Lida Citroën //July 23, 2013//
Let’s face it, for most of us, social networking is addictive. We keep our calendars, contacts, friends, recipes and diaries on our mobile devices, and just one click away is the rest of the world waiting for our opinion on their dinner plans, child’s photo or next business strategy.
But when does it become too social (and maybe inappropriate) for senior executives to participate in social networking?
More and more as I write and guide brand positioning strategies and protocols for corporations around the U.S., we simply cannot ignore or overlook the importance and accessibility for senior executives to participate in social networking discussions. The issue isn’t asking CEOs to stay off social networks, the opportunity lies in teaching them how/when/where and why to participate in ways that support the corporate initiative.
CEOs looking to post as the leader of a company or organization should strive to be:
When senior executives engage in social networking, they can humanize the company brand and increase employee morale. We have seen many successful cases where CEOs become the face of the company in social media and this new personality for the company affects everything from shareholder value to employee recruitment. As always, strict monitoring, guidelines and protocols (in place in advance) ensure that risk is mitigated online.