As large, powerful corporations continue seek out and recruit young talent, much of which has grown up on the internet, they are realizing that the demands of today’s top recruits are far different than they were 10 years ago.  While dress codes, flexible work schedules, and gym memberships are easy fixes, the prospect of high level executives joining the social frontier is often a tough change, but is a must have for many top tier prospects.  That being said, leadership “going social” can be good for your business as it increases productivity, sparks collaboration, and attracts talent.

In case you didn’t know, the young recruit with a genius IQ you just hired doesn’t want to be stuck under mediocre, middle management leadership, where in their eyes there is little growth potential, and no place to showcase their talents. Many of them are impatient and the prospect of starting on the ground floor of a company, no matter how prestigious, is frustrating to them, regardless of its inevitability.

Since there is little chance you have the funds or the recruiting prowess to pull a swath of great leaders into your extremely exciting middle management positions, go social to appease the talent that is the future of your business. Doing so breaks down barriers within your organization as employees are given a forum to showcase their talents to both peers and decision makers. In turn, employee productivity increases, collaboration booms, and creativity skyrockets, all because your top young talent feels that they now have a chance to shine on a bigger stage, and you are no longer leaving them “parked” on the ground floor.

If you’re the micro-managing, control-freak of a CEO who is sitting in a stuffy office, thinking how this will open Pandora’s box, create a myriad of management issues, and let loose a floodgate of useless ideas, just remember that you probably won’t be sitting there in 3 years if you don’t adapt to change.

While social media certainly does give ALL of your employees greater exposure, it does not do away with the traditional management progressions or the previous methods of information dissemination within your company, it simply enhances collaboration, creativity, and gives the impression that entry level employees can actually influence C-level execs, regardless of the truth in that statement. 

“The illusion has become real.” – Gordon Gekko

At the end of the day the way your employees, or potential employees view you is all that really matters. Executives going social causes a slight change in perception and can transform seemingly mediocre employees into the creative, productive, superstars you want, and need them to be.

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Additional Reading:

Motivating Millennials – http://www.inc.com/eric-v-holtzclaw/motivating-millennials-take-a-cue-from-video-games.html

Harnessing Young Talent In The Age Of Impatience – http://fleishman.co.za/2011/04/harnessing-young-talent-in-the-age-of-impatience/

 © 2012 Brendan Brandt. All Rights Reserved.