Unfollow: Twitter’s Reminder To Leaders

Leadership

A couple of days ago, I had a rare opportunity to be hosted by a new friend at his offices in Nairobi’s central business district. Sooner had I stepped into his office, when the long awaited rains started pouring. Culturally I’d say this was a blessing. He took time to introduce me to his staff.  We walked into his work station, the office has wide glass windows, overlooking the Uhuru highway and the famous Uhuru park. What a beautiful view it is to see a plethora of different species of trees covering the entire landscape of the park as it rained. Thanks to Kenya’s Nobel Prize Winner Ms. Wangari Mathai’s efforts of creating the tree planting movement. I finally got to settle down into what seemed to be one of the most intelligent conversations I’ve had in a long time. My new friend is young, has pretty amazing credentials to his name. His rhetoric abilities are amazing, very articulate as he gives me a run down on what his organization is all about and the issues they are keen to address. 

Am pretty much thrilled as he delves deeper on the things he is passionate about, the stuff that drives him insane, and his game plan on contributing value to his generation. Leadership seems to top his priorities among other passions. My creative buds are excited at this point as my juices begin to flow. I have just connected to a like minded individual.  A Leader.  A Champion. 

As we engaged each other, something in me kept prompting to ask, ‘Why would people follow or Quit following a particular leader?’

The call

Now whether you are a leader in your city’s business community, a political leader, a church leader, a local community leader, a student leader, or basically a leader in your area of excellence, This article might be worth looking at!

Twitter

Not so long ago I posted an article entitled ‘To My Social Media Intoverts’ Check it here http://ow.ly/4iJO8 .  I did mention that Technology and the explosion of social networking sites has completely shifted the paradigm of how and when we communicate with each other. It has revolutionized the way businesses are re-positioning and marketing their products and services. It has changed the way politicians are running their campaigns. In the middle east, just a few weeks ago, most of us witnessed how Facebook, YouTube and the most recent craze, Twitter, together with rapidly evolving camera/video cellular phone technology, allowed instant communication to thousands of people, enabling political revolutions that has so far given two very powerful presidents the boot.

 Today, I find myself placing some special attention to Twitter. Now, regardless of whether you’ve connected with Twitter yourself or not, you’d have to admit its explosion into the marketplace is a phenomenon worth reflecting on. A feature of Twitter called “Unfollow” got me intrigued and thinking . When you click “Unfollow” you stop receiving messages from that person to your home page, and unless the person has very few followers the chances are they’ll never even know you’ve stopped following them. That’s a picture of leadership.

I tightened up my Twitter follow list yesterday. I ended up hitting the unfollow button almost 200 times. I like to do that every month to filter out the voices I’ve stopped listening to and to hopefully add in some new ones. The whole process made me curious as to why other Twitter users may decide to unfollow someone. So, I thought I’d ask. After what seemed to be a random feedback from my twitter devotee friends, I thought I’d share some thoughts with you as far as leadership goes.


Basically, people will ‘Unfollow’ you for anything!.

Whether you are a Twitter devotee or think it’s a fad, every leader should consider why people might “unfollow” them. So why do people stop following others on Twitter, and what could that remind us about our everyday leadership in the real world? Follow me. Let us explore a few reasons?

1.        Be a conversationalist:  Monologue = Monotony

‘Conversation is the fine art of mutual consideration and communication about matters of common interest that basically have some human importance.’ ~ Ordway Tead

Everything changed when I stopped just making statements and started asking more questions. My Twitter replies went through the roof and comments on my blog increased, all because I invited interaction. The truth is most followers are looking for some level of dialogue, not just a monologue. I have noticed a trend lately on both local and international televisions. They have gone Interactive, they engage with their audience, running polls on issues of national importance. Radio too has interactive segments where they have their audience call in and express themselves. Truth is, If they didn’t they’d condemn themselves to irrelevance. When we stop talking at people and start talking with people we go to a higher level of relationship.

2.      Be interesting:  Quality beats Quantity

‘The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.’~ Vince Lombardi

I follow some people on Twitter who only ‘tweet’ once a week, and others who tweet dozens of times a day. The key for me is not how much they say it’s whether I find them interesting, informative or entertaining. I believe quality beats quantity. You can communicate lots if you are high on value for those who listen, but if you add no value you’re likely to find people “unfollow” your leadership without you even realizing. It’s important to acknowledge though that one person’s “interesting” is another person’s “boring”.  So leaders need to ask themselves, “What is likely to be interesting to the audience I’m trying to reach?” What’s my Value Proposition?

3.      Be a source:  A giver not a Taker

God loveth a cheerful giver. ~ Bible

Much of my learning especially on social media and the web comes from articles I find through following gurus on Twitter. I follow them because they are a source of expertise, information or news. The fact is any leader, who acts as a resource to people whenever they can, will have no shortage of people following them. It’s when we become self-serving that our leadership really wanes. Are you a giver or a taker to those you come into contact with?

4.      Be consistent:  Whoever you are, be that!

 ‘But change must always be balanced with some degree of consistency.’~Ron D. Burton

 

There’s no such thing as a person that everyone wants to follow, so be who you are and be that consistently. Often in trying to be “all things to all men” we end up being nothing much to anyone. So learn what you can about why people don’t follow you, but then get on with being the best you that you can be. I find Aly Khan Satchu @alykhansatchu very Informative on current happenings both in business and in politics, I’ll definitely follow and read his tweets. I find Bishop Jakes @Bishopjakes very Straight Forward and Open, I follow his Inspiring tweets. Prophetes Carrisa @teracarissa has a ‘no mincing-words approach’ to life which is incredible,  I’ll happily read her tweets on life. But if Ali Khan started tweeting funny events and stuff  in his day constantly, Or Bishop Jakes started tweeting rogue stuff or Prof. Carrissa started tweeting about her broken stilettos heels all the time,  I’d think twice about following either of them anymore.

So who are you?

Ask yourself:

•    How well am I engaging my followers in a true dialogue?
•    How relevant is my communication to those I hope to reach?
•    What proportion of my interaction is a gift not a request?
•    Who am I to those who follow me?

I’d love to hear your comments and feedback. Share your reasons for hitting the ‘Unfollow’ button either on twitter or why you quit following a certain leader?

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