- “I have a company to run”
- “It is risky with customers also following my comments”
- “Social media is for celebrities”
- “It takes too much time commitment from me”
- “I am unsure of the value”
- “My HQ will not be appreciative”
- “It is painful to navigate the legal hassles to get anything out”
For Global Business Services (GBS) leaders who avoid social media, there are many good reasons for staying away.
Are these assumptions misguided?
It isn’t that the leader must be on social media 100% of the time. Nor is social media the silver bullet to solve risk and reputational issues. However, not being on social media has implications on how the brand (linked to the leader) is perceived, if prospective candidates will consider the employer or if their own staff will value their judgment. By a 4 to 1 ratio, employees are more inclined to work for leaders who are active on social media.
Don’t miss out
Not being on social media is a missed opportunity that global leaders can’t afford. Times are changing. 80 percent of CEOs from the world’s top companies are social, either through their company website (68%), company YouTube channel (38%), or a social network (28%), according to a study by Weber Shandwick. 76% of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business engage socially.
What’s more – 82% of global business leaders agree or strongly agree that there is a wider reward for the company if they have an active leader on social media and 85% state that stakeholder relationships have got better with an active leader on social media. The worst strategy for a GBS leader is to have a social media presence without any activity on the channels – be it Linkedin, Facebook, or Twitter.
Why does it matter for Global Business Services leaders as compared to others?
Global Business Services leaders need a lot more to make their case stronger for taking on more work for their operations. They have to continually demonstrate that their centers are talent magnets and that they have strong thought leadership capabilities.
No guts, no glory
It does take maturity and the leader’s ability to influence their global teams that their presence on social media is a strategic goal and not an attempt to gain personal branding glory. While the latter is crucial too, it is important to articulate why it matters most to the organization – the ability to further the employer branding, marketing and communication, and reputational goals locally. Not just the center head but everyone down the ranks, right down to the frontline staff must be tapping the power of social media.
There are enough and more research studies done to show that staff’s social media presence is about 8X that of corporate accounts and having everyone consistently engaging can amplify your organization’s narrative.
Start now or regret at leisure
So, what must Global Business Services leaders do?
If you aren’t confident enough to build a presence just yet, begin internally. There are tons of opportunities to sharpen your thought leadership within before taking it externally. Your internal communications leader is ideally placed to mentor and coach. Start with an internal blog or column and keep growing your thinking.
Invest in getting coached on social media. Learn the ropes by following others who do a great job. Seek feedback from your communication leader and other stakeholders. On social media, you are in the spotlight and the ability to manage criticism is crucial.
Develop a point of view. Not a view that you pick from someone else or your HQ ‘provides’. As the operational and location expert, you would know best what works for the center at the site. Keep refining it till you have imbibed it and audiences can relate and connect.
Not investing in building a social media presence can even lead to situations when you are forced by a crisis or a reputational risk to step outside and share a point of view.
At that stage, it may be a tad late.
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Interested in similar content? Look up my blog www.aniisu.com and website www.intraskope.com
Keen to get advice on communication? Look it up here: https://www.intraskope.com/advantage
Interested to read other articles on Global Business Services/Shared Services/Global Capability Centers’ communication? Look them up on the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network website where I am a contributing author.
- Are GBS Organizations Differentiating Their Brands Locally?
- Roadmapping Global Capability Centers’ Communication Priorities and Progression
- Communications as a COE for Shared Services Success: Charting a New Direction
- Communications as a COE for Shared Services Success: Building The Strategy
- Communications as a Center of Excellence for Shared Services Success
- Crafting a Consistent Global Business Services Social Media Strategy
- 5 Communication Approaches for Successful Knowledge Transitions
- Designing a Consistent Business Problem-Solving Forum in Global Capability Centers
- Starting Your Global Shared Services Center? Give Communications its Due
- Building an Inclusive Shared Services Leader’s Communication Plan
- Tapping the Power of Ideas in Shared Services Centers
- Six P’s that Differentiate your Global Center
- 4 Shared Services Communication Strategies Guaranteed to Work
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