So, how does someone get put in charge of something big and hairy like defining and implementing EMC's overall strategy for social media as a business tool?
There's some insight into this that might help you in your journey as well.
A Little Background About Me
I've been at EMC 13 years. I've been all over the company -- engineering, marketing, sales, corporate, etc.
I tend to get involved in things that are (a) important, (b) very poorly defined, and (c) no clear template to follow. Once I've cracked the code on something and seen some success, I tend to want to move on to the next thing.
Principle #1 -- be up for an adventure.
I was one of the first, and perhaps the most successful, corporate bloggers at EMC. The success (and impact) of my corporate blog literally blew everyone away at EMC. Including myself.
I guess that made me an "expert" in some people's eyes.
Principle #2 -- in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
Over the years, I've been fortunate to build an enormous informal network of people who know me and how I work, the kinds of things I get involved in, and are familiar with my personal brand -- warts and all.
I knew everybody I needed to know (mostly) to get this thing going, and I wouldn't need months of ground-building and finding people to get started.
Principle #3 -- it helps to be well connected (and well branded) in your organization.
People either really like working with me, or are a bit uncomfortable. I tend to make big intuitive jumps, then explain how I got there. If you're in a hurry, it's a useful skill.
And then there's communicating your thinking. I am told that I can explain ideas in a very simple, visceral and viral manner. I don't need 30 powerpoints and 60 minutes to get my ideas across.
Principle #4 -- it doesn't hurt to have any of these skills in your personal portfolio, either.
And finally, I believe there was a simple human fact behind all of this: I think our senior management generally trusts me to do the right thing and to do it with EMC's best interests (and not my own!) at heart. I've demonstrated that I'm worthy of that trust consistently over many, many years.
Principle #5 -- if the management team doesn't trust you (or you don't trust them), don't bother.
Early Guiding Principles
Before I agreed to dive in (and, as of this writing, it's an informal role only -- formality coming soon), I had to get my head clear on some fundamental meta-strategy -- which is a strategy about how you're going to get a strategy.
I wanted this to be inclusive and open. I wanted everyone and anyone to participate who had an interest in the topic. I did not want one of this to be one of those corporate mandates like Six Sigma or Diversity or anything else for that matter.
But at the same time, I knew I was working within a company that was more comfortable with command-and-control, show-me-the-plan/resources/ROI types of interaction on new projects. So I knew I'd have to blend styles to be successful.
I did NOT want a bunch of "experts" and "consultants" wandering around as we got our thinking together. I wanted EMC to own the core of the thinking and strategy, and did not want to outsource it (or allow it to be unduly influenced) at an early stage.
I think these people can play a role -- once you've figured out what the game plan is.
And finally, I had to informally recruit (hijack!) a few people who were as passionate on this topic as I was becoming, especially during the formative stages, because you can't wait to create a req, interview candidates, make an offer, ramp up the new employee.
I felt I had to get started with what I had around me, a bit like McGyver.
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