Nuture your 'Social Stars':

I spend a fair amount of my time talking to brands, pr companies and ad agencies about the benefits Social Media.

At Board level I meet everyone from smart cookies to execs who think that social media is the devils spawn. With the majority of Directors, dithering determinedly in-between.

'Interested,' (but not that interested enough to immerse and engage in social media themselves), happy to watch and drop buzz-words in from the sidelines.

However, one of the best bits about my job, is when I get into contact with the true believers on the shop-floor.

I'm not bashed, (which presumably/hopefully is the opposite of unabashed?) to say that there are occasions when I go and consult/coach/meddle within an organisation, and get more than I give.

Leaving a meeting/workshop/coaching session having learned more from them, than I leave behind. (But I always nail them when I show them under the hood of friendfeed.)

There's a particular research team I work with with, who are absolutely the bees knees when it comes to social bookmarking and getting the best out of delicious.

I know of two girls who work within the same organisation who are incredible photographers, and know flickr inside out. Yet does their employer encourage them to shoot and post for the company, er, no.

This company also has about half-a-dozen keen personal tweeters. But how about harnessing this expertise for some regular/additional corporate tweeting?

And of course, it wouldn't be difficult to think of any number of sharp-minded, opinionated, would make phenomenal bloggers. (I can't for the life of me understand why more ad agency copywriters don't blog. (Apart from a few notable and stellar exceptions) They can't still be scared of computers can they?

Incredibly, most individual social media mavens seem to; 'get on with their own thing', with no organisational structure, internal strategy or encouragement from on high. (aka The Board.)

This, in my book, (and, as it happens, in my blog), seem to be missing a trick.

Shouldn't companies who have 'Social Stars' be cultivating these skills for the good of the brand?

Should they not be supported with the social media version of Google 20% time for the benefit of the company online?

Shouldn't these stars be coaching, inspiring and evangelising to other members of staff, who might have some skills to bring to the social party?

Shouldn't your company's marketing, pr, HR people think about how to orchestrate and manage all these available internal skills, in the service of that tried and tested; 'The whole is greater than the sum of the parts' malarkey?

Shouldn't most companies have a multi-skilled 'Social Task Force'.

Answers on a digital postcard please....(to fade.)

Comments

[Mike Coulter]

Le'Nise Brothers wrote: "Bosses can't encourage and evangelise if they don't know what they're talking about - it's up to the people who are actually in the trenches to show them how it could work for the company."

Good point Le'Nise. Very good point. Wish I'd thought of it.

cheers,

Mike.

[Le'Nise Brothers]

I think Microsoft are a company who have an interesting policy on this. They know that their staff are blogging / tweeting / flickring, etc, but have not taken the management of this in-house. In fact, their only policy on this is 'blog smart'.

As much as companies should encourage this sort of activity, these 'social stars' should also be proactively showing their bosses what they're up to and how to use these tools. Bosses can't encourage and evangelise if they don't know what they're talking about - it's up to the people who are actually in the trenches to show them how it could work for the company.

[Mike Coulter]

David,

Good post. good points.

And I love the job title you suggest: 'Social Worker'.

Funnily enough while I was doing the rounds in London last week, I introduced myself by saying: "I work in Social Services."

pip, pip,

best wishes,

Miguel.

[David Petherick]

Pasatge del Duc de Victoria, Barcelona
23 September 08

Hola Mike,

Encouraging a 'Social Task Force' within an organisation is a fantastic idea - but it's a tough call in terms of how you get people to buy in to this.

Orchestrating and managing people to 'serve the corporate good' might be a lot like herding cats, and a top-down approach might be very stifling."Dan in Sales says you have to twitter for the Team from now on."

I think though, if the organisation gives the right signals to all of its stakeholders that it supports this activity - a 20% initiative like Google's is an excellent starting point - then it's far more likely to be successful.

Flickr Fridays or Twitter Tuesdays might be a good starting pint to signal that 'de management' is aware of what's happening out there.

And then an enticing session title like "Delicious Twits & Flickring Blogs: Unleash the secret Social Workers in your midst!" might be an effective way to winkle out the hidden advocates within a company and show them that their social media skills are appreciated, and that they are encouraged to share and develop these skills.

Hasta pronto,

David