Wow, things have been busy here with the Head of Lettuce. I recently teamed up with some developer/designers who have enabled me to start offering custom designed Facebook Fan pages, and I am really excited about the opportunities this will present. Check out our Fan page for more information.
A few weeks ago I was at a Social Media day event here in Tampa and I overheard an exchange with my friend @ThatGirlAllie and a guy promoting himself as a Social Media expert. Allie caught him off guard by asking him, what mad him an expert, did he have a degree in it. While the exchange made me laugh, it also made me think more and more about what qualifies one as an expert in this field. There are those entering this field from IT, advertising and Web developing, and where each one has specialized education that helps them cope with Social media better then others, they carry their preconceived notions of what “social media” is. My opinion is it comes down to those who understand developing and managing innovations.
My Degree in Organizational Innovations and my background in training have not made me an expert, but they have given me the tools that I need to better understand managing and training others in this new disruptive innovation that is confusing so many businesses. The fact that I have been actively involved in one platform or another of social media since the 1980’s, has fostered in me an appreciation for how much of a relationship with customers a business can build. I have also learned that you never stop learning. I have focused on the habits of being involved in the social media community, reading and reviewing new technologies so I can constantly be learning about new technologies and how they can apply to the business communication channels. I surround myself with those who I can learn from, and they all do the same. I think if anything, a social media expert might just be that person who realizes that there are no experts and that we all just play a small roll as a cog in the machine that is social media.
Derek Lee says
Very good post! There are a lot of talented people in “the field” here in Tampa and I believe that if more of us had similar thoughts on the term “expert”, we truly have the opportunity to do some great things collaboratively.
It seems that there is a great divide between those that call themselves “experts” and the rest of us who see social media as an ever-changing opportunity to build relationships. You and Kim are definitely correct that we can and should be continuously learning.
And interestingly, there is a lot we can learn from each other when we’re open to it.
headoflettuce says
Great point, I think looking to others to see what you might learn and share with them is a much greater indication that you “get it”. People I talk to often wonder about why we share so openly.
I figure every time I talk about a new concept, each person I talk to hears it once, while I hear it over and over refining my thoughts and understanding.
Personally I believe if you want to really learn and understand something, teach it to others and teach it often.
Thanks for your thoughts
Kim Randall says
Awesome post Antony and so true! Everything changes so anyone in this field should be constantly and consistently learning.