New Ways of Communication

One of the most interesting events for me in 2009 occurred on a Saturday in November. I attended a four hour seminar on using social media by nonprofits. The presenters facilitated learning about how nonprofits can use outfits such as Twitter and Facebook to better get their message out.

But more importantly in my view, the seminar covered (as have several articles/books I have read since then) the need for organizations of all types to build what someone (not sure who) called the 'conversational' ability to communicate with its stakeholders.

This type of communication is 'two way'. Recipients of a 'message' should be encouraged to 'react' and 'comment' or 'respond' to a message. I think a key word (lingo) is 'collaboration'.

The seminar 'turned me on' to using social media even more than I have done in the past....since then I have lobbied 'hard' (some might say to the point of 'being a nuisance' ) for two groups to start using social media far more than in the past.

My efforts, while certainly not futile, have met with numerous objections.. but then my recollection is that is often what happens when one is advocating 'change'. Resistance to change is natural and human.

Readers of this blog are encouraged to respond especially to this post.

Thank you