Last Wednesday, I moderated a panel discussion on Government 2.0 for the Social Media Club, DC Chapter, where I had the opportunity to speak with, and more importantly, learn from, some of the people most responsible for that phrase – Government 2.0. I’m not even speaking of just the panelists – it seemed like virtually every attendee could have been one of the “experts” on the panel (and probably have been at some point).
Social Media Club DC Government 2.0 Panel
Panelists included:
- Chris Dorobek, Federal News Radio co-anchor, The Daily Debrief with Chris Dorobek and Amy Morris (http://dorobekinsider.com/)
- Mark Drapeau, Associate Research Fellow, National Defense University and Mashable Blogger
- Steve Field, Media Relations Manager, Ground Systems at BAE Systems and author of the D-Ring Blog
As I began the discussion, focusing first on the definition of Government 2.0, and then diving into some of the unique challenges the government faces, I noticed something about the three panelists and the 100 or so people in the audience. This was a gathering of people interested in Government 2.0 and how this concept is fundamentally changing the way our government operates and the audience wasn’t filled with Chief Technology Officers, Chief Information Officers, Directors, or Secretaries – it was filled with scientists, contractors, members of the media, webmasters,and start-ups.
That’s when it really hit home for me, that the present and future of social media within the government doesn’t lie with whom President Obama’s CTO will be, or what memos and directives the Obama administration will issue.
Social media is driven by the person, not the position.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a GS-7 working on a government website, a concerned citizen, or a Chief Technology Officer – social media isn’t about the title, it’s about the person. It’s about the person who has seen the potential of social media to make a change for the better and who has done something about it. It’s about the guy who convinces his administrator to do a press conference on Twitter. It’s about the group of people who self-organize a Government 2.0 Barcamp. It’s about the IT specialist who starts an entire social network dedicated to Government 2.0 in his spare time.
Speculating about Obama’s CTO or the impact this Administration will have on Government 2.0 is fun, but if you really want an idea of the future of social media and government, stop looking at the titles that follow the name, and focus instead on the person behind the name. Some of the most exciting things happening in Government 2.0 have their roots not in corner offices, but from cubicles, personal laptops, happy hours, and networking events.
*Photo courtesy of Mark Drapeau
January 18th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Darn tootin’! At EPA, for example, a new employee came up with the idea of doing a contest on YouTube to create outstanding videos to teach people about testing for radon.
That said, the key to me is for these individual efforts to eventually come together to light a fire at the highest levels. Then we’ll see the transformation from isolated pilots to these tools becoming a normal part of the landscape.
For a little more on that concept, see our outgoing Deputy Administrator’s blog post: http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2009/01/15/on-change/
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January 19th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
I agree that passionate people at any level can make a difference in social media. However, many people who haven’t bought into social media still use a person’s title as an indicator of their credibility. Since the social media world is so new, “experts” can often choose their own titles–some traditional (Collaboration Manager, Social Media Lead), and some more reflective of the new media’s culture (Doyen, Maven). Which title is more effective? The latter tend to stick in people’s minds since they are unusual, whereas the former might be more comfortable for social media skeptics and non-adopters. Where do you stand on this issue? If social media is driven by the person, not the position…but the position title could be created anyway, what is the most effective combination?
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sradick Reply:
January 19th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I think you’re still too focused on the title itself. Focus instead on what you DO. Focus on what you’ve written. My title serves only as context-setter – “social media lead” – it doesn’t imply that I’m expert in any way, or even that I know what I’m talking about. This blog, my presentations, my internal blog, my wiki pages, etc. – that’s what I want “sticking in people’s minds.”
Use you as an example – you’ve made some really good traction at your company with what you’ve actually accomplished, not with what your title is. People know your name because of your blog, your client work, your wiki edits…not because you have some arbitrary title. The title should simply serve to give your audience – whether it’s a Vice President or a client or a colleague – some context on who it is they’re speaking with, not convey the level of you’re expertise.
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January 29th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Thanks for the post Steve! Glad to have you participate, and think that everyone really enjoyed the session.
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