Category Archives: Authenticity online and off

Dissing folks on LinkedIn and Discriminating on Social Media

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discriminationFirst up, let me say I don’t see LinkedIn as an actual Social Network. Matt Charney said it best last week after I tweeted “Can we really call LinkedIn a Social Network?” This was on #NextChat (SHRM’s weekly HR Twitter Chat) and he replied with:

Matt Charney (mattcharney) on Twitter

I’m not a huge LinkedIn fan but understand it to be a necessary evil. I suppose with everything it has its good points and bad.

I will be the first to admit I have given way to social discrimination, especially on LinkedIn. Meaning, I’ve had folks wish to connect with me on social (and LinkedIn) and because of the way they’ve branded themselves online,whether through their goofy photos or lack of social media coolness, I’ve been quick to hit the delete button or ignore them. You know you’ve done it too!

I wonder, is that the same as other kinds of discrimination? Will we one day find ourselves in a court room explaining why we did not accept Joe Blow’s friend request because he was too fat? Because he was holding a chicken and drinking an RC with a mouth full of moonpie on his LinkedIn profile?

I’m pretty sure a lot of us discriminate and exclude others because of where folks live, how they spell their name, what kind of work they do, how they dress or if they’re as pretty as the rest of our friends. I think however, we (as in me) should instead be open-minded especially when it comes to social networking and building our communities.

It’s great to mix and mingle with those of different experiences, viewpoints, cultures and diverse backgrounds as opposed to always engaging and hanging out with those who are similar. It sharpens us. It challenges us to think outside of our little world wherein we live and come outside of our little groups of mini-me’s who are just like us.  It causes us to expand and enlarge not only our communities but enlarge us, personally.

So perhaps we put aside our biases, our pre-judgments and open ourselves up to a whole new world of folks who can add immense value into our lives, both professionally and personally.

And if you’re reading this and I’ve dissed you online or off, please feel free to call me out!

Photo Credit: PrincessTweep

I’m sure you’re not a douchebag but you come across that way on Facebook!

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douchebagThanks to social media our lives are shared on every online platform you can think of – some good, funny and sarcastic. That’s just the way it is. I’ve been an asshat on social media and lived to tell about it – it happens.

Sometimes folks simply want to share funny pictures and stories, sometimes they share their blogs and work related info and sometimes just random stuff. It all works together. It merges our personal and professional lives. Often people look at that as a bad thing and pull the reins in and say “Whoa! Wait a minute – I’m not sure if I want folks hearing all about my weekend.” It can be good, it can be not-so-good. I do think, however, it can work.

I’ve shared personal things that I wish I hadn’t shared but that doesn’t keep me off of social. You live and learn (hopefully).

What I’ve found is that most of the stuff we come across on Social Media Facebook and/or Twitter is to be taken with a grain of salt. We should chill out and not take things so personal (me included).

Most folks on Facebook want to share their funny happenings in words and or pictures and it works. I share bizarre updates all the time and there are those who respond as if I’m actually serious as a heart attack. But it’s mostly those who don’t know me well, my style or my sense of humor.

They tend to pass out advise of why I shouldn’t say those types of things online (in public) or correct me when in fact I’m simply being random and trying to be funny and keep it light.

I always feel like I need a disclaimer on my page saying “Intents not always how they appear” or something to that fact so folks will know I’m usually joshing. In fact, about 80% of my updates on Facebook are funny pics, silly updates, comments made about my crazy world and are simply an exaggeration.

We need to understand that no one is out to get us. We need to be able to be ourselves online and off. Those that know me  understand that I’m WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) – online or off. I usually don’t have a good filter on this mouth. Sure, this can occasionally come back and bite us but can also lead to a whole lotta fun and create engaging conversations.

Not long ago I posted a status update about a family member that lives with me currently – trying to be funny. My facebook friends tell me when they see me in person or online that they love my family updates and stories. It’s all in good fun. But someone who had just connected with me and not knowing my personality thought to take it upon themselves to point out how I could make the situation better and by giving me their idiotic advice. If I want advice I’d ask you for it or go see a shrink.

There are times I ask for advice from my friends online and they are always willing to help. But mostly, I’m trying to create funny and engaging connections and interactions. I want to keep it light and fun.

The moral to this story is try not to be a douchebag and offer your advice if not asked for it. Try not being a shrink on social media sites and fixing all the world’s problems (including your friends) unless they want that from you. Lighten up, chill out – it’s not all about you and getting your point across.

Now, go have fun. And make sure to share how folks are acting like douchebags and asshats on social in the comment section HERE>

Photo credit: obscureathon

 

If your Company sucks offline – your employees will talk about it Online!

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YourCompanysucks_landingpage_03Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit in on several fantastic Google+ Hangouts over in My Community Manager group on Google. One of the sessions was with Yammer and we all (through the hangout and Twitter Chat) discussed issues related to social media at work and incorporating internal collaboration tools.

Here is the actual recording of the hangout in case you’d like to get the exact scoop. I think you’ll find it very engaging and answer a few of your questions on how folks went through the process of adopting social and internal collaboration tools into the workplace – slowly, easily and steadily.

If you still have a problem with unleashing your employees on social you may want to read this new post from the NY Times in regard to trying to regulate social media at work. The title could have been better but it’s a pretty informative post.

If you know me at all, you’ll know that I am all for incorporating social media and technology into our workplaces, that we stop trying to see how we can block it and instead try to make it work toward our advantage – for the greater good of our organizations.

The thing is, if you’re worried that your employees are going to tell everyone about their crappy workplace, that you are making them work 12 hours a day without a break, that you fired someone just last week because they told you they were expecting a baby – you need to really rethink a few things.

If your company sucks offline, folks are going to talk about it online. If your management style sounds a little like Nazi Germany, your people are going to realize you are the worst manager while they are discussing this with other folks – online or off.

The thing to do if you’re lying awake at night worried about blocking Facebook at work because you’re afraid of what your employees will say about you – is to start making better choices. Stop being an ass. Abide by rules (especially the NLRB) and start working on internal (that means inside you) changes.

Bottom line, most folks are worried about what their employees will say online out of fear of being exposed. Those organizations and managers who are doing it up right – aren’t usually worried and actually encourage their folks to share with others how great they are.

Employees are using their phones to get on Facebook and Youtube at work even if you don’t allow them to get online through their office devices. And if you don’t – they’re prepared with excuses in case they get caught READ HERE!

So the next time you or your Executive Management Team sit around the proverbial table – you may want to discuss how to create a better culture. One that will promote trust, team-building, and authenticity and how you can create a better working environment all around.

Photo Credit: MSCO

Kudos to Michael VanDervort for the heads up on the Times article. Love my community!

Building your online community BEFORE you need it!

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online community buildingI’m a part of a fantastic community called #TChat (Talent Culture) and World of Work started by the awesome Meghan Biro. You should check out the TChat radio program on Tuesday evenings and our Twitter Chat on Wednesdays > Read more about that HERE. This is a fabulous global professional discussion where we discuss things from Social Business and Branding to Careers and the World of Work.

This past Wednesday we discussed “Connecting Career Dots“ and let me say it was a great discussion. I learn so much from this community. You need to connect with them. It’s always great to learn from others in business and hear their expertise, experience and to always be learning.

One of the questions that was on the agenda that we discussed was our “What is your advice to those in the Job Market for utilizing technology” and my answer was a big “Build your Community BEFORE you need it!“

Building an online community takes time, effort and patience. Some people just don’t get this.

Some people start their social strategy without a strategy and think that they can immediately start selling their wares, themselves, their careers, their resume’s or whatever and that’s just not how it works.  It takes time to build a trusted brand and community that includes sharing others content, retweeting, interacting, engaging and proving that you’re an expert in your field. Why would you want to shoot it all to hell by self promotion?

Social Community Building is a sticky wicked. Granted, you’re there to show the world how fabulous you are but there is a thin line between self-promotion and showing you’re all that! It’s more about relationship building.

I have folks tell me all the time “Susan, you are so connected – how did you ever get that way?”

My answer? I follow folks that I wanna connect with. I engage with them. I share their awesome content. I make them laugh. I comment on their updates. And then they start noticing you…….it starts happening. They start following you back. They start commenting on your updates, and so on, and so on.

Yes, this takes a lot of time and perseverance. But the end justifies the means.

I know that if and when I need anything, I have a community that knows the answer or where to go to get it. These folks trust me and are totally willing to lend a hand, send a recommendation, help me get a job or refer me to someone who needs my goods.

If you were laid off today, do you have that community that you could go to for these kinds of things? Something to ponder.

Photo Credit: Andar360

The Circle of Twitter – Dissecting our Strategy!

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circleI’ve been thinking a lot about Twitter and how it’s being used and to see if we might need to dissect our strategy!

I had originally titled this post “Is Twitter nothing more than one big Circle-Jerk?” I thought I would change it to keep folks from swallowing their teeth!

But since I have your attention let’s take a look at one of the definitions for “Circle-Jerk”  from friendly Urban Dictionary -

Urban Dictionary- circlejerk

I’m a Twitter nut, but I’m wondering if we’re doing it wrong and not really taking a better approach.

For example, every Friday (and then some) we have the fabulous #FF (Follow Friday) sagas. This is where folks on Twitter will give virtual “shout outs” and “high fives” to followers and other Twitter nuts whom they love and appreciate and I think it’s all well and good. And nobody does that better and is more sincere about this when doing it then our good friend Steve Brown.

But there are always those that are sucking up – and I guess that’s okay – and they want you to keep the chain going, so to speak. Or perhaps we’re just following the footprints of others online.

Here’s the thing, Twitter can be a valuable tool in sharing and following great content, expanding your learning and gathering an online community but if we’re just shouting out nothing but thank you’s, #FF’s and not engaging or sharing great content – what are we there for? We have enough Spam!

Here’s a great (and funny) example of Twitter shouts by my friend Robert Caruso - that shows the absurdity of what we sometimes do on Twitter – and what it would sound like if we could actually hear what’s going on through The Twitters -

That video cracks me up cause that’s exactly what it would sound like if we were actually listening to someone read our Tweets.

Here’s a novel idea, how’s about we strategically share great content, make sure to acknowledge folks that help build our community, add value, engage with us – and not just click “Retweet” just to grab someone else’s attention, because everybody’s doing it, feeling obligated and to make it count! (Those last three words came to me by way of watching ‘The Titanic’ one too many times)

I can’t wait to hear your opinions on this subject and if/how we can improve our strategy………

Happy Tweeting!

Online perverts and douche-bags; Your reputation matters!

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Hey guys! I’m on vacation and trying to unplug (YEAH RIGHT) from the Webs this whole week. I thought I’d share a few previous posts for your enjoyment. Catch you on the flip-side.

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So I’ve been trying to get in shape and for about 3 months or so, I’ve been running in the mornings. It’s actually been quite nice out, so it helps get me going and gives me a chance to clear my head while getting a little exercise in.

One day last week while on my run I was starting to come up on this dude and thought to myself, “Well, I really don’t want to run past him but he sure is going slower than me, what are my choices?” I kind of took my pace down a little so as not to have to pass him, but this guy just.wasn’t.going.anywhere. So on we go another 800 ft like this.

When I turned the corner I decided not to pass him on the sidewalk where he was running (ahem-if we can call it that) so I took it to the street and passed him. Now, as I was passing him I could hear him singing along with the music in his headphones (out loud) and kinda snickered to myself. But when I passed him he blurts out “Nice T&$#” OUT LOUD where I could hear him. Yes, with his outside voice. I wondered, does he not think I can hear him?

And may I add, I had decent running clothes on and I didn’t deserve this at all! It was rude and uncalled for!

It made me realize that some of us do this online – and I’m not exempt. I’ve done it. I’ve said things online OUT LOUD that I shouldn’t have probably said and others probably thought the same thing I thought when this guy behaved badly.

Then there have been numerous times I have typed a status update only to hit the back space key and delete it because it just was dumb.

How we behave online can really make or break our reputation. Your online reputation matters. It can affect your business, your job, a potential job or even getting into college.

Just like this jerk behaved like an idiot, we too, do and say stupid stuff online (it’s a given we do it offline) that we just ought not say. And just like this nincompoop (whom I will forever stay away from when and if I see him again) made a fool out of himself, folks will tend to start doing to us if we don’t keep ourselves in check.

We shouldn’t always say what pops in our head! (If I posted all that pops in my head, I’d probably be in jail)

So before you hit “send” or “reply” it’s always good to stop a minute and think, “Is this going to make me look like a douche bag?” and seriously consider the ramifications.

You don’t want to be a douche bag do you? I didn’t think so.

Photo Credit: JasonNAzar

Social Media; If you can be offended, you will be!

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Whether it’s email, Facebook, Twitter – putting something in writing sometimes can bite you in the rear! It doesn’t have the same affect as if you were talking to that other person – in person.

You can type out a status update and it be completely meant one way and taken in a completely different context and blown out of the water! It happens all the time.

I am probably evil because in knowing this, I sometimes use it to create (on purpose) one to contemplate “Does she mean this in this way, or that?” I ride the edge.

We have to be so careful these days what we post online in our communities as to “not offend” those in our space – whether it’s discussing race, politics, religion or if someone is tall or short. I have offended more than my share of folks in my community and have learned valuable lessons.

Sometimes there will be those who can never be pleased no matter what we share – even if it wasn’t meant for them, they will be offended. They’re soft-skinned.

I think if you’re going to put yourself out on social you need to take everything with a grain of salt. Toughen up! Not everything is about you, your gender, your race, or whether you’re a giant living among small people.

People share all kinds of stuff online from what they just ate to photos of them eating it, talk about their crazy families (okay, maybe I’m the only one that does that), to boasting about their achievements – and I could go on and on.

My point in this post is we are getting way too stressed out and offended about the most idiot stuff.

Perhaps it’s time for you to pick up the book “Don’t sweat the small stuff” once again and give it some thought. Why are you allowing these dumb postings to aggravate you and get you all out of whack?

I think this is on my mind right now because of what we all dealt with during the elections. Folks were cursing their friends, blocking, deleting like it was going out of style – just because they couldn’t agree.

Guess what? You’re never going to agree 100% of what folks share. Get over it! Life is too fragile for this kind of BS.

The great thing about online activity is if you don’t want to hear that person go on and on about whatever – you can block, delete or hide them or their updates.

Now, if we could only do that in person.

Photo Credit: APainfulTruth

What’s good about Community?

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Whether online or off, whether we think we do or not, we are all creatures that need community.

Let’s look at Wikipedia’s definition – “A group of interacting people, living in a space (be it online) that share common interests, values and social cohesion; A group that shares their environment that help one another.”

I know some of you think you don’t need this, but let’s think of it differently – Perhaps, we need you!

This is one reason why I love social media and the way it allows for online community building.

Over the past couple of years, since diving into the whole “social media thingy,” I’ve met tremendous folk whom I never would have met IRL nor would have I remained engaged with on almost a daily basis.

If you are still wondering “What Can Social Media Do For Me?” I challenge you to look at the awesome power it has to produce some fantastic networking and relationships. And perhaps, you have this amazing gift or personality that WE are missing out on, for fear of getting out there.

Community is about sharing and caring. It’s interacting and engaging. And though it crosses boundaries of our professional and personal lives – that’s one of the reasons it creates such close connections.

Back in January, I went through a very difficult time in my personal life. I made one post on Facebook (that made others quiver) that mentioned what I had just experienced. My online community stepped up to the plate.  (Read more here)

Through one of the most difficult of times, I was bombarded with overwhelming comments, emails, messages, and texts from my community. They began to show their support for me, offering their condolences, sharing their personal phone numbers and email address, encouraging words and reaching out to me in a most amazing way.

Community shows that you are in fact, human. And with that come the good, the bad and the ugly. But if you’ve created a community of trust, those things are simply accepted.

Photo Credit: SocialMediaToday

Note:

This post was created for my dear friend Steve Browne, who is hosting Carnival of HR over at his blog Everyday People. Be sure and check out the other HR Blogs on that list. They are from some truly, creative and engaging folk. Thanks Steve, for including me.

Are CEO’s jumping on the Social Media Bandwagon?

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I continue to have clients come to me asking “Our company understands the importance of being in on social media / and doing ‘social business’, but how do we sell this to our CEO?”

That’s a great question. Trying to convince the C-Suite can be quite the challenge.

Just recently, IBM did a study of some 1,700 CEOs worldwide and reported findings that many are now seeing social media as a key enabler of collaboration and innovation.

According to the IBM CEO study, the companies that outperform their peers are 30% more likely to identify what IBM called “openness” as a key way to influence the growth of their organization. Openness in the IBM lexicon means embracing social media and better use of collaboration. The idea is to a certain extent to “tap into the collective intelligence of an organization to devise new ideas and solutions for increased profitability and growth,” IBM stated.

Some of the interesting items in the IBM CEO survey included:

To forge closer connections with customers, partners and a new generation of employees in the future, CEOs will shift their focus from using email and the phone as primary communication vehicles to using social networks as a new path for direct engagement. Today, only 16% of CEOs are using social business platforms to connect with customers, but that number is poised to spike to 57% within the next three to five years. While social media is the least utilised of all customer interaction methods today, it stands to become the No. 2 organizational engagement method within the next five years.

The report states that more than half of CEOs (53%) are planning to use technology to facilitate greater partnering and collaboration with outside organizations, while 52% are shifting their attention to promoting internal collaboration (we shall see).

The one thing that CEO’s are always worried about are the risks. Openness increases vulnerability, and trying to figure out how to proactively prepare for the unknown, is quite scary. Social networks can provide a worldwide stage to any employee interaction, positive or negative, and for organizations to operate effectively in this kind of environment, it takes educating our employees on the organisation’s key values, culture, and mission.

When CEO’s think in terms of “collaborative innovation” they are not thinking in terms of delegating this to their HR leaders. According to the above study, the business executives who were polled stated they are interested in leading by example.

The study showed that these CEOs regarded interpersonal skills of collaboration (75%), communication (67%), creativity (61%) and flexibility (61%) as key drivers of employee success to operate in a more complex, interconnected environment.

A majority (71% in fact) of global CEOs regard technology as the No.1 factor to impact an organization’s future over the next three years - considered to be a bigger change agent than shifting economic and market conditions.

Of course the ole “ROI” question always comes up, and rightly so. Trying to figure out how to track data online, on mobile phones and social media sites, when you can’t use the traditional marketing analytics – is something that causes hesitation. However, to remain relevant in a technological environment is something that CEOs must consider when thinking in terms of engaging not only their customers, but their employees as well. And as Bridget van Kralingen, Senior Vice-President of IBM Global Business Services stated:

“Rather than repeating the familiar lament about de-personalizing human relationships, this view leans heavily in favor of deepening them through the use of dynamic social networks to harness collective intelligence to unlock new models of collaboration.”

In the end it comes down to the “Trust Factor.” Face-to-face, the physical contact, creates and maintains trust on a small-scale, but is the most effective. Social networks are cost-effective technologies that expand wider transparency and trust, both inside and outside the organization. With employers and their employees, as well as their customers. They drive sharing, accountability and loyalty.

Download the full IBM – CEO and Social Media Study.