Often organizations implement SharePoint for the advertised purpose. Because the IT folks understand its value they adopt; but the rest of the organization needs to understand HOW to implement it so that the tools serve the organization's people and free them of time to allow for creativity and innovation--ultimately improving productivity and employee satisfaction (benefit, employee happiness/retention).
If your SharePoint intranet is designed just as a website to tell visitors that "Kilroy was here!" (org charts, pictures of people, short descriptions of what each organization offers, and a repository where information from "those on high" are transmitting pearls of wisdom--you will continue to see a drop in page views!
I answered a question on a LinkedIn forum and decided my response was worth expanding a bit and sharing as a blog post. The individual on LinkedIn stated that he was the owner of his company's intranet which was based upon SharePoint. He noticed that the page views of the site kept dropping each month and wondered how he could increase page views.
A drop in page views is actually a symptom of a larger problem. Drop rate shows a lack of use/interest by the employees! Start with them! Interview individuals within each division or community of your organization and ask them what (if any) value do they see in the current design/content of the intranet. If they tell you that:
- it "doesn't really add any value;
- doesn't help me "do" my job;
- or help me share/learn information about other divisions within the organization
You will gain valuable insight from those interviews. The next step would be to put a quick tiger team together (one person from each sector of your company--maybe some of those people you interview!) for a day to brainstorm how to make your intranet a place people actually want to go to. An intranet using SharePoint as a foundation offers a lot of opportunity in automation through lists, libraries, workflows and audience targeting.
If you can get the members of that tiger team to commit to ownership of their web content, and allow them freedom (and training) to be in charge of "how do we become more efficient/productive?" they just might surprise you. The power of SharePoint is its ability to present sites that offer rich, interactive and dynamic content, managed by the process owners.
It all boils down to a very simple question. What are you trying to do with this resource? If your circumstances are similar to the LinkedIn individual, that should tell you that the employees aren't really sure what the purpose of your intranet is; and it may seem to them like the intranet is just something else that currently takes from their valuable time.
If you use SharePoint as an enabler in your organization to improve processes, streamline communications, and increase collaboration, you'll find your page views increase and the employees going to their tiger team reps and having conversations like:
"You know, there's this product/service we do every month. Currently it takes us seven steps to complete it (using Excel spreadsheet, or Word/PDF document), it has to be approved by at least three people (printed and hand carried, or individually emailed), the final output is reported and saved in our repository (shared drive), and emailed to all employees. It takes us 5 days from start to finish. Is there anything SharePoint can do to help us shrink this time hurdle and streamline this process?"
As with everything that involves IT and humans in the production of anything, ask yourself; "Is the IT serving the person, or is the person serving the IT?" If your observations point to the latter, its time to sit down and rethink your about your purpose and architect a solution that respects the person first, and puts the IT in a support role!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Why Should You Blog? It really matters!
There's an amazing amount of talent, beauty, joy and happiness around us every day. I enjoy being one of those people to actually call out people, situations, and events that depict this wealth! Just today as a matter of fact I shared with a co-worker (who I was not friends with on Facebook) how funny his Facebook status updates were. I encouraged him to start a blog and get signed up on Twitter--connect the two and start making other people happy and find reasons to laugh. He's a riot, he's a musician, a father, he's an all around great guy and he's not bad looking! With that winning combination, there's not reason not to be sharing the random thoughts that cross his grey matter.
My talent is sharing what great people like him have to offer. I love promoting people who make life a little more fun. If its a person who uses uncommon expressions, or gives voice to the thoughts that you typically wouldn't dare utter, or someone who just has a great gift of framing a situation--these are the people who make life fun. I don't think my stuff is stand-up comedy quality but I do enjoy being real. One day a few months ago I was being my usual self when I was introduced to a new worker in our front office. I like to welcome new people and make them feel like someone's interested in "WHO" they are. So I took some time to ask how she was, where she came from, how long she was going to be with us...just a few minutes of chit chat. I have an expression I use when I observe things that aren't going to well. I say, "hey, we really need to get our poop in a group!" On that day, I just happened to use that expression in front of her! She asked what I said and I repeated it...she said, "I like that!" smiled and went back to work. I said goodbye and went back to my office.
Today, that person stopped by to say final good-byes because she was only with us for a short time. She stopped by to tell me thanks for being the one individual who made her change her mind about leaving! You see, she had scheduled an appointment with her supervisor for the next day to get her removed from this temporary duty because she wasn't seeing much joy, and the job environment wasn't very fun. Hers was a fast-paced, thankless, high expectations job! She let me know that after I left, she asked her co-workers who that was that just left--they said that was Mr. Milligan. She told herself that if there were a few more Mr. Milligans in the organization, she just might be able to bear it. She picked up the phone and cancelled the meeting with her boss for the following day.
I shared that with you not to brag on myself, but to let you know that it is very important to take time in your day-to-day interactions with other to smile, to say thanks, to welcome newcomers, to be empathetic and encouraging. You never know when your words and interactions with others will make the difference in another person's life that helps them better cope with a less than optimal situation. No job or boss is perfect, and the tasks we must do to earn a living aren't always fun or fulfilling. It truly is the people in your workplace who matter! Every person has a story--the one that everyone knows....and then "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey used to say. Sometimes, a few minutes of your time is all it takes to help another feel more fully alive, relevant, useful, needed, important and worth giving it one more try before giving up.
When she shared this story with me, I wanted to cry. I felt honored...most people only hear stories about people that "made a difference" when their eulogy is being read! I sailed through the rest of my day and was encouraged myself to keep being who I am!
If this story resonates with you, I'd love to hear about how someone encouraged you or you encouraged someone else.
My talent is sharing what great people like him have to offer. I love promoting people who make life a little more fun. If its a person who uses uncommon expressions, or gives voice to the thoughts that you typically wouldn't dare utter, or someone who just has a great gift of framing a situation--these are the people who make life fun. I don't think my stuff is stand-up comedy quality but I do enjoy being real. One day a few months ago I was being my usual self when I was introduced to a new worker in our front office. I like to welcome new people and make them feel like someone's interested in "WHO" they are. So I took some time to ask how she was, where she came from, how long she was going to be with us...just a few minutes of chit chat. I have an expression I use when I observe things that aren't going to well. I say, "hey, we really need to get our poop in a group!" On that day, I just happened to use that expression in front of her! She asked what I said and I repeated it...she said, "I like that!" smiled and went back to work. I said goodbye and went back to my office.
Today, that person stopped by to say final good-byes because she was only with us for a short time. She stopped by to tell me thanks for being the one individual who made her change her mind about leaving! You see, she had scheduled an appointment with her supervisor for the next day to get her removed from this temporary duty because she wasn't seeing much joy, and the job environment wasn't very fun. Hers was a fast-paced, thankless, high expectations job! She let me know that after I left, she asked her co-workers who that was that just left--they said that was Mr. Milligan. She told herself that if there were a few more Mr. Milligans in the organization, she just might be able to bear it. She picked up the phone and cancelled the meeting with her boss for the following day.I shared that with you not to brag on myself, but to let you know that it is very important to take time in your day-to-day interactions with other to smile, to say thanks, to welcome newcomers, to be empathetic and encouraging. You never know when your words and interactions with others will make the difference in another person's life that helps them better cope with a less than optimal situation. No job or boss is perfect, and the tasks we must do to earn a living aren't always fun or fulfilling. It truly is the people in your workplace who matter! Every person has a story--the one that everyone knows....and then "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey used to say. Sometimes, a few minutes of your time is all it takes to help another feel more fully alive, relevant, useful, needed, important and worth giving it one more try before giving up.
When she shared this story with me, I wanted to cry. I felt honored...most people only hear stories about people that "made a difference" when their eulogy is being read! I sailed through the rest of my day and was encouraged myself to keep being who I am!
If this story resonates with you, I'd love to hear about how someone encouraged you or you encouraged someone else.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Why I Tweet
I have nothing to sell, and do not have time to get into being a pain to anyone--so if you choose to follow me here's the run down of what you're going to get from me.
A little background first so you know who you're dealing with:
Work: Full-time government employee, retired US Air Force (20 yrs)
Personal: Married (21yrs), three children (twin 18 yr old daughters, almost 14 yr old son)
Location: Nebraska (by choice)
Interests: Anything that engages my mind, hands, & learning and engaging others for helpful purposes
Full-disclaimer: I have an entrepreneurial spirit and will some day again have a business of my own, but have learned that with family and a full-time job--that's enough! So for now, when I have a few spare moments or a fleeting thought I share my thoughts in hopes that other entrepreneurs may benefit:
I compose tweets and posts about:
Saving/Conserving: Time, money, effort
Current Events: Relative to science, technology, education, health, & interests listed above
Scope of Tweets: Local, State, National, International
MOST IMPORTANT: If my mind is challenged with a question, a vacant space is allocated to the answer and my mind doesn't rest until I have the answer to fill the void. So, don't feel bashful, if you have a question that's gnawing at your mind, send me a virtual scratch and I'll try to help satisfy your itch!
I love meeting new people! Some of the greatest relationships I have with people were born from online introductions. I enjoy being encouraging and supportive of other people. If I find something that you're doing is interesting or exciting--don't be surprised if I become your best cheerleader!
Some other topics I like thinking/writing about:
Supervisor/Subordinate relationships - making them better
Science and Technology - just because we can doesn't mean we always should
Parenting & Children - little people becoming adults-treat w/respect & be surprised
Politics - A bloated unchecked government will eventually cripple the people its trying to support
Religion - I grew out of the one given to me in childhood--finding my own
Love/Friendship - Few people treasure the gift these are, how to find more?
The last thing I would like to leave you with....remember to smile and say an encouraging word to those who you come into contact with. You never know if that interchange may be just what the other individual needed to change their mind about giving up!
Ed
A little background first so you know who you're dealing with:
Work: Full-time government employee, retired US Air Force (20 yrs)
Personal: Married (21yrs), three children (twin 18 yr old daughters, almost 14 yr old son)
Location: Nebraska (by choice)
Interests: Anything that engages my mind, hands, & learning and engaging others for helpful purposes
Full-disclaimer: I have an entrepreneurial spirit and will some day again have a business of my own, but have learned that with family and a full-time job--that's enough! So for now, when I have a few spare moments or a fleeting thought I share my thoughts in hopes that other entrepreneurs may benefit:
I compose tweets and posts about:
Saving/Conserving: Time, money, effort
Current Events: Relative to science, technology, education, health, & interests listed above
Scope of Tweets: Local, State, National, International
MOST IMPORTANT: If my mind is challenged with a question, a vacant space is allocated to the answer and my mind doesn't rest until I have the answer to fill the void. So, don't feel bashful, if you have a question that's gnawing at your mind, send me a virtual scratch and I'll try to help satisfy your itch!
I love meeting new people! Some of the greatest relationships I have with people were born from online introductions. I enjoy being encouraging and supportive of other people. If I find something that you're doing is interesting or exciting--don't be surprised if I become your best cheerleader!
Some other topics I like thinking/writing about:
Supervisor/Subordinate relationships - making them better
Science and Technology - just because we can doesn't mean we always should
Parenting & Children - little people becoming adults-treat w/respect & be surprised
Politics - A bloated unchecked government will eventually cripple the people its trying to support
Religion - I grew out of the one given to me in childhood--finding my own
Love/Friendship - Few people treasure the gift these are, how to find more?
The last thing I would like to leave you with....remember to smile and say an encouraging word to those who you come into contact with. You never know if that interchange may be just what the other individual needed to change their mind about giving up!
Ed
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Shedding Innocence
Today we moved the doll house,
and the tiny wooden furniture;
the little cloth dolls and clothes,
the wooden castle, its bridges,
wooden knights and horses
evicted to a kingdom in another land
no more crouched whispers and giggles.
In their place philosophical debate,
Scientific curiosities, and dreams of college.
A scab can be painful when the wearer picks;
only in loving does the act of observing
pick the scab of loss that time inflicts
it is now the soothing harmonic melody
of my little one's maturing soprano
that escorts salty drops rolling down my cheeks.
How did we get to now so quickly?
Ed Milligan
and the tiny wooden furniture;
the little cloth dolls and clothes,
the wooden castle, its bridges,
wooden knights and horses
evicted to a kingdom in another land
no more crouched whispers and giggles.
In their place philosophical debate,
Scientific curiosities, and dreams of college.
A scab can be painful when the wearer picks;
only in loving does the act of observing
pick the scab of loss that time inflicts
it is now the soothing harmonic melody
of my little one's maturing soprano
that escorts salty drops rolling down my cheeks.
How did we get to now so quickly?
Ed Milligan
Sunday, November 29, 2009
A Season of Thanksgiving
I just finished reading Mary Pipher's "Writing to Change the World." My 14 yr old daughter is now reading the book as she has an equal passion for recording her thoughts to share with others. I am struck by how infrequently I read authors who contribute to helping others gain insight into themselves. Mary shares with us skills to help develop in ourselves an ability to suspend judgment and criticisms; to give others the space to be "where" they are in their own journeys.
The other book I recently read, "Son - Leaving the servant's quarters for the intimacy of the father's house" along with Mary's book, force within me a change of perspective I wouldn't have gained without having read these works. I, like many of my acquaintances and colleagues, waste too much emotional energy on supposition and speculation about the motives and attitudes behind the actions of others. I am more aware now than before of the necessity to do more than "try" to wear the moccasins of another. She has an exercise I think everyone should attempt at least once; write about a situation from more than one point of view (her exact exercise is to write a story about one person who causes trouble for two other people.) To actually accomplish this exercise requires one get into the mind of another--to think through the other person's perspectives and actually let the feelings of that perspective sit with you.
This Thanksgiving holiday I give thanks for mentors such as Mary Pipher, Barbara Kingsolver, and other great writers who have helped me gain elements of truth and wisdom. I am grateful for my wife who has through example taught me great lessons about relationships and compassion; about commitment and true love (love is a verb!) I am thankful for my children...who are God's way of boiling the narcissism out of adults (if we allow them to teach us life's purpose.) I am thankful for life, and the gift of waking up each morning--a new day; to start anew; to correct poorly shaped habits; to better our communication skills; to appropriate in each day moments of non-busy-ness to examine ourselves and to seek wholeness.
I plan to pour more of my thoughts and self-examination in my blog posts over the next few months. I will not be regular with postings because I have found that to put arbitrary deadlines on myself is to set myself up for failure to hold true to the commitment, and it also makes for lifeless words or rantings about topics which are probably left addressed by those truly passionate about a subject. You will however, see more entries so that I may exercise my writing mind muscle and give voice to those stirrings in my spirit which demand my attention.
The other book I recently read, "Son - Leaving the servant's quarters for the intimacy of the father's house" along with Mary's book, force within me a change of perspective I wouldn't have gained without having read these works. I, like many of my acquaintances and colleagues, waste too much emotional energy on supposition and speculation about the motives and attitudes behind the actions of others. I am more aware now than before of the necessity to do more than "try" to wear the moccasins of another. She has an exercise I think everyone should attempt at least once; write about a situation from more than one point of view (her exact exercise is to write a story about one person who causes trouble for two other people.) To actually accomplish this exercise requires one get into the mind of another--to think through the other person's perspectives and actually let the feelings of that perspective sit with you.
This Thanksgiving holiday I give thanks for mentors such as Mary Pipher, Barbara Kingsolver, and other great writers who have helped me gain elements of truth and wisdom. I am grateful for my wife who has through example taught me great lessons about relationships and compassion; about commitment and true love (love is a verb!) I am thankful for my children...who are God's way of boiling the narcissism out of adults (if we allow them to teach us life's purpose.) I am thankful for life, and the gift of waking up each morning--a new day; to start anew; to correct poorly shaped habits; to better our communication skills; to appropriate in each day moments of non-busy-ness to examine ourselves and to seek wholeness.
I plan to pour more of my thoughts and self-examination in my blog posts over the next few months. I will not be regular with postings because I have found that to put arbitrary deadlines on myself is to set myself up for failure to hold true to the commitment, and it also makes for lifeless words or rantings about topics which are probably left addressed by those truly passionate about a subject. You will however, see more entries so that I may exercise my writing mind muscle and give voice to those stirrings in my spirit which demand my attention.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Stay-cation in Nebraska City - Poetry
Autumn's Blush
Stillness, sleepy silence amid the meadow
The Jay screeches a melody and answers the Crow
Mighty Oaks and Walnuts drop a percussive line
Squirrels give chase as the sunny breeze begins to shine
The reds, golds and amber skirts of Maple maidens
Shimmer and courtsey as the North winds tease
til slowly, flittering and falling on top of one another
They cover Summer's blades in quilts of blushing color
Sounds of football and Southbound "V" formations
Coincide with frosty nights and foggy hesitations
The apples have been plucked and jack-o-lanterns carved
The logs cut and stacked to warm Winter's hearth
Written by: Ed Milligan
These lines have been forming in my mind over the last couple of weeks as I've watched the color changes in the leaves throughout the hills of Southeastern Nebraska. Our stay-cation at the Leid Lodge in Nebraska City was a much needed break from the norm. If you haven't taken a stay-cation in your state, I highly recommend it! Keeps the dollars in your communities, allows you to explore uncharted territory, and the best part--you don't spend all of your time and money getting "there!"
The Jay screeches a melody and answers the Crow
Mighty Oaks and Walnuts drop a percussive line
Squirrels give chase as the sunny breeze begins to shine
The reds, golds and amber skirts of Maple maidens
Shimmer and courtsey as the North winds tease
til slowly, flittering and falling on top of one another
They cover Summer's blades in quilts of blushing color
Sounds of football and Southbound "V" formations
Coincide with frosty nights and foggy hesitations
The apples have been plucked and jack-o-lanterns carved
The logs cut and stacked to warm Winter's hearth
Written by: Ed Milligan
These lines have been forming in my mind over the last couple of weeks as I've watched the color changes in the leaves throughout the hills of Southeastern Nebraska. Our stay-cation at the Leid Lodge in Nebraska City was a much needed break from the norm. If you haven't taken a stay-cation in your state, I highly recommend it! Keeps the dollars in your communities, allows you to explore uncharted territory, and the best part--you don't spend all of your time and money getting "there!"
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Eiffel Tower on all Six Contents--What Cans do you Buy?
I just had to post an interesting fact about "green" choices that my daughter read to me this morning. Did you know that if you would substitute 1 large can (beans, peaches, tomatoes, etc) instead of two smaller ones when you go shopping, the annual savings in steel could build an Eiffel Tower on all six continents! (Fact taken from the book "The Green Book" written by: Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen)
So, we can all make a difference in the carbon footprint we burden this planet with just by making just a few changes. The smart choice for those who do buy larger cans is to make sure you're buying plastic containers that are reusable/washable in the dishwasher to store the unused product from the larger containers. Looks like SAMS (http://www.samsclub.com) and COSCO (http://www.costco.com/) shoppers can easily make these choices!
So, we can all make a difference in the carbon footprint we burden this planet with just by making just a few changes. The smart choice for those who do buy larger cans is to make sure you're buying plastic containers that are reusable/washable in the dishwasher to store the unused product from the larger containers. Looks like SAMS (http://www.samsclub.com) and COSCO (http://www.costco.com/) shoppers can easily make these choices!
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