Social Media Offers No Substitute for Effective Leadership
The new social media technologies, as well as old ones such as email, do not work as well as face-to-face communications for leaders reaching their workers, according to a panel of military and civilian leaders. The Leadership/Young AFCEANs panel on day two of TechNet Asia-Pacific 2014, being held in Honolulu December 9-11, explored many facets of successful and failed leadership.
All the panelists agreed that leaders who rely on digital means as their primary method of communication are shorting their workers. Email in particular came in for harsh criticism.
“Never rely on email as a leadership tool,” said Col. Michael Finn II, USAF, director of communications and chief information officer, U.S. Pacific Air Forces. “You can manage through email and texting, but leading requires human interaction—face to face.”
Other panelists decried leaders who hid behind social media to get their messages out. If email is necessary, be brief and to the point, offered John Klebonis, vice president, Department of Defense Segment, AT&T Government Solutions.
Col. Mike Sweeney, USMC, J-6 for the Marine Forces Pacific, went one step further into traditional media. He urged leaders to write pen-and-paper letters to deserving staffers or their families. He would have a subordinate nominate a deserving Marine under his command, and then the colonel would send a congratulatory letter to that Marine’s family. The boost in morale was palpable as these Marines learned of the letters to their relatives.
