David Barker
Charities in the UK are currently under the most intense public, regulatory and media scrutiny than they have ever been. Never before has such a penetrating spotlight been shone on how charities are going about their daily business. A number of ‘scandals’, the unearthing of some poor fundraising practices and several media exposes have all fuelled a public and political hunger for greater transparency, regulation and increased scrutiny.
According to a number of opinion polls, trust and public confidence in the UK’s third sector hit an all-time low in 2018 (although we should not forget that it still remains higher than many other sectors).
This recent spotlight is both reassuring and worrying. Reassuring to know that any bad practices, poor management or damaging decisions are being highlighted and rooted out, but equally worrying to see that the misplaced actions or decisions of a few are tarnishing the image of the many. Enter the CEO.
Clearly any successful organization or business requires strong leadership to develop, grow and survive. In the UK there are over 167,000 charities all trying to do their best for the people they serve. Although the title of this book is The Social CEO we mustn’t forget that a significant majority of charities in the UK don’t have a CEO – but they will have leaders or senior volunteers leading the charge. In this chapter therefore, the term ‘social CEO’ refers to any senior ‘leader’ (paid or voluntary) within the non-profit sector.
So, what is on the mind of every non-profit leader? As a non-profit CEO – and also a consultant working with CEOs and charities/nonprofits of all sizes – I have my own views. But as part of the research for this chapter I spoke with many CEOs about their daily challenges and why they have chosen (or in some cases refused) to embrace social media as part of their leadership role.
All charities rely on money to do their work, so it’s hardly surprising that the challenge of raising income sits high on the CEOs’ list of worries. ‘You can’t change the world without balancing the books’, says John May, Secretary General of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. This is a sentiment held by many CEOs. Charities have created a perfectly formed virtuous circle of ‘the more money you raise, the better you can do to help your beneficiaries, so the more successful you become and the more money you need to raise’, explained May.
According to Caron Bradshaw, CEO of Charity Finance Group, ‘We’re in a perfect storm – massive need and squeezed resources’, a view also held by Matt Hyde, CEO of the Scouts. ‘Maximising our impact and coping with increasing demand from beneficiaries at a time when there are often diminishing resources and increased regulation are typical challenges faced by all charities’, he says.
Whatever the priority, one thing is clear. Strong, open and visible leadership is one of the key, critical lines on any CEO’s job description. Never before has there been a greater need for non-profit CEOs to lead from the front, be visible and use every opportunity to inform, educate, inspire (and reassure) their supporters and beneficiaries about their work. Strong ‘social leadership’ in a growing ‘social age’ has a key part to play. Over the next few pages we will hear from a variety of non-profit leaders about how they have made the transition into a social CEO.
Early beginnings
My first foray into social media (for work reasons) was probably more about satisfying a slightly voyeuristic need to finding out what others were up to rather than having any fancy strategic reasoning or understanding about how it could help me to be a better leader. In fact, I was a cynic who needed some convincing as to why anyone really cared whether you had ‘just eaten breakfast’ or were ‘on a bus’, as some of the early tweets I viewed declared.
I also wrestled a lot with how I could justify spending precious time on social media. I had no idea or understanding of the benefits it might bring to me in my role as a senior leader in the non-profit sector – and I certainly had no comprehension of where the journey might take me.
However, as a fervent believer in the old adage that ‘if you don’t try, you’ll never know’ I decided to set up a Twitter account. On 24 February 2009, I took the plunge with a simple statement of fact: ‘Signing up to Twitter’, I proudly declared to the world with my first tweet. It was followed swiftly by another inspired declaration: ‘Watching tweets’, I told the Twitter masses as I began to avidly follow people who I thought might be interesting and relevant. And so it all began.
Bringing some order to my thinking
Having thrown myself in, I decided to spend time in four key areas:
Listening
Using Twitter to listen and monitor can be a revelation – by setting up lists (which helped me sort the ‘tweet’ from the chaff) – I was able to see and hear first-hand what people were saying about the issues that matter to the non-profit and the people we serve. Social media is a real-time temperature check which is helpful, enlightening, inspiring, occasionally painful but most of all tremendously insightful. James Blake, CEO at the Youth Hostel Association, agrees: ‘It’s a really good way of quickly understanding what is going on; feeling the mood music; ensuring we can react quickly to events.’
Researching
It is quite stunning (and a bit scary) just how much you can find out about people, issues and organizations through social media. Whether it’s a quick piece of ‘social research’ in advance of meeting someone or trying to reach out and connect with relevant and useful individuals/opinion formers as part of a networking and influencing programme, they are all tremendously valuable uses of social media (particularly so with LinkedIn and Twitter). I am constantly surprised how helpful this research and insight can be.
Broadcasting
Amplifying your organizational messaging, being an ambassador for the cause, connecting with stakeholders and being an extension of your organizationa l brand are all important parts of a CEO’s social media broadcasting.
Matthew Hodson, Social CEOs Award1 winner in 2017 and CEO of NAM, strongly advocates for the time he spends broadcasting on social media: ‘I consider the time I spend on social media to be a good investment. Twitter has allowed me to signpost some of the biggest developments in our understanding and treatment of HIV. It has also given me a platform to share accurate information, such as NAM resources’, he explains.
Matt Hyde also does this well: ‘Engaging volunteers, members, donors and supporters is an essential part of any CEO’s role, and social media allows me to both broadcast organisational messages and help transform dialogue with stakeholders. It can be used to thank and champion people as well as dispel myths.’
Engaging
In my opinion, this is the most important, yet trickiest, area of my social media voyage. Striking a healthy balance between engaging while avoiding being overly drawn into long-winded, time-consuming, back and forth conversations, is key. A quick comment or view on a pertinent issue or post, a heartfelt thank you, an answer to a question or an encouraging ‘like’ can all serve a useful purpose in developing engagement and relationships. If people want more than that, I suggest they DM or email me.
Gail Scott-Spicer, CEO of the Kings College Hospital charity, is an active social CEO who says that Twitter is a great way to keep connected. She explains thus:
You can have a direct one-to-one conversation with people who care about your cause, your charity, your world. As a CEO there is a risk of disconnection with beneficiaries as you rise through the ranks – social media gives you the chance to have that information direct. It can be an early warning system – of change coming, of things going wrong with your charity or your people, of reputational risks increasing.
Sarah Hughes, CEO of the Centre for Mental Health, agrees with this sentiment and is a strong advocate for engaging supporters on social media: ‘It’s one of the most, if not the, most powerful communication tools we have. It is no longer OK to think you can duck it. I am particularly amazed at how easily it breaks down barriers.’
Finally, perhaps an undervalued and underrated benefit is one outlined by James Blake: ‘It can provide the ability to appear as a human being, not a CEO!’
Taking the plunge
Being a social CEO can open up a world of opportunity. Kate Lee, CEO of children’s cancer charity Clic Sargent, has a simple view on whether CEOs should be embracing social media. ‘Stop seeing social media as optional – it really isn’t,’ she declares. ‘If your head isn’t above the social media parapet it is probably in the sand.’ This is a view held by many social leaders who have decided to take the social CEO plunge. Many say it has now become an important element of their leadership of the organization.
According to Matthew Hodson, social media has not only helped to get people talking about a traditional taboo subject (AIDS), but it has also brought other benefits: ‘As a result of my social media work, I have been asked to contribute to articles in the mainstream press and to appear on television.’ These kinds of media opportunities are ones that small charities often struggle to achieve. Twitter has given Matthew a direct means of communicating with his stakeholders and others who are interested in the issue.
Caron Bradshaw fully recognizes that the world is becoming increasingly digital and has a much simpler take on things when I ask her why she is active on social media. ‘That’s like asking why I communicate with people,’ she tells me. ‘A CEO’s role is to be connected and to build relationships. Social media is just another channel that supports that.’
If that’s the case, I am often intrigued as to why so many non-profit leaders are unsure (or reluctant) about dipping their toe into the world of social media. At a recent conference organized by the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), there was an enlightening debate around how CEOs could/should use social media. There was a healthy mixture of views in the room, with the following being some of the most interesting insights:
• Some non-profit CEOs feel they are now almost being ‘judged’ if they are not active on social media. One CEO eloquently compared it to similar pressures that new mothers can sometimes face around whether they should breastfeed or formula feed their children.
• Some individuals have strong personal reasons for not wanting to be ‘visible’ on social media. One CEO from a domestic abuse non-profit I spoke with called for greater understanding about why some CEOs may wish to stay clear of social media. Professional and personal boundaries need to be respected.
• Time is probably the most common reason cited for not engaging. One CEO told me he has ‘enough to think about without trying to find the time to worry about or be distracted by taking part in social media’. He went on to tell me ‘that’s what the digital team are paid to do’. This is a very naive view in my opinion, but it is important not to forget that social media is something that should be used to support and enhance the work of a CEO, not to take over it. Let’s not forget that social media doesn’t run the organization.
• Concern over abuse, trolls or being directly or unfairly challenged in a very public forum (which can also be picked up by journalists) also concerns some. John May is very open on social media explaining that ‘people get to see the real me’. He feels that is both a benefit and a challenge, telling me he has been described by a number of people as being a bit like Marmite.2 ‘The fact that I’m not a faceless figure, protected by a PR team, means that people will decide quickly whether they like me (and by extension the cause) or hate me.’
My own experience of some of the negative sides of social media played out a few years ago when I was the target of a troll. At the time I was leading an organization through a significant period of challenging change, and someone anonymously decided to begin a very personal attack around the decisions being made by me and the Board, as well as posting their views on my leadership of the organization. I dealt with it as follows:
• I tweeted one early response saying I was interested in their views and was very happy to meet and discuss. After that I had no further public interaction, although there were times when it was hard not to rise to their toxic bait. Clearly, they wanted to lure me into an online engage but, in my experience, there are no winners in pointless tit-for-tat postings and it would have given them further unhelpful oxygen.
• I informed my chair (who was very supportive) and kept him fully up to date with any further posts.
• I asked my digital manager to keep a watching brief in social media spaces and update me on any further posts. However, I couldn’t stop myself from a quick regular check on any new posts that they might be spouting off.
• Finally, it was important to remember that in the greater scheme of things, this was nothing other than an unhelpful distraction. Many people have to put up with far more challenging trolls and issues in the social media space! Eventually it just went away.
Matt Hyde is also aware of some of the pitfalls of social media. He leads an organization reliant on 160,000 volunteers giving up their valuable time day and night. He is quick to remind people that ‘you don’t lead and run an organisation through Twitter, but you are available 24 hours a day and anyone who has a view of what you’re doing, or a complaint, can reach you directly’. He strongly suggests that you need strategies in place to deal with this potential open door. ‘It’s probably not the best use of a CEO’s time to be your organisation’s customer services department,’ he sensibly adds.
A growing movement
Since the heady days of my first tweet, I have been on a constantly evolving journey – and I am continually learning. I’m delighted to have seen growing numbers of non-profit CEOs fully embrace the social media age – we are all learning from each other. Helping it along the way has been a tremendous initiative called the ‘Social CEOs Awards’ which since 2013 has championed and celebrated the excellent work of many non-profit social CEOs.
The Awards were the brainchild of digital consultants Zoe Amar and Matt Collins. They set up the Awards as a way of shining a light on those who were doing the best job. It has been self-fulfilling, helping to show the value and some of the pitfalls of being a social CEO. Without a doubt it has also helped to raise the standard across the board. ‘We believe strongly that charity CEOs have a duty to represent their cause online,’ says Matt, who is the Managing Director at Platypus Digital. ‘Colleagues, supporters and stakeholders all sit up and take notice when a charity leader shouts loudly about why their charity’s work is important and what they believe needs to happen.’
Matt goes on to point out that those who are most active on social media typically tend to be the leaders who invest in digital in their organization. By that reasoning, CEOs who embrace social media as part of their own leadership journey also seem to be more aware of, and act on, the wider opportunities that digital brings for their organizations.
Ignore that at your peril I say.
In their words – top tips from social CEOs
John May, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award: ‘Dive in. Be yourself. Post often. And not exclusively about work.’
Matt Hyde, CEO of The Scouts: ‘Be yourself, be honest and authentic. Inject some of your own personality into what you are tweeting and set clear boundaries in your own mind about how much of yourself you want to share with others.’
Gail Scott Spicer, CEO of the Kings College Hospital Charity: ‘Go for it! Follow and listen first then take little steps as you develop who you are and how you want to express yourself. After alcohol, step away from social media!’
Caron Bradshaw, CEO of the Charity Finance Group: ‘Be yourself. Don’t try to over-engineer what you say. Don’t be reckless.’
Kate Lee, CEO of the Clic Sargent: ‘Think about the things that are of interest to you – competitor organisation CEOs for example. Follow them to see what they do. Note which tweets really catch your interest and question why. Try to tweet at least once a day.’
Matthew Hodson, CEO of NAM: ‘Be authentic. Be interesting. Be kind.’
Sarah Hughes, CEO of the Mental Health Trust: ‘Follow some people you admire, a mixture of styles so that you can get a sense of where you might feel comfortable. Be clear about what it is you will use the different platforms for.’
James Blake, CEO of the Youth Hostel Association: ‘Take the plunge! Seek advice from others both on who to follow and how to balance your time and input. Be aware of its power and its dangers.’
Matt Collins, MD of Platypus Digital: ‘If you’re a charity leader, then you definitely have people who want to hear from you. You just have to believe that and get stuck in.’