Continuing to talk about social media as a “time suck” instead of focusing on how to better manage the investment of time is just one way we’re going to keep marginalizing it and wondering why the leadership of organizations doesn’t take it seriously or discuss it strategically.
Everything worthwhile in business requires time. And just about anything on earth can become a waste of time if the person doing it isn’t accountable for the purpose behind it or if the strategy and implementation is considered in isolation, apart from the ripple effect it can and will have through the rest of the business. Every process, every technical solution we use from email to CRM to the telephone on our desk can be a time sink or an absolutely critical investment of effort.
We are in danger of abusing social, both in terms of asking it to shoulder the burden of our misdirected business models and in being horrifically short sighted about its gradual role in business’ overall communication evolution rather than treating it like something we desperately want to shortcut, set, and forget.
The tools aren’t the problem, we are.
The tools are inert in and of themselves but we, the people operating them, are the catalyst that can realize their potential or turn them into spinning wheels and dead ends. Adapting how we work isn’t easy, but it’s necessary and it’s not new. We adapted to the phone. We adapted to the emergence of the web and email, and learned how to integrate these things into how we build and operate our companies. There’s good uses of all of those things, and there are complete wastes of time.
Social’s value is still partially hidden in – or hindered by – our adaptability and vision.
If there’s a waste of time involved, it’s based in errors of human judgment and not in the nature of social itself. But if we can envision things strategically, quit hitting the panic button, and breathe social into our businesses gradually and with some critical thought, the business case might just become easier to illustrate.
Accountability counts in business, too.
AMEN Amber!!!!
Step One on how to avoid a social media time suck: Say no and spend less time on it
Step Two on how to avoid a social media time suck: Quit bitching, and figure out a way to spend your time more efficiently
Step Three on how to avoid a social media time suck: Recognize the irony of complaining about social media time suck while you tweet on your iPad while watching four hours of TV per night
Step Four on how to avoid a social media time suck: See Steps One through Three
We all have 24 hours. If you use yours poorly, that’s on you. Period.
You forgot the step to read fine blogs like Brass Tack Thinking and comment when inspired, adding to the social consciousness of other readers. When I write words in long form, I do not feel like I’m wasting time.
So true! Funny how in social media we tend to look for instant gratification and chase the next best thing instead of taking the time to develop relationships that make social business worthwhile. Thanks for sharing this.
Really cogent points, Amber, especially referencing email, CRM, etc. It’s very easy for folks to get in a hamster wheel mania instead of stepping back, taking a breath, and figuring out where these new tools fit in the grand scheme of things.
Praise, Sister!
This is so true…. But the big difference between the phone, web, and email, etc versus social media is that with social the rate of change is much greater, faster, and more extensive. People are forever in the “wow” of it all precisely because it is changing too rapidly to get used to it. First MySpace, then wow, look at what we can do with Facebook. Now, wow, look what we can do with G+ and Pinterest, etc etc.
People and organizations must therefore be constantly on a high learning curve. This poses a significant challenge to those who are either too resource-strapped (such as many small business owners) or those too resource heavy (such as many big corporations) to keep up and direct their resources in an appropriate, effective way.
use social media only when you have to…otherwise steer clear of it 🙂
The American public, and none more so than the tech crowd, suffers from SNOS – Shiny, New Object Syndrome. As a marketer who has guided clients to pay attention but participate judiciously in social media platforms, I applaud you for giving voice to a position for sanity. Healthy lives, personally and in business, will always be multifaceted. And at the end of the day, face to face relationships give us the satisfaction and meaning we are hard-wired for.
Another spot-on post, thanks Amber!
There’s a saying I like very much: “If your excuse for not meeting deadlines is that ‘you have too much work’, then either you or your boss is not managing time well.”It’s the same with Social Media, in my opinion; if you complain that its “a timesuck” basically you don’t know how to manage it well. Results can only come from previously set business objectives, a well defined strategy and great execution.
Well said…as usual!
Guilty. Although when I use that reference it’s because I’m saying people still view it like that but only because they’re not using it strategically. Great post and sharing now
Straight to the point, everyone in a workplace must discipline themselves in not opening their social media accounts. This is an addiction, especially to those people who are bored on their workplace. Proper time management is also the key, but above all its Discipline.
Is it a time suck if you’re getting ROI?
The problem is that there are currently to many social media platforms for any
one person to be able to master them all. And then to top it all off we have
the get rich crowd running around selling BS e-books that confuse the issue
even more.
Very informative!