Category: ideas

Ask the readers: Social media tips and lessons

In less than two weeks, I’ll be presenting about social media at the CASE District VI Conference in St. Louis. What I’d like to do as part of that presentation is something I try to do in most presentations: crowdsource some advice from other higher ed communications and marketing pros and share samples of the collective wisdom. Because none of us is as smart as all of us, right?

So I’m asking you readers to share your advice, tips or cautions about using social media in higher education. I’m specifically interested in your thoughts about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google Wave.

Please take a minute to share in the comments – or, if you prefer, via Twitter (@andrewcareaga):

  1. your tips for using social media as a communications and/or marketing tool in higher education
  2. your advice for getting started in social media (for those unfamiliar)
  3. your thoughts on the future of social media – i.e., what trends do you see for the coming year?
  4. any words of wisdom or caution regarding social media

Any information I use from you will be properly attributed to you.

Thanks for your help!

Quiet leadership

Being an introvert (yeah, I know; that fact surprises a lot of people), I am happy to see pieces like this Forbes.com article by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler on the leadership traits of introverts. (Hat tip to @patmcraw and @thehrgoddess for sharing this article via Twitter.)

I suspect that many of the great bloggers and twitterers I’ve met — virtually and otherwise — also tend to be introverted and may share some of the five leadership traits Kahnweiler describes. And even if you aren’t an introvert, maybe after reading this you’ll have a bit more compassion for those of us who aren’t always the loudest voices in the room.