The most successful examples of social businesses include those who are already using social processes and tools internally. Those business that systematically encourage openness inside the organization are the most likely to empower employees to engage with the outside world.  SharePoint tends to be that glue.

These are ways an enterprise’s internal communications can transform itself into a social business:

• A process with social guidelines is already in place. (For example, Microsoft co-created their guidelines, with  employees.)

• Employees use social tools to collaborate internally, before opening up external gates. (Examples: employee networks on Facebook, Yammer, Newsgator, Jive, and Social Text.)

• Companies reconsider the role of individuals in the company, with greater value of and incentives for extra market forces and nonfinancial drivers, including an individual’s sense of meaning and purpose.