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A.O.B.
Only little birdies should go tweet, tweet, tweet
Published: 24 January 2012
Human beings create an ever-evolving digital technology, which in turn shapes the way human beings communicate. Yet individual careers and corporate reputations suffer because in one respect the evolution of human beings – except those who create the technology – lags behind that of the technology that’s supposed to be our servant. But once that gap is acknowledged, it’s easily and quickly bridged.
Let’s take the example of Twitter; it’s not that the technology, how to work it, that is beyond people.
In fact, it’s the very ease with which one can tweet that can lead to trouble. The less-evolved can tweet too quickly and too much, without thinking of the possible consequences. Not only or especially the slow-witted do this; indeed, the newspapers now carry report after report about politicians, senior civil servants, business leaders and other high-ups who blunder into trouble because they tweet first and think second, if at all until the proverbial hits the fan. Indeed, the allegedly-intelligent can be most at fault.
They should know better, indeed do know better and may have more to lose. But it’s always a rush in the fast lane. People in the public eye can be impatient, vain and over-fond of their own voice. Recklessly, they may seek instant relief in a Twitter outburst during some tedious meeting where they have to listen to somebody else; or they may not wish to be left out of some controversy of the hour.
It’s like grabbing the mike when you’re plastered.
Such people can evolve into a higher plane of digital awareness in mere minutes, when the newspaper reporters’ calls (or the summons to head office) start coming in. It’s cheaper for the newspapers to have reporters chasing Twitter than fires, murder and malfeasance.
Best think before you tweet; you wouldn’t sound off like that if you were on TV, but you could pretty soon be on TV if you tweet unwisely. Remember your media training, and treat a tweet as you would a coast-to-coast TV appearance; what’s the difference?
Ross Davies is a Partner of The Governance Partnership