HQN The Governor Sept 2012 14/09/2012 16:18 Page 17 HQN’S MagaziNE foR BoaRdS, ExEcuTivES aNd lEadERS
Social media is changing the way government works. So says @sirbobkerslake – better known to the nonTwitter addicts simply as Sir Bob Kerslake, the head of the civil service. The former Homes and Communities Agency chief says tools such as Twitter and Facebook are becoming an ‘integral part’ of the work of the civil servant, allowing the government to be more in touch with its staff and the public than ever before. Just as the civil service is embracing the social media revolution, so social landlords too are realising its potential. As the government points out, half of the UK population now uses Facebook – so organisations can’t afford to ignore the potential for engaging residents and stakeholders alike. Yet some landlords have been wary of getting involved – often for fear of the complexities and risks – or have done little more than establish a Facebook page and then pretty much leave it at that. For both the novices and the more seasoned users the government’s recent social media guide makes worthwhile reading. Although designed for the civil service, the guide has some good pointers for social landlords looking to build their social media presence. As it points out, using social media can really help organisations to consult, engage and be more transparent – but it takes work to get it right. Interesting pointers in the guide include: • “The use of social media is not simply a numbers game. The quality of interaction and audience demographics should influence your choice of social media channels” • “Use social media to have discussions with your service users or the people whose behaviour you want to change. Ask them to elaborate on the issue, and if you know something that could help, share it with them”
mean? According to Mike Myatt, writing for Forbes, the attributes of a good leader are rarely defined – meaning many at the top end up suffering an identity crisis. His response is a definition of leadership which says: “Leadership is the professed desire and commitment to serve others by subordinating personal interests to the needs of those being led through effectively demonstrating the character, experience, humility, wisdom and discernment necessary to create the trust and influence to cause the right things to happen, for the right reasons, at the right times.” How many do you know who match up to that? Nearly half of businesses plan to restructure their HR departments over the next year, according to a survey reported by People Management magazine. Of those planning an overhaul, four in ten said they were moving
• “If you're receiving praise for work done within your team, make sure you pass it on. Social media is one of the few ways you can directly and instantly receive feedback on your policies and decisions” • “Decide whether you want to engage or not based on if one, or both, of you will gain something from the exchange. You don’t have to respond to everything” • “In social media the boundaries between professional and personal can sometimes become more blurred – so it's important to be particularly careful” All of this is good stuff – and the organisations who are blazing a trail report that a positive approach can pay off, with their feedback from and consultation with tenants often much increased through the use of social media, particularly Facebook. But there are still question marks about how seriously landlords can and should take social media as an engagement tool, until more residents have online access. It’s estimated that half of social housing tenants have never gone online – a situation former housing minister Grant Shapps last year called ‘digital apartheid’. The signs more recently are more encouraging. Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith has pledged to explore the idea of a broadband tariff for social housing tenants to encourage more to go online. This ‘crusade’, as he called it, is particularly aimed at helping benefit claimants to claim online – but it could also have a significant impact in improving communications between landlords and their residents. As the voices joining social media grow, surely all landlords will need to join in.
to a shared services environment, while one quarter were proposing to outsource. And finally… if you’re looking for a way to get your board or senior team to work together even more efficiently, how about board breaking? No, we’re not talking here about another governance review, but instead a way of splitting a wooden board using martial arts techniques. Apparently it’s become a bit of a craze among companies looking for a new team bonding exercise. Martial arts instructor Chris Allen, quoted in the Hemel Gazette, said: “It’s about telling yourself that you are going to put your hand through the wood and by doing that you reinforce your belief in yourself… It works well as an added extra after a management meeting.”
the Governor SEPTEMBER 2012
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