This is the third in a seven-part series based on The Mozilla School of Management in which I’m applying Mozilla’s principles to wiki collaboration (parts 1,2 of the series).
Lead by following
Paradoxically, managers can be more influential by judiciously declining to exert control.
How this applies to wiki collaboration:
A wiki has the best probability of success when it gains grassroots support, and people respond well when they see peers actively using and evangelizing it. Don’t mandate wiki use; make it available, then let people find where it’s most useful to their work. If they find a new way of doing something, embrace it with an open mind. It may just be an incredibly valuable improvement.
Let people find their natural roles. Some may be interested in gardening the wiki, i.e. maintaining and organizing the site; others may want to help grow its use. By letting people lead wiki growth and feel a genuine sense of ownership over their work, you’ll be laying the foundation for it to become a successful collaboration tool.
For more on how to effectively introduce a wiki in your organization, visit Wikipatterns.com.
