You Can’t do Social Media From Behind a Desk…WRONG!

I have a laundry list of blog topics that I have been meaning to write about here but just haven’t been dedicating the time I need to do it.  So for my first post in over a month, here goes.  Will this ruffle some feathers? Probably.

“You can’t do social media from behind a desk.”

This is a quote that resonated recently from a conference that I was attending in the virtual world.  I’ve always had a problem with Tweet-a-Thons from conferences as you often miss the context.  (Note 1…if you are in a conference and Tweeting from the seats, try to make sure your tweets are always the type that don’t require context.)

I adamantly disagree with the quote above.  I will however, give the benefit of the doubt to the fact that I may have missed the context of the tweet.  (Note 2… hang on, I’ll get back to that.)

You most certainly can do social media from behind a desk.  Social media by its design allows for you to engage in the digital space from where you are, when you want to do it and with whom you choose.  You can develop meaningful, deep and real relationships with other people on-line.  You can have great friends, supporters, mentors and champions without ever having the pleasure of meeting in real life.  You can form partnerships for sharing, caring and daring from the keyboard of a computer.  Relationships are one of the keys to developing an effective social media presence.

The quote above refers to just that.  Developing relationships.

You most certainly can do that from behind a desk.  I have very real, very sincere and very effective relationships with people who I have never had the pleasure of meeting in real life, that every bit as valuable to me as my friends that I have no online social relationship with.

When you do get the opportunity to get out from behind the desk and meet your audience, friends and partners in real life without a screen and computer keyboard between you, then a deeper level to the relationship can occur.  You can put flesh to the avatar and greet people with the confidence of long-lost friends re-uniting.

To say you can’t do social media from behind a desk is like saying the lost art of being pen pals had no real relationship value to those writing across the ocean with each other. 

I can’t count how many people who I have forged great bonds with through nothing but tweets, posts, shares, likes, comments and subscriptions.  I’ve met people who I didn’t agree with or didn’t agree with what I had to say.  Through conversation, educating each other, sharing different views and listening to and holding what the other had to say with high-value, great relationships have been formed.

I’ve been able to disagree with what friends have said and have been disagreed with by friends, without fear of offending or hurting each other because we have a relationship that is real.

OK, back to Note 2… “You can’t do social media from behind a desk”.

So you’re a brand new user to social media and you have just been told that this statement is gospel, what are you thinking of social media now?

  • Thinking that you don’t know how you’re going to tackle this monster?
  • Thinking that you can’t do it because your job function doesn’t allow you to get out and about?
  • Thinking that you’ve just been road-blocked before you got going?

Yeah, that’s the problem with blind statements.  They just don’t work…there’s always more to the story, which hopefully I’ve opened up here a little and shed some light on the issue.

Yes, getting out pressing the flesh, shaking hands and meeting people in real-life can add a new level to your on-line relationships, but not doing doesn’t mean the end of the world.  Remember too, what’s great about meeting people in real life can also be a disappointment when you realize the meeting doesn’t live up to the hype.

However you decide to , or are able to engage in the social space, be great at it.

 

About Tim Burrows

Tim Burrows was a sworn police officer for 25 years with experience in front line operations, primary response, traffic, detective operations and supervision. He has training in a broad spectrum of policing responsibilities including, IMS, Emergency Management, computer assisted technology investigations, leadership, community policing and crisis communications. Tim is available to assist you with your social media program and communication. Click here to contact him http://bit.ly/ContactTimBurrows
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7 Responses to You Can’t do Social Media From Behind a Desk…WRONG!

  1. I think efficient and well-rounded relationships can be forged online but organizations should not solely rely on them … I’m a big proponent of social media but it can only be reinforced by strong interpersonal exchanges …I believe that’s what Deputy Sloly was getting at …

    • Tim Burrows says:

      I agree with you completely Patrice. Well rounded, in real-life and cyber relationships are a great asset. What the posts intention was to also show that an effective social media presence can be built from “behind the desk”. I received several calls of concern about it and one person who was very frustrated with it after having just convinced her boss that she could do it from an office environment. Her boss showed it to her and told her, “See I told you, you have to do it in the community.”
      Just felt there was a need to show both sides.

      • Anonymous says:

        Tim – great article. I just re-tweeted it and referred on LinkedIn – you are absolutely right – you can build it at the desk, but the personal interaction is crucial to maintain the relationships, particularly with the “veteran neighborhood watch block captains” who have interacted with our agencies for years with mailers and meetings. They really want to put a face to the name…

  2. Hervey Simard says:

    I remember that comment… Didn’t sit well with me. I believe you can do it behind the desk, like I do, and still capable to build strong relationship across the country. However, the face to face interaction is stil important and no technology can beat that. So my view is engage, engage, engage. If you didn’t engage prior going on social media, then you are already late. Social media is making easier for us to communicate but it is not the miracle solution to all communication problem your organization might have.

  3. Agree! I’ve been thinking similar thoughts almost since the day I joined my first social network . The question is not whether virtual or face-to-face is better–I think live interactions will always have an edge. The question is whether, within the limits of my schedule and location, I could have met all the people I’ve interacted with virtually, and the answer is a resounding NO.

    I’ve been fortunate to meet some of my “virtual” friends, which is great, but I still value the ones I’ve yet to meet.

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