Although social media and enterprise social networking is more commonly understood than it was even a year ago, there still exists an enormous gap between where the leading thinkers are and what large organizations can actually achieve in the short term. This frustrates both the visionaries and those charged with actually implementing social media solutions in the enterprise.
What's the solution? Better understanding on both sides. Going back to business fundamentals; You don't get something for nothing. Communities that add value to business relationships take the time and effort that any good relationship takes - but multiplied geometrically.
Visionaries often get frustrated at the pace of change but could be sobered by doing the hard work of building a sustainable, robust community. Those on the ground who often get drawn into all the operational hurdles could very well borrow some of the energy and passion of the visionaries. It's difficult to walk both lines and maybe it means having two types of community managers - the tactical and the passionate.
Those of us in the industry also need to provide better frameworks, tactical examples, guidelines, templates, and tools that help leverage both the vision and the tactical needs of community building. This is starting to happen as more and more companies tell their stories and connect with each other online. Here's to all of us who need to continue to really listen to each other so we can help narrow the gap.
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