KM definitely has a role to play in social media deployments, but I’d characterize it (like you did) as a coordinating role rather than a controlling role. We get into trouble when we forget this basic distinction.

- Mary

The term “control freak” may be excessively harsh. However, the pattern of behavior (trying to limit manner of use based on worries about risk and abuse) is prevalent in many workplaces. It might be helpful to identify what the real worries are and see if the social media tools really are the issue or if proper education of the user population might deal with the problem.

- Mary

“Control freakery” is a great expression! I agree that life inside the firewall is quite different than life outside. However, our basic social and cooperative impulses as humans don’t change as a result of where we are in relation to the firewall. If anything, knowing that we’re operating behind the firewall tends to make us more circumspect in our online interactions at the office. As a result, I’m not sure it is entirely necessary to tightly circumscribe how employees should use social media tools at work based on managerial worries about risk exposure or abuse. On the other hand, I would use my resources to ensure users have the chance to exploit those tools. The philosophy behind this is that restrictive rules set early in the process tend to limit the use of the tools to the vision of the project sponsor and limit the ability of users to stretch the tools in creative ways. While we may never achieve the freewheeling approach of Craigslist, it would be a shame to cut ourselves off from the opportunity to allow our use of social tools to evolve in a way that truly responds to the needs to users.

This is not meant to promote a “build it and they will come” approach. But, it does acknowledge the power of social media tools to change users as those users in turn change their use of the tools. If you have a group within your firm that really wants the power of a social media tool to meet particular work goals, you’re no longer foisting technology on them, but using technology to meet a real need. When that technology is social, the users can be more creative. We shouldn’t get in the way of this creativity unnecessarily.

- Mary

I think there is a difference between systems outside the firewall and those inside it. I agree that control freakery is inappropriate wherever you are, but more care needs to be take to nurture effective use inside the firewall — “build it and they will come” is not a sensible approach.

Mark.