In my presentation on Sunday to the IEEE Board of Directors on organizational social media, I got a great question from a member of the board, “Our organization is not like the others that you’ve worked with. We have many local chapters that we can’t order around. How can we work with them to succeed in social media?”
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It’s a common type of question. Every client always thinks that their organization is unique—and in many ways they are. But usually, I have seen the situation somewhere before. Sometimes, when I am in a snarky mood, I tell clients, “Yes, you are unique, just like everyone else.” But I wasn’t brave enough to say that to a board member.
Instead, I told him that I had seen this before. Many companies work with dealers and agents and distributors that represent their brand name to the public but who are running totally separate businesses. Even in a large company, the size of the organization might mean that the first executive two people have in common is the CEO, who you aren’t going to get to order anyone to do what you want.
No, no matter what the organizational situation, you won’t get very far ordering people to do what you want in social media.
Instead, you must make these people want to work with you. You must become a resource. If you want people to listen to you about how to work in social media, you have to know more than they do. You have to have the right answers. You have to know the best practices, the techniques, the metrics, the approaches—you have to help them.
You can’t just order them around.
Now, you might be wondering how you can become that person that they will want to listen to. It won’t be easy. You might need to hire an expert or do a lot of learning—but you need to do something.
People will not listen to you because you say you are in charge. They will listen if you know your stuff.
