Organizations are “crazy” if they inhibit the use of social media in the workplace, says David Bradford. The CEO of Fusion-io should know, because he sometimes spends a couple of hours a day on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and realizes how it benefits himself and his company. He’s been engaged in online networking since the first days of the Internet in the 1990s.
Bradford, in his keynote speech last week at the first annual Utah Social Media Awards in South Jordan, detailed several examples where his online networking resulted in fruitful business deals and top-notch corporate hires. One such relationship cultivated in part online was Bradford’s recruiting of famed Apple computer guru Steve Wozniak. “Woz,” as Bradford referred to him, is Fusion-io’s chief scientist.
Bradford had plenty of common-sense advice for the social media crowd about how to make the most of their investment of time and effort in social media. He noted that he avoids political discussions in social media channels. Even though he has strong partisan views, he said he realizes many customers might hold different views. It makes little sense to polarize or alienate in online business settings, he said.
Cautious use of Facebook is important, Bradford said. Then, he unwittingly gave a real-time example of a no-no. While demonstrating how he communicates on Facebook and LinkedIn with colleagues, employees, past business partners and job-seekers, Bradford opened a message from an employee of a local company. The person’s message, displayed on the big-screen presentation of Bradford’s Facebook in-box, was a plea to be considered for openings at Fusion-io.
After guffaws and tittering from the USMA audience subsided, Bradford deadpanned, “If that guy’s boss is in the room, just forget about that.”
