Citing sources, offering a “thank you” and
shout outs to those who inspired you is a
key part of ethical online interactions. After
all, if you neglected to cite your sources in
an academic context, it would be considered
stealing. Social media is no different.
Establishing trust
Beyond “Best Practices” and “How-To”,
when it comes to social media the it is criti-
cal to remember is that the best story wins
traffic – regardless if it is true or not. This
means that the first step to establishing trust
and credibility is to make sure that all ma-
terial shared is accurate and factual. The
second step is to harness the ability to delve
deep into authenticity, telling stories that are
more than attention-getting, but rather, sto-
ries that are meaningful and shed light on
some of the deeper truths of the industries in
which you lead. Perhaps most important is
to treat the conversation as just that… a con-
versation. If you don’t listen as much as you
talk, soon you may find that no one wants to
talk to you.
Remember, above all else, your leader-
ship influence depends entirely on your abil-
ity to build trust. Social media offers a tool
for trust building, but can also destroy that
trust quickly if not used appropriately. In the
modern era, when our political leaders, jour-
nalists, community activists, educators and
social influencers use Instagram and Twitter
to speak directly to their fan base, it is im-
portant to learn from them what works and
what does not when it comes to establishing
trust and maintaining it, as well as how to
repair that trust if it should ever be broken.
mation that finds its way to your platforms.
Think twice, publish once
The most important thing to remember
when it comes to social media is to think
twice and publish once. Your account re-
flects on you as a leader as well as the orga-
nization you work for, and the words you
use matter. Sarcasm doesn’t translate well in
240 characters, and without tone, wording
takes the lead. The same is true for GIFs and
emoji’s – a simple misreading of an image, or
a blind spot when it comes to cultural or sub-
cultural meanings, can cause a short post to
take on a very different meaning than your
original intent. Try to spend at least as much
time on your posts as you would crafting a
headline for your local newspaper. There is
no real privacy when it comes to the internet,
so the best way to interact is to behave the
same way you would in a crowded room full
of your colleagues and community members.
It’s also important to consider that even
if you outsource your account management
to a communications staffer, in the end, you
and you alone are responsible for the tone
and tenor of what your account is posting.
Part of creating a culture of accountable
leadership is by participating in digital dia-
logue. By engaging authentically online,
you help to create a new culture of accessible
leadership, one that dismantles artificial hi-
erarchies and helps to create an environment
in which anyone can learn and lead.
Keep it social
Social platforms are just that — social.
They are designed for conversation and in-
teraction. Keeping folks at arms-length,
only posting pre-vetted images or quotes,
or only using platforms to amplify your lat-
est blog post misses the point. Social media
is a giant conversation in which all partici-
pants have a voice and access. To stand out
from the crowd, you must participate as a
trusted source of information, a great dis-
cussion partner, and an unflappable expert.
You must also be authentic. Social media de-
mands honest, authentic interactions – it’s a
network of people, looking to connect with
LIEBERT CASSIDY SQUARE
From a brand perspective, social media
is about attracting traffic, not chasing it.
To do that, brand communication experts
have to think like publishers. Great content
equals more traffic and improves overall
awareness of the organization. As a leader,
the same rule applies, but comes with the
added responsibility of also thinking like
an ethical journalist. You as a leader, have
a responsibility to your followers to pro-
duce and share credible information, to
share true stories that deepen their un-
derstanding of your work and establish an
emotional connection to it, and to correct
quickly any mistakes or inaccurate infor-
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