Archive for the ‘Social media’ Category

Every business can take a lesson from the playbook of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Along with dozens of other health care organizations, the CDC has embraced social media and is going viral with the news about the H1N1 virus. As of September, tens of thousands of people had viewed CDC videos on YouTube and listened to podcasts. Over 1 million people follow CDC tweets on Twitter and 30,000-plus people are fans of the CDC Facebook page. What the CDC has learned is that social media can help a business….

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Did you know….it took radio 38 years to reach 50 million users. It only took TV 13 years. The Internet had 50 million users in 5 years. See a trend here? 50 Million people used the iPod in only 3 years. Today we have Facebook which added 100 million users while over 1 Billion iPhone apps were downloaded in…..only 9 months!

Is Social Media a fad….or a disruptive innovation? Watch this video about the Social Media Revolution.

With the threat of H1N1 creating disruptions in the workplace and school becoming more real with every passing day, I wonder how Skype and other social media might be tools that could minimize the impact of absenteeism.  Karl Fisch, who always offers up great posts and ideas for schools, posted a great story on his blog about how one teacher is using Skype to stay connected with the classroom to students who are home sick.  What a great idea.  How can your business use Skype and other social media to keep employees connected to work and customers during an H1N1 “sick-out”?  Should social media training be included in H1N1 preparedness?  What do you think?

Need some help figuring out how to use social media for your business?  We’re here to help!

Juggling multigenerational workforces is nothing new for many organizations.  What’s changed however is that the Baby Boomers aren’t retiring as expected and it’s capping career growth and stalling job openings for younger workers. This new phenomena is creating a state of generational crowding.

This workplace crowding  is forcing managers to do what my colleague and friend Bette Price calls “gen-blending,” a practice where different generations of workers representing multiple ranks of personnel come together as equals to solve company issues.

Cross-generational teams, according to a just published article in the Financial Times, “are about more than young people imparting technical skills to older workers; they give senior employees the opportunity to learn more about the ideals, behaviors and values of the younger generation,” according to Dan Woodward, senior vice-president at BakBone Software, who was interviewed for the article. “Young people have a different way of thinking and [to use that effectively] creates a real competitive advantage.”

Price believes “The goal is to collectively brainstorm in order to identify problems and get a broader vision of the company.”

One practice that I recommend as a key strategy for getting different generations to collaborate is for young workers to tutor management and older workers how to use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter for recruitment, business development, customer support, and employee engagement. Time Warner is using what they call “digital reverse mentoring” to blend different generations in strategic discussions.

Gen-blending has improved company morale, according to several companies interviewed for the article.. They get better buy-in for change and avoid what one manager called “warm seat attrition,” when workers just stay around because they have no better options.

Two pre-teen girls updated a Facebook status to say they were lost in a drain in Australia instead of calling 911. Glenn Benham from the Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) says it was fortunate a young male friend was online at the time and was able to call for help on their behalf.  Benham was concerned the girls didn’t call the Australian equivalent of the U.S. help number 911.

But in a world where an entire generation of kids has seen voice mail and email be replaced by texting and social networking sites as the primary mode of communication, is it anywhere we have yet another clash between generations?  Benham suggests the youth should conform to mainstream protocols. But have these protocols lost their relevance?  Is public safety falling the times?  Should public safety services such as fire and police have a presence on Facebook and Twitter to monitor cries for help?  Is this just another case of an older generation resisting change or a younger generation not following the rules?  Which party is creating the bigger risk?

There’s not much good being said about the current state of health care in the U.S. but you’ve got to give credit when it’s due.  An article in today’s Pittsburgh Tribune-Review shares how the insurance industry will use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to connect and engage with consumers.  As many of us suspect, social networking sites will soon become a primary strategy for customer relationship  and brand management.  The health care “brand” certainly needs improvement and what better way to connect with your customers and prospects than starting conversations on Facebook or exporting information via Twitter.  While the effectiveness of this strategy is a long way off, it’s an industry that every business owner and executive needs to watch.  Pay attention to their messages.  What do they say?  How do they say it?  How to do they respond to favorable and unfavorable comments?  How do they engage customers beyond pushing out information?  What social media marketing lessons will the health care industry offer to make your customer relationships and reputation healthier? 

Read the full article about Health Care Info to Explode.

Several days ago I wrote a post titled, “Are Baby Boomers Overstaying Their Welcome?”  Since then I keep reading and hearing most instances of resentment from Gen Xers.  And just a few minutes ago, I read this post by Kim Luisi, a Gen X report for Examiner.com.  Her comments were sharp and critical but not unlike those I’m hearing consistently from other Gen X:

So why don’t they retire already and leave the rest of us alone? Think of Bill Clinton and his embarrassment to Hillary’s campaign. He just didn’t know when to quit. The whole boomer generation is my Bill Clinton. Thanks guys, you’ve been a great help. Now step aside.

It’s no wonder that the boomers have spawned the millennials, or Generation Y.  If boomers want to constantly remind others of their accomplishments and the stages of their lives, millennials, in their eagerness to learn from their elders,  want praise and fast promotion for theirs. The complementarity of the two generations is unparalleled. Where does all this leave Gen X? Stuck right in the middle. Clowns to the left us, jokers to the right.

So what do you think?  Am I just hanging out with the  ultra-skeptical Gen X…or is resentment increasing?

September Webinars about Social Media and Managing the Multi-Generational Workforce

Link Me, Tweet Me, Friend Me

September 15, 2009 at 2:00 PM EDT

Wondering if your business needs to be on Facebook or Twitter?  Confused about LinkedIn and blogging? Then you don’t want to miss this 60 minute introductory webinar. Register here.

 Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization

September 16, 2009 at 2:00 PM EDT

Join author Ira S Wolfe for the official release of his new book Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization with a webinar and discussion led by author Ira S Wolfe.  Learn how four generations and technology will change business and how to manage the four major clashpoints that are dividing the multi-generational workforce.  Register here.