Implementing social media is more than dabbing in a few fun technologies

Technology is really exciting - for those who get excited about it. But technology is useless unless it connects with those who use it. There's the obvious stuff about it needing to be easy to use. But there's also the need to any technology that puts "social" in its marketing blurb - to be just that - social.  And then there's the need for the organisations that want to jump onto the social media bandwagon to make sure they are doing so with thought and concern rather than a random set of activities they can tell everyone they are "into social media".

Here are five sets of questions to ask yourself if you're wanting to involve social media in your business:

1. Why social media and not any other strategy or technique we and our customers are used to?
2. What do we expect to happen? What is our intention? 
3. How will we, and our customers, keep moving with the times as new technologies become available? 
4. To what extend are we building on what works? Does this matter?
5. What policies and legal concerns do we need to take into account?

Oh, and I'll add one more, just in case:

(i) How do we define social media?

Three Collaborative Models for Scaling Up Evidence-Based Practices

A new paper is out is Adm Policy Mental Health (See abstract below). Two of the models are those I've presented on and published about - the rolling cohort and the cascading dissemination model. There are also subsets of these methods - see my book 101 ways to improve your collaborative. 


Three Collaborative Models for Scaling Up Evidence-Based Practices

Chamberlain P, Roberts R, Jones H, Marsenich L, Sosna T, Price JM.

Source

Abstract

The current paper describes three models of research-practice collaboration to scale-up evidence-based practices (EBP): (1) the Rolling Cohort model in England, (2) the Cascading Dissemination model in San Diego County, and (3) the Community Development Team model in 53 California and Ohio counties. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) and KEEP are the focal evidence-based practices that are designed to improve outcomes for children and families in the child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. The three scale-up models each originated from collaboration between community partners and researchers with the shared goal of wide-spread implementation and sustainability of MTFC/KEEP. The three models were implemented in a variety of contexts; Rolling Cohort was implemented nationally, Cascading Dissemination was implemented within one county, and Community Development Team was targeted at the state level. The current paper presents an overview of the development of each model, the policy frameworks in which they are embedded, system challenges encountered during scale-up, and lessons learned. Common elements of successful scale-up efforts, barriers to success, factors relating to enduring practice relationships, and future research directions are discussed.

Difficult Conversations 5: The Art of Listening

Conversation requires a talking AND listening, and these actions need to be shared by everyone involved. Some people may need help expressing themselves and other may need help in listening to others.  Usually, it is the listening that is more difficult.

The Art Of Listening

View more webinars from Phil Wylie

Difficult Conversations 4: Fierce Conversations - practical tips

The practical advice in this slideshow is very helpful. I particularly like the "Sixty second" technique for starting off the conversation.

Fierce Conversations

View more presentations from Evan Wood

Difficult Conversations 3: Tips from the psychology viewpoint

There's no one way to approach a difficult conversation. The short slideshow below covers some useful hints and tips - if the psychological viewpoint is interesting and useful to you.

Making Difficult Conversations Less Difficult

View more presentations from John Deely

Difficult Conversations 2: Remembering Body Language

There's research (though controversial) that suggests more than half of our communication with an other comes through body language. We instinctively know this, however, when dealing with difficult situations and conversations we can easily forget this.

Body language is just that - a language. Complete with a syntax and grammar. It is not enough to think that someone who crosses their arms is being defensive. We need to understand the whole "paragraph" they are speaking with their body. They may in fact be cold or they may just be leaning back and relaxing. We need to look at the whole body and its cue.

Secrets of Body Language

View more presentations from Arif Anis