TopOverview
This chapter uses a high-touch approach to social capital, focusing on a new and improved way to affect social networking participation and success. Social Networking and Individual Performance, or SNIP, was created to evaluate and achieve success in digital communication with an emphasis on reinforcing organizational training and improving internal and external communications through social media. We will examine the relationship between social networking and individual performance, paying attention to key considerations like individual perceptions of productivity, levels of trust, and the ability to conduct bonding, bridging, and linking activities. The chapter will move through a focus on energizing the use of social capital to comparing social networking and social media. We know that social networking builds trust and seeks engagement, while social media provides tools to facilitate the communication. The chapter concludes with the history and value of SNIP, a social networking participation model that can provide information, techniques, and examples that address real or perceived benefits in order to assist in the social networking journey. This action plan for success provides a tool that can build and strengthen social capital for people and organizations.
The high-touch communication approach contained herein is about developing social capital. Examinations of social capital in the online era have been dominated by researchers who have imported measurements from different media, often in functions other than social networking or communication (Williams, 2006). This author’s efforts have focused on finding a new way to measure performance in social networking, and the benefits of those measurements may translate to FTF communication. Social Networking and Individual Performance, or SNIP, is a concept the author created to evaluate and achieve success in digital communication. SNIP, further described in Figure 1, is about reinforcing organizational training and improving internal and external communications through social media.
Figure 1.
A note on social construction of reality
Success also relies on energizing social capital and taking advantage of the networks and relationships that are nurtured through exchanged value. A comparison of social networking and social media creates a baseline for effectively managing online activities. SNIP offers an opportunity for organizations to take advantage of unfettered, two-way communication with important audiences. The beauty of social networking lies not only in its immediacy, but in its ability to get and give feedback in real time.
The social media revolution is upon us and it’s not slowing down. Organizations, whether they want to or not, are going social on the inside, so it’s important to listen to the digital conversation at every opportunity. Listening to the conversation strategically helps to engage stakeholders and friends using the channels they prefer.
Social networking and social media are great tools that enable organizations to unleash communication and improve listening ability. Social capital is built this way and engagements start to take on organizational importance. This book is about accepting those opportunities.