I often find either big resistance or lip service given to the idea that E2.0/social/collaboration encompasses issues beyond technology and teaching people how to use it. There is a degree of discomfort around the concept of cracking the corporate/industry veneer that we’re taught to cake on. Showing ourselves as vulnerable and fallible isn’t part of the professional equation (for many it’s not part of the personal equation either). Yet vulnerability is a vital component of trust.

For some, simply considering the idea of taking their humanity to work is just as uncomfortable as having “the talk” with a parent or child. We have to discuss the stuff we’re unsure of and figure out what feels like new rules. There’s discomfort we may not be able to pinpoint and process initially.  Assumptions and reactions to stories and studies can send us reeling.  It’s this dialog where we begin to identify steps to real change, understand our norms and craft ourselves a new working world of relationships. 

Many adopt a language formed from years of education and grooming. It’s a language intended to identify others as members, and to bar the uninitiated. If you’ve ever spent time in an acronym, code, or competition heavy environment you know what I’m talking about. Who needs software to create silos when the experts can do it all by themselves? 

You might find that speaking plainly makes people uncomfortable. You might find that human speak invites the perception that you don’t know what you’re talking about. That’s OK, as long as you do indeed know what you are talking about. This is what I like to think of as high road, long-haul work. You may well have to make it to the second meeting to get to the part where they’ve processed your pitch and are ready to listen, at least a little. Relevant knowledge that comes from a place of authenticity and accountability will yield trust faster than any salacious blog headline or marketing case study.

There’s real importance in using human language. It’s a differentiator. A cue to listen, that the listener is welcome, that they have a part and a stake in the conversation. It invites them to help you work toward an answer. As with any strategy or support, it is absolutely vital that you understand the goals before engaging in this conversation, that you understand your audience before you attempt to shake them out of their silo. Without that investment from you, the change initiator, you won’t have established the trust you need to move forward.

So do a few things before selling your revolutionary ideas. First, do your homework. Understand the culture(s) and the problems you are solving before you go marching in with your blog (wiki/activity stream/tagging structure/ubiquitous mobility solution/social media genius). Speak plainly. Remember that your client may not be the only one at the table with a river of lingo in their pocket (that means you). 

Don’t be afraid to initiate the talk and remember that the talk has more to do with really listening.

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/photogaby/2823104541/