Educate and empower

April 20, 2010 4:21 pm 2 comments

Should public organizations use social media? My simple and direct answer to that question is, absolutely yes. However, I believe there’s a difference between a discerning, competent user fluent in the use of social technologies and someone who operates purely on experimentation.  I also believe this is the same at the organizational level.

There are many advocates for the ‘jump in with both feet and throw caution to the wind’ approach.  ”Just get out there and use it.”  While I believe we need to be brave and bold and take risks.  I also believe that we should be informed and be educated as to the potential impact of our actions. Many understand that along with social communications comes things like unique corporate culture and societal impacts, and when a public organization decides to use social media I believe it should understand these things. Are they barriers to advancement? Should this reality be reasons for doing nothing?  Absolutely not.  Should public organizations or businesses large and small look to stifle evangelists who are using these technologies through the design of policies meant to restrict action entirely?  No.  Often the policy discussion is used as an excuse, an internal power play to stop all activity within the Social Web by a person or department.  I disagree with that approach, but of course, human nature being what it is, often that writing was already on the wall.  I believe effective policy design provides clarity and confidence as to employee conduct.  In fact, in some ways, when properly written, policies should be enablers for how social technologies in this case can and should be used to support the objectives of the organization while protecting the Brand.

The reality is that the law profession as it relates to the use of social technologies often still takes a zero-risk stance.  This is unfortunate, because it means that zero risk is often extended to zero use of social media. We need to help lawyers understand this environment better, bring them into the discussion sooner, and ask them to work with us in a collaborative way so that public organizations and businesses alike can operate within the Social Web and feel a degree of protection.

We as society often do not help ourselves out much in that regard.  Society and the online community has elements that operate as Trolls sniping at people anonymously, why do you think the Edmonton Journal is considering shutting down the anonymous feature.  Too much disrespectful or uninformed commentary.  Breaking security and privacy rules only further serves to empower the zero-risk stance and undermine a free and open Internet.  I guess I’m saying that I’d rather have a public organization be really well-educated and trained on how to work within the Social Web, then have one mistake made early become the impetus (excuse) to shut down everything by those who would rather see us all work with animal dyes on cave walls…

Elected officials should be encouraged to use social media, governments should be more open and transparent. In order for this to happen, we must maintain trust. What does this mean? If your organization is currently void of a social strategy and policies related to the use of social technologies, does that mean that you should not use anything at all? I believe common sense needs to prevail. Through education and informing decision-makers and including them in the process, we should be able to effectively construct strategies and policies in a way that benefits the organization and everyone within it on the fly.

Here are some very simple and broad stroke tips for public organizations.

  1. Seek to understand: understand the people in the audience, understand your objectives, understand how you will deploy these technologies, and understand the technologies.
  2. Establish interim directives that may develop into formal policies and procedures.
  3. Strategies and policies in place provide clarity of operations and act as a guide for action.  They should not be used as an excuse to refrain from deploying social technologies.
  4. Match objectives with opportunity and enable.
  5. Not everybody’s going to agree with you. When you publicize and amplify your message, people will have an opinion about it. Opinions are not new, how they are amplified within the Social Web is the new variable that everyone should look to understand.  Further, this means your “values” will be challenged,

Does this process need to take months upon months?  I don’t believe so and yet, that does depend on the organization.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Doug-Armella/100001087087939 Doug Armella

    I am curious as to how this could benefit a post secondary institution such as creating awareness about programs. Not looking for in-depth free advice, just some quick thoughts you may have.

  • http://twitter.com/fusedlogic Walter Schwabe

    Hi Doug, we've worked directly with (2) post-secondary institutions and many of the same rules, opportunities and challenges apply. There are those who say “just go and play around.” That's one option, however, that's typically said by those who have never sat in a board room filled with decision-makers who are fearful of the entire space in general and are responsible for a brand worth millions. Awareness typically comes from education effectively delivered at low risk.

    If you'd like to have a more in-depth discussion please feel free to email me. walter[at]fusedlogic.com Thanks very much for reading and your question.