Comments on: Online Social Networking: Is It a Productivity Bust or Boon?

By: LegalWeb2.0: Doug Cornelius on Face-Blocking « Web Strategy Directory

LegalWeb2.0: Doug Cornelius on Face-Blocking « Web Strategy Directory — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:29:20 +0000

[...] a feature only blogging & the social web could provide, Doug has just posted his response to the survey process & the results. He also has a sample social networking/blogging policy for a law firm. Both these items are [...]

By: Chris O'Brien

Chris O'Brien — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:38:14 +0000

Has anyone joined the professional networking site http://www.legalqb.com? It is a professional networking site. It allows legal professionals to network with each other to collaborate on real issues they may be facing within their firms.
You know the major problem with these social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace is that most of our “friends or connections” are truly social connections and 95% of all communcations on the site are social. Try http://www.legalqb.com to see for yourself.

By: Doug Cornelius

Doug Cornelius — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:30:16 +0000

Vanessa -

Thanks for stopping by. Online networking is another tool that could help your business. I do not expect everyone to use them and I don’t expect everyone to think they are a good idea. (As you saw in the comments, there were many different thoughts about online networking tools.)

I think they offer a great way for some businesses with their customers and potential customers. Not all, but many.

But if you block them, you will not be able to learn how to use them.

Even worse, you block them at the office with no policy. Then your employees identify themselves as being associated with your company and do the bad things you were trying prevent. Blocking alone is not effective.

Just as worse, you block access and do not monitor what your employees, customers and potential customers are saying about you. You become unable to respond.

By: Vanessa DiMauro

Vanessa DiMauro — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:13:16 +0000

If you look at the underlying data (the excel sheet Matt has linked to) there is even more interesting information about perception. Respondents to the survey fell into two distinct camps.. those that viewed social media as a clear time waster and worthy of being banned, and those that saw business application to social media and therefore business value. I imagine a lot has to do with exposure to the different tools and reasons for use.

For sales or business development purposes, online networking is a critical success factor, as an example. As the usage and understanding of social media within a business context becomes more mainstream, the penetration will necessarily increase and firms will grow more accustomed – dare we say reliant on the online business tools.

To Alin’s point, most of us can remember when use of email and web was banned… purposeful use of technology is a change agent and cultural adoption is always the final frontier.

By: Doug Cornelius

Doug Cornelius — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:35:46 +0000

Alin -

Spot on. The web is now a communication platform. You need to treat it like one. You no longer need the firm for internet access. My home access is as fast as my office internet access. My iPhone can access these sites and publish information.

If your policy is merely to block the sites, then you do not have a policy. People will be able to do all of the bad things that you are worried they might do. And you have not told them what they should not do.

By: Doug Cornelius

Doug Cornelius — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:30:28 +0000

Matt –

A follow-up survey might want to focus on who made the decision to ban. I would guess that it came out of IT and not HR, marketing or the lawyers. The rest probably went along based on some of the poorly thought out fears I address in the article. That seems representative of some of the decision-making processes I have seen in law firms.

By: Alin

Alin — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:33:52 +0000

Blocking new media tools is understandable, just like any other ‘media panic’ reaction. And just like any other Media Panic, I am hoping these ‘reactions’ will fall apart with the understanding that banning these tools is working against the firm rather than protecting it.

Just remember that once radio was considered too corrupting to use.

By: Matt Groves

Matt Groves — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:44:55 +0000

As a self confessed social media junkie, I find the adoption and strategic decisions taken within Law firms (esp UK – as that’s where my client base is!) absolutely fascinating. It amazes me that there is this negative perception and fear of social computing, yet widespread adoption of the 19th hole… Relationships and conversations are key, the technology is an enabler, it is no different when stripped down to the fundamentals…

By: Law Firm Web Strategy : LegalWeb2.0: Doug Cornelius on Face-Blocking

Law Firm Web Strategy : LegalWeb2.0: Doug Cornelius on Face-Blocking — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:56:43 +0000