Social media is a platform that can efficiently enhance communication between the leaders and employees across hierarchies and geographical limitations. Social media platforms enable conversations that can connect everyone in an organization by distributing information that can stimulate innovation and growth. However, research shows that collaboration tools in most organizations have failed because leaders do not show interest in this platforms. Leaders fear that engaging with employees on social media platforms as this will undermine their authority. Leadership involvement in social media platforms is fundamental for teamwork (Li, 2015). Leaders and managers can engage effectively in social media platforms through a three-step process.
There are three steps that leaders can utilize to engage in social media. They include listen at scale, Share to shape and engaging to transform. Listening to scale entails managers paying attention to the issues raised by employees and letting them know that as leaders they are listening. Employees interact more with customers and often get reviews from customers which they bring up on social networks. It would otherwise take an employee several days to follow protocol to get such reviews to the management, and usually, the employee would not bother. Listening is the first significant step towards group effort between the leaders and the employees. Typically, employees engage with such other on social platforms to discuss issues from work that are affecting them or the business. The presence of leaders on the platforms will motivate them to raise the problems that affect the company since they know that the leaders are following.
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The second step leaders need to take in engaging on social media is sharing to shape. Sharing to shape means that a leader uses the social network platform to share information that will form the activities of the organization. Sharing should be inclined towards pushing the employees towards the organization’s objective. A leader should, therefore, look for information that will inspire the employees, motivate them or alert them to important events and issues. Leaders should identify a platform that is common among the employees and use it to engage them. Leaders can share new strategies under implementation and seek the input of employees which will make the employees feel valued within the organization.
The final step leaders should utilize to engage in social platforms is engaging to transform. Employees will look up to what the leaders post on social media. Leaders, therefore, need to share information that will engage their employees in a discussion that will transform them. Employees what to be part of discussions that will grow them and teach them something new they can use in their career. They would expect their leaders to engage them in issues that are important and relevant. Leaders should, therefore, share or engage their employees with the purpose of transforming their employees and the organization at large (Li, 2015). The discussed steps will help leaders engage with employees without the fear of losing their authority. Instead, they will gain more respect with employees and at the same time offer employees the freedom to share openly.
It is possible to achieve better leadership through social media by looking at it as another tool for expanding and improving leadership skills. What is crucial to avoid the feared damage is to establish a leadership and learn the means of promoting leadership through the social media. With such techniques and strategies, the social media helps to lead the employees better. For instance, Twitter is a social network problem that can help navigate some average day to day work challenges. A Twitter account can be used to follow top clients, colleagues, and competitors. Discussions can take place through direct messages and with notifications response is rapid. Participation will ease the over messaging on emails and help stick to the essential points since there is a limit on some characters for direct messaging (Samuel, 2012).
In conclusion, social network platform can help promote better leadership if correctly used. Leaders require focus and discipline while using social media to stay within the objective. Involvement of leaders in such platforms encourages employees to use the platforms creating a bond and connection that builds teamwork and progress for the organization. Social media is a vital teamwork tool which leaders should embrace.
References
Li, C. (2015). Why no one uses the corporate social network. Harvard Business Review . Retrieved on 1 November 2017 from https://hbr.org/2015/04/why-no-one-uses-the-corporate-social-network.
Samuel, A. (2012). Better leadership through social media. The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved on 1 November 2017 from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203753704577255531558650636.
