The People Potato Strategy Needs to Go: Why Employees Are Not Disposable

Mar 10, 2013 By Ayelet Baron in Future of Work, Point of View, Social 1 Comment

People — otherwise known as talent and human beings – are truly an organization’s greatest asset in today’s world. So why are people so often treated like potatoes that can be shifted around from one job to another? Organizations pay a lot of money and time to recruit the best and the brightest and entice them with their vision, culture and being the best company out there. Have you ever thought that looking for a job is a lot like dating? Everyone is showing their best sides and trying to prove that they are “the one.” More

When will it be ok to say that social media “experts” are running around naked?

Jan 18, 2013 By Ayelet Baron in Social 1 Comment

It’s not easy to stay focused and on track with our goals. The irony is that part of us wants to pursue our passions and unleash who we are and the other part of us remains constrained by how we have been conditioned: what everyone else tells us is cool and acceptable. More

Social Business Hype: Let’s Make it Simple

Jan 3, 2013 By Ayelet Baron in Social No Comments

One of the reasons so many companies and people within companies are struggling today is because people have made business so complex that you need an interpeter to find your way. In some ways, business has become this great big onion and we are all trying to continually peel the layers so we can get to the heart of it all. More

Your C-Level Needs to Know that Social Media Tools on their Own May Be Bad for Business

Nov 12, 2012 By Ayelet Baron in Social 2 Comments Tags: business, C-level, simplicity, social, strategy

Ask yourself:

Do C-level executives need a business strategy?

Yes!

Do C-level executives need to use social media tools?

It depends.

In the last 4 weeks there have been a plethora of articles on executive engagement with social media. And the infographics are yelling at us that there is an increase in spending on social media consultants. Social media is not getting more strategic. Enabling your business strategy with social technologies may make your business more strategic.

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Getting Back to Basics: Implementing Strategy with Social Tools

Oct 23, 2012 By Ayelet Baron in Social No Comments Tags: abundance, seeing, social executive, strategy

The problem with “how to” recipes or the “3-7 steps to success” is that every person is different. Every organization is different. If you are baking a cake or making curry, a recipe works really when you can get the same exact ingredients that are listed in the recipe. When I brought my cake recipes from Jerusalem to Toronto, they didn’t work because the density of the flour was different. And it never came out quite the same.

There is an abundance of advice online on how to get into social media. There is a plethora of gurus, experts and specialists. Just google it and you will be amazed what you find. It’s part of the clutter that so many people are struggling with in today’s abundant world.

Rethinking Business

Oct 5, 2012 By Ayelet Baron in Social No Comments Tags: business, Collaboration, leadership, measurement

Today everyone has a technology tool or solution. You are either the recipient of a social business strategic imperative or you are driving the so called “change.” No one knows yet how they will measure the success – is it clicks, likes or some secret ROI model? And it is one of the most interesting times in business as there are more conversations taking place about tools and technologies than people and adoption. There is confusion around business value.

The Era of Broadcasting is Over for Brands: It’s About Relationships

Jun 17, 2012 By Ayelet Baron in Social No Comments Tags: COVIT, Kevin Owagah, relationships. Starwood, Rydon Rayzzo, Stephen Orioki, United Airlines

I am getting ready to head to Atlanta to speak at Usher’s New Look Foundation conference on social media and my main message is that at the end of the day, it’s all about relationships.

Choices and Hype: It’s About People Not Tools

May 9, 2012 By Ayelet Baron in Social No Comments

In the past week, I have been reading a lot of posts on the social “revolution,” and “social” business. I am, personally, getting a bit wary of the hooplah around social media. The ability to connect people online is what has made a difference in both what we perceive as “good” and “bad” arenas of society. The tools and technology will change but human behavior doesn’t fluctuate.

Why There is No Such Thing as a Social Media Strategy

May 9, 2012 By Ayelet Baron in Social 2 Comments Tags: enterprise, generations, social, trust

Did your organization ever have a TV or Email strategy? Then, why would you have a social media strategy? What would have happened today if you had a strategy for MySpace? When it comes to social media tools, the question that you need to ask yourself is which of these plethora of tools enable my business?