The Social Media Could Help Responsive Organizations to Fast-track into Greatness

By Mwangi Wanjumbi – Newtimes B. S. CEO & Chief Consultant/Trainer

Organizations are better off venturing into the social media than avoiding the same. Further, those that survive the social media upheavals in the next 5 years or so have great chances of venturing into greatness. That must have been the most obvious conclusion for anybody who like me, attended a recent management forum, whereby, dynamics of the social media were discussed. On hand to deliberate on this increasingly important and dynamic communication medium was Sunny Bindra (a Management expert and newspaper columnist), Joe Mucheru (the Google Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa chief) and Al Kags (a local social media guru).

Incidentally, Mucheru had discussed something similar sometimes in 2009 or thereabouts through a then popular leadership forum. At that time, the installation of the under sea fiber optic cable was still in the process. Apparently, the predictions of internet explosion upon completion of the project have come to pass. The immediate impact is that Kenya has become the second most internet savvy nation in Africa, just behind South Africa.

Interesting research figures provided in the recent forum indicate that 17.4 million of the 28 million mobile subscribers in Kenya are able to access the internet through their phones. In addition, Kenya has 1.6 million twitter users, 57% of whom use their mobile phones to access the social media. Naturally, communication on their varying experiences is therefore real time. What does that mean?

Ideally, this presents good and sometimes challenging scenarios for business and institutions as well. Nonetheless, the social media is here to stay. Further, it will without doubt align business practices for the better or worse depending on the circumstances of the varying organizations. Thus, it will inevitably control our lives, our businesses, organizations, national institutions and even our politics.

Incidentally,  there will be no way of avoiding or hiding from the social media. Even those who do, their business, products and services are continually being discussed in the social media. Inevitably, this social media will drive us all into finding ways of making the best out of the same, and somehow venturing into desirable organizational greatness. So, we may have no choice but to become part of the social media discussions. In particular, we must take advantage of ensuing opportunities while at the same time controlling any apparent damage.

Another concern is that the consumer matrix is changing fast.  Ideally, Africa is endowed with the youngest population in the world. In addition, that young population that is largely part of the Y generation, now forms a broad base of consumers, who are social media savvy.  This generation Y is known for a few attributes that business organizations may need to be aware of. They are mobile and therefore difficult to control. They are largely unconnected and therefore hard to please. Moreover, they are never easily convinced and keep questioning on anything and everything. Actually, it is difficult to imagine how the young generation can be continually maintained as loyal consumers.

Effectively, it is today near impossible to work through 5 year strategic business plans without constant reviews. Their viability cannot be guaranteed any more. Instead, one year or even 6 months strategic plans are becoming more ideal. Nothing can demonstrate this more than an experience, while in the board leadership of a professional body, which stretches from 2008.  As we founded the body, we traversed the country settling in quiet venues, working on strategies of addressing needs.  Eventually, we came up with what we imagined was a carefully thought out 5 year strategic plan. Unfortunately, implementing the plan became almost untenable.

The fundamentals had changed and have kept changing ever since. That has eventually called for adoption of one year strategic plans, in line with continually changing circumstances. Similarly, that must be the experience of many organizations especially in the business sector. This situation may not be expected to improve, particularly if left at the mercy of business dynamics, now largely escalated by the social media. The question is how exactly will organizations survive and at the same time make the best out of the dynamics of the social media?

Obviously, great people and great organizations will survive and at the same time exploit the opportunities presented by the social media dynamics. However, that will happen only as long as they embrace deliberate strategies of making the best out of being part of the social media. Could being part of the social media help organizations to continually pursue the path towards organizational greatness?

Welcome to our June 7^th 2012 Newtimes Breakfast Talk themed how and why social media will inevitably fast-track the process of venturing into organizational greatness; and the making of the 21st Century Organization. The same will be at the Laico Regency Hotel, Nairobi. Meanwhile, do have a joyful  week as you ponder on the idea of venturing into greatness.