Social Media role in Leadership and management of a firm

Social Media role in Leadership and management of a firm

            Leadership and management form a crucial role in the success of a business or firm. However, leadership and management face significant challenges daily ranging from poor communication to poor employee-employer communication. Although everyone in a company is expected to have leadership skills, the skills from managerial perspectives play a crucial role in determining the direction taken by the business in terms of success and failure. Social media has been adopted by most firms as a method of overcoming most of the challenges facing a leadership. The flow of information is expected to be smoothened by social media by removing unnecessary filters and improving employee-employer relationships. Social media use in leadership is essential as it plays the role of removing the filters in information and minimizing the social gap between leaders and employees hence a long-term improvement in productivity.

Social media is essential in breaking communication barriers that are common in leadership. Most managers have, in the past, preferred the use of more formal communication that includes the requirement that communication should be done in the form of writing (Magno & Cassia, 2019). Most traditional methods of communication have been associated with communication barriers, as employees are not involved in making crucial decisions on behalf of the firm. Social media comes in to help in breaking the barriers and improving the flow of information. Some challenges are addressed where communication is free from unnecessary formalities. Although a company can maintain its official communication strategies, social media can be used to pass less formal information and also prepare the employees on formal communications. Moreover, the barriers in communication hinder free interaction between managers and their employees and social media helps in addressing the challenge.

One of the most crucial tools of success in any firm is the relationship between the managers and the employees. Social media aims to bridge the gap between employers and employees by providing a platform where both can interact and share opinions. Management positions are leadership positions and the opinions of the subjects are crucial in decision-making. Social media allows employees to air their views concerning the success of the firm and even on matters affecting them. Besides, the productivity of any firm depends on the satisfaction of the employees as it impacts their overall performance. For example, a manager can assess the opinions of employees concerning improvements in policies by posting a question on the firm’s social media wall. Generally, social media has made the relationship between employees and their managers more positive. Moreover, the power of inclusion is essential in the success of a firm and social media helps in its development.

Inclusivity is a term that has missed from the terminologies of most firms, although it has a positive impact on any firm’s productivity. Employees who feel included in the decision-making process of their employer tend to produce more than employees who feel excluded. Communication is the first tool that every firm should consider when ensuring inclusivity (Lee & Jongh, 2016). However, a company that does not use social media may face significant challenges attempting to enhance inclusivity. Generally, a company will show how listening it is to its employees through the responses made through social media. Besides, social media can help in the creation of a public impression that will positively change the perception of the employees and eventually improve their productivity. Moreover, social media plays a crucial role in transforming mindsets in a firm through communication.

The mindsets in a firm play a crucial role in determining the direction of a firm’s success story. Social media provides an avenue where ideas can be shared between leaders and subjects. The transformative nature of social media has been embraced for most firms due to the benefits associated. Generally, social media develops interactions that change the way leaders, and their subjects relate. The result of the improved interactions is the change in the way each individual thinks about the other in the work environment. For example, employees could realize that the firm considers their interests by following the responses posted through social media. Also, leaders could learn the reactions of the employees on the activities of the firm through social media. Besides, companies have reported positive results from relationship building that is made possible by social media. The fact that firms are interested in profit-making makes social media preference for most firms as it has both direct and indirect contributions to the productivity of any firm.

In sum, the role of social media in the productivity of firms has been associated with benefits that range from improved communication to increased productivity. The minimization of the filters involved in other methods of communication generally improves the relationship between managers and the employees hence a positive work environment. Also, the ability to share ideas easily has seen firms benefit from opinions presented by employees while changing mindsets that could be existing within the firms.