Enterprise Social Media Help
Stir up a new sauce
There’s numerous life lessons that pass us by but if anything has been unearthed this last year in 2020 apart from the pandemic, is living with intention. With a number of outlets shutdown or operating under compressed hours, we found ourselves discovering new ways to be active.
Recent studies published by Pew Research, reveal more people are working from home and statistics shared by SHRM reflect that productivity was not adversely impacted. And the jobs that do not offer teleworking flexibility gave pause to people to circumvent their choice of job they want to be in if they no longer felt comfortable in the public environment due to the risks associated with the pandemic.
When you tap into your innermost being and determine what is of value in life, then you can chip away at what is really working and what is not–living with intention is different from purpose. Many struggle with trying to find their true self and how to fit into society, but what really matters is learning how to be confident in bringing your whole being to light.
“When people have a real sense of legacy, a sense of mattering, a sense of contribution, it seems to tap into the deepest part of their heart and soul. It brings out the best and subordinates the rest.” ~ Stephen R. Covey
We hear numerous statements online, in the news and at work, that we will be returning back to normal soon. But what does normal look like? Last year, normal was facing long days of commuting, working, learning or simply struggling to get through one day at a time. We are navigating through a time of change and redefining who we are that propels us into surfacing a new sauce to stir up. Finding the sweet spot in between, maybe the recipe that blends life’s elements together, rather than boiled over into burn out—a normal no one desires to be part of.
By restricting access to toxicity and misinformation, the world around us will become less obscure of negativity because bad news tends to linger in our minds longer than good news. Take action and step into a new normal of living with intention to bring a fresh outlook not only in your job but also at home too. When you create your own story with a dazzle of sunshine, others will want to know what’s in your secret sauce because radiant energy is more captivating than one that carries no beam at all!
Master People Builder
What comes to mind when you give thought to what a master people builder is?
Every position in any organization has a set of job requirements and/or a talent profile that outline a set of criteria and identifies what is needed for a person to be successful in the role. However, there’s one role that does not entirely depict the skills that are critical to meeting expectations of the position–Executive Assistant [EA].
The EA job description gives a glimpse into calendar management, travel planning, expense processing and administrative organization, inclusive but not limited to catering, concierge, communications, event coordinator, facilities and move planning, public relations, recruiter, social media posting, supply chain, tech agent or teleconference specialist. This is a shortlist of areas that most EAs, at some point in time, have been asked to carry out a task to fulfill a critical need to move operations forward.
In the broader scope of career planning, the EA occupation typically falls under business management and administration. Furthermore, there are tasks within the EA position that encompass a number of fields and occupations but do not receive the level of credit or respect because the classification of the role does not reflect as such.
Now taking into consideration that it is impossible to include everything in the scope of all jobs, but there must be differentiated factors identified that tie to the trajectory of any given position. For the career minded and seasoned EA, there is typically no pathway recognized in the organization. But as we progress into the workforce of the future, the perceptions need to be course corrected to allow for the EA occupation to grow and reflect an expanded career pathway–the role has developed a long way from just answering phones and pushing paper. Executives have shifted to lean on their EA to not only run the office in their absence but also trust them to make critical business decisions.
The EA who embodies an administrative aptitude and exceptional business acumen will flourish at the C-level ranks because their focus on building, helping, partnering and uplifting will drive operations to help manage-up the people in the organization–a master people builder at its finest! While this term may not be applicable to all EAs but for those who have endured, delivered and performed in making the most unimaginable task take flight [or who bear witness], will understand that there’s more than meets the eye in the hands that rock the profession.
Knowledge is power
From the day we are brought into this world, our brains begin to absorb the environment that surrounds us. The words and sounds we hear, are the beginning of our learning journey to mold us into the unique human beings we are meant to be. Somewhere along the lines after our toddler years and through to high school, the teachable moments are not the only things that drive us to explore what fascinates us, but also what we read.
When we immerse ourselves into a quiet space to read books, our brains continue to evolve the information to expand our intellectual selves. Just because we finish school, we should never stop investing in educating and discovering something new.
This article published by Inc., New Research Reveals the Power of a Large Home Library, outlines some of the most compelling reasons we should take the time to read. Our day-to-day lives are consumed with an overwhelming amount of ‘stuff’ that we never seem to carve out time to focus on ourselves. This drives us to perform in auto-pilot, thus letting the hours of the day spiral out of control, leaving us feeling utterly exhausted. When we can figure out what is wasting our time and focus on the things that matter most, then we can pause each day to invest in continuous learning. The paradox of busyness explained in the article published by HBR, gives a glimpse into the reasons why we have the tendency to focus on what’s in front of us versus exerting our efforts on efficiency to prevent tasks from overtaking our day.
There’s no denying that knowledge is power because some of the most influential and successful people in the world never stop learning. And technology has evolved to equip us with options to curl up with a good book whether it be in paper-form or digital, the mode in which we read will reap more benefits than not reading at all!
Not sure where to start? Check out the list of books CEOs read published by The Muse or executive assistant recommendations posted here. If we seek to expand our knowledge and share our wisdom with others, we will enrich the communities we work and thrive in!
How social media can contribute to fraud
The use of social media increased in 2020 as more and more households sheltered in place and shifted from working and learning in traditional environments to their home. This pivot created a number of conversations taking place in online mediums both socially and professionally.
However, what the average user may not know, posting their home videos on TicTok or pictures of screenshots with backgrounds on Facebook or Twitter revealing their email on their laptop or zoom hosted team calls, the online hackers are lurking behind the scenes gathering the info. For instance, a user is excited to virtually host a team call using zoom and decided to share the new developments of their new found working from home best practices on Instagram with a snapshot of the zoom attendees. This now opens the door for one of the top social engineering tricks by impersonating someone in the organization over the phone–an online hacker can use a name they see in the zoom screenshot and try to access records claiming to be the employee. This scheme and scenario has been playing out in organizations for years to gain insight into organization hierarchies and systems.
To gain an understanding of how these scams proliferate, take a moment to read this article published by Fast Company: I’m an ethical hacker. Here’s how I could use social media to scam you.
One of the skill sets executive assistants and business administrators need to add to their arsenal is cyber security gatekeeper. There are a number of tactics scammers use and it could be costly to the company when they are not shutdown. Below is a short list to keep in mind but this booklet is a great resource that helps identify some of the most common scams: Scams and your Small Business published by The Federal Trade Commission.
- Phone Phishing–pretending to be an internal employee requesting to verify team contact information. One of their tactics is establishing a sense of urgency for a task but their internet is down and they need a phone number or email.
- Fake email--this one is highly sophisticated and anyone can easily fall victim. The email may come across from an internal employee requesting a sensitive document but the actual email has been spoofed.
- Invoice processing–with digital transformation in the payment landscape a number of companies are transitioning to the latest in technology that provides solutions for virtual methods of paying invoices. It is important to verify the source of the invoice, email, contact information and actual billing of services or product.
Maintaining composure and focus when something does not sound or feel right are the first steps to possibly identifying a scam–never second guess the gut feeling or sense that something is wrong. Continue to be engaged in the latest techniques scammers use, be sensitive to the type of information posted in social media platforms and share experiences so others can understand that hackers are always listening, viewing and following online movement.
Untapped potential
The world is experiencing life in leaps and bounds like never before as society grapples with the diversions upon our personal and professional lives. If we take stock of the last 12 months, there’s an unprecedented amount of change that impacted all walks of life and ages, in particular the workplace and education.
Everyone embraces change in different ways and deal with it in a positive or negative light. And our minds perceive information distinctly from others because of the way our brains process the input from the sources. This is what cultivates unique and diverse ideas and solutions to our ever evolving world to optimize our lives.
The way we respond to events that unfold upon us, will determine a successful path forward. For instance, for those who embraced the fact that it doesn’t matter where work gets done or how learning is conducted, then their journey will be steps ahead of the naysayers. Noticing that there is an opportunity to enhance or enrich our lives will surface untapped potential.
Discovery of a new beginning is not always innate when our minds are clouded with the day-to-day craziness that we create. But when we come to a halt and the actions that we would normally take each day are impacted because the external world around us shifts, then we have the time to pause and reflect. Our minds have the potential to unleash our dreams if we let the power of knowledge take shape. We are surrounded by technology and have the ability to turn passions or side hustles into a new founded gig.
The evolution of business has already pivoted from the conventional ways of propelling organizations forward. Office environments are now flexible, meetings and conferences are virtual and supply chains are transforming to adjust to the demands. This is where the untapped potential that lies within us can expand our playbook to include unconventional methods to shore up the workforce of the future. Here are some tips:
- Take colleagues from the traditional office watercooler gathering to MS teams channels or Slack conversations.
- And now is a good time to explore virtual platforms that have expanded tools and functions to give an ultimate user experience the feeling of participating in a ‘live‘ event–view and compare providers by filtering options in Capterra.
- Adopt and publish a new set of best practices—check-out an example of a simple outline published by Harvard Human Resources.
- Learn how the power of AI can fuel productivity and loss prevention.
- Explore creative ways to optimize meeting time—this article published by Otter.ai reveals statistics that will help gauge thoughts on how to curb waste of time and add more value to the day.
- Expand industry learning with LinkedIn.
A new beginning is within an arm’s reach for anyone who takes the leap of faith or finds that they are not performing a job they are meant to be doing… the 27 Incredible Small Business Ideas for 2021 & Beyond by HubSpot is worth the read for those who are ready to tap into their potential today!
Filter out the social media noise
Media whether paper, broadcast or digital form has been a part of our communities for centuries and people navigate to these sources for news, stories, and information. Then in the late 1900s, social media was introduced with online social networks bringing everyone the opportunity to channel their voice. There are so many options to choose from today, that everyone has forgotten about MySpace that was one of the first networks to gain popularity in the early 2000s with over 1 million users.
The growth of these online social networks has unearthed a plethora of behaviors in online engagement that produces unconventional and uncontrolled channels of misinformation that was never the intent of building social digital communities for personal and professional connections. People who are motivated by gossip and stretch the facts began to use the platforms to incite cyber bullying and intimidation. Adding to the complexity of these disruptive behaviors, the online profiles allow users to hide behind their profiles by creating imposter identities.
Over the years the online social ecosystem has evolved conversational media to share pictures, videos, blogs and messages that opened the doors for businesses to reach the consumers who were quickly navigating to digital forms of media. The innovation and development of cell phones widened the ecosystem two-fold bringing millions within reach to proliferate their brand. However, it also brings lessons learned when engagement backfires if diversity and inclusion was not part of the marketing campaign analysis review. To avoid the pitfalls and understand how to create influence, define a strategy with the steps shared by Hubspot.
There’s no denying that we will encounter disruptive engagement and social engineering scams, but understanding the protocols and guidelines of the forums will help filter out the noise and mitigate the risk of damaging reputations. And it is equally important to learn if there are any social media guidelines that are published by organizations that protect their brand and hold employees accountable for their online interactions—regardless of whether posting is done on work or personal time. Hootsuite is a great resource for understanding how to navigate the ecosystem and this article outlines the difference between policy and guidelines.
Most recently Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have been under fire for their lack of monitoring and shutting down misuse of their platforms. Each of these online media giants have published rules and standards when users sign up for an account and create a profile. However, once users become engaged, social psychology dictates user performance and this article published by Social Media Today gives some insight how this takes shape.
The digital world will continue to evolve as innovative technologies are introduced and our lives are surrounded by the world wide web of applications available on our laptops, mobile devices, TVs and even kitchen appliances! Doing business, banking, learning, shopping, and interacting will surface many opportunities but the channels come with risk. It will be imperative to learn how all the cool stuff works but most importantly understand the vulnerabilities too. Here’s a few tips published in this comprehensive FCC Small Biz Cyber Planning Guide:
Employ these strategies for email, texting and social networking
- Avoid opening unexpected text messages from unknown senders – As with email, attackers can use text messages to spread malware, phishing scams and other threats among mobile device users. The same caution should be applied to opening unsolicited text messages that users have become accustomed to with email.
- Don’t be lured in by spammers and phishers – To shield business networks from cyber criminals, small businesses should deploy appropriate email security solutions, including spam prevention, which protect a company’s reputation and manage risks.
- Click with caution – Just like on stationary PCs, social networking on mobile devices and laptops should be conducted with care and caution. Users should not open unidentified links, chat with unknown people or visit unfamiliar sites. It doesn’t take much for a user to be tricked into compromising a device and the information on it.
In closing, continue to drop in on social media conversations but exercise additional caution and pause before posting anything that could possibly cause adverse impact. Modeling positive online behavior will not only build a positive e-footprint but will naturally filter out the noise.
