In my work on Social By Design, I argue that...
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Social By Design: Making connections at work, work better
Every organization relies on three social behaviors: conversation, cooperation, and collaboration. Each plays a distinct role, and together, they create the foundation for trust, alignment, and innovation.
But these behaviors don’t happen by accident. They’re shaped by the systems, practices, and culture of the organization. When the organization’s design supports openness, transparency, and purpose, the results are clear: conversations build trust, cooperation fuels progress, and collaboration sparks innovation.
Too often, organizations focus on fixing people instead of fixing the systems that block these behaviors. Misaligned policies, unclear processes, or siloed tools create barriers that slow progress and breed frustration.
The solution is intentional design —being social by design. Design that amplifies trust, makes sharing knowledge natural, and focuses collaboration where it matters most. This isn’t about adding more rules or forcing balance, it’s about creating the conditions where the right behaviors thrive.
The question isn’t if these behaviors exist in your organization—they do. The question is whether your policies and practices are helping or hindering them. And the answer can change everything.
Becoming more social by design means creating an organization where trust, openness, and collaboration thrive. When people are connected, they share ideas, solve problems faster, and align around what matters most. It’s not about more meetings or forced teamwork, it’s about systems that let people work better together. A social organization isn’t just more human, it’s more resilient and ready for anything.
The strategy is simple: build systems that amplify trust, transparency, and connection. It’s not about adding more rules or processes, it’s about clearing the path for people to communicate, align, and collaborate naturally. When you design for human behaviors, the organization becomes more adaptable, innovative, and resilient. It’s about making better work possible, not harder.
The process is about intentionally designing systems that foster trust, alignment, and connection. You start by uncovering where your current systems hinder conversation, cooperation, or collaboration. Then, you redesign those systems step by step to remove barriers and amplify the behaviors that drive success. It’s not a one-and-done effort; it’s continuous and adaptive.
When policies and practices are made more social by design:
Decision-Making Rights
The rules and steps a company follows to make decisions. They include who gets to decide, what steps are followed, and how choices are evaluated. This is important because it helps the company make good choices and reach its goals.
Talent Development
The process of helping employees improve their skills, knowledge, and abilities in order to reach their full potential and advance their careers within an organization. This can include activities such as training, mentorship, coaching, and experiential learning opportunities.
Recognition & Rewards
The ways that an organization acknowledges and rewards the efforts, achievements, and contributions of its employees. This can include things like praise and appreciation, bonuses and financial incentives, promotions and leadership opportunities, and other forms of recognition such as awards and accolades.
Business Processes
The series of activities and tasks that are carried out within an organization in order to achieve specific goals or objectives. These processes can include everything from customer service and product development to financial planning and human resources management.
“People don’t go to work to be entertained, make friends or even to learn, they go to work to work. Their connection to each other and the business starts here!”
What is the impact of being more social by design?
- Higher performing teams
- Alignment and buy-in across the organization
- Lower turnover
- Stronger internal relationships
- Spontaneous collaboration
- A culture of rapid feedback
- Increased & productive social technology use
- A continuous learning environment
“Learning is a part of work, not apart from it”
Impacted Organizations
Social By Design is for progressive leaders like you.
To stay competitive, you know you need an agile and responsive workforce. You are proactive about maintaining engagement and reducing turnover, and you believe learning and development is a continuous and social process that must go beyond courses and classes.
About Me
I help companies become more social by design.
Mark Britz is an organizational social designer, author, speaker, and consultant with Prossimo Global Partners who helps companies develop systems for the culture they need to scale their business without losing the things that make it special. Mark facilitates this shift through his workshops, speaking engagements, and leadership coaching.
About Me
I help companies become more social by design.
Mark Britz is an organizational social designer, author, speaker, and consultant with Prossimo Global Partners. He helps companies scale their business without losing the things that make their culture special. Mark facilitates this shift through his writing, resources and speaking engagements.
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Get The Book
“A fantastic and functional book! Mark and James not only inspire us to think differently about organizational design, but they also provide very clear steps to enable community, collaboration and sharing. They provide the practical actions we can take to shift focus to our people and their interactions, creating a more social organization and an environment of continuous learning.
This is a must read for any leader that wants to ensure their organization flourishes well into the future!”
John Murphy, VP Talent Acquisition, Aspen Dental Management Inc.
Get The Book
“A fantastic and functional book! Mark and James not only inspire us to think differently about organizational design, but they also provide very clear steps to enable community, collaboration and sharing. They provide the practical actions we can take to shift focus to our people and their interactions, creating a more social organization and an environment of continuous learning.
This is a must read for any leader that wants to ensure their organization flourishes well into the future!”
John Murphy, VP Talent Acquisition, Aspen Dental Management Inc.