The Arguments Don’t Hold Water

The arguments don’t hold water anymore. Executives need to get on social media.

End of story.

• How many more reports like the Edelman Trust Barometer and the Brunswick Group’s Connected Leadership Report do we need to read?
• How many case studies do we need of CEOs and senior leaders who, once they embrace social media, never look back?
• How many more statistics that prove connected leadership = business success must we be shown?

So, the argument is over. But now comes that hard part.

Most senior leaders only have a basic LinkedIn profile (at best). Of those, only a small fraction ever share any content. Of those, an even tinier fraction actually engage with their audience.

Not good enough. Simply not good enough.

And a for Twitter? Seriously — how long does a technology need to exist before people realize it exists to enable them to be better at their jobs?

“Leave your metaphorical corner office, step into the digital lobby and start engaging with the people that affect your organization”

The message is simple: we need leaders to put their heads above the parapet and start engaging on social media.

Engage — not just broadcast.

As John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco, says:

“Communication is one of the most important skills that a leader and, frankly, most employees now need to excel on the job. You’ve got to deal with social media, you’ve got to deal with a dramatically different speed of events, you’ve got to be able to talk to your shareholders, your employees, your customers and your partners. If you don’t have communication skills, you’re not going to be an effective leader.”

Let that sink in for a few seconds…. “You’re not going to be an effective leader.”

If you’re not engaging on social media, you’re not an effective leader. The former CEO of Cisco says that. Not me.

I have plenty of similar quotes from CEOs I’ve interviewed for my blog. CEOs of large organizations with thousands of employees.

They all see social media as a business imperative. Do you?

If not, I encourage you to take this challenge:

Leave your metaphorical corner office, step into the digital lobby and start engaging with the people that affect your organization — be they customers, peers, employees, supporters — even critics.

The effect is exhilarating!