Social Culture & The Dragonfly Effect

Chapter 4 of the text pertains to the transformation that many organizations make towards the status of a social culture. This is a shift that takes a great deal of patience and practice to perfect. This phenomenon is revolutionary in that it views values and operations of organizations in a whole new light. Page 43 of the book lists these characteristics as those that define social culture organizations:

• Social Media is used to engage in 2-way conversations about the work of the organization with people inside and outside the organization.
• Mistakes are embraced rather than dwelled on. Risks-no matter how calculated-are taken.
• Learning and reflection are rewarded.
• A "try it and fix it as we go" mentality is utilized - emphasizes failing fast.
• Overcome organizational inertia ("We've always done it this way" through open and robust discussions
• Understand/appreciate that informality and individuality to not indicate a lack of caring, professionalism, or quality.
• Trust staff members to make decisions/respond to situations rapidly, rather than attempt check-off and approval processes that take up precious time.

I think these aspects are an effective and rational way to approach the logistics of nonprofit organizations. I think it pertains especially to the rising generation of individuals (our generation, to be exact) that will be heading said organizations in the near future. My particular favorite characteristic from the list above is the fifth bullet point (overcome the "we've always done it this way" mentality). I can relate this to a plethora of different situations. In a leadership seminar class I took last spring, we examined this notion in regards to effective leadership. It has become absolutely necessary for members of organizations not to get stuck in routine practices that are outdated and useless. It is also crucial for these members to engage in "open and robust" discussions. This causes morale of the group to be high, a feeling of involvement amongst members, and a greater likelihood for creative thinking to be brought to the table. As the book also illustrates beginning on page 47, change for an existing organization is never easy. Many organizations can get hung up on the thought of potentially losing control, or "vertigo." I thought of Sara's example in class when she told us about the difficulties she faced trying to introduce social media to the company. This may have been due to a fear of looking unprofessional. For example, MANY Facebook users do not uphold their most endearing qualities when posting on their or others' pages. I think that these are the aspects of Facebook and Twitter that have given social media bad reputation amongst organizations, leading to a hesitance to use them. However, I also think that as the Millineal generation moves into the forefront, these apprehensions will subside because it is obvious that the rise of social media has only just begun.

We also discussed The Dragonfly Effect in class. This is a novel that explores the use of social media and how it can lead to social change. What I found fascinating about the naming of the book was that it relates to the anatomical features of an actual dragonfly; all four wings can move separately to maneuver its body in different ways. I thought it was really unique that the authors used this analogy to relate the model of the book itself:

These are all crucial aspects of social media practices, and if used correctly, have been proven to propel an organization in to the spotlight of an online presence. These are the methods that we have utilized with Safe Harbor, as well as other organizations we have encountered while interns or employees at a variety of companies/businesses. By mastering these core skills now, I think we will be much more effective at directing our knowledge of social media towards public relations related fields.