Earlier this year I wrote a series of S.M.A.R.T. Blog posts targeted to social media rookies and others who want to engage more efficiently and effectively. These posts capture many of the "Welcome to the Digital Era" themes I highlight in the presentations I give. Click on the links below or scroll down to read more about: 

Social Media: From Novelty to Utility

Media hype notwithstanding, social media is still a novelty to many professionals, especially those in leadership positions. Rather than viewing them as a radical departure from traditional communication approaches, however, it's better to think of them as "new tools for doing old things" and to remember that digital technologies are facilitators and enablers, not an end unto themselves. As the Digital Era progresses, best practices for managing social media as a utility are emerging. These best practices include focusing on the strategic as well as the tactical, effectively managing human capital resources, and managing Digital Era risks.

Click here to read the post.

Social Media Engagement: 7 Rules for Working Smart, Not Just Hard

Written for both individuals and organizations, this post provides high-level guidance for rookies who are just getting started with social media, as well as those who are looking to add more structure, focus and discipline to existing initiatives. The guiding principles address topics such as setting goals, assessing the operating environment, conducting a communications audit, developing a plan of action, acquiring knowledge and skills, incremental implementation, and managing time and information.

Social Media Engagement: 5 Guiding Principles

Extending the ideas in my previous piece on social media engagement (7 rules for working smart, not just hard), this post offers 5 principles to guide the efforts of both individuals and organizations. As with the previous piece, it is targeted to rookies who are just getting started with social media, as well as those who want to regroup and redirect their efforts. The guiding principles include proceeding with "mindful flexibility," listening first then talking, being strategically tactical, balancing idealism with pragmatism, and emphasizing quality over quantity.

Click here to read the post.

Social Media: Coping with Time & Information Realities

In our overcommitted, busy lives, lack of time is a common lament. The time challenge is exacerbated by information overload and the speed with which digital technology continues to change. For social media rookies in particular, these challenges can be overwhelming. This post highlights certain immutable realities of the world in which we live and work and offers guidance for how to cope with them.

Click here to read the post.

Related Resources

The Spotlight on LinkedIn email from last fall has links to more posts addressing topics like status updates (including Twitter) and the effective use of groups. Future posts will include Part III of the LI profile series and some guidance on using the poll feature.