Important social media skills for effective leadership
Since the dawn of social media, people of influence have shifted their attention from the traditional media to the emerging. Leaders are in for a setback if they don’t have what it takes to champion their teams in this day and age of technology.
Too often, with this kind of platform, personal and professional lives are mixed. Individuals have a hard time drawing the line between what should be broadcasted from what should be kept in private. In leadership, there should be a good mix of both on one platform. Having the ability to create compelling content is one of the key skills in leading effectively with the help of social media. A personal touch to a tweet, a post, or a short-video is essential to keeping the audience engaged in a conversation.
Finding a voice that people will be quick to associate the company with is another important skill. Should it be funny? Informative? Highly interactive? The target audience would determine how a brand’s voice would be molded. The ability to choose platforms is essential. While keeping up with the many emerging social media platforms seems like a smart move to maintain the audiences, choosing the ones that are actually relevant to the brand and its followership would be the smartest move.
Companies that have the courage to own up to their mistakes make it big in the long run. Nobody wants a leader who dodges blame and then throws it to another. The same goes for social media. There will be times when a company goes through a hiccup, and having the guts to admit mistakes on social media platforms is another key skill to effectively lead in this age.
Haris Ahmed is the top management consultant and CEO of Pragmatium Consulting Group Inc. He is an experienced facilitator and has led numerous leadership workshops and team-building sessions. For more on Haris, visit this page.
Tags: Leadership, social media, platforms, leadership skills
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Image link: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/02/04/10/22/social-media-3129482__340.jpg
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References:
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/high-tech/our-insights/six-social-media-skills-every-leader-needs
https://executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu/thought-leadership/wharton-at-work/2015/09/leading-in-the-digital-age
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7370-social-leadership.html