Two thoughts struck me when reading this article; how does a CEO of such a large organization have the time it takes to be so involved in social media sites and should there be a different influence in using social media for non-profit entities. I think there is some payback with the time taken to embrace social media for organizational benefits, but there is risk operating in terms of today standards with media sabotage, saying one thing can be misconstrued and harm a reputation in an instant moment. As Warren Buffett would say, “it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it”. Like a personal account, this can be applied to a larger mass audience as well.
While I see some merits in social media, there appears to be some debate as to the real value it adds to organizations. It is not something you can switch on or off like a previously successful promotional campaign or choosing to purchase from a certain supplier or not. Yes it is good for accessibility but it is not some great new thing and it is not mandatory for exposure. It is basic for communications and marketing but once you enter this arena you must stay engaged or fall short. Therefore it is a serious commitment not to be taken lightly where you constantly need to have something useful and relevant to say.
While there is risk involved, social media could be a valuable tool for work, Linkedin is a strong networking device for job seekers but like any form of public display, everything should be in moderation and kept professional. Social media could be a source of interesting information from large organizations such as the CEO of Best Buy, the former Mr. Dunn, and the occasional tweets can be an exciting avenue for the corporate world.
“Tweets and blogs are an easy way for a corporate executive to connect directly with investors, customers and employees, in the process humanizing a CEO and adding color to a corporate strategy behind the numbers. The online conversation also can show how a corporate executive’s thinking evolves over time and how he or she responds to changes in the business and the economy” (Allen, 2012).
Obviously Mr. Dunn had some validation and trust in the social world and was a credible influencer to have received such alarming phone calls at 4am for something he “tweeted”, otherwise the information would have been downgraded by the target audience.
As Dunn quotes, “Getting hacked wasn’t the only negative experience I’ve had with social media, but I’ve never considered pulling back from using them”. Social media can be a headache but the overall benefits outweigh the disadvantages of having a social media account. It can be a way to measure progress in followers while keeping up-to-date in what is new and what customers really want. However, unless someone enjoys being on the internet all day keeping up with feedback, this would still cost money in monitoring, responding, and hopefully gaining company exposure in a profitable way.
As a manager all possibilities would need to be weighed out and considered. Bringing a team together to