One of the great things about social media being new is the many opportunities to keep learning. Geoff asked what social media advice could be offered to a group of MBA students on Twitter Monday that got people buzzing. Some of the responses included:
- AmberCadabra: @GeoffLiving Listen first to understand why/if social media is right for you. If it’s a good fit, start with one thing you can do well.
- MattJMcD: @GeoffLiving take your time. there’s a lot going on and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. start w/ what you can handle, and grow from there
- sonnygill: @GeoffLiving To TALK WITH ppl and not try to sell them on your brand/company through SM mediums. Build your network through conversation.
- fieldsteven: @GeoffLiving: Never underestimate the value of listening. It is just as–if not more–important than talking.
The most important advice that came from that was the idea of LISTENING, and at the same time jumping in and continuing to explore and read about social media as much as possible. But the secondary part is to give back as much as you get.
Giving back would imply teaching. Not as an elite “I get it and you don’t” type of lesson, but more of a “how can we do better?” lesson. ReadWriteWeb asks if new media can (and should) be taught in schools. “The world is changing, media education has probably always needed to change and this point in history offers some exciting opportunities for educators and students.”
(Picture Credit: Geek and Poke)
People are hungry for ways to teach new media to students, entrepreneurs and small business owners, and large corporations alike. Consider the wild success and viral effect of CommonCraft’s videos. These work because they are simple, non-threatening (as in not scary or overwhelming), and to the point.
We need to continue teaching, learning, and engaging others in social media for it to continue to grow. Collaboration is key to learning and teaching, how else can you share your thoughts and ideas? Reading and networking are very effective ways to get started, which is now made even easier with online tools and social media networks.
If you were going to teach a course on social media, what would the main subject be? Would it be a general skills and tools overview? Ethics? Professional vs. personal use? Collaboration and conversation?
We’ve moved way beyond blogs as a way to communicate with clients, competitors, and key stakeholders. So, what else needs to be taught to interested people so that they effectively use social media?
Hey, Larissa: Love the cartoon. I just popped in for a visit and your comments are so appropriate. Listening is the key: to learning and to teaching. Listening opens up the space, as Parker Palmer would say, for learning to occur. Also, understanding that communication and relationships are constantly evolving. If you were to teach a course I think it would be all those things you mentioned and you would probably come up with more. But helping people to understand how to listen in this new environment would be essential groundwork for all of these topics.
I don’t get to check the Buzz Bin often, but I always find something interesting. Thanks.
Thanks for linking Larissa.. As you also mention, and I agree.. one of the biggest elements for any social media to be successful is ‘giving back to the community’.
It’s all about understanding each others’ needs (which of course goes back to ‘being able to listen well’) and solve someone’s problem, while staying respectful. A basic course on developing these qualities will ensure people are professional and ethical, I believe.