Innovation begins where risk-taking starts! We have heard it often but, in the end, applied it little. And yes, it is difficult to leave our dear and tender comfort zone… Many of us want to change a little something, to move to a new stage and try to earn more… and yet, as soon as we find the slightest stability, we stop all our efforts. It is human to prefer tranquility to change: change means risk-taking, and risk-taking means unknowns…
Human beings seek balance. However, the day of change (whether desired or not) is inevitable. To illustrate this, I will give you an example I experienced: my entry into the world of political communication. During the last regional election campaign, I was indeed in charge of a candidate’s social media. She was faced with the need to invest in digital in all its dimensions.
Today, digital is everywhere, including in politics. An election campaign is a good time to launch… But it is also a big risk when the elected official is not prepared for it. A digital shift is prepared and planned. When the virtual community meets the elected official for the first time, watch out for sparks! Internet users can challenge you at any time on any subject. And you will have to respond keeping in mind that writings remain and that everything you say can be used against you! Except that there is another rule on social media: everything you don’t say can also be used against you! So in the end, the absence of an elected official on social media is riskier than a minimal presence. If you don’t create your digital image, the public will create it for you. In short, it is better to be in control of your image.
In a context where the crisis of citizens’ trust in their institutions and their representatives is significant, a well-managed presence on social media can even allow for reconnection with voters.
Let’s take an example: as a citizen, I not only need to express myself, but also to be heard. When I choose the women and men who represent me, I want to be answered and for my needs and proposals (when I have them…) to be taken into account. In my opinion, social media is an excellent tool to make this interaction possible.
Moreover, the last regional election campaign showed that politicians have understood this well. Not only are they increasingly present on social media, but they are also strengthening the teams in charge of it.
To be continued in the next episode…
