IT Management Slideshow: Ten Ways to Elevate Your Company's Social-Business Profile

Link Social Tech to Business Processes

Connect social apps to goals such as accurate forecasts, quick decisions and other employee-workflow areas of concern.

Designate New Roles

CIOs and IT must work together to define new job positions, such as social-business analyst and community manager.

Design for Extended Enterprise

Sharing and collaboration tools must be flexible so global knowledge workers can connect with suppliers, partners, customers anytime and anywhere.

Embrace Adaptive Trust

Traditional ID management systems create barriers to access. CIOs need authentication models that expand internally and externally, and link information between systems.

Build a Social Roadmap

Come up with a directory so that knowledge workers know where to find apps that support business functions. Make sure directory can be collaborated upon, and updated.

Control Changing Software "Rules"

Software is starting to allow non-seat holders to access information. CIOs must transition to this model without compromising data security/licensing agreements.

Encourage a "Process-Agnostic" Mindset

IT should assemble broad outlines for collaboration tools, activity streams, etc., but help workers customize these capabilities to suit their needs.

Take Advantage of Productivity Breakdowns

Demonstrate how improved use of social tools would have prevented such a situation.

Win Over Multi-Department Middle Managers

In any organization, it's the boss in the middle who can advance or kill initiatives.

Speak "Their" Language

Avoid a middle-manager "kill shot" by effectively conveying how social business will help his or her teams achieve productivity and growth targets.