IBM and social networking

I thought this IBM advertisement reflects a common misconception about social networking. The emphasis should be on net-WORKING, not just on the Social part, especially while you’re at work. you can play with your online “friends” on Facebook and MySpace at home, or on your lunch break.

If you’re claiming to be working, and utilising your social networks for your job consider these 10 points:

1. you can tweet about your work, (Twitter.com)
2. post presentations on SlideShare
3. write and comment on WORK RELATED blogs,
4. find prospects on LinkedIn.
5. Ask and answer questions in forums and discussion groups (LinkedIn, Plaxo, Naymz, Talent Bar, etc.)
6. Start a group for your company or department (or profession, or role or whatever) and discuss interesting issues, relevant to your group. (on the same platform as #5)
7. You can use Skype to save the company money, and have a F2F (face to face) interaction with your clients or suppliers. Talk to your office buddies around the water cooler.
8. Use Google Docs to collaborate on documents with your colleagues
9. Use Huddle for your workspace, share your calendar, tasks and meeting with your colleagues. this will save time and un-necessary email correspondence.
10. Stop chatting!  Chatting with your “online friends” is unethical, and wasting your boss’ money.
    You Will get caught, eventually.

The online networking phenomenon can be very useful tool, but it can also be abused. Make sure you make the most of it. Ethically, and productively!

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