Here’s a great example of what can go wrong when you don’t have a set of guidelines for your employees to follow when it comes to using blogs, podcasts and other social media tools.
Garth Turner, a politician turned journalist turned politician (in some order), was recently kicked out of the Conservative Party (the party in power in Canada) because of some inflammatory remarks he wrote on his blog. Garth was elected last winter to the federal Conservative Party and represents a riding in Southern Ontario.
Some highlights from his blog:
- On Stephen Harper’s image (Canada’s Prime Minister): “He’s a [George] Bush clone.”
- On the Conservative Party’s environmental plan: “Green plan gonads.”
- On same sex marriage, Garth said he’s vote against re-opening the vote (the Conservative party wants to re-open the vote in an attempt to squash the bill that makes it legal to marriage as a same sex couple).
And so on.
One journalist said that Garth was inviting the Conservative Party to kick him out due to his openess on his blog, or in Craig Oliver’s words of CTV news, Garth is “an internet virtuoso.”
Did Garth Turner do anything wrong? Nope. He was using his blog to engage his constituents in the conversation. Garth clearly understands that his blog is meant to display openess, honesty and transparency. Garth “gets it.”
Did the Conversation Party do anything wrong? Yup. They didn’t draft up an official set of guidelines to let their party members know how to and how not to use social media while representing the Party.
Instead of reacting to Garth’s blog, the Conservative Party could’ve been proactive with a set of written guidelines that could’ve been shared with all party members. Instead, the Conservative Party has put their minority status in a precarious position and have lost an intelligent man who now sits as an Independent in the House.
Guidelines. Draft them up. Today. Don’t sit in ignorance with social media. Even though your corporation or business isn’t using blogs, podcasts, wikis, etc., chances are your employees are.
Technorati: Blogging, conservative party, Canadian Politics, Current Affairs, Stephen Harper, Conservative Party of Canada, podcasting
The other day I received an email from a fellow blogger, asking me what I thought about the Garth Turner situation. I replied as follows…
“I only know what I see in the papers, but I think Garth is all about, well… Garth. He obviously feels his own needs, whether it’s just ego, or a totally separate agenda, are more important than the party line.”