Are you ready? 
It is coming soon. Maybe tomorrow, maybe sometime in 2010, but it is definitely coming to your office.
No, I’m not talking about Halloween, or Christmas. I’m not even talking about the end of open enrollment.
I am talking about the day in your HR career when you are confronted by the need to make a strategic recommendation about social media.
Most HR professionals won’t be ready!
If you will just invest a little time, you can position yourself to enhance your career. You can also ensure you aren’t suddenly thrust into the position of biting off more than you can chew at the time you are forced to go on a social media intense diet!
What should you be doing to get ready?
- Understand that social media is not the equivalent of rocket science. It does involve technology, but it is only a type of tool. Tools can be used for good or evil.
- Don’t make developing a policy the highest priority on your professional agenda. You need to develop at least a general understanding of the principal tools first. This doesn’t mean you need to develop the competency of a power user.
- Think about how social media tools might be useful within your organization.
- Think about how social media tools might be used against your organization.
- Think about identifying internal and external subject matter experts on social media who can offer advice and support.
- Think about doing this BEFORE you are called on to give advice. If you wait until then, you are too late.
- Think of gaining social media expertise as an opportunity to develop your strategic presence at work, and then think about taking advantage of this golden opportunity.
Why do you need to be ready?
If you work in an organization of any size, it is very likely that you are already being discussed in social media somewhere.
One of your employees did something wrong on the internet today somewhere. Eventually, you are going to hear about it or be asked to assess the severity of their action. You will be asked to make a recommendation on how to handle this event. You need to be ready!
Government agencies, labor unions, and other groups are communicating via social media. Do you know what they are saying? Do you know where to look? You should.
You can gain major points by being positioned to provide leadership in this area.
Please let me know if you need any help with social media. I am always happy to provide advice and guidance.
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Confronting social media at work [New Post at The Human Race Horses] Confronting Social Media at Work http://www.thehumanracehorses.com/2009/1...
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Great post, Mike and the entire HR community on social media is right there with you! Now, the question remains how do we communicate to this to the HR masses who do yet understand how to leverage social media for their business or themselves?
http://www.blogging4jobs.com
@blogging4jobs
This is a great post! Thanks for sharing that Mike.
I’d agree with Jessica’s question above and generalize it: how do you communicate the importance of social media to a leadership group that has no concept of its relevance in their personal or professional lives? Beyond the business case, how do you show (not just tell) people that they can leverage social media for so many different things when they don’t understand or (and this is the part that gives me anxiety) don’t care enough to try to understand?
@mike_kohn
Mike…BRAVO! I’m personally confronted with these kinds of concerns and questions everyday with clients. I know that some will wait too late and will experience damage to over-all brand. But we’re seeing more and more pro-active measures and initiatives every day. Fantastic post…Sharing as I type
RT @Fishdogs RT @JLipschultz Confronting social media at work: Why it matters to HR by @MikeVanDervort http://bit.ly/3ACM0G
RT @PattiBreckenrdg: Great Advice from @mikevandervort on Confronting Social Media at Work -http://bit.ly/4AwyK0 #socialmedia #employers …
Great post by @mikevandervort Confronting Social Media at Work http://bit.ly/4AwyK0 Big ? How do we get beyond this?
MikeV – really liked your post. SM seems to have taken off like a rocket, or is it just me? I’m hearing about it being used more for business and its substance. As most change within organizations there needs to be a champion for this. Thanks again.
Candyce
RT @BillBoorman:RT @havrilla:Great post by @mikevandervort Confronting Soc Media at Work http://bit.ly/4AwyK0 Big?How do we get beyond this?
Reading: Confronting Social Media at Work via @MikeVanDervort http://icio.us/a3ll4v
RT @tweetmeme Confronting Social Media at Work http://retwt.me/1deNx
Twitter: MikeVanDervort
October 23, 2009 at 5:45 am
@Jessica – to move this discussion outside our own echo chamber, we each have to take it upon ourselves to keep spearding the message in places where we reach beyond social media. Conferences, books, magaizines articles, educating people at work and in professional groups. For another take, check out this post by @LearningPutty. It is excellent!
http://learningputty.com/2009/10/22/7-creative-ways-to-introduce-social-media-to-your-team/
@Mike_kohn thanks for the comment and the follow on Twitter! Regarding those who don’tcare, they are doing themselves a professional disservice and will eventually be left behind, unfortunately. For months I have been “preaching” social media. I am done with that.
I will discuss the value as a business tool. I will use those tools and SHOW why they are valuable and strategic.
@candyce thanks for commenting. Please continue to doso. I appreciate the thoughts of those who read my posts a lot.
@Christina – You always make me smile. I love you and the work Hodes does. You guys are definitely spreading the word in a very useful way!
RT @MikeVanDervort Confronting Social Media at Work http://bit.ly/2yBq2f
Are you ready for Social Media in your daily #HR work? http://sn.im/at-Work. #profsem09 (via @marciamarcia)
Confronting Social Media at Work http://ow.ly/xlPv Do you know enough to make a strategic recommendation about social media at your co.?
Very interesting post by @MikeVanDervort: http://bit.ly/38r3hW