My parents' generation barely wanted to talk about sex with doctors let alone in public, and today with social media and phone technology we are so open with our thoughts we have a new word: sexting. What was once whispered is now considered broadcast worthy.
Between twitter, facebook and texting millions of people feel the need to express their every emotion, thought and circumstance. That behavior is slopping over to the real world too. Recently I was in a poker tournament and the young man beside me started just going off about what he was going to do based on my actions. It is rude to talk about a hand while it is still in play so I asked him what he was doing. He told me he was talking to himself. Another person immediately chimed in, "We can hear you!"
This is where we are in society -- out loud, unbuffered thinking and communicating. Is this the transparency we really need? Social media is becoming the self-help group therapy session for millions of people and it is changing how society interacts. The lines are blurring of what is considered professional, confidential and appropriate.
Had a bad meal at a restaurant? Tell everyone and take a picture of the food to post. Dealing with a rude customer service person on the phone? Tell the world.
People are creating hate blogs, corporate bashing websites and editorial commentary on anything and anyone. This is changing business interaction and creating ethical questions for organizations.
Can an executive read an employee's posts and take action based on what was posted? Can an employer read a prospective employee's twitter postings (tweets) before the interview? Can a business file a suit against a customer for false reporting of a negative situation? How does an executive handle a negative thread of posts on their corporate facebook page? Is that censorship or good business?
These questions and many others are raising the stakes on the open communication in social media. Executives need to crate policies to deal with these broadcasts from employees, customers and cowardly bashers who have been given a forum to vent.
As we've seen with the Tiger Woods story, a person can go from role model to pariah in a matter of hours as people heap opinions upon opinions in open communication. In the age of instant communication and unvarnished baseless opinion organizations need to be ready to handle a firestorm that was once whispered but now is an open broadcast. The rules of communication have shifted dramatically in the last 12 months. Businesses need to create the proper response within the next 12 months or risk the loss of control on your brand, business message and information.
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