Sep 15, 2011
Just for kicks, I keep a running list of “industry buzzwords” that make me laugh (or groan) because they are often misunderstood on the application level. “Influence,” especially as it relates to the world of #SocialMedia, has long since been on my list. “WHAT IS INFLUENCE?”
If you asked my 14-year-old, she’d answer that influence pretty much comes with popularity. Come to think of it, in the compulsory school setting, that’s probably true… but in the World of Work, we navigate different jungle gyms than the ones we did during our earlier education. .. Don‘t we? While who you know, who you spend your time with and how you’re perceived certainly still holds influential relevance; what you contribute, do, and can do for others become primary factors in achieving influence… offline & in a social media setting. Social media influence tools such as Klout, SocialIQ, and Booshaka seem to back this up… but, as with any system, if it can be ‘gamed,’ can it be fully trusted?
When you do achieve ‘influence,’ what does it do for you, anyway?? In the World of Work it’s generally accepted that influence opens doors, strengthens relationships, and builds credibility. People tend to trust the recommendation of their friends over the advertisement they saw during the Superbowl; no matter how catchy it might be. Facebook took that concept all the way to the bank with their “Like” thumbs-up; and now we can tumbl, stumble, and +1 any article, brand, business, or product that catches our eye.
Of course, just as Uncle Ben explained to Peter Parker in Spiderman “With great power comes great responsibility.” Influence is, to a degree, power – so those who wield it do face the potential landmine of dealing with the responsibility that goes along with it. In the world of Social, this often means promoting the causes and agendas of others. This is not an inherently bad thing; but it does require the ability to balance those requests with our own needs & work. Actually, that statement probably applies to the world of Social Media in general. To gain and keep “social influence” online requires a time investment that must be balanced against our business and personal objectives/responsibilities; yet another potential landmine to navigate. Yes, the connections & engaging conversations you have online may drive up your Social IQ score – but that’s going to be of little comfort if you lose your paycheck in the process… so know your end-goal objectives going in.
Article originally posted on TalentCulture.
