Chris Brogan recently interviewed Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer of N2Growth, a leadership branding and management firm, about whether CEOs are fully leveraging social media.
Myatt noted that, in his experience, CEOs are aware their organizations need to be engaged in social media, but still view SM as something that others in their companies should deal with. They’re reluctant to move out of their comfort zones and shy away from high visibility personal involvement.
When Brogan asked what advice he gives to CEOs regarding social media, Myatt said,
“Aside from the obvious benefits (gathering intelligence, engaging stakeholders, building brand equity, more effectively avoiding and dealing with a crisis, increasing loyalty, creating revenue, etc.), the big opportunity is that a first movers advantage still exists for CEOs in SM.
SM gives a CEO the opportunity to engender trust and confidence through genuine public interaction in a way that can meaningfully reach more people than is possible through any other medium.”
Myatt’s advice is “Get engaged, and get engaged now.”
Because CEOs are now answerable to a much wider range of constituents – from sometimes hostile employees and bloggers, to the media, whistle blowers, and anyone with an opinion to share – they must engage with people where they are.
Myatt also cautions that time is closing in for CEOs to engage in social media. Those who are out of the loop will be viewed as “not worthy of the title they hold.”
Related posts:
Baby Boomer Executives Afraid of LinkedIn and Social Media
