Classic Mistakes In Social - How To Avoid Yours

With each new technology, there are always a great many mistakes made, at least until we get the hang of it. Richard Nixon, who had great radio appeal, lost the first televised Presidential debate (and subsequently the election) in 1960 to John F. Kennedy because he looked like a train wreck on the small screen. Many of us have fallen prey to the more mundane mistakes that come from accidental emails, texts, and tweets.

The good news is that many of us learn from our mistakes, but only if and when we own up to them. One embarrassing email is usually all it takes for you to triple check your outgoing messages for years. On a larger scale, the death rate from automobiles was 90% higher in 1925 than it is today, because we've learned from our mistakes and have figured out myriad ways to make car travel safer. Even Nixon learned quickly and cleaned up for the remaining debates against Kennedy and eventually won a Presidency (of course another technology — the telephone recorder — ultimately brought him down again).

At the corporate headquarters of my current company, we have a large white wall affectionately named "The Failure Wall." There are a dozen Sharpies fastened to the wall, and the instructions are simple: (1) describe a time when you failed, (2) state what you learned, and (3) sign your name. Our team feels that it's important to create a culture of celebrating mistakes because we believe that mistakes are the predecessors to both innovation and success.

When I read the news, I can't help but think of what certain newsmakers would write on The Failure Wall if they visited our offices. Perhaps "I lost to the Mavericks despite my predictions of innumerable championships. I learned to keep my mouth shut. Signed, Lebron James." Or maybe "I tweeted wildly inappropriate pictures of myself to all my followers. I have since learned how to use an @ sign. Signed, @Representative_Weiner."

While admittedly low tech, The Failure Wall could be considered a social medium as it bears more than a few similarities to a Facebook wall or a Twitter stream. For one, it's public, seen not only by coworkers but also business partners, guests and visiting friends and family. It's also permanent; there is no taking back your comments once you've inked them. The best posts on our wall are sincere and honest, with a dash of humor and humility. I would argue that the same goes for online social media.

Though still in its infancy, social media is permanently changing the game for individuals, politicians, corporations, and governments. It's creating a new kind of winner and a new kind of loser, and it's high time we learn from our collective mistakes and failures.

We've had some epic social media failures. Anthony Weiner is not the only one who didn't give enough thought to the unintended recipients of his private information. A Canadian woman lost her disability benefits when Facebook vacation pictures contradicted her claims of debilitating depression. Divorce lawyers now frequently monitor Twitter and Facebook posts to find dirt on their clients' exes, to be used in alimony and child custody negotiations. One mom even lost custody of her children because her Facebook profile showed she was spending too much time on Farmville. And not a day passes without a handful of people's poor social media judgment getting them fired (for posting party pictures on alleged sick days, for example), or simply not hired (most employers shy away from candidates whose profile pic includes a bottle of tequila in each hand, Cinco de Mayo or not).

Companies, even those with stellar public relations records, often make similar social media gaffes. Consider this tweet from Kenneth Cole (@KennethCole) during the height of the revolution in Egypt: "Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://www.bit.ly/KCairo -KC." Unsurprisingly, the insensitive remark was re-tweeted like wildfire, drawing contempt from thousands.

In all of the above cases, the blunder occurred because of a failure to realize the breadth and depth of social media. Your boss, your constituents, your customers, and yes, even your ex-wife's divorce lawyer are all connected to you. They are removed from you not by six degrees of separation, but by one little mouse click. In addition to breadth, companies and institutions must acknowledge the depth of their social media friends, followers and subscribers. The people who choose to follow you via social media are the ones who really care. They are Malcolm Gladwell's mavens, and the most social ones are also connectors. If you were a rock star, they'd be your groupies. Ignore them — or underestimate them — at your peril.

Clearly, the idea of your groupies turning against you is terrifying. But there's no need to fear.

Many are forging a path to successfully navigate this brave new world. Kanye West's clan largely forgave him when he offered a tweeted apology for snatching the microphone from Taylor Swift. Pepsi quickly apologized via Twitter for an insensitive Pepsi Max ad that depicted "one lonely calorie" committing suicide. By using Twitter instead of traditional media, Pepsi and Kanye were able to reach out quickly and directly to those who cared most — their own tribe.

Because it is informal, personal, and immediate, social media is well suited for apologies and brand damage control efforts. If you face negative publicity in new media, there is zero chance of turning it around with old media techniques. A formal company statement just can't compete with a 1 star rating on Yelp or a Facebook group called "Boycott Your-Company-Name-Here." In 2009, Domino's was blindsided by a YouTube video showing two disgruntled employees contaminating the food they were about to deliver. It was a PR nightmare for the company, until they fired back through social media — uploading their own YouTube video explaining what they were doing to fix the situation and creating a special Twitter account to specifically handle customers concerns about this issue. Because of their quick and appropriate responses directly to the people most concerned, Domino's was able to diffuse what could have been a catastrophic event.

Similarly, Taco Bell recently combated a traditional attack (a class action lawsuit charging that the restaurant's meat isn't really beef) with new media techniques. On Twitter, Taco Bell linked to comedian Steven Colbert's musings on the controversy; on Facebook, they offered free tacos, encouraging customers to make up their own minds about the beef in question. And while overall sales have taken a hit, its seven million loyal Facebook "friends" are as enthusiastic as ever — and the lawsuit has been dropped.

We are seeing the full extent of this politically as well as commercially. Ten years ago, it was easier for a dictator to survive with massive disconnects between what he promised verses what he delivered; there was no real vehicle to tease that apart en masse. Now there is a vehicle, and in recent months we've seen analysts credit social media with helping Middle Eastern protesters organize demonstrations, share information and report to the rest of the world. Social media, by its very nature, promotes democracy and presents challenges for dictators attempting to pass off as fact anything other than the truth.

So what have we learned? The difference between those who fail and those who succeed in the age of social media is simple. Success is no longer about fancy packaging and carefully controlled messages. When everyone can see what you're doing, the most essential values are transparency, honesty and credibility. Even with advanced privacy tools — like private lists, tweets and circles — the most foolproof way to stay safe on social media is simply to be who you say you are. Pretending to be something you're not, or attempting to conceal or manipulate the truth is a surefire way to lose. You win by matching your image with reality, acting with integrity, and sincerely apologizing when you're wrong.


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