Organisation Coaching:

Use of Internet for Business

Introduction

With great honour, undersigned (as an Organisation Coach) was invited by an organisation to share his ideas and experience on Internet on 21st Feb. 98. The coaching session was attended by some 30 plus people : board of directors, management team and staff. This informal report described the seminar learning process and captured the brainstormed ideas from the participants.

Note: A difference between a consultant and Organisation Coach is : the latter does not give solutions or recipes, but directional and conceptual framework to encourage creativity and deep thinking by the organisation.

The seminar program was as follow:

What is Internet?

As the organisation has a 5-storey-office building with 4 floors equipped with computers, information sharing and passing are possible between computers at different floors, the concept of Internet was introduced using the building as an analogy. Importance features are : computers are connected, operating system and software enable information flow. The concept of "server" was discussed.

Some historical background of Internet development was illustrated.

Common terminology used in Internet were explained.

Some examples of Internet homepage were shown in transparency slides.

Using Present concepts to understand Internet?

Some common and familiar concepts were made use of, to study their characteristics and use of PMI (Plus Minus Interesting thinking tool) to examine the advantages, usefulness, or difficulties or limitation. Comparison is then made with Internet environment.

Common and familiar concepts like:

Some of the brainstormed ideas are

Focusing on :
[Market Place] {Shopping complex, fish market...}
[Exchange Centre] {Currency, Stock market, Ideas forum, Feedback / customers complaints, commerce..}

Plus (It does not necessary mean good, advantages, just one set of perspectives)

Minus (It does not necessary mean bad, dis-advantages, just another set of perspectives)

Interesting (Can be a creative, synergetic, neutral or totally different perspectives)

Focusing on :

[Tools / Facilities] {Telephone, Telex, Fax, Mobile Phone, Yellow Pages}

Plus (It does not necessary mean good, advantages, just one set of perspectives)

Minus (It does not necessary mean bad, dis-advantages, just another set of perspectives)

From the above PMI, discussion was make to compare with Internet environment. With respect to Internet, there are similarities, extra features, limitation, same difficulties, there are still gaps, etc. With the understanding of the power, limitation of Internet, the organisation is encouraged to apply creative thinking on the use of Internet to benefit their Business and organisation.

Make the Organisation presence in Cyberspace

Some Brainstormed ideas on the reasons why Organisation's homepage

This Organisation Coach shared some of his ideas on - Homepage : Why??????

Homepage Attraction methods:

In Cyberspace:

Conventional

Some of the above advantages and dis-advantages are discussed.

Implication of use of Internet

Homepage Support Services: Internal or External

What Next?

Some of the ideas from the participants

This Organisation Coach shared some of his ideas on - What Next?

Meeting Evaluation