Web 2.0 not role modelled is inauthentic

Anyone or any organisation that flies the flag of change management and improvement always has the difficult task of acting what they say, namely being a role model for what they espouse.  It is difficult to get right all the time and I certainly don't.

One positive example I have experienced is the Institute for Healthcare Improvement who, a while back, took on the challenge of improving their invoicing and payment system on the basis they couldn't teach others to do it unless they (a) were a good role model and (b) learnt from their own experience.

The worst of management consultancy is when concepts and theories from books are copied onto PowerPoint slides and then used to train others. Where the trainers have no experience of the content their audience will soon figure out the dissonance and leave the session - either physically or mentally.

In England we have a rash of NHS Improvement related organisations trying to get onto the social media bandwagon. I am all for it as I believe it is an essential tool for communicating and engaging with others. However, when the organisations involved have no official and monitored Facebook page, do not use blogs (as in few is any of their Executive Teams or Senior Staff use them), have never used a wiki, do not use RSS feeds themselves as part of their own learning, or never used a discussion forum in-house etc - then the exhortations and training comes across as inauthentic.

There are one or two NHS Improvement groups, like NHS Improvement, who are using Web 2.0 techniques to their advantage and I like the way they are starting with themselves and learning how to use them in-house, before going outside.  I am sure they will be excellent role models for the future.

Turn any URL into an RSS Feed using Feedbeater

I use RSS Feeds as a way to receive information as it is updated on websites and without having to resort to filling my email inbox with more messages. They go directly to my Reader (I use Google) and when I am ready I browse through what I have received.

One of the annoyances I have is how many websites seem not to have RSS Feeds. Many of these are in healthcare and the quality improvement world where there is interesting content but the site hasn't been updated to provide feeds.

I use http://www.feedbeater.com to create my own feed for the site and then register it directly into my Reader. It is simple, takes less than 15 seconds and then I am receiving updates when they happen and I'm not reliant of having to remember to go back to the website to check.

Why are RSS Feeds important for the spread of good practice? One main reason is they spread your information to those who want to receive it without you sending out newsletters. I can then forward info etc. If you're not providing an RSS Feed then those of us who want info need to take this extra step by using something like Feedbeater.

How to create an RSS Feed

A few people have asked me whether it is difficult to create an RSS feed since I posted it is one of the easiest ways to help people gather information from your website, and thus help share and spread information.

First you need to get a feed for your site then you need to embed it.

To get a feed there is a natty website to help you. http://www.feed43.com/ has easy to follow instructions and will provide you with the code you need to then instal on your relevant webpage where you want to instal the feed. It's as easy as that. Feed43 even supplies you feeds for pages that don't have feeds so you can keep up to date - perfect if you are waiting for someone to instal feeds...

Remember, a feed allows someone to subscribe to your webpage so that every time you make a change they will then get the changes, the update etc sent to them in the form they asked for it to be sent to them - usually in a reader though someotimes by email. This is much easier than them remembering to come back to visit you or you having to send out newsletters.