hartals and bandhs are kept to help a few flex their muscles locally or nationally. Today hartals and bandhs are pure political vandalism.

I wish me and my nation to wake up tomorrow to a hartal-free future!

Apple: My new car...and he is automatic :)

I am a proud owner of a hatchback. And yes, he is automatic. I bought the automatic car as I gave up in my attempts to drive another hatchback, which was like any other car: manual. I shied away from driving because of thoughts of shifting gears in middle of traffic... having to use the clutch and accelerator with proper timing and yet ensure the car does not crank or stop as I shift between clutch, break and accelerator, watch out for traffic, pedestrians crossing roads, watch out for wrong-side over taking, the traffic light, policemen who choose the shop canopy to shield from sun or rain and of course the lavishly distributed potholes! Phew! So much for driving!

I settled for the three-wheeler India-wonder called auto-rikshaw. Yet pangs of guilt hit me when I take out my driving license only as a proof of address to establish myself as Indian citizen! I would slide it back into the valet with a sigh and an assurance "Someday I will justify the laminated license to drive".

On a very normal day at office bumped into a colleague who used to be join me at the bus stop for the company bus. She has been missing for a month or so. I assumed she must have got posted onsite. As we got talking she said she has started driving. I opened my sob story of failed battles with the gear-clutch-accelerator-break combo. And lo! Upfront she tells me of the AUTOMATIC version of a hatchback of a very reputed automobile brand. I was speechless, DELIGHTED, excited, could see my dream-to-drive flawlessly....EFFORTLESSLY come true! :)

Five months later, I drove my automatic hatchback to office.

I was looking for a name for my new car. I turned to Happiness, my invisible muse, and asked… What can I name him? In the usual breezy, casual, cool yet matured manner, Happiness said, “Apple”. I was bewildered and asked “Apple”? But why? Whistling past me, Happiness said, “ To me he looks like the shape of an Apple and so is his colour.”

And so my new car is named Apple. Apple of my eye! :)

Apple was named after his colour and the first impression he gives when you look at him. Apple was centre of attention to many colleagues who had not heard of a car without clutch and almost gearless. Though they have heard about it, it was very interesting to watch them open the door, bend down to check if not a clutch what is in its place.... and ask "what is the L for? What is the 2 for"... so how do you drive without a clutch? Do you get enough power to overtake? Does he consume too much gas? .... And yet ask again, before closing the door.... "How CAN you drive without a clutch"? :)

I smile and reply.... Driving is meant to be enjoyed and not worrying over a few pads and stick. The traffic and roads provide enough subjects to worry about!

And to ensure Apple is always seen as an "all washed shining boy", I signed up for car care service in my office. I take him for timely servicing. I need to keep him oiled and running... take care of!

When I see my lil one fall asleep as I drive her around, I take it as a certification of smooth driving and feel proud every time I drop back my parents and little one safely, back home. I feel proud to zip past any other driver who is seen sweating in traffic, complaining of clutch, as I park in the basement parking of a mall, no fear of driving out or pulling from the packed car park smoothly, I feel happy to reach my parents place on my own as and when they call me, I feel being mobile and on your own makes life so much simpler!

I am proud of my Apple! :)

20 mins: Slices of life seen in a railway waiting room

I had only 60 minutes between my arrival and departure in Trichur. In between, I had to put my not-always-consistent signature on a few papers. Though I claim to know Trichur very well, I I am not well versed with the landmarks, expect for jewelry and garment showrooms!

I managed to be back at the railway station 25 minutes before my train back home. As it was a working day, I had my loyal laptop to give me company. My status on MSN was "Working from Train"!

On this day, my laptop is My Happiness.

I sat down in the waiting room, pleased at my timing. After a few minutes, took a look around the waiting room to see who all I am sharing the room with.

It is the devotional season. I had people of all ages and from all four south India states around me.
Devotees… Pilgrims… Peaceful crowd.

My attention was drawn to an aged couple. The husband and wife were not pilgrims. They were not accompanied by their children and I recollect seeing them at the information counter where a 6-foot something, slim frame husband who was in his 70's bend low to speak to the executive at the information counter.
They were seated two rows ahead of me.

While I smiled at the perfect body language, soft conversation, how aunty listened to what uncle was saying and how well they were taking care of each other, two boys accompanied by policemen walked into the waiting room.
What was strange about them was that they were handcuffed together. The boys were around 16 or 17 years old. They looked calm and not worried about the fact that they were handcuffed.

I was disturbed to see how young these boys were. How early in life have they got on the wrong side of law! What made them get arrested is immaterial at that moment, as it has already happened. I am not nosy for scoop but very disturbed at the sight of two young men, handcuffed and brought into the waiting room that had people, pilgrims, successful people, aspirants, men, and women but not charged nor handcuffed.

A dead silence blanketed the waiting room as policemen, with guns and the boys walked in. They were seated politely by the policemen accompanying them. The boys were aware of the silence and curious looks.
After a few seconds, like how a cloud cover the sun moves away, the room was back with the buzz, glances, straight looks at the boys but all done very subtly. Nobody wanted to be seen looking with curiosity at them.

Going by the profile of the people in the room, we had a mix of businessmen, professionals, housewives, working women and students.

My thoughts bounced between the three stages of life I saw in front of me. The two young boys; handcuffed. The aged couple who still found lots to talk between themselves and wife confident of husband leading her where they wanted to go. In between, the two stages was I. I had passed the age of the boys were in, I am yet to reach where the couple were.

I am with my Happiness, my laptop (Whatever makes me connect with my office and friends on a day of travel is my Happiness). I am waiting for a train to take me back home. I don’t have anybody to get information for me but myself. I am not handcuffed by law or society as I sit there. I wonder what extent of support I will be eligible for by the time age catches up with my movements.

Do they boys know, what awaits them in my age or as they see days pass by? Will they come across anybody else in this room on a later stage at some other phase in life? They have such a long way to go....so much more to see!
Uncle and Aunty, you have helped me set a very sweet aspiration for old age. Be with and support who you can hold a conversation at length even when in your 70's! :-)

I am still waiting for my train but the train of thoughts in my mind is running on time, no delay.

Happiness, are you there? I need you every day...even when we are in our 70's!