LEADING ON THE EDGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

A lot of older leaders who were already in their 30s and 40s before the advent of social media are having a tough time putting up with the dramas associated with being on social media. And this I call term the edge of social media. Knowing that being a leader requires that you are able to take care of the people that get things done, the pioneer leader should never allow his feeling around this edge to affect the way and manner he provides leadership in moving the people to where they ought to be as this edge can be chaotic.

The usual response of some of these leaders is to dissociate themselves from these platforms, but I dare to ask if your leadership influence depends on interaction with the people you are leading, then why would they choose to ostracise themselves and maintain the same level of influence?

In leading in the edge of social media, any leader that chooses to ostracise himself from interfacing with the people he is leading because he thinks that the noise is too much should also be ready to have himself with little influence on the people. The truth being that he needs interaction with the people in order to increase his following and make new allies as he seizes the moments to provide leadership in the event of it.

Activities, meetings, organizations, etc., are now being replicated in social media in a bid to carry people along. But while that is happening, leaders should learn the difference that exists between online and offline leadership. Importantly, online leadership is different from offline leadership. Significantly, the distance between the leader and the follow is so slim that the people have direct access to “the person of the leader.”

This no distance in a relationship that characterizes the social media space could affect the behaviour of leaders who are not used to it. Leaders who believe they are entitled to be respected by virtue of their position but fail to, first of all, understand the dynamics of how the social media space works will always get disappointed by the close marking nature of the people on their performance.

This essay will help pioneer leaders, in their bid to adjust their position, know and understand the various personas they will encounter in the social media space and also learn how to relate with them.

There are more than 10 different personas, but I will limit discussion to just 10 of them.

1. The Shy

The shy does not usually do not start a conversation, but wait until someone talks to them. The truth is that in Social Media shyness is a problem, as you are invisible if you do not take part in any conversation. In offline networking, you can at least see the shy ones lurking in a corner but in the online life, these people are harder to find. If they do not publish or communicate, the only chance you have is stumbling across their profile.

Leader’s Action: Be open to communication with The Shy, but do not waste energy to hunt them down. They will learn to come to you if they want to survive in social media.

2. The Charismatic

The Charismatic jumps on every opportunity to communicate and interact. He or she comments on everything, to everyone, and gets in the mix in various heated and/or popular discussions – all while keeping his or her goals in mind. The Charismatic publishes great content, with the mission to engage and convert. Leaders should understand that in social media, the Charismatic has a large stage and seeks to reap the benefits from his or her widespread audience.

Leader’s Action: You will have an easy time finding the Charismatic and connecting to him or her, as communication is the means to his or her survival. Followers of the Charismatic should be aware – the author has a purpose and has produced content accordingly. You might have a harder time getting the attention of the ever-active Charismatic or nailing them to a deal, so make sure he or she sees the advantage in your offer to interact.

3. The Influencer

The Influencer takes part in social media communication and discussions solely with his or her own purpose in mind. Unlike The Charismatic, the Influencer is not looking to have a dialogue; he or she is looking for a microphone. The Influencer usually begins “conversations” with information about his products or services. After seconds usually gets his pitch out and asks you to buy something. No matter what the original discussion was about, the second sentence in his answer will always be about his own products or services.

Leader’s Action: The Self-Promoter will (most often) find you. The problem may be to avoid their incessant reminders or to get any useful information from them. If you want to interact with The Self-Promoter, be ready to listen and buy (as you will have a hard time being heard). Be careful not to write them off too quickly – The Self-Promoter might just promote something that is useful to you.

4. The Giver

The Giver is always there to provide strong answers and positive feedback. They provide insightful information in their content, for which reason they are nice to follow. The Giver is always willing to step in with answers and recommendations.

Leader’s Action: The Giver is the ideal social media leadership such that you gain a lot from their knowledge and willingness to share. If you ever need their services, you will probably go to them with a good feeling and trust in their willingness to serve you without the fear of being used.

5. The Nagger

No matter what you post, The Nagger will find a way to point out your flaw (“It’s: too long, too basic, the wrong forum, the wrong time of day, too much information, too little information, I read about that yesterday, you posted somewhere else, too.”) From the Nagger, you can expect any kind of creative, negative comment without any real substance.

Leader’s Action: You will probably not seriously lead or engage in leadership with The Nagger because he or she is not an ideal follower, as they will detect small problems with your leadership modus operandi.

6. The Blunt

The Blunt is direct and has a clear goal in mind: to obtain your contact information. There is little or no small talk with The Blunt, as they will ask what you are up to and proceed to tell what they have to offer you in leadership.

Leader’s Action: The Blunt will target your leadership if they believe they can gain something from you. If you have a vision that needs explaining, The Blunt will (most likely) not listen long enough to engage.

7. The Entertainer

The Entertainer sees social media as a stage of performance. Unlike the Influencer or Charismatic, The Entertainer manages to add enough sympathy and entertainment to attract a following within your leadership.

Leader’s Action: Do not regard comments from The Entertainer too seriously; be open to their humour. Understand that while they may be eager to connect with the leadership, it is not always simple to engage in conversation. Enjoy their feeds, but understand their motivations before leadership engagement.

8. The Storyteller

The Storyteller is never shy of a good story: they produce great content, great narratives, and possess a sense of humility and openness. Storytellers come in the form of content marketers and everyday users who have the knack for attracting audiences through their storytelling abilities.

Leader’s Action: Be sure to understand with which type of Storyteller you are engaging. Are they in it for the story itself, or do their stories relate to your business? While The Storyteller may teach you valuable lessons and entertain you, it may be difficult to divert The Storyteller from their own stories and get them to listen to your own.

9. The Friend

The Friend does not take part in social media with leadership in his mind. The Friend likes to communicate, talk, share and connect solely for the purpose of social interaction.

Leader’s Action: If The Friend is actually your friend – let the relationship be. However, if The Friend shows signs that their professional life relates to your leadership and is the friend of a friend or an acquaintance you discover – see if there is a way to engage on a leadership level.

10. The Comedian

The Comedian is always after the laugh, even though his posts might not always be that funny. The mission of The Comedian is to be witty or inspire humorous interaction, even if they miss the point.

Leader’s Action: Be prepared to laugh and be entertained (or at least poked), but do not expect much more from them – especially on a professional level.

Each of these is important in your leadership, hence, you should learn how to relate to them so that you can be able to carry everyone along in record time.

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Elvis C. Umez is the author of the following books: How Much Is Your Mind Worth? What Purpose Is Not, Discover You, Leadership Tweaks, Understanding Your Design, The Spirit Man, Leading Yourself, and others.