What end is up? Enterprise wide collaboration isn't working.

Does anyone know what end is up?

I imagine many are asking themselves this question. With companies dramatically downsizing, closing down, re-inventing themselves, or giving up, it's hard to figure out what end is up anymore.

The problem, as I see it, is what do we do if we find the answer?

Internal barriers:
- The communication structure has broken down.

• Management and leadership styles that worked in the past are now creating chaos instead of solving problems.
• There are more levels and more individuals with decision-making capacity than ever before, although very little collaboration and communication between them.
• There is more competition covering further geographic area than ever before.
• There is increasing confusion as to how to apply and maintain new technology as it is introduced.
• Job descriptions and job titles are changing faster than anyone can keep up with.
• This increasing confusion has caused fear and sometimes animosity that interferes with clear decision-making.

External barriers / Vendors' solutions
- Training, training, training

Is this being approached in the most effective way?
- E-Learning products

Has there been more attention to the joy of the technology and not enough attention to valid content?
- Learning Management Systems, referred to as (LMS)
Expensive systems that have robust ability to track, report, and run training programs. It's a great concept although we need to fine-tune what it is used for before it can be useful.
- Software efficiency / Hardware efficiency
This is obviously is a good solution, although who decides what, where, and how we'll go forward with this? Of course part of the solution that this provides is a less labor-intensive environment—a scary thought to some.
- Leadership and Management seminars

This is a good solution although ineffective if buy-in is on an individual basis without an overall consensus by the organization.

In conclusion the 2002 business community has identified that encouraging intellectual growth within the employee population is important for employee retention and corporate survival. Finding ways to create a more efficient environment is acknowledged as necessary and there have been strides made to make this happen. The two missing links, in my opinion are:
(1) A process and culture for collaboration that moves strategically forward at a pace that will ensure success. (2) A culture that drives collective collaboration to the attention of those who have the governance to make strategic business decisions that impact the enterprise as a whole. Received on Mon Oct 07 2002 - 22:42:09 CEST