Because of this, the role of intranet manager is not well defined. The key skills needed by intranet managers fall into a few broad categories:

• technical skills
• business acumen
• leadership

In reality, very few intranet managers are competent in all these areas. However there are many opportunities for intranet managers to learn and grow. From our experience, the common attributes of successful intranet managers are:

1. ability to create and foster personal networks
2. ability to deliver
3. a thick skin
4. ability to achieve customer-focused outcomes
5. consistently striving to improve
6. knowing how to let go of content
7. being pragmatic in decision making
8. displaying self-confidence
9. harnessing the power of the organisation
10. having an effective sponsor

In this article we define these attributes and outline two methods for intranet managers to improve these crucial skills.

[Read the full article by Catherine Grenfell]

Leading is about being proactive, strategic and visionary. Managing is about maintaining, organising, structuring and planning.

The discussions were structured around the following questions:

1. Can you articulate your company strategy?

   Is there a clear organisational/corporate strategy, and is the intranet aligned with it? The more the intranet can demonstrate business value, the easier it becomes to connect to senior managers.

2. Is the purpose of the intranet clear?

   The intranet needs a clear set of goals and directions for the intranet, beyond “a central repository for corporate information”. Outside the intranet team, authors and key stakeholders must also be able to articulate these goals.

3. Are you a gate keeper?

   Is the intranet team playing an appropriate role in the organisation, or acting as a bottleneck in the publishing process? Teams need to be careful to establish a constructive role in guiding the intranet.

4. Do you have a sponsor on the senior management team?

   Intranet teams must have the support of a senior management sponsor in the organisation, who is willing to provide budget for the team, and to apply a big stick to resolve issues. Teams need to speak to the sponsor in terms they understand, and to match their individual needs and motivations.

5. Do you empower the intranet community?

   Authors need to be provided with the right tools (a CMS, etc), and to have a clear “what’s in it for me” reason for spending time on the site. Authors must also feel valued, and part of an effective community.

6. Where do you spend most of your time?

   We’ve argued that intranet teams should be spending their time in the right way, not getting caught in in ongoing maintenance. This allows teams to focus on the leadership aspects of the intranet.

7. Do you celebrate successes?

   Every success should be celebrated, within the intranet team and more broadly. This could be a nice morning tea, or a big event. This generates interest and enthusiasm, and helps to sustain the intranet team for the long haul.

So, rate yourself against each of these questions. Where do you stand?

(Apologies for any typos, blogging live.)