Finding Common Ground and Language for Collective Learning

Key Insight

To foster collective learning, organizations must identify common ground among diverse stakeholders, who often articulate similar needs using different terminology due to functional 'language barriers'. A strategic approach, exemplified by Cisco, focuses on uncovering shared interests and language rather than individual preferences. While traditional social listening typically monitors supplier perception or search terms, Cisco prioritizes understanding 'who' is speaking. For instance, with the increasing influence of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) alongside traditional Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in technology purchases, Cisco mines social media and digital publications to analyze content generated by or for CMOs, aiming to understand what they discuss 'period', not merely what they say about Cisco.

This in-depth analysis allows Cisco to pinpoint key topics and the underlying reasons for their importance to specific stakeholder groups. For example, Cisco discovered many CMO conversations revolve around 'device connectivity', discussing a world where devices connect with each other, not just people. By analyzing the broader context and word strings surrounding these topics, Cisco determines not only 'what' marketers say but also 'why' it matters to them. This combined insight into 'what they say and how they say it' reveals issues and language that strongly resonate. Subsequently, Cisco maps these findings—such as CMOs' discussions on device connectivity—to CIOs' conversations on the same topic, looking for overlap. They identified common ground around 'data volume' and 'the huge untapped potential of all the data out there that could result from a more deeply connected world'.

This identified conversational overlap becomes the foundation for crafting messages designed to simultaneously engage both stakeholder groups on issues they mutually value. Cisco then develops message prototypes, such as 'Connectivity isn’t as high as you think' or 'Only 1 percent of the world’s devices are connected', which eventually led to the widely adopted phrasing '99 percent of the world is still not connected to the Internet'. These messages are rigorously tested in social conversations on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to monitor which language is not only consumed but also adopted and used more broadly by various audiences. This iterative testing process establishes a shared 'lingua franca', which is then integrated into formal campaigns. This approach, focused on connecting stakeholders before sales engagement, lays the groundwork for consensus by helping disparate groups realize their shared interests, and is applicable across various industries by leveraging content directed at stakeholders.