Six Social-Media Skills every leader needsMcKinsey Quarterly Feb 2013

Synopsis

This article addresses the increasing role social media now plays in both internal and external communication.In particular, it discusses the impact social media has in creating informal communication channels that bypass the traditional lines of communications.It suggests that companies and particularly, leaders need to invest in a "technologically linked social infrastructure" that fosters exchanges across physical barriers of communications.

Theory into Practice.

Social media as a communication tool for companies can be extremely beneficial in developing a rapport between the company, its employees, and its external constituents.Social media is a richer media than pure electronic exchanges because it drives engagement given the nature of medium being used.Blogs, discussion boards, YouTube channels are beginning to emerge as informal communication channels that companies can utilize to encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration across firm boundaries.A major benefit is that it is a two-way exchange between the leaderand his/her intended audience.Use of social media as a communication medium impacts the traditional lines of communication because the audience has the ability to both contextualize and propagate the message being communicated.

The article focuses on how leaders need to be social media literate. The model they propose consists of six key dimensions that emphasize both personal skills and organizational capabilities.The model reflects several key components of the communication process as discussed in class.It highlights the impact social media has on both the encoding and decoding process.More importantly, it addresses the impact that the use of social media can have on employee engagement, development of human capital, the potential for collaboration across firm boundaries which all can lead to a stronger competitive advantage and a better competitive position.

Take-away

The takeaway from this article is that social media now needs to figure into the equation when developing the organization's architecture.The key point is how social media is a power tool for the informal side of both the organization's structure and culture do its impact on traditional communications channel.