Social Media WIN – Authenticity in Action
Feb 7, 2012 Weblog
In an earlier post I outlined an example of a social media failure. In that example I related how I was contacted by somebody that wanted to add me to their professional network. After some brief exchanges with them it was clear that their request was not to make a meaningful connection, rather they were simply interested in growing their network “number.” Following this experience I thought it only fair to give equal attention to an example of a social media success story.
A few years ago I was contacted through LinkedIn by Rhett Wilson. We had never met, but our professional networks shared a few connections. Rhett and I shared other similarities, namely our professional path and age. Instead of simply requesting to be connected on LinkedIn, Rhett and I discussed first connecting via phone to share our work experiences and to talk through topics related to our shared work and age demographic. Following our first phone call we agreed to stay connected both on and off LinkedIn. Over the past couple of years, we’ve also had the opportunity to meet in person a couple of times.
It has proven to be highly valuable to have a professional contact outside of my regional network. Rhett has been able to give me critical unbiased third-party perspective on challenges and opportunities related to the profession. I hope I have been able to serve a similar purpose and prove to be an asset in Rhett’s professional network.
This experience reinforces insights and recommendations outlined in a recent CNN Money article, The Real Way to Build a Social Network. I highly recommend this article for those looking to expand their professional network in an authentic way.
Tags: communication, LinkedIn, networking, professional development, social media, WIN
Thank You Montreal
Oct 15, 2011 Weblog
I had the great opportunity to attend the AFP Leadership Academy this year. AFP conferences are always a great opportunity to network with fundraising peers across the world, catch up with friends I haven’t seen in a while, and take in some continuing education. In addition to the professional development opportunities, AFP conferences are give me a chance to see new sights, try new things, and interact with new cultures.
Part of what helps fundraisers be effective at their job is the ability to identify and empathize with donors. Toward this end I always appreciate the opportunity for new life experiences… trying new foods, testing out new hobbies, or immersing myself in a new culture. In Montreal I was able to attend a hockey game. It was quite an experience. Now I can watch a hockey game and actually know what’s going on. I’m also better able to keep my eyes on the puck. Both are skills I didn’t have prior to this conference. For those that have never been to a hockey game, here is a time-lapsed video I filmed of the Montreal Canadiens pre-game warm-up. ENJOY!
Tags: #afpmeet, AFP, culture, networking, professional development
Social Media FAIL and the Importance of Authenticity
Aug 12, 2011 Weblog
Not long ago a message appeared in my e-mail inbox:
SENDER:
LinkedIn suggests we may know each other. Must be because of the mutual relationships. Would be glad to invite you to Link In if useful to you.
Intrigued, I searched the sender’s name and discovered that we did indeed have a few connections in common. I should note, have a personal policy of restricting my social networks to people I know personally. Normally I would have ignored the unsolicited message, but because our common connections are individuals I respect and count as some of my most trusted colleagues, I responded and tried to build rapport.
BEN:
Thanks for your note. I don’t believe we have met, so it must be a result of the friends we have in common. I’m pretty close to. How do you know them?
Oddly this was the response I got:
SENDER:
If you saw my profile on LinkedIn, and it’s not useful to you …. for me to have reached out, we can just drop it.
Happily, I’ll do just that, but first let’s consider what can be learned from this exchange.
Tags: communication, FAIL, LinkedIn, networking, professional development, social media
Purpose-filled Tweets
May 17, 2009 Weblog
My initial experience with Twitter echos this statistic. I tried out the service and quickly grew frustrated and gave up on my account. However I rediscovered Twitter about four months later.
The difference between my first and second attempt was that when I returned I only shared “purpose-filled tweets.”
Like my mother would say “if you don’t have anything [nice] to say then don’t say anything at all.” I think this also applies to Twitter. It is a good idea to know how you will use the service before you sign up. For the person on the street, Micro-blogging can quickly become much like shouting into hurricane-force winds, an exercise in futility. If you have purpose behind each and every post it can actually add value to your personal and/or professional networks.
Tags: networking, social media, tweet, Twitter