A department or unit can withdraw within its own comfort zone, repelling all "invaders."
e-Impact breaks down these barriers, lowering the drawbridge.
e-Impact™- NETWORKING FOR WORK
One of the most innovative aspects of The IR Approach is our emphasis on collaboration. We've developed a suite of capabilities for our e-Impact software, collectively known as Networking for Work™, to facilitate and nurture collaboration companywide.
"Networking" in a company environment depends on three things:
It must be enabled and supported by the company.
It must be organized around what people do, which is "the work," but also,
It must be centered on the individual.
Networking for Work™ meets these three criteria.
Enabled by the company. A company automatically enables and supports Networking for Work™ when it decides to adopt The IR Approach. That's because networking is completely integral to our approach: It is the primary tool for breaking cross-silo barriers, and enables a company to take true advantage of its size by easily tapping expertise and synergies organization-wide.
Organized around the work. Each unit, focus area, insight, opportunity and project becomes the center of a "network" populated by the people working on it. e-Impact then provides a host of tools to that network. You can host a brainstorming or problem-solving meeting — complete with voting and with participants from every corner of the globe — through our virtual “meeting room.” Every insight or opportunity can be “rated” by anyone with appropriate access. We also developed what we call "micro-forums," which are full-featured forums that are specific to an idea, opportunity or project, and are visually integrated as one of several components on the computer screen.
Centered on the individual. Each e-Impact user operates from his/her own “Command Center.” From the Command Center, users can browse the issues being tackled all around the organization and request permission to participate in those areas where they bring relevant expertise. Each individual's Command Center changes over time as they expand the number of work-centered networks they're a part of.
Example: Perhaps you worked in Human Resources several years ago, before moving into Sales. You see that HR is trying to develop better and more cost-efficient training for Sales, and because you've got insights into both areas, you'd like to make a contribution. From your Command Center, you can send a request to the person who is leading the initiative and ask to be invited into the process. You're now part of that network!
