Social Media Marketing | Executives “Love Hate Relationship”

Let me start off by stating that when someone is called an executive it isn’t as much a ‘title’ as an attitude or a mindset, leading them to their career success and the achievements.  When most people were beginning their careers, Post College, instead of clubbing and playing in multiple softball leagues, we  were completing advanced degrees, pursuing professional certifications, and creating retirement plans.

Executives are wired to be successful.  Once a CEO achieves a major success, he doesn’t communicate to the world how great he is.  He doesn’t have the natural desire to tweet, “Look what a great achiever I am” and include links to his Facebook and LinkedIn pages.  He did it because it’s in his genetic code.  He doesn’t require the endorsement, blessing, or applause of others, and therein lays the basic source of the problem – executives are not self-loving in a YouTube world.  In a society that gloats about the tiniest personal trivialities, we could care less because success is our normal day-to-day existence.

Seagulls vs. Eagles

Executives are not seagulls but “eagles,” because unlike seagulls, eagles don’t flock. They’re not joiners nor are they groupies, which is why they  generally prefer formidable solo sports like running, cycling, weightlifting, and the one allowance to “group sports” – golf; which is still technically a single-person sport, but more fun in groups.

Social Networking | “Networking” is The Problem

The reason we loathe social networking is the same reason we loathe routine networking.  Engaging in small talk for several hours in a room full of strangers, with a cocktail in one hand and a business card in the other, and glancing at nametags so I can conjure up a phony smile and having our knuckles nearly broken by the guy with the too-firm handshake, before glancing at my watch and counting the minutes until I can leave and get back to work.  It’s a nightmare because most executives are actually loners, who seek privacy and closely manage every hour of every day.

To say that we are non-social creatures would be a distortion, but when you combine the word “social” with “networking” – let’s just say it makes me very uneasy.  Do I like the company of others?  Sure I do – but I want the time to be well spent.  Instead of random, shallow, unfocused chit-chat, CEO’s would much rather spend a few hours with our peers discussing specific challenges – and their solutions.  In fact, the reason so much business gets done on the golf course is because it’s one of the few places leaders actually congregate and feel relaxed enough to discuss what’s really on their minds.

Social Networking | “Social” is The Problem

The next challenge for executives regarding social networking is the connotation of the word “Social”, and, by its very spelling, its connection to Socialism. Socialism is defined in dictionary.com as……….(to continue reading the complete report enter your name and best email address in the form below and you can access it immediately):