I think you already know that, but just in case, in a social business project, more widely for an organization tranformation project, communication is essential, and unfortunatly too often underestimate. But when you listen feedbacks about enterprise 2.0 this part is always highlight. You need to share messages with your employees, managers, the top management. Ok, so you have feeling that the title of this post is not related to this issue. Not really, let’s see why.
A few time ago, I watched TV and I’ve seen the Emirates advertising, and the speech inside it just matched with my vision of the social business, purpose, added value, the description of what could be the social business in a commercial movie…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMsV3N7aybw[/youtube]
Here is the speech related to social business :
« We believe everything is possible » : the vision part, know how to project in a new social world. Sometimes you need to dream in a company, the business will catch up soon enough.
« The entire world will be connected to share » : The enterprise social network (ESN) which allow to cross silos, a tool to help information sharing and to  develop a network organization.
« We are bridges between people and places, cultures and ideas » : One of the first reason to deploy an ESN, connect people through the world, and also support innovation. Ideas to enrich through conversations.
« Between what is imagined and what is real » : This is a translation of an article I’ve written for Le Monde newspaper supplement :
De facto, we still have to dream about the enterprise of tomorrow. When companies think about these transformations, often they can’t think out of the box. They wonder why are they running like that, instead of dreaming of things which have never existed and say why not. In the end, imagine what’s the company will look like in 5 years.
« We can be anywhere and everywhere and everything is within reach » : that’s the concept of digital workplace, a place reachable from anywhere to use everything yuo need to work and be connected to all your stakeholders to collaborate.
« A futur which belongs to those who inspire a new world, and invite more people and places to be part of it » : team building, strong ties, support, values and gains support with social business
« A world which is constently on the move » : the agile enterprise is reactive, and adapt its operating…
« A better world that is for everyone » : the new social contract between companies and employees in a win-win approach
« We inspire conversation » : conversation in many processes to streamline and improve
« Culture yet to be experienced, we realize our dreams » : social business is a journey, building step by step. There is no guidelines or planning which have anticipated all or ready to measure everything. It’s not only about the purpose, but the way, the journey. It’s about experimentation.
« Because of who we are, where we come from and where we are going » : no company looks the same, that’s why there is no identical project or a packaging methodology. You need to feet to the enterprise culture and its strategy.
And the claim « Hello tomorrow »  is a vision too about social business, the next enterprise. Of course internal communication cannot pay for an ad like that, but sharing the same vision and show  that the company is looking that way would be great. A vision is a dream for tomorrow to go further. Looks like hippies, as André Gide said ?
It is through the narrow gate of utopia that enters the beneficent reality