The Social Networking Strategy

The past few years have witnessed an explosion of the social networking sites. Initially such sites were used mainly by individuals to catch up with friends and family members.  This was when employers were not very lenient on employees who were found logging into the social networking sites. Some employers even went a step further to block internet use in their offices because employees who used social networking sites were thought to be wasting the organization’s time and resources.

However times have changed and the past few years have witnessed multinationals and global companies finding their space in the social networking platform. This is because the social networking platform has got a potentially global constituency for the various global organizations. It is common nowadays to get updates and strategic articles through a company’s facebook page which is in a sense more leveraged compared to waiting for people to log onto a company’s traditional website.

The social networking sites have provided great opportunities for companies and individuals who are keen on finding either a local or global footprint. Individuals and small business entities without their own websites are taking advantage of the social networking sites to create a constituency of customers and for the marketing of products. Celebrities, churches, not for profit organizations, politicians and everyone that cares to connect with the entire are finding their space in the more affordable social networking sites.

It is therefore important for organizations and individuals to come up with their own social networking strategy that’s to help them stay ahead of the competition. This can be in terms of leveraging your marketing and products or in the competition for talent. Some companies are not just using the social networking platform for marketing purposes but also as an interface for recruiting the best talent.

This therefore calls for organizations to come up with 360 degrees strategies that will help them circumvent the modern day dynamic market.

Re-ignite Your Dreams

A dream is in a sense an innate confirmation of where we are going. It is an evidence of what we haven’t seen and where we haven’t been. It is a source of strength and encouragement whenever we encounter obstacles. It is what keeps individuals and the society on the straight and narrow path whenever dark clouds gather and the storms strike.

Dreams are tied to faith and as such pursuing your dreams is basically a step of faith. The reality of life is that our dreams will be tested from time to time and there will be numerous occasions where we’ll feel like letting go of our dreams and ambitions. It is common for people to give up on their dreams altogether as a result of fatigue and burn out. The pursuit of our dreams is a pilgrimage and the path is laced with all sorts of discouragement and obstacles. However the greatest hindrance that we are likely to encounter in the pursuit of our dreams is spiritual and psychological fatigue. This tends to be the breaking point for most people and so “times of refreshment” are important at this point.

It is therefore important for us to always take time out from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life to reflect and analyze the path to our dreams. We need to go back to the place where we were really excited about our dreams before the fatigue and burn out overwhelmed us. This is an important moment of reflection and decision making as far as getting back on track is concerned. The path to achieving our goals may not be clear cut and so there might be some detours on our way there. The most important thing though is to fix our eyes on the prize and not lose focus because of the distractions around us if we are really serious about achieving our goals.

Letting go of our God given dreams is a sure way of letting go of God’s purpose for your life which is disobedience. We therefore need to take time out to water and nurture our dreams in order to become all that God made us to be.

So, take time out today and re-ignite your glorious dreams.

Inspirational Leadership

Good leaders should have the ability to manage, build consensus, be pragmatic, communicate effectively and basically steer the organization towards its destiny. However one of the most ignored traits of good leadership is that of “inspiration.” Whenever an organization or a crisis faces difficulties, one of the most uplifting things that a leader can give to the people is inspiration.

Even the most talented and qualified people within an organization will from time to time need an uplifting word in times of despair. The truth of the matter is that all organizations encounter stormy seasons from time to time and when this happens the people tend to look upon their leader to tell them that it’s all going to be well at the end of the day. It’s the leader’s prerogative to assure the people that the current stormy situation is just but a passing cloud which will pass someday.

The world has witnessed powerful Heads of State come out to inspire the citizenship of a country is times of crisis. Amidst tears and heartbreaks, Heads of State and Government have had to face the citizenship and the entire world while categorically stating that they are in charge and that with the help of the citizenship they shall overcome. We all remember the assurance given by President George W. Bush to the Americans and the world after the September 11 terrorist attacks. “You are either with us or with the terrorists” is the statement that summed it all up for the Americans and the world. It was a statement of unity and of purpose.

An inspired organization is a combative organization. The strength of a leader goes a long way in building consensus and unity among the people. While acknowledging the fact that leaders are mere mortals with frailties and emotions just like everybody else, it is imperative to state that a leader’s inspiration lies in knowledgeable advice and wise counsel. This therefore calls for leaders to surround themselves with people of great repute, moral character and great wisdom. A leader should surround himself or herself with inspirational people who have walked the walk and have succeeded in the process.

This inspiration from within a leader’s inner circle can then be transferred to the masses within an organization or a nation. At the end of the day it is worth noting that an inspired people are a potentially successful people which is good for any organization or nation.

Decisive Leadership

One of the most frustrating things to followers is having an indecisive leadership. Whenever people feel like their leadership doesn’t seem to have a firm stand on an issue, frustration sets in. An organization with a captain who seems to have no sense of direction is bound to crumble to small tiny pieces because of the perceived lack of firmness on the part of the leadership.

Proponents of hands on leadership argue that this type of leadership ensures that everything and every aspect of an organization is always in the radar of the top leadership. Despots and dictators have perfected the art of hands on leadership to the point of making their juniors irrelevant and discontented since the “big man” will seem to be running the whole organization or country singlehandedly.

On the other hand leaders who employ a hands off approach to management might seem out of touch with the reality on the ground and on some happenings within the organization. Such leaders might wake up one day to find an organization in disarray because everyone seems to be doing what they deem fit in an alleged directionless organization. The upside of hands off leadership lies mainly in personal development of the junior managers. This is partly because it inspires confidence and decision making in the part of the junior managers who feel part and parcel of the decision making process. It also makes junior managers responsible for their decisions since they are not working like puppets.

Regardless of whether a leader employs a hands on or a hands off approach, he or she needs to be the radar to the entire organization and people need to trust that they are being led towards their destiny as a society and as individuals. Top leaders should firmly chart the way for the entire organization. Jesus Christ is the best example of a leader who leads his organization by making firm decisions which might be unpopular but fruitful.

It is therefore imperative for leaders to be on the forefront when it comes to making decisions for the good of the followers in order to avoid a case of the followers trying to “lead themselves” which is a recipe for chaos.

Leadership

Leadership is said to be the highest form of management in any organization whether small or big. The highest level of leadership is said to be "people management." Any leader with good people management skills is bound to be successful both in the boardroom and in the field.

It is therefore imperative for interviewers to gauge interviewees leadership skills by giving a special emphasis on their track record as far as dealing with people is concerned. There is a big difference between managing people and managing systems. An IT manager might be quite knowledgeable in the management of IT systems but might not be very good in managing the IT team under his or her watch.

Organizations should therefore take heed of the post to be filled and the type of skills needed for the holder of the post to work effectively. This is a good way of ensuring that only the right people are given the right job.