walkingwithspoons.com
The use of social media has tremendously helped mankind in many ways.
A couple of days ago, local blogger Mr Brown's autistic daughter was lost and found within the space of an hour in Singapore's MRT subway system during the Friday evening rush hour period - thanks to his pleas for help and accurate regular updates on Twitter, which were subsequently shared amongst Facebook users.
Some months ago in China, numerous dogs were saved from ending on dinner plates when increasing awareness from social media netizens led to blockades of trucks delivering these dogs to end customers.
About a year and a half back, the use of social media created the Arab Spring, which resulted in some Middle Eastern countries overthrowing their leaders who were perceived as dictators and authoritarian (I use the word 'perceived' as I have never visited or lived in the Middle East). This was done in a matter of weeks, rather than months or years, as history has shown. Reports from various news agencies reported on the new found freedom that these countries had experienced, with many dancing on the streets.
It is true, social media has done wonders for many and liberated introverts the world over. Previously, if you had an opinion, you might not possess the voice for fear of saying the wrong thing; negative backlash from the relevant authorities; or just a simple case of stage fright.
Today however, everyone can simply voice their opinions by posting them online and sharing them with the touch of your fingers. This process is easy, efficient and effective in getting your point across, a little too efficient at times.
This is not the only case I know. However, I was made aware of a couple who had a nasty break up which resulted in hundreds of 'shares' and thousands of 'likes' in response to both parties' airing of unmentionable grievances on cyberspace. Friends supported either party via comments, leading to further 'mini altercations' online between their friends.
An NUS (National University of Singapore) student hailing from China commented on social media about his not-too-pleasant views on Singaporeans. Within days, he was identified and hung out to dry on the clothes line of shame.NUS responded by revoking his scholarship support, imposing a fine on him and requiring him to do community work.
Yes, you have the freedom to voice your opinion. However, one must be prepared of the repercussions that will come one's way. In the past, one might be being called up by the Police for an interview. Today, you still could be called up by the Police, but an even worse outcome might be a loss of personal reputation.
During the run up to the Hougang by-election, some chaps decided to comment on a photo of local blogger, Xiaxue, and her friends who were at a People's Action Party rally a year before. The comments made were unflattering and possibly defamatory. I have been told that Xiaxue could have successfully taken legal action against them. However, she did herself a favour and saved some money in the process by simply tracking them down on their unprotected Facebook accounts and putting their pictures on her blog. As if to add salt to their already raw wounds, the mainstream media picked up on it (I have a good idea who their source might have been) and it soon became national gossip. I understand that one of the chaps actually got fired from his job because of this saga - this, of course, is unsubstantiated hearsay that still makes for a great conversation topic to itching ears.
Social media is neither good nor bad, but it has to be handled well lest you answer for your actions in terribly unpleasant ways. The following are some thoughts that guide me (most of the time) when dealing with social media, thoughts that have resulted from having worked in advertising, customer service and education:
1) The internet is a public platform
Let's say you feel strongly about a national issue - say you want cheaper bus fares. Would you write 'I want cheap bus fares' on a big piece of vanguard sheet and walk around Orchard Road's shopping belt with this sign held high above your head? Probably not (yes, I am talking to the Singaporean). Why? Too public?
But that is exactly what you do every time you update your blog, Twitter account and Facebook status - to the world!
2) Time is needed to create a response
In public relations or the realm of foreign relations, a response to a question from the public or nations is carefully crafted to provide clear communication. Sometimes, hidden messages are subtly embedded in the spoken or written message to give signals to the receivers. At other times, responses are direct and informative. Ambiguous responses are to be avoided and the response must be vetted through by the relevant stakeholders before it is released.
Because anything you post online can be virtually viewed by anyone around the world, I would think twice before posting something or commenting on someone else's opinion.
But why? You may ask. Don't I have a right to free speech and expression?
Yes you do. So do your employer, colleagues, friends and family members - your stakeholders. Impulsive posts or responses that are inappropriate can lead to consequences enacted by the people around you.
The point I am trying to make - responses need time to craft and must be done in good time.
3) Keeping emotions/judgement in check
It is rather common for us to read an article or post online and respond/judge in an emotional state, resulting in typing things you never intended to 'say'. The ease of posting a response online just makes it that more difficult to remember that you should first calm down. The Paradigm Mall case in Kuala Lumpur is a good example of this.
Similar to how we react in face-to-face situations, we need to deal with online conflict in a measured way. I remember the time I was minding my own business in the office early one morning when the phone rang. I answered the call and got a earful from a colleague who was shouting me down over the phone. I had no clue as to what he was angry about. After he finished ranting and raving, I communicated to him that he was not making sense and that he should call me back once he had calmed down. With that, I put down the phone (the avoidance method according to Thomas-Kilmann).
Half an hour later, he called back, in a much calmer tone, and apologised to me. He confessed that he was going through some tough issues at home and was very stressed. And while he had some work matters to discuss with me, the stress in his mind sub-consciously affected his phone conversation with me in an unexpectedly abusive manner. We then put this matter behind and got down to working.
4) Read the reason behind the obvious
This requires disciplined thought - like in the example above, people sometimes write things online they do not actually believe in or subscribe to. People are not rationale, period. Because we are emotional beings, we write or respond online because of unchecked emotions or negative experiences. A retrenched worker may write negative things about foreign talent because he recently lost his job to one. However, somebody else may be writing positive things about foreign talent because she just experienced romance in one, or negative things because he lost his girlfriend to that same one.
The thing is this - many of us do not write the true reasons for how we feel, because we afraid that we might be proven wrong. It pays for me to remember that I should read in between the lines.
5) Face time
And the antidote to succumbing to popular sentiment online is to actually know who wrote what and find out more about what persuaded the person to do so. If we do not do our checks and inadvertently 'like' a popular but inaccurate post, what does that do to our character? What message are you sending to the writer and the victim/s of the inaccurate post?
In the most ideal situation, check out the person him/herself. Spend some time with them, chat with them, and you will soon know the person's character make up. My rule - if I do not personally know the person, it is unlikely for me to respond to the post, even 'liking' the post.
I like the old fashion way best - talk face to face. Words typed online does no justice to body language, and body language is so very important when determining a person's intention behind the message.
A final word.
We are all aware of the complaints that netizens have made online about the ruling party and the government. I have to admit that certain national issues could have been handled by the powers that be. However, leading an organization, a business or a country is not easy. From time to time, leaders need the people to speak up to keep them in check. Yes, speak up!
Speak up not by creating 'noise' online. Yes, it will garner many 'likes' but it may not result in a solution to the problem. Go personally and approach the relevant authorities. Get your facts right and find the right method and time to present them to the people who are in a position to escalate your case. How you pitch an idea is in many cases, more important than the idea itself.
A secret you might not know already - as leaders, we actually do not have answers to many problems! Good leaders know that they do not have all the answers and appreciate the value of engaging a well meaning person who constructively points out their faults and mistakes.
If you have tried and not been successful, do something about it! Approach the higher powers or even create your own political organization/advocacy group with like minded concerned citizens!
If you truly care about these national issues, do not give up after you have tried and failed. George W. Bush probably ranks as one of the most unpopular presidents in the history of the United States of America. My personal view is that he was too honest and surrounded by wrong advisers. When Bush first ran for political office in Texas, he failed on his first attempt and made mistakes along the way. Imagine driving through a town on an open top vehicle, waving to people and not a single person waved back at you. That really humbles a person. Yet, he bounced back failure after failure to eventually become the most powerful person in the world.
Paul Lim is an adjunct faculty member with the Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources (OBHR) discipline at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University; and an Academic Associate and an Adjunct Associate with the Centre of Innovation & Enterprise, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore. He teaches courses in Leadership, Organisational Behaviour and Cross Generational Management. A doctoral student with French business school - Grenoble Ecole de Management, he is currently writing his dissertation on mentoring for employee retention in the millennial generation (Gen Y). This article is based on the writer's personal opinion and is not representative of any organisation or persons he may be associated with.
