Many corporates don’t understand social media as a business tool so they ban its use and explain their actions with phrases like “it is a passing fad”. My favourite cartoonist Tom Fishburne picks up on this in his cartoon above.
In his notes, Tom writes: “Organizations are clearly struggling how to address social media. Many start with the premise of social media as a threat, rather than an opportunity. The emphasis is on limiting liability, often with Draconian command-and-control policies (like the muzzle and cage in this cartoon)….
“It’s time to tear down that wall. It’s time to acknowledge that the command-and-control model no longer works. It’s time to encourage the organization to engage more freely with the outside world.
“If there’s nothing to hide, then the risk should be low for social media tools to enable more transparent conversations. If there is something to hide, then the effort should be placed on cleaning up those skeletons in the closet so that the organization can truly brand itself from the inside out.”
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