The document critiques the lack of strategic thinking among corporate social strategists, highlighting a shift from strategic objectives to mere website integration. It emphasizes the need for leaders to understand the implications of social media on consumer behavior and organizational strategy, rather than simply integrating social tools. Effective leadership should involve strategic planning based on market dynamics, visioning, and scenario building to harness the true potential of social media.

1. Relationship Economy
Social Strategist Aren’t Thinking Strategically!
2010-11-23 04:11:09 Jay Deragon
Today’s social strategies are not
strategies. The evidence of this is
reflected in a recent Altimeter Research
report which indicates that the #1
objective for corporate social strategist
in 2011 is “website integration.” Is web
site integration a strategy?
The difference between a strategy and
a tactic is the difference between
thinking and doing. If what we do isn’t
of strategic importance or tied to a
strategic aim then what we do becomes
a waste of time, effort and money.
Worse yet doing the wrongs things with
“social” could cost you more than you
know.
Simply integrating “all things social into your web site” without thinking and defining the business
and organizational strategy for using “all things social” is an accident looking for a place to happen.
A Strategy Without Leadership Isn’t a Strategy
While the demand for social media talent continues to rise there is a huge disconnect between the
demand and the leaders behind the organizations hiring “social media gurus”. Corporate leaders
need to consider what the new social paradigm means for organizational and business strategy
before delegating a social strategy to people with no experience in thinking strategically.
In an HBR article by Soumitra Dutta states: Take the world’s leading CEOs as a sample. According to
data from Fisheye Analytics, the top 50 chief executives (as identified by Morten T. Hansen, Herminia
Ibarra, and Urs Peyer in “The Best-Performing CEOs in the World,” HBR January–February 2010 ) are
increasingly discussed in online venues, but few are using social media to spread their own messages:
Only 19 were on Facebook, only six had a LinkedIn page, and only two—Google CEO Eric Schmidt and
former Norilsk Nickel CEO Mikhail Prokhorov—were tweeting or blogging (although some used their
corporate pages for blogs). Anecdotal evidence suggests that the story is the same for leaders below
the CEO level and that even those who have a social media presence aren’t using it strategically. That
is a mistake.
Social media isn’t a secret but what seems to be a secret is why and how it is changing
consumer behavior and workplace expectations. If leaders understood why and how just maybe
they would begin to think about the strategic implications of the why and how and plan for
relevant changes within the entire marketplace they aim to serve. Knowing and understanding
changes within the marketplace is critical to planning a strategy to either adapt or lead the
changing market dynamics.
The Role of Leadership Is To Think
A strategic approach to all things social varies in its application but basically demands that
leaders become clear on what their organization is to do in the context of current external and
internal implications of “all things social” then establish systems to ensure the organization does
the right things. Coupled with an appreciation for good people in the organization, careful
management of processes, and the development of an intimate understanding of their markets
dynamics, focus on what and how to think is essential to organizational success.

2. Strategic thinking about the implications of social technology revolves around the notions of
visioning, scenario building, and forecasting. In this sense, strategic thinking is about inferring
future whats, why they may or may not occur, and then devising plans to handle such potential
eventualities. Such an approach requires the creation of a vision based on legitimate assumptions,
expert analysis, and what- if thinking that is communicated throughout the organization and
implemented through good management and monitoring processes.
Strategic thinking about all things social is a unique competency of leadership based more on
organizational philosophy than organizational technicism. Today there is a void of understanding
how and why all things social is changing business philosophy relative to market relations and
consumer preferences.
Today’s leaders must embrace social media but first they must learn relevant implications that
effect strategic thinking. Most are actively participation in social media but few are thinking
strategically about their participation and the relevant implications.
Integrating social tools into your web site without thinking and planning a sound strategy for the
entire organization reflects a lack of thinking which means you’ll end up doing the wrong things.
References:
Altimeter: The Corporate Social Strategist Must Plan for 2011

3. Leadership & Organizational Strategy: Matthew Fairholm
HBR: Managing Yourself: What’s Your Personal Social Media Strategy?
5X6 Social Revenue Matrix
About Jay:
Jay Deragon’s professional career includes providing strategic management consulting services
to Fortune 500 companies as well as local small businesses. He has consulted with numerous
industries spanning over 25 years of professional experience globally. His current professional
endeavors are all centric to the disruptive nature of the social web. He writes at Relationship
Economy and provides social media strategic services to businesses large and small. Jay
Deragon is an avid student of the emerging landscape of all things social and the subsequent
impact on business dynamics. Since 2004 Mr. Deragon has been actively studying, sharing and
learning how business as unusual is changing business methods, models and relationships. Life is
a journey and the experiences along the way provides learning that furthers the experiences if we
know how and what to learn. for more info go here http://www.relationship-economy.com/?
page_id=2