Prescott’s Pickle Principle: “Cucumbers get more pickled than brine gets cucumbered.”

The principle describes the effect of people who join an organisation (as a cucumber in the analogy) full of enthusiasm, only to find over time they become just another pickle in the same jar.

I’m sure you have all heard the phrase “that’s how it’s always been done!” – the people saying that are sadly pickled.  How then, when we introduce a new technology like SharePoint, do we expect to change the way people work?  When you have a Jar full of pickles!

As consultants in this regards we have an advantage,  we join your company and look to effect change, we can see where things are difficult and where there can be improvement. If changing the culture of an organisation was easy and just installing SharePoint meant the company would overnight become more social, more connected and collaborative, we wouldn’t have a lot to do.

How do you avoid becoming pickled, how can you fight the brine?

1 – 21Shift Model

Like you we need help fighting the brine, for this we developed the 21Shift model to keep things focused when they seem to be getting squishy.

2 – Serious Games

Bring fun and excitement into the company, use serious games to help people innovate and see what is really important.

3 – Don’t get distracted by the technology

Yes you need the technology to work, but let the geeks deal with it you have more important things to consider.  Stay out of the technology and focus on changing the way people work all day every day.

4 – Act like a newbie – be the cucumber

Don’t be afraid to ask “Why?”  Act like a beginner, ask the stupid and obvious questions, wonder at the possibilities.

5 – Be part to the community

Become a part of the SharePoint community (in the UK – SUGUK ), see what others are doing, open yourself up to learning from others.  Make it part of your job to attend conferences and user groups. Get out of the Jar regulary to see whats really happening.

Start today and avoid becoming pickled.

This post was inspired by the gapingvoid Jar and the pickled principle post by Eric Laramée