Should Leaders Use Social Networking Websites?
Social networking used to be pretty easy: it started with a handshake and, if you were lucky, it ended with one.
Now social networking, thanks to sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, has become a 24/7 personal marketing campaign that involves pictures, well trimmed personal statements, and a brand of status anxiety only the Internet can produce.
Acquiring and managing networks (a.k.a. friends) online has developed it’s own prickly set of rules and nuances. Apparently, it’s a faux pas to tell ex-girlfriends on Facebook what you had for breakfast but if you ‘tweeted’ it (meaning you posted it on Twitter) you’d generate many appreciative comments, responses, and recipe requests.
Still, I don’t know all the “laws” of online social networking. And if a book were to be published on the subject it would be out of date before it reached Barnes & Nobles.
During 2008′s election both Barack Obama and John McCain used Facebook and created their own social networking platforms to raise money and create a ‘dialogue’. It worked for both candidates–money was raised, “friends” were accepted, and everyone felt good knowing their candidate was a click away. It was good politics.
However, what about in the business realm? Should CEOs, team leaders, and retail managers use social networking sites to bond with employees?
The obvious benefits may include the creation of a team atmosphere, the implementation of a fun way to communicate with staff, and, speaking frankly, a way too spy check-up on your employees.
Yet, the apparent negatives seem hefty. As a leader if you ask to be someone’s ‘friend’ on a social networking site, whether it be Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin, you’re asking to see a sliver of their private side. That’s a big step and it’s akin to randomly knocking on an employees door unannounced. You might not be invited in–much to the embarrassment of both parties.
I’d say leaders can befriend their staff on social networking sites but only if their real world relationship is strong.
However, I don’t yet know the full story and am interested in hearing what everyone here has to say on the subject. Should leaders actively recruit their staff into their online networks? Do the benefits outweigh the negatives?
Tagged as facebook obama, facebook office, leaders and social networking, leaders on linkedin, leadership and twitter, linkedin, social networking in the office + Categorized as Leadership
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Should Leaders Use Social Networking Websites? | Samuel Bacharach Blog | New Web 2.0 Magazine
[...] were lucky, it ended with one. Now social networking , thanks to sites like. Read the original: Should Leaders Use Social Networking Websites? | Samuel Bacharach Blog Share and [...]
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Power to the People: How Social Media Is Changing The Rules of Business | Digital Media Buzz
[...] Media 101 While some question whether leadership should be involved, most experts agree that authenticity demands that someone from your company be [...]
There exists a wall when communicating with a manager or boss, even in a casual atmosphere. It is never truly comfortable and one can never harmlessly speak their mind without filtering certain adverbs. These networking sites always boast on how simple it is to log-in and create a profile, so to speak, how manageable it is, and how easily one can meet people. Surely certain truths, ideas, or problems would eventually arise, and perhaps benefit the team as a whole in the long run, but it may not outweigh the awkwardness of seeing your boss with his children at a family gathering while grandma flirts with the caterboy in the background. Unfortunatly, these details are often, and accidentally, overlooked when posting the picture.