Preparedness :
The question is how to get started on the path of Open Leadership. Charlene lays out a five step process :
#1 Align Social with key strategy goals for current and next year
Take some risks with Social technology if you have to
#2 Create a culture of sharing
Exercise sharing muscles. Often times, CEO and other leaders must lead by example by sharing themselves. Eg Edelman CEO blogs every single week since 2004.
How to encourage sharing :
Give sharing a purpose eg. goal, project or event
Build trust : Limit people you share with, at least initially
Use video : eg one can use cellphone to record yourself and put it out there
Send it out by email for sharing – email works also – in addition to social networks.
#3 Discipline is needed to succeed
Formalize the Open Leadership process – without definition, people do not know the boundaries and may not be comfortable with this media. rules of atticate, rules of behavior, rules of culture.
#4 Ask the right questions about value
Some orgs use brand metrics or net promoter score – but these are tough and laborious to measure. Whereas social technology is infinitely measurable – metrics is not the key, but relationships are.
#5 Prepare for failure
No relationships are perfect. Google’s mantra is – “Fail fast, Fail Smart“.
It’s about RELATIONSHIPs at the end of day – relationships with customers, relationships with employees and relationships with partners.
Baby boomers – some are active on Social Media even though common perception is that they don’t get it. Millennials – they are new in orgs and hence least secure to brand as Empowered employees.
For a firm, the best people to put out there acting as ambassadors are – folks who are passionate about this stuff – these are often baby boomers.