Twitter can be a great training tool.
Reading Time: 6 minutes (974 words)Key learnings:
- Twitter is a free social networking and microblogging service that enables users to send and read crisp messages
- Tweeting is blogging with the ease and speed of texting
- Twitter can be used in delivering training to employees effectively
A while ago, people used blogging for social networking. Then came MySpace and Orkut. Recent times saw Facebook and LinkedIn surface as networking platforms. And now, people are tweeting to connect. They are using Twitter for social networking, communicating, training etc.
In a survey, research firm Nielsen Online has found a surge in the number of visitors to Twitter, from 475,000 in 2008 to about 7 million in 2009. This proves the site’s popularity among working adults, and the fact that Twitter is the most widely used social networking platform among Fortune 100 companies. Given this intense activity, can Twitter’s potential be mined for training effectiveness at workplaces? In this article, let us explore the basics of Twitter, its usage as a training and development tool, and what people can and must do to use Twitter at the workplace.
What is Twitter?
Wikipedia defines Twitter as “a free social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read each others’ updates known as tweets”. Itis a free service that allows users to send brief messages of about 140 characters to those in a common network. Tweeting is blogging with the ease and speed of texting.
Twitter is only a platform, not a solution to social networking problems. It passes information from one to many in multiple directions. Attitude is important here. One must approach Twitter with “How can I learn…” and not “How can it teach…”.
Twitter for training
Stephen Hart, a corporate trainer, signed on for Twitter to assess its value as a training tool. Skeptical right from the beginning, he did not see any benefit to organisations. A month or so into it, Hart started posting personal development quotes, and a week later, he had many people signing up as his followers. Tweeps, or followers, were inspired by the thoughtful tweets that Hart had posted, which brought positive changes in their attitude to work. What followed was a lively exchange of ideas and linking of people with shared interests. His attitude towards Twitter as a training tool shifted from doubt to certainty.
Twitter can be used effectively in delivering training to employees. At workplaces, learning happens between people in a group through interpersonal communication. Why not use Twitter to enhance such group communication? Let us see how Twitter can help in delivering training.
Generating ideas to build course content: HR can leverage the potential of Twitter by asking future participants of a training programme to ‘tweet’ their ideas. Twittersphere, the world of Twitter users, could help too.
Faster updates: The Twitter update format could help with faster updates on the information posted. The updates will also be short, with only 140 characters (the upper limit for tweets) of information to analyse.
Quick answers: Tweeting a tough question during a classroom session could help trainers get a quick response from tweeps, also known as friends/followers or tweople (people using Twitter). Trainers could answer follow-up questions from tweople.
Short and meaningful communication: Trainers could post links to new blog posts, podcasts, topic-based online communities or other related information after the training session.
Twitter also allows ‘retweeting’. Retweeting is passing on someone else’s tweet to a larger audience, often with added comments.
Boosting Twitter effectiveness
Twitter, on its own, cannot ensure training effectiveness. A number of strategies must be used for it to work effectively and deliver the desired results.
- Tweets must be repeated frequently, so that tweople find just-in-time information
- A relevant hashtag (similar to a meta tag or keyword) must be created for each learning event. Hashtags allow quick searching to reveal related tweets
- Using quotes in the tweet may support key learning points
- Linked pages must be mobile device friendly
Wriggle out of comfort zone
Despite the benefits that one can reap through Twitter, most of the employees do not use it owing to many false notions, inaccessibility issues, and at times, sheer disinterest. Those of you yet to try Twitter, identify your inhibitions.Do you have too much to say, or nothing to say?
- Don’t you have enough time or do you feel it is a waste of time?
- Does your company firewall block its usage or you don’t know how to use it?
For every one of the above, there is a solution.
If there is too much to say, build skills in drafting clear and concise messages. While this can be difficult initially, once mastered, the skill can be applied to other areas of personal development as well. If you think you don’t have time, turn the break time (for instance, coffee break) into a learning moment. Tweets are focussed information links and take less time than testing results from a search engine.
Twitter is not for sharing trivia, but for reflecting on what has been learnt; to share insights that shape thinking and aid professional advancement. If organisations block its usage, get accustomed to Twitter by working at home. This way, when organisations loosen their strict policies, you could right away connect with people online from the office too.
For those of you thinking that Twitter is a waste of time, it would help to know that this microsharing tool allows open dialogue with organisations, customers and other stakeholders. You could learn about innovations, be aware of organisational practices, integrate them into work schedules for superior performance, and do many more such things and move forward on the learning curve.
Don’t know how to use Twitter? Find Twitter tutorials, read blogs, or sign up for online courses and video instructions. Then, open a Twitter account and start connecting with people.
Published by TheManageMentor.
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