Hi, I’m Jim. I’m a people person. And I help make businesses into “people” businesses. So it’s no surprise that colleagues often turn to me for advice. That’s because I’ve helped them see success in ways they never thought possible. That’s what being a social business expert is all about. And that’s why I’m sharing my stories with you. If you’re interested in easy ways to transform your business by putting people first, then read on. You’ll hear stories of my friends who discover new ways to quickly start doing business differently. Say hi to BETTY. She’s a coworker who was completely new to the concept of social business. Betty works in sales. She recently received a big promotion—team manager! But with that big promotion came big challenges and an even bigger responsibility to fix them. The challenges? Betty’s team wasn’t making their numbers. And customer issues weren’t being resolved fast enough. Team members were “inventing” the same fixes over and over again because there was no easy way to post concerns or share solutions with the entire sales team. One afternoon, I ran into a stressed Betty taking a break at the watercooler. “Jim, we need help,” she began. As Betty told me about her team’s issues and goals, my face lit up. I knew just what she needed. “Betty, this sounds like a job for social business.” Betty wasn’t quite sure what I meant: “Isn’t a social business one that has thousands of fans on Facebook or lots of Twitter followers?” She didn’t know how this would help solve her team’s issues. “Jim, I can’t see how Twitter would help in a time like this,” Betty said. I smiled at Betty and told her more. “Betty, although social media does play a role, social business is an entirely new way of working that focuses on people and connecting them to each other.” Since Betty was so new to the social business concept, I prepared her a quick checklist to take back to her team. You can use this checklist for your business, too. “That sounds exactly like what we need!” Betty said excitedly. “Where do I sign up?” I told her about IBM Connections—a business tool that adds the social capabilities we’re all familiar with into everyday business processes. It becomes easier to search for and share ideas, find experts and reduce redundancy. Betty couldn’t wait to give her team a jumpstart. So I showed her where to get a trial for IBM Connections. A few weeks later, Betty came to my desk with a big smile on her face. I asked her how IBM Connections was helping her team. “Jim, the sales department is booming! Productivity is up 30%! The team’s sharing what they learn with each other and client feedback is glowing. I don’t know how to thank you.” I blushed and Betty gave me a big hug. As she did, our colleague Charlie walked by and popped his head into my cubicle. “I couldn’t help but overhear…” He began to share his own challenges around a group brainstorm he was planning. I realized my day was just getting started...

2. Brought
to you by
Chapter 1
Why Social Business?

3. Brought
to you by
Hi, I’m Jim.
I’m a people person. And I help make
businesses into “people” businesses. So
it’s no surprise that colleagues often turn
to me for advice. That’s because I’ve
helped them see success in ways they
never thought possible. That’s what being
a social business expert is all about.
And that’s why I’m sharing my stories
with you. If you’re interested in easy ways
to transform your business by putting
people first, then read on. You’ll hear stories
of my friends who discover new ways to
quickly start doing business differently.

4. Brought
to you by
say hi to BETTY.
She’s a coworker who was completely
new to the concept of social business.
Betty works in sales. She recently received
a big promotion—team manager! But with
that big promotion came big challenges
and an even bigger responsibility to fix them.

5. Brought
to you by
The challenges?
Betty’s team wasn’t making their numbers.
And customer issues weren’t being resolved
fast enough. Team members were “inventing”
the same fixes over and over again because
there was no easy way to post concerns or
share solutions with the entire sales team.
One afternoon, I ran into a stressed Betty
taking a break at the watercooler.
“Jim, we need help,” she began.
?

6. Brought
to you by
As Betty told me about her team’s issues
and goals, my face lit up. I knew just what
she needed.
“Betty, this sounds
like a job for
social business.”
Betty wasn’t quite sure what I meant:
“Isn’t a social business one that has
thousands of fans on Facebook or lots of
Twitter followers?”
She didn’t know how this would help solve
her team’s issues.

7. Brought
to you by
“Jim, I can’t see how Twitter would help
in a time like this,” Betty said.
I smiled at Betty and told her more.
“Betty, although social media does play
a role, social business is an entirely new
way of working that focuses on people and
connecting them to each other.”

8. Brought
to you by
Art placed here
Since Betty was so new to the social
business concept, I prepared her a
quick checklist to take back to her team.
You can use this checklist for your
business, too.

9. Brought
to you by
SIGN UP
Betty said excitedly. “Where do I sign up?”
I told her about IBM Connections—a business
tool that adds the social capabilities we’re all
familiar with into everyday business processes.
It becomes easier to search for and share ideas,
find experts and reduce redundancy.
Betty couldn’t wait to give her team a jumpstart.
So I showed her where to get
a trial for IBM Connections.
“That sounds exactly
like what we need!”

10. Brought
to you by
A few weeks later, Betty came to my desk
with a big smile on her face. I asked her how
IBM Connections was helping her team.
“Jim, the sales department is booming!
Productivity is up 30%! The team’s sharing
what they learn with each other and client
feedback is glowing. I don’t know how to
thank you.”

11. Brought
to you by
I blushed and Betty gave me a big hug.
As she did, our colleague Charlie walked
by and popped his head into my cubicle.
“I couldn’t help but overhear…”
He began to share his own challenges around
a group brainstorm he was planning. I
realized my day was just getting started…

12. SocialBusiness
have a question?
Tweet them to
@JimClaussen using
#ConnectionsWithJim
Does your team need help, like Betty’s did?
Access IBM Connections through a
60-day trial of IBM SmartCloud Engage,
so you can get started, too.