Social Media Policy

Social Media Rules of Engagement

Be transparent. Your honesty—or dishonesty—will be quickly noticed in the social media environment.

Be judicious. What you publish is widely accessible and will be around for a long time, so consider the content carefully.

Write what you know. Make sure you write and post about your areas of expertise, especially as related to your business.

Perception is reality. In online social networks, the lines between public and private, personal and professional are blurred.  Maintain professional values and standards.

It's a conversation. Talk to your readers like you would talk to real people in professional situations. Don't be afraid to bring in your own personality and say what's on your mind.

Are you adding value? The best way to get your words read is to write things that people will value. Social communication should help your clients, prospect and peers do their jobs and solve problems; if it helps to improve knowledge or skills; if it contributes directly or indirectly to the improvement processes and policies; if it builds a sense of community; then it is adding value.

Your Responsibility: What you write is ultimately your responsibility. Participation in social media is an opportunity, so please treat it seriously and with respect.

Create some excitement. As a business and as a corporate citizen, you are making important contributions to the world, and to public dialogue on a broad range of issues. Share with the world the exciting things you are learning and doing—and open up the channels to learn from others.

Be a Leader. There can be a fine line between healthy debate and incendiary reaction. Do not denigrate your competitors.  Nor do you need to respond to every criticism or barb. Once the words are out there, you can't really get them back. And once an inflammatory discussion gets going, it's hard to stop.

Did you screw up? If you make a mistake, admit it. Be upfront and be quick with your correction.

If it gives you pause, pause. If you're about to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, don't shrug it off and hit 'send.' Take a minute to review these guidelines and try to figure out what's bothering you, then fix it. If you're still unsure, you might want to wait 24 hours and reread it. Ultimately, what you publish is yours—as is the responsibility. So be sure.

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