New Year’s reSOLUTIONS: Embracing Social

 How Ontario Systems’ VP of Administration & CPO plans on making 2015 a connections-driven year

By Jill Lehman
Another year is coming to an end, making it time to reflect and identify the possibilities ahead in the new year. This coming year is the year of social technology transformation, otherwise known as breaking out of my comfort zone and truly embracing social media—no longer limiting social media to perusing the newsfeeds on my Twitter, making connections on LinkedIn or checking what’s on the minds of my Facebook friends.

It’s time to use social media as a modern tool, both in my workplace and in daily life. After all, it’s the future of communication, and I just might be missing out on one of the most effective ways to communicate with the new generation of workforce and, more importantly, my pre-teen daughters.

Making social work for me means figuring out the following:

Creating the right serving size

I heard it said that “Social media is a buffet of information.” I need to better sort through all the information, understanding I can’t possibility consume it all, and focus on the information that brings meaning to me. On the flip side, recognizing this is no different for other readers in terms of sharing information that can more effortlessly read and absorbed.

Find untapped ways to use social media

What pieces of social media have I been avoiding, and why? What applications and other forms of social media will broaden my exposure and audience? If a picture is worth a thousand words, why not use them more to communicate?

Practice social self-paced learning

Or “SSPL.” Using the vast sources of the Web to be intelligently selfish through self-learning, broad exploration and pushing my own paradigms.

Plan for failure

I must recognize, at times I will become distracted and not participate in social mediums, or on the flip side over-stimulate and need to refocus or simplify my efforts.

Incorporate social into both my work and life.

It’s time to break my self- imposed rules and disrupt my networking. Begin to merge multiple networks into one audience across social media outlets. Why are Twitter followers and the LinkedIn audience unique networks?

Encourage others to participate.

Find ways to inspire others to join the movement and expand their social media prowess and presence.

As a first step to starting off this New Year’s resolution right, it’s time to wrap and get posting!

---

Jill Lehman is Vice President Administration and Chief People Officer at Ontario Systems. She will be featured in Issue No. 15 of Forefront magazine, out January 9.