The AGA Weblog

Climbing the Social Network Ladder—the AGA PDC and You

By: Jason K. Denmeade

Jason K. Denmeade is Regional Vice President-Elect for the Ohio-Michigan Region and a systems accountant with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Strategic Business Management office, Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) branch.

I have been very fortunate over my nine-year DFAS career to attend five AGA Professional Development Conferences (PDC), visiting Washington D.C., Orlando, San Diego, Atlanta and Nashville. I have met many wonderful people, which resulted in a strong web of professional relationships, many of whom I consider friends. The benefits of the PDC are endless, but I feel networking is the most important aspect you can take back to your workplace or local chapter. There are some tricks of the trade and guidelines to climbing the social networking ladder both professionally and personally.

No. 1—Be you. The critical first step in connecting with others is to be you. Be genuine and don’t fake it … people see right through that. It may sound trite, but others want to connect with the inner you and not the surface you. In order to connect meaningfully with other people, you have to first connect with yourself. Meaningful connection is a byproduct of understanding who you are, who you are becoming, and what you literally and figuratively bring to the table. Be open and authentic, know who you are, and proceed with confidence. Make an effort to relax, and have some fun!

No. 2—If you don’t mingle and meet new people, then you won’t. So many times groups cling to their own cliques from their local chapters or workplace and don’t take advantage of the other thousands of folks around them. I must admit, I was guilty of this initially because it’s naturally to stick to what you know. It is crucial to networking that you step out of your comfort zone and say hello to someone you don’t know. You don’t have to say anything clever, or be a good joke teller, just say hi. That often prompts further discussion and next thing you know you've met someone new. It’s just that easy and this is also a confidence booster for those who have that common fear of public speaking. You may start with one person right next to you, then the whole table or area is conversing. Many people are relieved when conversation is prompted rather than the awkward silence of sitting with people and no one talking. I actually enjoy prompting conversation. Did I mention if you don’t meet new people, then you won’t?         

No. 3—Take advantage of the breaks in the Exhibit Hall. I have met some of my best contacts here, but you must make networking two-way. You should be prepared to give as well as receive. This can be as simple as saying to a contact, “Thank you so much for your help. Please call me if there’s ever anything I can do to repay the favor.” And AGA’s sponsors host the best events in the evenings! If you don’t take the time to walk around, talk with them and see what their booth is all about, you could be left out of some real fun.

No. 4—The PDC strengthens your support system. Members of AGA can often take advantage of formal coaching or mentoring relationships with more experienced professionals who provide guidance and useful insights. Even on an informal basis, such relationships can be a source of answers and solutions when you’re facing a challenging situation in your business. At the very least, the feeling that you have a support network behind you can boost your confidence when problems arise. I have utilized this on many occasions. As I work for the Department of Defense, I have reached out to both government and contractor contacts alike. Using this support system ultimately assists our customers and taxpayers. So, look at networking like you are performing a civic duty.

No. 5—Don’t abuse your network. There are certain things you can reasonably anticipate from your contacts, such as professionalism and courtesy. And there are a few things you should not expect. These include an immediate response to your request for assistance, countless hours of their time and use of a contact’s name as a door opener without his or her permission. Most of your contacts will try to be helpful, but this doesn’t mean you should take advantage of their generosity. If someone promises to get back to you, don’t pressure that person with repeat calls. They have multiple and competing demands on their time as you do. Your voice or e-mail message is likely one of many. By observing these simple rules of networking etiquette, you’ll avoid alienating your contacts while ultimately strengthening your professional connections.

How has social/professional networking been advantageous for you and your career? If you are attending the PDC this year, how will you improve your networking skills? I’d like to hear your thoughts.

All aTwitter?—The Utilization of Social Networking by Public and Nonprofit Managers in an Economic Recession

By: Sara R. Dickson, MPA candidate, BS/BA, AS/BA

Sara R. Dickson, MPA candidate, BS/BA, AS/BA, is currently serving as special events coordinator for the National Newspaper Association. She has served as a legislator assistant for the Missouri House of Representatives, administrative assistant and Veterans Certifying Official for Columbia College—Jefferson City.

Working at a Rapid Pace

Downsizing, rightsizing, layoffs and cutbacks… in times of recession, all sectors (private, public and nonprofit) are at a higher risk for experiencing a reduction in employees. However, unlike the private sector—where if demand drops, supply eventually drops and it is plainly understood that the company will simply cease to exist—in the public and nonprofit sectors, the job must go on. The public expects, and rightfully so, to continue to be served as long as the department or organization is funded and administratively charged with a mission. Yet, those who survive and remain often find their job description expanded to include the tasks of those who are no longer employed. Practical training, association memberships and trade publications are vital to effective and efficient public service, but with departmental budget cuts, often these areas get slashed first. This effectively removes public/nonprofit managers from their wide spectrum of information network loops, leaving them overworked and in a silo of whatever limited forms of communication and training are spared from the chopping block.

Further, negotiating budget cutbacks is often out of the question or ineffective (for the nonprofit, donors may be overtapped) and this leaves these public and nonprofit administrators searching for any and all free or inexpensive tools that are available to aid busy government/nonprofit professionals. They need fast, effective tools to connect with peers, colleagues, donors, volunteers and constituents, keep abreast of new regulations and legislation, and to keep a watchful eye open for job opportunities, should their job be eliminated next.

In the Private Sector, Social Media is Becoming Increasingly Important

Here’s an example drawn from the private sector: CPAs should find some comfort in the expanding role that social media is playing and its significance in today’s professional (albeit private) networks. According to a recent report by CPATrendlines’ Rick Telberg (president and chief executive of Bay Street Group LLC), it is becoming increasingly important for CPAs to be informed of the various forms of social media available to reach potential employees and clients. In order to obtain an insider’s perspective, Telberg interviewed Tom Hood, chief executive of the Maryland Association of CPAs, and shares the following guide incorporating Hood’s advice regarding “the new world of social media for CPAs”:

• LinkedIn is a professional’s version of Facebook, a social networking site for business professionals and groups. Hood calls it a great place to start as CPAs. It works on the “six degrees of separation” concept. Hood’s network has 229 “trusted connections,” 25,000 second-level connections (friends of friends), and 2,057,400 third-degree connections.
• Plaxo is another business and professional network much like LinkedIn. It’s a great way of keeping up with changes in people’s contact information and current activities. Both Plaxo and LinkedIn provide a method for CPAs to exchange referrals and recommendations, which Hood calls “a very useful application.”
• Facebook, long the preeminent application for college students, is fast going mainstream. “I am seeing many CPA firms and employers using Facebook to reach the college student community,” Hood says. “There are also business groups and many other ‘social’ uses of Facebook for many areas of special interest.”
• MySpace has evolved into mainly a high school and music social networking site. Hood sees less use for CPAs on this site than any of the others.
• Twitter, the micro-blogging site, asks “what are you working on?” and your answer has to be in 140 characters or less. Hood says, “I have made more valuable connections on this tool than any other. I have also found a vibrant community of CPAs, CFOs, regulatory watchers, and others who provide amazing insights and information about a lot of important accounting topics. Did you know the SEC is on Twitter? That certainly got my attention.”

According to their website, CPATrendlines has more than 400 people “following them” on Twitter. That’s a substantial number.

The Public Sector Should Consider Pros and Cons of Social Media and Plan a Gradual Transition

The public and nonprofit sector is in the infancy stage of recognizing there is such a thing as social media and has not yet discovered or set down best practices for its use. However, it is still important for public and nonprofit managers to consider how they might best implement such a tool for enhanced communication, transparency and outreach between the agency and its staff, volunteers, clients and the public. It is a good idea to first perform a cost-benefit analysis and then plan a gradual transition. The current trend suggested by many advertising and marketing publications is to use a mix of traditional and social media to reach consumers/clients with the agency’s message. It is also important to recognize there is a massive shift toward low-cost marketing campaigns (namely, e-mail) that are causing electronic communications to lose their effectiveness in communicating with the public due to the flood of communications competing for the recipient’s attention. 

Final Thoughts and Questions

There are many potential negative and positive externalities (costs) involved with social media implementation in your agency/organization: 

·      How much time will be spent on social networking that is not job-related? How can or should this be monitored/measured?

·      What are the rules of proper etiquette in this new dimension of cyberspace? If a “friend” request is ignored, what are the personal and professional ramifications for government employees?

·      What is the policy impact of using the tool of social media for public agencies? (that is, legal ramifications, privacy violations, inappropriate release of confidential information)

Other thoughts? Ideas?

This essay represents the views of the author only, and does not necessarily represent the views of the National Newspaper Association or any other entity.