"Seagull Management" - A Factor in Social Media's Evolution
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement.
To go from managing relationships with 50–odd journalists to monitoring & participating in conversations with 1000’s of users is an exciting challenge for the PR pro. Discovering uses for Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, etc., in the process just adds to the fun.
Lots of clients get excited about it, too. We just signed up a FORTUNE 50 client, for example, who “just knows (social media) is the future” and is embracing it.
But onto each parade a little rain must fall. There comes a time when a client archly suggests that “blogger relations is not right for us” or who nonsensically wonders whether “those LOLcats might be secretly racist” (!?!) or who thinks social bookmarking might be a good idea … but not on del.icio.us, “because the name sounds like it might be pornographic.”
In my experience these reactions tend to fall under the category of “Seagull Management” … The manager swoops in, surveys the scene from on high; makes a snap judgment without regard for context (a.k.a. pooping on your ideas); and then swoops off, leaving others to clean the mess.
I’ve been in situations where a mid-level manager brings in “the social media guys” (because they, too, are excited about the possibilities) … but they then spend more time strategizing with us on how-to avoid getting crapped on by The Seagull than on how to better engage with their communities.
It’s a shame, really, but it’s part of the evolutionary process. No “big idea” can expect a big, carefree embrace from the business world. A headlong rush into Social Media will only result in half-witted approaches, whereas the tentative & slow adoption of Social Media tenets will benefit all.
There are those who suggest that the language of business is mostly the language of commerce and contracts. And there are those of us who believe that tomorrow’s business leaders will recognize major advantages from scraping the seagull crap from their brows and engaging candidly & often with their customers, employees, and partners.
Be the turtle, slow & steady. Not the seagull, quick to crap.
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Comments
Todd -
The issue for me is will social media allow for a new perspective by management and society. The seagull manager looks at new things the old way. We have a unique opportunity historically, technologically, and socially. While the web is global, I see America facing unique challenges that are illustrated by this seagull manager.
Does the evolutionary process to which you refer include new models to pay for these technologies we are embracing so rapidly, and in some cases dropping just as quickly?
Within this process, is it possible financial institutions will have greater patience for their investments in order to fully understand the value of specific technologies?
Will old and new media entities be more of a place for discussion than division?
Is it possible for our society to see the greater good in a different light, whether that greater good come in the form of advantageous “green” policies or philanthropic programs embedded in a corporate brand?
The turtles to watch are those walking along a different stream, where water from the river is branching out and still seeking a new, natural course.
I just haven't figured out if the turtle is upended by the rushing water and exposed to the sky, will the seagull eat him, hhmm?
All the best,
Posted by: Albert Maruggi | December 4, 2007 07:09 AM
Todd, this post is excellent. LOVE the seagull metaphor.
In your experience, are most gulls middle management?
Posted by: David Wescott | December 4, 2007 11:30 AM
Albert - Hope springs eternal that every blindfold will be lifted, every earplug will melt. ;)
David - You'd EXPECT seagulls to be middle management but while that IS often the case, I've also seen this behavior pretty frequently from the C-suite execs. CEOs, CFOs, etc.
Posted by: Todd Defren | December 4, 2007 03:32 PM