“Social” of Social Media = Interpersonal

A Nielsen Wire study notes statistics on the rise of social media use in recent years.

READ STUDY RESULTS. (Nice graphs, too, for us visual information processors.)

The "social media phenomenon" can no longer be considered a "new thing". Google, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and other sites have been around long enough for an entire generation of people to know nothing except these tools! And that generation is a growing part of the workplace.

Workplace changes include considering and implementing better use of social networking rather than "should we use these tools?" One of the primary advantages of social network tools is the expanded "social" aspect.

Social is different for someone born in 1990 than for someone born in 1950, yet it is the same. Too many articles and blogs note the negatives of social media and social networks. Let's look at the positives of "social" in social networks.

1. Increased "social". We connect with people more readily and more easily through these tools. For those with self-esteem challenges and those who consider themselves "social wallflowers" or "introverts", connecting with people on social networks helps them break out of their shells through a keyboard or keypad. There are more connections rather than fewer.

2. More "self" revealed. Some will say this is a negative development when you consider sexting and personal data online. On the positive side, though, we tend to reveal more of our honest feelings to others online than in person. When we release the "stuff" inside us that keeps us tense and uptight, we experience better health. We establish tighter relationships. Realize that a delicate balance must exist between too much information (or too personal for public eyes online), honesty, personal safety, and organizational security. A lot of dis-honesty exists in the world.

3. Greater language skills required. Person-to-person communications involves multiple components of messaging: the words we use, our vocal variety, our body language, movements, and positioning, our facial expressions, listening skills, and more. With social media we have the words we use, emoticons, and only with a web cam do we have visual cues (as of this writing, anyway) or a microphone, the audio cues. The other components of effective interpersonal communications are missing – including immediate feedback and response in many cases. Therefore, our skill with how we choose and use our words must improve in order to make up for the other cues we miss. We must have better command of our language skills.

"Interpersonal" includes being more social, revealing more of ourselves honestly and safely, and using language more effectively. Social networks, when used and managed effectively, allow us to practice our interpersonal communication skills in a laser-focused way. Our challenge is to not hide behind social networks but to use them to initiate more in-person interaction…positively and safely.