[ swarm theory ]

The use of SM by C-Level executives is becoming the subject of lot’s of SM discussion. How to use it, what to say, what not to say…and a wide range of other “standards” are being debated in companies around the globe. Is it really that complicated, or perhaps, just another symptom of the out-of-touch realities of most corporations (regarding SM)? Personally, I think its a “dammed if you do, dammed if you don’t” situation, mostly dependent upon corporate culture and the comfort level with being open and transparent - AND having the ability to deal with any “self-branding” that might result from employee SM participation.

A good article on this subject by Jonathan Paisner was recently posted on the AdvertisingAge website. The last paragraph relates to C-Level use of Twitter, and provides some excellent advise:

Twitter is yet another example of where brands have to accept a loss of control. In this case, it is not about putting the brand in the hands of the market but in the hands of the people for whom the brand is their livelihood. A certain amount of letting go is a necessity. We will undoubtedly see a few missteps in C-tweets, and we’ll learn and move on. Ultimately, the medium may change but basics of branding still apply — both for the brands themselves and for their executive stewards: Be true, be relevant, be transparent, respect your brand and your customers, don’t make a promise you can’t keep.