The Importance of Social Networking Tools

Why do people use social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace? At first blush that sounds like a pretty simple question... I bet most would respond with something like, "It's a great way to link up with long, lost friends," and this is true. But take a minute and really think about it. Why do you spend your valuable time with these tools? Get beyond some of the silliness -- the nauseating polls and "shout outs" (drinks, flare, etc.) on Facebook.

For me, social networking tools are counterintuitive to everything I have ever done personally or professionally. I have never been one to openly share my thoughts and ideas with people outside my inner circle of family, friends and colleagues. In fact, my job mandates prudence and discretion. So, I waded into the social networking arena with extreme caution.

What I have learned in the last few months of experimentation with Facebook, Twitter, and blogging is that social networking tools are extremely powerful. With consistent "care and feeding," it is possible to grow and manage a network of "friends" in the hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands, and even millions (see Ashton Kutcher's growing following on Twitter). If you think about that for a minute, it's pretty amazing -- with a single keystroke it's possible to communicate and learn with a sizeable internet-based network. The content of that communication can take any number of forms; from what you ate for dinner, to what you plan to do on the weekend, to what interests you personally or professionally.

So what? Well, in an era of economic downturn and declining manufacturing jobs in America, increasingly (more so than any other time in American history), knowledge is power. "Knowledge workers," those that think and create -- the problem solvers -- are most relevant. An expanding knowledge base keeps you relevant personally and professionally, and social networking tools are becoming the medium for that expanding knowledge base.

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