Harnessing the power of "Social"

What does it mean to be social? There’s the old definition which has to do with people interacting for companionship, then there is the newer definition having to do with social media, which has very little to do with actual human interaction. The digital age has connected more people and made information and communication virtually limitless, but are we really being social? What value can we get out of our social connections? I’ve been studying social media for a few years now and how to best use it in a business setting as a small firm.  I’ve observed many different styles of interactions – posts, blogs, websites, e-blasts, comments, pictures, “pins”, thumbs-ups, “likes”, etc.  What I’ve come to appreciate more than any other style in social media are the ones that serve to connect me to the person on the other end. The ones that grab my attention are the human stories – the story about how the CEO of a startup company started in her garage and built an empire through grit and determination; the background of small business owner and the insights that he can provide to others getting started on their dream; the local company that celebrates its employees and culture as much as it does the bottom line. These are the things I enjoy reading about on social media.  As we continue becoming more virtual in our business interactions, I believe more of us are craving human connection.  Maybe if we harness the power of social media to foster these connections, we can have the best of both worlds.