Or are they?
The recognizable words of a disclaimer:
“These thoughts and opinions are my own, and not that of my employer.”
But perhaps it’s not so easy.
There was quite the kerfuffle yesterday over how Price Chopper handled a customer’s negative tweet, allegedly contacting that person’s employer and not only implying that the individual was irresponsible and negligent for posting such a thing, but that the company itself might be jeopardizing its business relationship with Price Chopper.
Many people were outraged at the retaliation against the individual and rightfully so, but this raises an even more difficult set of issues and questions for me.
You’re Entitled To Your Opinion…Maybe
Personally, I had one occasion where I made a statement of opinion via my Twitter account in reference to a customer of my employer. The statement I made was actually taken a bit out of context, but regardless, that person reached out to other people in my company concerned about what I’d said given our business relationship. Which meant I’d put both myself and my company in rather awkward spot (that thankfully worked out okay).
But see where this gets tricky? If your company has thousands of customers, must you never utter a critical word about any of them?
Presumably, there’s a difference between being a public representative of a company and just being an employee that’s not in an “official” communications role. Presumably, there’s a difference between using a personal account or a professional account, and expressing your opinions with the former means you’re safe from reflecting on the latter. (In my case, it’s even muddier because I blend my presences across accounts).
But they so easily intertwine. And today, everyone is “official”, even if they’re not. At the very least, they have the ability to influence business relationships simply by association.
The Bigger The Network, The Harder They Fall
Given the endless possibilities of of company relationships and personal networks, it’s nearly impossible to both have open dialogue and cross-reference every remark you make with every potential professional connection you have. At a recent event with a wonderful company I respect a great deal, one of their social media professionals took incredible issue with the idea that she should have to censor herself personally while she’s not “on duty” representing her company. And while those lines might seem really clear if you’re using a personal vs. corporate account, are they really? Don’t those codes of conduct and professional expectations extend beyond the office doors?
The very open networks we cherish force us to question the boundaries all over again, in different ways. Sometimes we embrace the openness because of its potential to benefit us. But sometimes, when that same openness rears its head in a way we don’t like, we lash back against it and demand control once more.
As a professional who spends time in the online world for many reasons, I have to admit that I second guess more than I’d like to, and leave more than one Tweet on the cutting room floor. Some editing is undoubtedly a good thing, just like that “think before you send” thing about email. And I’ve chosen this profession along with its demands.
But this really has me thinking, and there aren’t any easy answers. If we’re holding back for fear of the inevitable person that might take offense, aren’t we diluting some of the power of the social evolution of business? Where do we draw lines, and when do boundaries do more harm than good? Are we destined to get more and more tentative and careful, measuring our words by the millimeter until the web becomes a carefully crafted maze of the same old filtered communication we so rail against?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Disclaimer: No social media professionals were harmed in the writing of this blog post. And these opinions are indeed my own.
image credit: ideowl
Hey Amber, great topic.
I have the same challenge daily in my role with the Toronto Police Service. While we don’t have “business” customers in the traditional sense, every person that we come in contact with directly or indirectly, in person or online is a customer of our delivery of service.
My role is to message traffic safety to improve the quality of life of all our residents and visitors through road user responsibilities and safety practices. I have not only to consider what is appropriate to say, or not say, but also what is legal and in lines with our policies and procedures.
One mis-step can cause the loss of criminal proceedings, open massive liabilities or cause ethical dilemmas.
I have tried to separate my online identity with the use of professional and personal accounts, but like you, they blend.
In the end…I chose to always be cautious about what and how I say something, but, I would be doing a disservice to my community if I did not “tell it like it is” from time to time, even at the risk of offending some people. The greater good has to win in my world, with careful consideration on many fronts.
Thanks for your insight!
Thanks again (and again and again) for being so timely. Your post and the one you reference – which has its own value on how folks can work together to bring about some resolution in online/social media matters – are spot on for some of the concerns being addressed here today.
Love the disclaimer at the end. I know that is not *really* what the post is about, but I laughed (out loud). Also, I don’t have anything of real value to add here other than “I agree” but I wanted to be able to follow the comments via email (wish Disqus had the option to subscribe to comments without commenting!).
DJ Waldow
Director of Community, Blue Sky Factory
@djwaldow
I think your line saying how you’ve chosen this profession along with its demands sums it up. If someone wants to do social media professionally, they’re going to have to live with some degree of censorship. I know I have to with my current job but I know it comes with the territory. I leave negative thoughts to journaling
Even though I technically am my own boss I do consult for a company and have several clients, many of which are online. For those that think they can say whatever they want without ramifications is foolish. While the thought of saying whatever is on my mind sounds intriguing, knowing the potential consequences makes the decision to have a filter much easier.
I do think we get a slightly watered down communication stream (from most), I guess we’ll have to leave the juicy stuff for face to face interactions.
Amber –
Having read the story at the Price Chopper link – wow, what an intriguing incident.
While Price Chopper didn’t act in the best possible way to deal with an angry customer, it used information the tweeter had disclosed publicly as part of his/her profile. The company then acted in a legal, although ill-conceived fashion, to deal with the perceived hit on its reputation.
Even though the tweeter may have felt the tweet was part of private life, the employer name was displayed in the profile. Sharing his/her employer’s name, while it may have been done to share personal background and help establish common connections, also brings an employer into the social media equation and implies some type of sanction from one’s employer.
When I was in a corporate setting, my employer’s name didn’t appear in any of my Twitter or blog profiles, and its name didn’t show up in tweets and blog posts either. I never had a formal disclaimer, I went the route of my actions and messages clearly signaling the distinction between me and my employer. And yes, I tempered my messages (through generalizing situations, leaving out names, etc.) since just because you want to go after someone/something with a harsh message doesn’t mean you can do so with impunity. That’s a fact which, unfortunately, seems to be lost on many people who are out tweeting and blogging away about any topic they want, saying anything they want.
Should be an interesting discussion around this whole story. Thanks for getting the conversation started!
Mike
This is exactly the topic I tried to explore in the comments and I think it’s an excellent point of discussion. Me and you, Amber, are like THIS!
It’s a tough balance. The last point you make is interesting…
Since it’s ethical to state when we are promoting a client in a public forum, do we inherently lose credibility when we do not criticize company just because of a business relationship?
Of course no one knows when you don’t post a critical tweet or blog piece, but do we owe it to ourselves to be fair and honest with the things we genuinely like or dislike?
I think that, just as in “real” life, if we constantly filter ourselves through the lens of “not ever making anyone else uncomfortable”, we will lose out on a lot of life. Sometimes people need to be called out in a constructive manner (see: your post on FAIL).
If we do it in a way thats not attacking, then any conflict can be resolved.
Often, also, its a matter of what you don’t say. The company I work for does PR for Internet Explorer, and I am a Chrome user. I will occasionally tweet about Chrome, but I avoid talking about IE one way or the other. It’s not mission-critical for me to do so.
I think your degree of “filtering” should reflect your job description. If you are doing PR for Gillette, then you’d better not be tweeting the praises of the competition. If you are the spokesperson for a company, then you have a higher “filter” standard—you don’t want to tweet anything that could offend or turn off a large percentage of your customer base or prospects. I tend to use the cocktail party rule; don’t talk about money, religion or politics. This works unless you happen to be working in one of those three niches, and then good luck!
As always when using the real-time web, prudence is key. Sure, we will make mistakes, but it needs to be acknowledged that there are going to be repercussions.
I manage social media profiles for an auto brand and I am amazed at some of the engagement attempts that my client receives from “social media professionals” that try to bully my client into compromising their standard business dealings. While I think what Price Chopper did is reprehensible, sometimes I wish to do something like that for the things I see in the field. People seem to forget that there is a person behind the curtain a lot of the time, but I’m digressing and being vague.
When it comes to this topic though, my main concern is always the opinions expressed by my friends. People can always assume that I must advocate what my friends think, even when it’s not true at all. Your own network can affect your personal brand, so I am careful about what I say, not just for myself but for the people that associate themselves with me.
As much as I may want to believe my personal and professional lives are separate, as soon as we express private thoughts publicly, we have to be willing to accept the consequences of them.
I’m reminded of one of my favorite, and prescient, Hugh Prather quotes: “Live as if everything you do will eventually be known.” I’ve extended that directive towards what I say, and hold myself to the standard of being willing to say in public (or to someone’s face) what I would or do say in private (or when they’re not present). It’s a good gut check on whether or not what I want to say is something of substance (and useful and kind…) or simply an emotional reaction to something.
I’m interested to see how the comments develop here…
I have been thinking about this issue a lot lately. It seems that there are obvious things that one shouldn’t share or say (derogatory remarks about one’s boss, photos from a keg party, etc.), and there are topics (like politics or religion) that one should be mindful of discussing. What is interesting to me is the judgment that takes place around seemingly innocuous topics. Does the ability to have more insight into more people mean that we have more opportunities to be intolerant? What about the fact that when we didn’t know these things, it didn’t matter, even though they were still true?
I walk a fine line on all of my accounts because they are both personal and professional. This is a choice that I made and I understand that the consequences are that I often can’t say much of anything at all.
I think you’ve opened up a really interesting dialogue here. And an extremely important one. So much gets missed in/on social media sites – important subtleties in tone, ‘sense of humour’, body/facial language, and context. I had an occassion where my ‘sort of sarky’ humour was totally lost on a person via email – and my bosses called me on the carpet for it. They knew what I meant, and they “got” my tone, but a senior member of the Marketing department certainly did not. It taught me a valuable lesson – that my bosses ‘got it’ (though I still had to clean up the mess!) because we worked together, side by side, in person, every day. And *I* had made the incorrect assumption that anyone on the creative side of my industry would be as twisted as I was! Or at the very least, more open to it. I was wrong, and I have never assumed that I ‘know’ a person via social media since. But, that doesn’t mean I self-edit constantly. It means that I take careful consideration of exactly whom I’m writing to or about. I also come from the world of news, where you must be very careful to be seen as unbiased. You always explain or give voice to both sides of an issue or problem. When you content manage for a living that’s not always possible – in fact the immediacy of Twitter etc., is a bit of a double edged sword – but either way it boils down to having that kind of respect. I have not seen the content of the offending Tweet you mentioned above, but my news side asks myself these questions; did the event actually happen the way it was described? Did the Tweeter give the company any opportunity to rectify the situation prior to Tweeting so publicly and negatively about it? And if so, was the company’s response to the situation legitimately inadequate? If the answer to all three of these questions is yes, than I say tweet away! It’s a good lesson to companies out there that word of mouth marketing – good and bad – really does have an impact. To end this I just want to add that hey, people are human, and we are emotional, and sometimes we simply react before thinking. People make mistakes. But if you always have the respect-bar held up as a self-monitor before you push send, I think you can get your opinions out there, good and bad, without getting into too much trouble! And yes, these opinions are my own!
Amber- Nice topic for today- interesting.
I have chatted about this with other people, and it is this circular discussion where my non-social media friends say people are signing themselves up to a “big brother” world. Yes, kind of true – we also know that there is a degree of personal censorship but we don’t know the full set of rules, yet.
Another thought I had is how far does your online/offline presence go?
I have seen a person in her twitter bio – mention working for Coke- then the disclaimer- that her opinion doesn’t represent the company, etc. First thought- why mention Coke in her personal bio? There is the pride in working for a large company, etc. She has a right to mention it- maybe her friends all know it, etc. I wondered thought if this person said anywhere she drank or did something related to their competitor Pepsi-on Twitter would/could that be an issue with her job, or if a friend brought up something and they had an online convo about it? How much loyalty is expected? Can this girl say she really likes Aquafina? Is putting Coke in her bio- putting danger out there ? I know- extremely-silly – but I have seen it happen in the offline world.
I worked for a major pharmacy, in a marketing setting- and occasionally would bring in direct mail, and things a competing store was doing/sending. I would sometimes go and get some of the stuff from other competitors, and even in different cities- where we didn’t know what was going on- bring things home that applied to my job- and shared them with other folks involved in pharmacy marketing. I mentioned once buying a coke at a competitor store offhandedly while I was there- in a social conversation, not at a meeting. My boss made comments later – I wasn’t “loyal to the company” – in a review- and I pressed the issue- found out this little comment that I bought a coke – was a factor. After every weekend at this job- people would talk about being at Walmart/ Target, etc, which could be considered competitors- and in some markets were- but not considered “disloyal”- where does the line get drawn? The idea it was brought up in a review to me was appalling, because I did so much research on my own unpaid time, and thought I did my job well. I knew a lot of people who didn’t even bother. I can’t even imagine how they would handle social media!
Thought is what extent does your at home life vs at work life go? Are companies going to have to spell out the minutest little details in their social media policies? Should I worry about having a photo taken with any brand name objects? I dunno- I give myself headaches thinking about this stuff
We’ve touched on this topic during #pr20chat — I think it’s something many people grapple with every day. Probably similar to your situation, PR people who work at agencies (especially the really large ones) may not even realize that Company X is a client. If the local electric utility company is a client (or even a prospect), are you not “allowed” to vent on Twitter during a power outage?
(Bit of a side note; I don’t think this is a *new* problem — it’s just amplified because more people have a podium. My career began working in politics, so I “grew up” in the industry having to be very careful with what I said and who I said it to.)
I don’t necessarily have a good, one-size-fits-all answer. For myself, I try to think about it like this: If I were at a networking event with a mixture of people I know well and people I don’t know all that well, would I say this? If I’m not sure — or if the answer is no — then I think twice before posting it on Twitter (or other platforms).
Heather
@prTini
Hi Amber,
Great post for today’s social media world where our personal expressions can cross paths with our corporate life. This can be particularly true if we identify our employer in the info section of our personal page. Right or wrong, whatever we say on our personal accounts can be interpreted as a reflection on our company.
This is why it’s so critical for company’s to have a formal social media policy. The first step is to educate our employees about these issues in order to hopefully avoid these situations. Clearly define the roles of each individual that will be involved in your company’s social media program. Let them know what’s acceptable, what’s not acceptable and what the consequences could be for violating these guidelines. Get everyone up to speed on all aspects of your social media campaign and move forward together in a positive atmosphere.
Ron, I think the idea behind social media guidelines is great, but my issue is that the fiction of how much those control and the *reality* of this stuff in practice can still be very different. Education matters, yes, but there’s also a point where the blending of universes online and off go far beyond what a policy can guide.
And no matter how good the policy, the root of all of them is simple: good judgment. Which isn’t quite so easy to teach.
Heather, you’re right about it not being a new problem. I do, however, thing the impact potential has changed. Online stuff is more public, more spreadable, more visible…and the ripples can be very long lasting on the smallest of things.
I agree with your approach and it’s the one I use, but I can’t help but think that there’s a fine line between discretion and paranoia.
Lindsay, you’ve got a point about the reaction thing. I wrote a post about our propensity to yell “FAIL” at the slightest misstep by a person or company, and I have a problem with that. (Which is a bit of a long and separate discussion but I digress…)
I know that I personally walk the line often, because part of what I do is speak my mind. But I definitely edit, without question. I’m okay with that, because I still feel like I can express myself in ways that matter to me. The balance is okay for me right now, but it’s a bigger question I’m grappling with. Thanks so much for weighing in.
I’m with you on the filters. But here’s my additional conundrum:
Let’s say I *would* say it to someone’s face, and it really is something I’ve thought through and believe. I’m at peace with it.
Not everyone’s standards are mine, including those of my employer or other individuals with whom I associate. And when the professional and personal values collide, therein lie the chewy and crunchy parts. 🙂
That’s an interesting perspective, Mike. My knee jerk reaction is to disagree that sharing an employers name means implied sanction, but I have to think more about this. Let’s say I put my employer’s name in my profile in the spirit of transparency or disclosure – as is so often touted online – but then that sword bites with the other side of the blade when that disclosure becomes some kind of tacit endorsement by the company.
Tricky bits, here. I’m still thinking.
“I would be doing a disservice to my community if I did not “tell it like it is” from time to time, even at the risk of offending some people. The greater good has to win in my world, with careful consideration on many fronts.”
That’s just it, isn’t it? I know I value people who can lay it on the line, but there’s a balance. And everyone’s idea of what’s appropriate is somewhat varied, so as with most things, it’s impossible to please all of the people all of the time. In a professional capacity, the view point of our employers matter. So, too, do the viewpoints of the individuals among the communities we foster.
And on and on we balance…
I think when you take on the career path of being involved in social media, having an online “life”, so to speak, you take on certain responsibilities as well; especially if you’re working for a company, not yourself. While I certainly don’t believe in censoring myself to the point of not saying anything at all, I do feel that conducting myself in a professional and polite manner is an essential part of my job. Think of it like this: in a job interview, you’re asked about your previous employer. Not everyone leaves on good terms – but everyone knows it’s not a good idea to badmouth/be negative about their ex-coworkers. The reason? It makes *you* look bad. I think of my comments online in a similar fashion. If I’m saying things that will make someone else (person or company, it makes no difference) look bad or potentially cost them a loss of customers/business/friends/etc., I’m painting myself in a negative light as well.
Quite frankly….I’m better than that.
Interesting post, Amber. I think you have apply some good old common sense and just take things o. A case-by-case basis. We could all benefit from a little thought before we type, post or say anything.
Your last paragraph about the risk of censure reminds of dozens of boardroom discussions I have been in where someone pulls out the “but what if we offend x” argument. Usually this is a last ditch effort to support their fear of something new. But it is a surprisingly effective technique. I tends to push the conversation away from rationale thought and exploration and into fear. I have seen countless new ideas quashed in this method and it is a killer of innovation. So, back to common sense. Take some time considerthe consequences of your actions, but don’t be afraid to make he occasional person feel uncomfortable.
Michael
Are we all being too careful due to some political correctness standard or fear of reprisal for speaking the truth? The idea of keeping personal and professional lives separate online or in real life conjures up the image from the old saying, “Jigging madly on the head of a pin.”
Maybe what the world needs is a strong injection of the truth, with an occasional booster shot to keep us all on the right track. It can be done with politeness and civility, but sometimes someone has to say something or no wrongs will ever be righted.
Phew, where to begin? I could write for days on this and still likely not capture all the nuance involved, so I’ll simply say this. Right or wrong, the very attributes in social media that help level the playing field between the influence a business has and that of a individual creates new challenges. The best example I can think of is sitting on a panel in front of a large audience. Even if you’re having a back and forth with someone on the panel you have to be aware that the audience is there absorbing what you’re saying. You may have been invited to sit on that panel as a representative of your Neighborhood Watch program and thus it has nothing to do with your professional life, but if you get up there and say something negative about your employer or their clients you can bet you’ll be called into your bosses office Monday morning. It used to be that getting asked to be on that panel required a lot of experience, now we all have a seat at the table yet do not all have the big picture judgement that used to come along with that role.
The companies point of view is pretty simplistic, “look, I pay you money to provide *benefit* to my organization not to *harm* it”. And that’s a pretty reasonable stance from where I sit. The problem is that never in the history of business have so many people been thrust into positions where they *could* harm a business as an individual simply through their words.
Not long ago, I was a social media analyst for Windows & a number of the other large Microsoft products. Needless to say, my colleagues were quite active within social media. At one point, a cougar was sighted around the Microsoft campus and one of my coworkers tweeted something like “Microsoft unleashes the Microsoft Cougar to take down Apple’s Snow Leopard.” That tweet was screenshotted & quoted in a CNET post, and suddenly, there was a whole internal conversation about being cognizant of our own social media activity. Luckily, no one seemed to feel they were getting their hands slapped, and no one was talked to as if they were a child, “You know, people are watching you, and you’re a representative, so please try to be on your best behavior.” That would have just been insulting.
I think there are going to have to be people on the edges who suffer and gain based on what they’re willing to overshare or hold back. If you’re willing to censor very little, you might gain a lot from that, but you might also suffer more than you gain…and vice versa if you censor almost everything. Most of will be somewhere in the middle, making a few missteps here and there, but generally, knowing enough to censor when it’s smart.
Not long ago, I was a social media analyst for Windows & a number of the other large Microsoft products. Needless to say, my colleagues were quite active within social media. At one point, a cougar was sighted around the Microsoft campus and one of my coworkers tweeted something like “Microsoft unleashes the Microsoft Cougar to take down Apple’s Snow Leopard.” That tweet was screenshotted & quoted in a CNET post, and suddenly, there was a whole internal conversation about being cognizant of our own social media activity. Luckily, no one seemed to feel they were getting their hands slapped, and no one was talked to as if they were a child, “You know, people are watching you, and you’re a representative, so please try to be on your best behavior.” That would have just been insulting.
I think there are going to have to be people on the edges who suffer and gain based on what they’re willing to overshare or hold back. If you’re willing to censor very little, you might gain a lot from that, but you might also suffer more than you gain…and vice versa if you censor almost everything. Most of will be somewhere in the middle, making a few missteps here and there, but generally, knowing enough to censor when it’s smart.
Amber,
Your readers have already contributed great conversation around this topic, but I’ll throw my thoughts into the mix. Your post resonated with me on two points.
1. You represent everything you’re connected to all the time, every day. If someone has a problem with you (or likes something you do), they will find a reason why…”it’s because she’s a [insert label here].” Sometimes this is good, sometimes this is bad, and sometimes it’s probably even true. I’m reminded of my high school basketball coach telling us at every away game, before we got off the bus, “Remember, you represent our team, our school and our town. Make us proud.” Whether we like it or not (fair or not) we represent everything we’re connected to, every day.
2. I am a public relations counselor for a large health system. I am very careful about anything I say either on Twitter or Facebook that is connected to my work. I will talk about celebrations (if we get a new award or accreditation, for example), or I will talk about a community benefit I want people to know about. I try very hard not to talk about *anything* that could look like medical advice. I’m not a clinical person, and don’t want to imply that I can offer medical advice. I can, however, give you the number to our physician referral line 🙂
Keeping those two points in mind, for me, is the reality. Whether you self-edit or not is up to the individual. It can, however, make life easier!
“The problem is that never in the history of business have so many people been thrust into positions where they *could* harm a business as an individual simply through their words.”
This raises another interesting point, one that I’ve discussed with many people, many times over. Never in the history of business have they been so accountable to their customers/clients. In the past, I was in a situation where a customer for one of my business clients posted a very negative comment. It was suggested that it should be removed. My position was that provided there was nothing profane, the comment should be left alone – the entire purpose of listening to your customers is to *listen to your customers*.
I think there has to be a bit of understanding from the company POV as well. Are you going to get great feedback all the time? Absolutely not. But I do agree with you that it’s a reasonable stance to expect positivity from the people who are supposed to be working *for* you.
Being an executive and co-founder of my company I realized long ago my personal opinions and the company I represent are hopelessly intertwined. This is not a big issue usually, but I realize it becomes more of a problem the bigger your company and customers count become.
I admit I didn’t read about the story you mention, I read it through the link you provided and was kinda shocked at the reaction of Price Chopper.
I don’t really know what was in their minds when they did that, but I can see the underlaying problem very well.
I think stating clearly your opinions are merely personal, in your social network account of choice, is a good start. The lines between a personal and corporate opinion are clearly bound to fade into each other without being at least a bit careful.
Amber,
Great post. I think anyone employed by someone else is foolish to think their opinions will never impact said employment. The more senior your role in an organization the bigger the impact of anything said publicly. Most of the corporate world is really not ready to let go of control of the “message” and thus employees need to watch everything said online. I would always caution someone about strong religious and political views first. Despite freedom of speech, any opinions strongly held in this regard may taint the way people think of you in the workplace. I would also caution from making bold statements in the field of work or business area your company is in. Obviously, there needs to be thought leaders who make these bold statements but they are typically towing the company line. For example, making disparaging comments about competitors is ill advised. Where I see relative freedom is clearly outside the scope of your own business – complaining about poor service at a restaurant, airline or hotel is common. Stating your opinion of a consumer product (when you don’t work in that industry) is common too.
The reality for professionals using social media is that you need filter yourself. You need to think before you post, “what would my boss and my boss’ boss think of this?” If they would let it fly, then post, tweet, or update, otherwise don’t. Look at it this way, we want social media to engage with our customers, right? However, we would only engage with them in a positive and uplifting manner. In many ways we would always hope to put the best foot forward during this engagement – most likely not being our grumpy, tired, Monday-morning selves.
Social used to mean social on Twitter until it became a business tool. Same thing happened to Facebook and most other social media platforms that reach large numbers of potential customers. The spontaneity of Twitter has already lost its charm in my book for these reasons. If I have to think about every single tweet for fear of reprisal I will just quit using it. Many have already turned to aliases and cartoon avatars for this very reason.
Amber, I think it is important to tell it like is. Otherwise, do not not say anything at all. In my opinion, share what you have to say, but you need to be knowledgeable to who might be reading your tweets or articles.
Balance is certainly key and if you work for company has a blogging policy, have a small disclaimer. Share your interests and passions. You will always have to balance work/life experiences and sharing in an online world needs some type of balance.
Ah, good point. It’s never possible to satisfy everyone’s values, though one
would imagine we’re most familiar with ours and those of our employers. Case
by case, it’s about what matters more: that you get your point across and
say what you mean to, or that you satisfy the expectations of your employer
(and damn the consequences).
Some things are worth it, some are not…no universal truths there,
unfortunately.
I certainly agree with both of you about being at peace with saying/not saying things. I also try to express my opinion in a way that still allows me to proudly look at myself in the mirror AND to go to bed without something weighing on my mind.
I would say that there is a difference between being willing to say something to someone’s face and saying it via social media…if you are willing to yell it at them in front of a stadium full of people…then it’s ok to tweet it. It seems like that is a closer analogy. It’s making a public statement that is amplified at a much higher volume than ever before. Now “normal” people have a platform for amplification.
And in relation to employers…I try to operate authentically all the time…not a professional me and a personal me, it’s made me more self aware as I “share” and I try not to vent in general (using electronic channels or otherwise).
Great post!
Where do we draw the line? I think that’s a great question. Being a communications professional does carry responsibility on and off “duty”. If you are a marketing / communications professional your words can always come back to haunt you and your organization whether or not they are related to your professional life and bearing that in mind is necessary, in my opinion. However, I do think authenticity is important. Also, for me, intent is as important as accuracy. An honest, constructive expression of dissatisfaction is perfectly reasonable. Pettiness, meanness, and malevolence are never okay. Commonsense factors in pretty high, too. As the old adage goes, if you wouldn’t print it on the front page of your hometown newspaper, you probably shouldn’t say it…or tweet it.
I believe we have a duty to be professional and to represent our personal brand, and/or that of our employer’s or client’s brand, with respect. It is much too time consuming and expensive to build a brand to see it wiped out by one off-handed remark or a single instance of unprofessional behavior.
As a business owner and branding expert, I would never do or say anything that might damage my brand, that of my business or that of a client’s business. But then, I try to act appropriate to any situation in which I find myself. I am not so sure I have a lot of company in that way of thinking based on some of the unprofessional behavior I have witnessed online and at both social and professional events.
Yes, we all like to let loose from time to time, and we should not have to wear our professional hat at all times. But, when did vulgar language, inappropriate dress and over-the-line behavior become acceptable in a professional setting? I would have lost many a job and client had I behaved in the unprofessional manner in which I see some acting today.
As the saying goes, just because you CAN say whatever you want, does not mean you SHOULD.
Just my two cents…
Hey Amber,
I couldn’t agree more with you having experienced this dilemma first hand on more than one occasion. I personally always choose to protect the professional image which takes harder to build than the personal image on-line. I still think it’s OK to share your true feelings about something (whether that be a brand or not).
It’s in the way that the message gets delivered that’s important. Too often, people react with the #companysucks tag when they don’t like the way that company has treated them. I think it would be
more useful to construct a complaint with ” I didn’t like the way this was handled because….and here’s how I would have liked to see it handled….” A person still gets their frustrations out but not in a way that angers the brand. Easier said than done sometimes.
I know someone who lost her job for writing about the joys of her job (lottsa travel to nice cities, staying in really swell hotels, eating well, etc.) in her personal blog. Once it’s online it’s there forever. It is the chance you take by posting.
I should probably clarify. Putting an employer’s name in a profile may not be intended as implying sanction by the person creating the profile, but it could be taken that way by the reader. That’s particularly a possibility if someone doesn’t use the “I work here but the opinions are my own” disclaimer.
No easy answer here. There is a lot of gray area in social media. I don’t have all the facts regarding the Price Chopper situation so can’t really make any comment. All I will I say is there seemed to be quite an overreaction by Price Chopper. Sounds like someone was listening, but not really hearing if you know what I mean. I believe everyone has a right to speak their mind if they are being thoughtful and respectful even if they have a paid relationship with the organization. I’ve learned to think before I speak. It is a skill many need to learn or misunderstandings happen. Being censored is diluting the social evolution of business.
No easy answer here. There is a lot of gray area in social media. I don’t have all the facts regarding the Price Chopper situation so can’t really make any comment. All I will I say is there seemed to be quite an overreaction by Price Chopper. Sounds like someone was listening, but not really hearing if you know what I mean. I believe everyone has a right to speak their mind if they are being thoughtful and respectful even if they have a paid relationship with the organization. I’ve learned to think before I speak. It is a skill many need to learn or misunderstandings happen. Being censored is diluting the social evolution of business.
Amber,
Wonderful use of kerfuffle.
This really hits home as “This is my personal page,” is listed on my Twitter profile. No matter where I am communicating: my company forums, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc, I know what I write can be a reflection of my company and posted for all to see. I speak with data and honesty; keeping emotion out of the discussion.
Very best,
Toby
Amber, top post. To add to the complexity, we talk about creating, maintaining and improving relationships. This means connections between people, and no matter what line of work you are in, to relate to a person you need to work at professional (work), community (interests like schools, sports clubs, movies) and personal (family, friends) levels. You might focus on one area more (in work situations, professional) but to create a relationship you need to have some interest in all three.
I spend a lot of time talking about listening and how bad most organisations are at it. Reading your post, I was struck by this as an example. If someone you already have a connection with tweets something negative, on a personal or professional outlet, shouldn’t you contact them, listen to the reasons, see if you can reach a resolution? Why was the reaction to talk, to complain? Why didn’t they engage in active listening and treat their stakeholder as someone important with something worthwhile to say?
So let’s read the post again, this time as the receiver, not the sender. I’d be pretty disappointed if the reaction of someone I work with was to try to stop the negative comments by saying don’t comment, rather than try to stop the cause of the negative comment.
Cheers, geoff
Sometimes, there’s a place to call out people for their “teachable moments” as they say. However, there’s got to be an element of caution to it – after all, even if it’s the right teachable moment, there’s a diplomatic way to do things, and there’s a wrong way.
Sometimes you just don’t send the stupid tweet.
Excellent post.
I’m currently going through this same “crisis.” I’m constantly pitching to clients that it’s important to be personable, relatable, develop a personality that is real, while also maintaining their core brand image. When I think about applying the same tactics to my personal account, I’m somewhat at a loss.
It’s almost as if something that was once free, now comes with a price.
I think that you summed it up perfectly: “think before you send.” Will this impact my career? My company? What’s important to me? Is this Tweet or blog post or update SO important to me that I’d risk harming what might really count? If so, post it. And stick by your decision to do so. If not? Keep it in a little secret place on your computer so you can still look at it and smile.
It probably helps to look at it from a kids perspective. My two oldest daughters have their blog: Facebook. They post and chat away every day. And they test their limits every day. Sometimes they post comments on their school day just to find out whether their teachers are prowling the net. Sometimes they post stuff about their dad to find out whether I read it.
For teenaged kids there is only one truth: Their truth. And they want to stay true to themselves, to their belief system, their opinions etc. Knowing that they act under observation they instinctively start testing how true they can publicly stay to themselves. The target for them is clear: Find out the limits to express yourself! And that is exactly what I do. I want to stay as true as possible to myself within certain confines. And by constantly testing the confines I try to keep them as little as possible….
Amber, this is a fabulous post. And for me so topical. Today I attended a seminar held by the Australian Institute of Company Directors. The panel discussion evoked strong feelings for me and a desire to respond – perhaps a letter to the editor of their mag, perhaps at my business blog, perhaps through tweets, perhaps all of the above. I mentioned to someone later that some views had inspired me to write a response and I was looking forward to posting them. They said “don’t burn any bridges”.
How sad that a personally held opinion, one that may stimulate new thoughts, provoke healthy convesation and perhaps influence the direction of business in future immediately is thought to be bridge burning. My colleague made the point that once it’s *out there* it’s cannot be undone and is *out there* forever. My views will not be the majority position, yet. and, as a self-employed consultant who wishes to serve on Boards, her point is valid.
Tim Burrows commented to your post that he must “tell it like it is from time to time, even at the risk of offending some people”. Well said, Tim. It seem to me that many of us are fed up of spin and BS and *I’m OK, you’re OK* behaviours that fail on the authenticity scale.
So it ultimately comes down to this for me. I need to be true to myself and my values. As my values include mutual respect, it’s important to deliver messages in a way that *will be heard* by the receiver and hopefully improve them. You said “think before you send”. Maybe it’s not “should I send this?” rather “how should I send this”. So at this point, perhaps Mother Theresa puts it best “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better”. May all our blogs, tweets, PR and whatever achieve this end without compromise.