Social Media and Trust

Please check out the article in this month’s Forum magazine by my good friend, Jeff De Cagna, about social media strategy (and thanks, Jeff, for plugging our book in the article!). I particularly like what he had to say about trust, a recent theme in my postings here.

Since social media are about people, it follows that the ability to trust those people is an absolutely essential ingredient of your success. You cannot foster passionate and purposeful engagement in your association’s activities without the accompanying resolve to let go.

There’s that pesky letting go of control thing again.

Comments

[Amanda Batson]

Why is it so hard to let go? Yes, the perceived loss of control can feel threatening and some people just have to have "it" their way. However, the results of collaborative engagement have multiple benefits: generally better ideas (remember the old adage two heads are better then one?); synergistic growth; increased trust even if incremental; and more. Letting go and reaching out in a safe place are crucial for f2f and virtual human interactions. Maybe it is the wonder about safety (physical, emotional, intellectual, fiscal) that drives the need for control.

[Jamie Notter]

Well said, Amanda. Does the need for safety drive the need for control? Hmmm. That's a deep one. I may have to do a longer post on that. Might be a chicken/egg thing. If safety is removed, you will want to take control. If control is removed, you will feel unsafe? Remember, trusting (giving up control) by definition involves risk (less safe).