The other day there was a popular post on the HR Minion blog about cliques. I had a good time reading it, but the comments were great, too! Go here to read the post and then come back when you’re done. I’ll wait.
Okay, then we roll some comments from people who I trust and respect.
I think another point that you didn\’t really hit on is the transparency of social media. What used to be fairly private relationships built over e-mail, phone and in person conversations have now gone public. If I don\’t follow back someone I don\’t know very well on Twitter, it is a cliquish thing to do (something I\’ve been called out for).
That\’s not clique, that\’s human. We only have a capacity for so many connections. Those ebb and flow as time goes on (I don\’t believe in connection collections). When this happened in a more private setting, nobody thought it was cliquish because it wasn\’t visible. Now it is.
I try to be open with people about it without sounding like a dick and without some sort of “I\’m more important than you†attitude. It isn\’t about what they\’re doing, it is simply a capacity issue. Something I\’ve learned the hard way.
I can certainly understand the number of connections issue. On to another good comment…
As someone who sits on the edge of the HR world I am neutral on the clique being a good thing. No doubt there is a wealth of information that is freely shared. And yes it is a friendly group.
But I do think that frequently it feels as if the only HR “cool kids†are the ones on Twitter or have a Facebook Page.
Certainly not the case.
Are there really only 10-15 (give or take) HR bloggers worth reading? One might think so by looking at the rolls on most sites.
Being the most vocal, the loudest or attending all the conferences and events does not make one worth listening to.
I don’t have a blogroll (a list of links pointing to other sites I recommend). I had one when I started blogging, but I quickly got tired of feeling like I was leaving people out, so I dumped it and haven’t regretted it a bit. I’m much more open to linking to people in context where it matters most (like the comments above).
Is it a clique, though?
I feel like an outsider myself at times. My blog traffic isn’t earth-shattering, and there are plenty of people with more brains, experience, and writing ability than me. I try to be inclusive of those around me, but I’m especially helpful to the people just getting into the space. They need extra support or they might drop off completely.
I think there are phases to this thing. Once you move past beginner, you are open to recruiting and mentoring others. If you advance to content creation, you have to cut back on the recruiting/mentoring, because you have something else swallowing a big piece of your time. That might be why another commenter said this (emphasis mine)…
This post is fascinating and challenging at the same time.
I have been active in the “HR Community†long before social media and have loved every frustrating minute of it !!
Social Media has actually allowed me to connect with others who are passionate about our field. When you\’re passionate (and not apologetic) about HR, people tend to shun you.
Most HR folks love living in their self-imposed silo of misery and it\’s well past time to destroy those silos.
I love being connected, active and “branded†in social media because I get to meet folks. Other great humans with diverse thought and approaches that I never would have known if it weren\’t for Twitter, Linked In, Facebook, etc.
I don\’t have a blog. May never have one. Like guest posting and infiltrating so much more.
Shauna – way to shake the tree a bit !!
If this is a clique – I\’m in. I think it\’s just great people that want to know each other and get others connected.
My goal with this gig
I want to meet new people in the online HR space. I want to reach out to the new and aspiring bloggers out there. If you have one post or a full archive, you still are worth reaching out to in my opinion. If you’re just exploring Twitter or LinkedIn, I’m open to helping you as well. I just want to freaking help, darn it! :-)
Am I a part of a community? Yes. Am a a part of multiple communities? Yes. It’s up to the new people to reach out and attempt to integrate themelves, because there’s no way for me (or anyone else) to find all the people who aren’t plugged in yet. I’m a rabid advocate for joining online communities, and I certainly wouldn’t be if I thought the groups were closed or cliquish.
In fact, just to show my openness to you newbies who want to get involved, I will share my email address and offer a guaranteed personal response if you email me. Also, if you’re interested in getting involved but don’t know how, I would love to assist!
How to get started
How did I get connected when I started this thing? I stared reaching out and sharing ideas with those people I admired. Eventually they started treating me like an equal. I love using the metaphor of an ability scale. For instance, I see people like Kris Dunn as a 9 or 10 on the scale. I see myself somewhere near the middle, and I see the newbies like my friend John Jorgenson nearer to the lower end of the scale (he’s going to love me for that one! :-) ).
If you’re just getting started on the front end, you just need to keep doing like John and Kris-help others, reach out to meet new people, and try to add some value to this online community. It works.
Finally, a quick congrats to Shauna for getting the Monster 5 for Friday award for this post!
My comments section isn’t as cool as the ever-lovin’ HR Minion’s, but I can dream, huh? :-)
