Recently I received a thoughtful email from a team member at the Rescue Mission about what are the boundaries for using social media such as Facebook and Twitter at work. I’ve heard this concern in other places as well, from employers who are looking at our use of such tools and wondering where productivity ends and distraction begins.
Rather than look towards setting down rules that can be enforced only through vigilent monitoriing, I like to work on just a couple of key principles.
1. Encourage and measure greatness in the job and don’t worry too much about micromanaging people. Inevitably people will have to use the phone, internet, and other tools for personal tasks during the day and largely this is understood. The problem arises when people begin to take advantage of these devices to divert from doing their jobs and instead overwhelming use them to do ANYTHING other than their job. If you measure performance, then some of the details take care of themselves. If you start counting phone calls and time on Facebook, you’ve got a long day ahead of you and you had better commit to blocking it entirely or being ever-present with your employees. If however, you measure the outcomes of the job-setting a high standard of excellence and performance, then many of the smaller details will take care of themselves. You will find that focusing on standards of excellence and performance will help you identify those who are wisely using their time and being productive.
2. Hire great people. So much of these type of issues is tied up with the maturity of those you choose to join your organization. If you have to address these issues, and sometimes you will, then you are probably dealing with someone who has other issues as well. When you hire great people you no longer have to be the babysitter or policeman. Instead, you can focus on your tasks and job as a leader and just encourage them in their growth. Conversely, if you hire people you can afford, or someone who is a quick fix for filling the position, watch out. You’ll be spending most of your time monitoring their behaviors and before long you’ll feel like a first rate private detective.
David Curry
