McKinsey Quarterly published another article on Web 2.0 this month. It is called Six ways to make Web 2.0 work. Not surprisingly, it's focused on businesses.
On the 4th bullet point, there is a recommendation that I find quite useful:
"Appeal to the participants' egos and needs—not just their wallets:
... a professional-services firm tried to use steady management pressure to get individuals to post on wikis. Participation increased when managers doled out frequent feedback but never reached self-sustaining levels"
I remember trying the same method (and facing the same challange) while I was working as a VP in AIESEC in Turkey Member (or, National) Committee in the Spring of 2008. We aimed to adapt wikis as the main instrument for knowledge management transition between Executive Boards that change each year. I was calling and sending e-mails to responsible people in Local Committees and reminding them to update their wikis, when they fail to do so by the deadline. Apparently, that was not the most effective management technique.
Let's read on:
"A more effective approach plays to the Web's ethos and the participants' desire for recognition: bolstering the reputation of participants in relevant communities, rewarding enthusiasm, or acknowledging the quality and usefulness of contributions."
I experienced this when I was working for the global virtual support team of Talent Management Unit 07/08. Since the team had to work virtually throughout the year, wikis and forums were our main channels of communication, rather than e-mails. And the thing that motivated me the most was our chair's recognition of good work. And for me, that didn't even have to be public, a private e-mail or an IM chat about my performance and some feedback (either positive or negative) was mostly enough.
I support the idea that a combination of both leadership and management will be even more required in organizations in the era of Web 2.0.
