I truly believe in “Crossing Boundaries to Create Opportunity”, but I guess I am just not an early adopter or enthusiastic convert when it comes to social media. I am trying, though, and wonder how it’s going for you? This question is obviously only for those of you who are over a certain age – you know who you are.
The other day, I attended a workshop to help small businesses understand how to leverage social media. There was an almost comical clash of cultures when SCORE (Society of Retired Executives) teamed up with Constant Contact (an email marketing firm) for this purpose. You could spot the “tribes” as soon as you walked into the room. The twenty or thirty somethings, in casual clothes, sporting iPads, were keen as mustard to get us switched onto tweeting, posting, liking, pinning and linking, while the silver haired gentlemen with kindly faces and shuffling gait were happy to share their hard-won, if sometimes dated, experience.
Our presenter enthused about all the possibilities for this new religion, and I noticed myself growing increasingly skeptical and annoyed. But I convinced myself to stay open-minded and resist my resistance, so I could glean what is relevant and useful for my own business and for my clients, and also bridge the generational gap that separates me, a digital immigrant, from the digital natives.
We were divided into groups to share stories and strategies about our own use of social media, and I learned that my struggles are not unique.
Fear of overwhelm and distraction: Many of us are terrified of the time-sink. Once you get started, you can find yourself led into an inescapable maze, ending up, hours later, far from where you started, and with nothing accomplished.
Concern about privacy: It is true, we like to have our voices heard, and to hear our peers’ opinions rather than relying on the singular, biased point of view of advertorials. But I am not convinced of the desirability of 24/7 everything goes kind of sharing that seems to underpin much social media activity. I am also concerned about what will happen with all the data that we so willingly – and witlessly? – provide.
Mental pollution: With the never-ending gush of stuff, I worry that we are inhibiting our capacity to reflect, to consider, to mull, and, at a deeper human level, to connect with others. The competition for mind-share is deadly, and I wonder how much attention is left for things that are important in life.
As you can tell, I’m still on the fence about social media, and my position is evolving. Here is where I am right now:
– I am a recovering Inbox addict, trying to control my habit of continuous email checking, so I can be more present and productive.
– I blog when I feel like it, with no regular schedule, posting on my website and LinkedIn page.
– I send a monthly email, Outside Insight, to people I would like to stay in touch with and, hopefully, would like to stay in touch with me.
– I enjoy with “Schadenfreude” watching the price of Facebook fall.
– I put a toe into Twitter every now and again, but haven’t yet found a way to work well with it.
Please let me know where you are with social media? Are you an early adopter, a dinosaur, or something in between? How is it helping you? How is it hindering you?