As you know, we are devoting the next several editions of WorkPuzzle to the exploration of recruiting experienced agents through the tools of social media. Let me first be clear: In many ways, I abhor social media. I am bored easily with it, and frankly most of it seems like a waste of time. But, then again, I am a baby boomer, and probably as a result could be labeled as a late adaptor to much of the last 15 years of innovation. But, I have to admit...through the last month of reading and researching this topic, I have come to clearly believe that the vital need to confront this topic has never been more paramount.
I am finding that the same "real time" and global scale
access to social interactions used for political upheaval and consumer research is currently being harnessed by the best and brightest companies for a wide
variety of solutions. Why? There is reason to believe that the organizations
who can figure out how to harness these interactions will lead the next wave of
innovation. But how do you harness these social interactions in a way that makes sense?
Lee has already presented a convincing argument that directly selling anything to anyone rarely, if ever, really works..and especially through social media; This includes selling your company to an experienced agent through some cheesy pitch. The best people just won't bite on a blatant pitch of "come join our company." But what will they respond to?
Allow me to develop a possibility.
Many smart-minded people are taking the time to research and write about the untapped potential of collaboration through social media.
McKinsey Global Institute writes:
"While 72 percent of companies use social technologies in some way, very few are anywhere near to achieving the full potential benefit. In fact, the most powerful applications of social technologies in the global economy are largely untapped. Companies will go on developing ways to reach consumers through social technologies and gathering insights for product development, marketing, and customer service. Yet the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) finds that twice as much potential value lies in using social tools to enhance communications, knowledge, sharing, and collaboration within and across enterprises. MGI's estimates suggest that by fully implementing social technologies, companies have an opportunity to raise the productivity of interaction workers-- high-skill knowledge workers, including managers and professionals-- by 20 to 25 percent."
So, you ask: "What does this have to do with recruiting experienced agents?" And in return, I ask you to ponder the following three topics over the next few days:
Question one: What type of agent do you want to build your organization around? If you answer that you "don't care," then there is little need to read the remainder of this article.
Answer: Most companies want agents who enjoy collaborating and sharing with the rest of the organization. They typically will put up with lone rangers, but much prefer community-minded individuals, who are willing to give back and share. The reason is simple: Lasting communities are built by people who contribute to the whole rather than by those who are parasitic to the whole.
Question two: What would attract agents who would want to collaborate and share?
Answer: Organizations that visibly collaborate and share will attract those who will collaborate and share.
Question three: How do you build a collaborative community through social media that is visible to outside agents and provides collaboration as the first open door toward recruiting?
Answer: Stay tuned....This is a little more complex -- I'll offer a possible answer in the next edition...
Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.
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