Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Rodney Dangerfield, HR and Social Media

I’ve incorporated social media fairly thoroughly into my personal and professional lives.  I use multiple social media tools everyday, and even plan my work schedule around terrific resources like Drive Thru HR where I learn from HR pros inside and outside the US.  I leverage my network to get answers to questions in real time versus doing a massive internet search that invariably returns 100,000 options for me to explore.  But because I am an early-adopter in my organization of using these tools to do my work more effectively, I sometimes feel like the Rodney Dangerfield of Social Media.  Maybe you do too.

Yes, You're Alone...So What
Being an early adopter can be scary.  You don't want to make any mistakes, or look foolish, or compromise your organization in any way.  But you also know that taking that first step (and second and third) are absolutely necessary if you are going to stay current in today's business world.  Avoiding social media is like avoiding monthly financial statements -> not possible.



Being Alone Means You're the Leader
One of the significant advantages of going social early on is that you can help lead the rest of your organization as it moves ahead.  You can help others through their anxieties, paranoia, and lack of knowledge as these new business tools are implemented.  Be prepared to get push-back though; as many who are nervous about the new world order may not give you much respect at first.  That's okay, it will come in time.  Be patient, and reach out to your colleagues who can help keep you going.

How About You
Are you feeling like it's time to jump into the world of social media?  Do you see other organizations passing you by while your company wallows in risk and compliance fears?  Help them understand how social can help them directly too.  You might just get a little respect as well.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.


pic courtesy of yahoo music

 
Don’t fall into the Rodney Dangerfield TRAP

5 comments:

  1. Jay,

    I'm with you on being the early adopter in my organization. Except, I'm probably a little more like Rodney Dangerfield than you. I agree that the key to assimilating others into the use of social media is patience, and sharing your own experiences and value. I don't think that everyone will get it, but it only takes a few to start building momentum.

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  2. William - Thanks for your comment. Patience is critical...and so is pushing ahead. It's great to know there are others out there making this happen!

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  3. I have friends and clients that I try to covert to social media, and they are so afraid. It's the privacy thing, being so accessible, and not wanting to invest the time. I try selling them on the advantages of using Social Media for positive networking and relationship building. It's a hard sell.

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  4. Keep up the great work, Jay...love what you are doing!

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  5. I can't say I've ever felt like Rodney Dangerfield... but I like your point about how being alone means you're the leader. That's a very positive way to look at it.

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