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The Social C-Suite
Utilize CARE
Flat Army: Creating a Connected and Engaged Organization by Dan Pontefract, the author of this article, introduces the Participative Leader Framework. Within this model is the CARE principle that argues a leader must demonstrate the holistic behaviors of being continuous, authentic, reciprocal and educating (CARE) throughout the organization at all times. This can be adapted to the use of social tools inside the organization by the C-suite as well. Once tools such as micro-blogging, wikis, video sharing, virtual worlds and blogging are up and running inside the organization, the C-suite not only needs to use them, these leaders have a responsibility to continuously post and connect to others via authentic contributions. To help, the CLO could institute a way to measure levels of reciprocity in the organization and determine who is contributing versus merely consuming.Rawn Shah, social business strategist at IBM, said responsiveness and supportiveness are also key attributes. Both align well with the CARE principle. “The C-suite needs to be ready to respond to employee questions regardless of rank in a timely manner whenever possible. It shows they are willing to pay attention to detail and the needs of employees.” The C-suite should choose to support individual employees’ messages shared in public or widely seen internal social spaces when they help to promote the activities and messages of their area of business. Shah said this would demonstrate an unsolicited level of support and endorsement.Be Real
If the C-suite is on the social train and can employ CARE, responsiveness and supportiveness attributes, there is also the need to be real. Kevin Akeroyd, senior vice president of field operations at Badgeville, a global gamification company, said social media and the C-suite are important for one another, so long as those occupying the chief seats keep it real. “Social isn’t going to be enough unless the C-suite invests the time in engagement and motivation mechanics to help drive overall happiness at the company.” Akeroyd said reputation and status will only go as far as the C-suite’s ability to be clear about what it’s doing and its level of openness and transparency. The last thing the C-suite should do is have ghost bloggers or micro-bloggers inside the organization. It should be their voices participating, and it should be straight talk. The C-suite cannot get away with being robots or having their internal communications team act or speak on their behalf.
Flat Army: Creating a Connected and Engaged Organization by Dan Pontefract, the author of this article, introduces the Participative Leader Framework. Within this model is the CARE principle that argues a leader must demonstrate the holistic behaviors of being continuous, authentic, reciprocal and educating (CARE) throughout the organization at all times. This can be adapted to the use of social tools inside the organization by the C-suite as well. Once tools such as micro-blogging, wikis, video sharing, virtual worlds and blogging are up and running inside the organization, the C-suite not only needs to use them, these leaders have a responsibility to continuously post and connect to others via authentic contributions. To help, the CLO could institute a way to measure levels of reciprocity in the organization and determine who is contributing versus merely consuming.Rawn Shah, social business strategist at IBM, said responsiveness and supportiveness are also key attributes. Both align well with the CARE principle. “The C-suite needs to be ready to respond to employee questions regardless of rank in a timely manner whenever possible. It shows they are willing to pay attention to detail and the needs of employees.” The C-suite should choose to support individual employees’ messages shared in public or widely seen internal social spaces when they help to promote the activities and messages of their area of business. Shah said this would demonstrate an unsolicited level of support and endorsement.Be Real
If the C-suite is on the social train and can employ CARE, responsiveness and supportiveness attributes, there is also the need to be real. Kevin Akeroyd, senior vice president of field operations at Badgeville, a global gamification company, said social media and the C-suite are important for one another, so long as those occupying the chief seats keep it real. “Social isn’t going to be enough unless the C-suite invests the time in engagement and motivation mechanics to help drive overall happiness at the company.” Akeroyd said reputation and status will only go as far as the C-suite’s ability to be clear about what it’s doing and its level of openness and transparency. The last thing the C-suite should do is have ghost bloggers or micro-bloggers inside the organization. It should be their voices participating, and it should be straight talk. The C-suite cannot get away with being robots or having their internal communications team act or speak on their behalf.
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