From X's and O's to #'s and @'s.

Not too long ago, I came to the harsh realization that I was wrong {gasp}, yes I said it...I was wrong! I didn't see the significance, but more importantly, the necessity of utilizing social media organizationally and personally. Before I knew it, I found myself standing on the sidelines watching a game that I didn't understand, and therefore, in coaching terms, I was not reaching my full potential. By not taking advantage of the free, on-line tools that were readily available, I was selling myself and my organization short.

Let me explain it this way, at some point in our life we have all seen a picture of a football player from the past wearing a leather helmet (and if you haven't ...you have now thanks to this post). Currently, we see football players wearing, sleek, protective, *Schutt Helmets.  Schutt Helmets have a gel lining that is filled with air that forms to players heads. Where leather helmets used to absorb blows to the head, with Schutt Helmets, blows glance off of the player with less pain, fewer concussions and less trauma to their head. If I was a football player getting geared up for a big game and I saw the other team walk on the field wearing leather helmets, two thoughts would go through my mind: 1) those are some tough SOB's and 2) are they crazy? Do they intentionally want to get hurt?

As a PR Pro I had to insert my name and my organization into those two thoughts:  Are we tough SOB's because we are not utilizing social media as a tool for marketing our organization and communicating with our stakeholders? Do we just want to maintain the status quo because we are resistant to change? And, are we crazy for not utilizing these tools and intentionally setting ourselves up to get hurt? The reality is, as a PR Pro I am NOT tough enough to absorb the blows that I was facing by not utilizing social media and I was crazy for not embracing social media sooner. By not examining the positive outcomes associated with social media, I set myself and my organization up to get hurt.

I am still trying to wrap my brain around all the possibilities linked with social media and it will be a topic I discuss more in-depth in the future. For now, I am comfortable knowing that I am not walking into the game wearing a leather helmet because I put on a Schutt! Are you or your organization still rockin' the leather helmet? If the answer is yes, it's time to let go of the X's and O's and move to #'s and @'s.

*Disclaimer: Schutt Helmets (@schuttsports) are the helmets used by the football programs in the school district I work for, therefore, that is why I chose that brand of helmets to use for this post. You are welcome Schutt!

Picture from http://www.sports.espn.go.com/