Mediaboss Marketing

Bigger is always better. Many of us think this is true when it comes to building our online networks of social media friends, connections and followers. But new research suggests the opposite may be closer to the truth: curating small networks of trusted connections may be smarter in the long run. While this may seem counterintuitive, it also comes with a caveat.

We often feel compelled and are even encouraged by social media platforms, to grow our networks. Consider all the prompts about someone else you might know and who to follow. We all want the sociometrics (that number of friends or followers posted in the corner of your profile) to look good.

Both offline and online, our social networks can function as either prisms or pipes.

As prisms, they broadcast to others our likes, dislikes, opinions, interests, activities, and more. They signal who we are, or want to be, to our network of social connections.

As pipes, they act as conduits through which help and resources can flow. Using our networks as pipes is an important part of how we build relationships. We give and receive advice, advocacy, endorsement, emotional support, and tangible things (like entrepreneurs do, for example).

Studies of face-to-face networks have generally shown that, whether we use our networks as prisms or pipes, bigger is better.

But what about online?

We flock to social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram because its easy to view, share and store our connections, allowing us to communicate with them whenever we want. Thats what makes connecting online and offline so different. We cant search and find a comment we made six days ago to a friend over coffee. We can, however, find and reshare a conversation we had with our Facebook friends three years ago. It turns out thats a really important distinction.

Its when we use our online networks as pipes, not prisms, that small matters and seems to be valuable. In a recent study of Canadian entrepreneurs, our team of researchers uncovered this counterintuitive point and shed light on the reasons why.

We think it suggests some broader insights.

For people to actually use their online networks as pipes for resources and support, three things need to come together. First, we need to believe we have the ability to ask for or give a resource or support (termed exchange). Second, we need to have a way to actually make the exchange happen. And finally, we need to want to conduct the exchange.

All those digital viewing, scanning, sharing, searching and storing capabilities of our social media networks make it really easy for us to believe we have the ability and arrangements to use our networks as pipes. I can quickly and easily ask my online network for something I need and get a quick response. But our research suggests that we dont always have the willingness to ask.

Through interviews with entrepreneurs, we uncovered that the reason is likely that people are really worried about what others will think. This perceived social judgment risk can get in the way of entrepreneurs getting helpful resources from their online networks. We suspect its not just entrepreneurs who are worried about this. Thats because perceived social judgment risk is a product of audience collapse, which reduces our willingness to reach out online.

Audience collapse happens when we add people to our online networks from all aspects of our lives. These might be people we know well and people we barely know; personal connections, work acquaintances, volunteer connections, hometown connections and those with shared interests and hobbies.

By building these varied and oversized networks, and inviting so many different people to join, our willingness to ask for help goes down. With all that searching, viewing and sharing, who knows where our request might land?

Our research reveals that many of us likely perceive a lot of social judgment risk in asking for anything but information from our online networks. We are worried that others will judge our asks as weak, needy, unsure, confused, too personal or otherwise inappropriate, making us less willing to seek help. This dark side implication of bigger is better social media networking is rarely discussed.

If this resonates, what can you do?

To make our social media networks useful as pipes, we suggest creating trust networks. These are purpose-built to stay small yes, small. Only add people who will support, not negatively judge, and help you these are the people you trust.

A trust network is likely to be very high in reciprocity, or the giving and getting of help, because all members feel it is a safe place to ask for and give help. It becomes a really useful pipe network where small, not big, is valuable.

So, if you want to use your online networks as a prism to signal things to the world stay big. But if you want to give and get help, then create a purpose-built, small trust network on social media. We think youll be glad you did.

This article by Claudia Smith, Assistant Professor, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria, is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Continued here:
Entrepreneurs! Your social networks should be small and curated - The Next Web

If youre one of the millions of people who recently decided to make a job change, you may be considering how to share the news. Updating your LinkedIn profile is a good place to start, but how should you share the news on other platforms?

Celebrating something new is important, says Lana Peters, vice president of the Americas for HiBob, an HR software provider. You may have found another job, or you may be looking for another position, taking a sabbatical, or taking time to evaluate what you want in your life, moving forward. Whatever the case may be, celebrating that on social media is completely fine.

First, consider the purpose of your announcement, says Christy Pruitt-Haynes, a consultant at NeuroLeadership Institute, a science-based leadership-development consulting firm.

Are you simply informing people of a new way to get in contact with you, or a new career opportunity youve recently accepted? she asks. Are you soliciting help to find your next opportunity? Are you announcing a retirement, or that you are moving to entrepreneurship? The purpose should absolutely shape the narrative.

Do it right by following these dos and donts:

This post can provide a good opportunity to thank your previous employer for the opportunity and for what you learned, suggests Peters. Even if your experience wasnt entirely positive, theres likely something valuable you gained.

You can use the opportunity to share some of your accomplishments, says Pruitt-Haynes. For example, I am very proud of my time at XYZ company where I was able to grow sales by 17%, diversify our vendor list to include 50% more businesses owned by people of color, and lead a staff of 15 to our highest engagement year ever.

You never know who will read that, and you cant miss an opportunity to brag on your abilities, adds Peters.

Social media also helps you provide context around your career journey. To me, the biggest goal that this accomplished is telling a story about that individuals career journey and progression over time, says Josh Dazel, vice president of human resources at Skai, an AI-driven marketing data analytics firm. Take advantage of positive opportunities to share this narrative rather than leaving it for recruiters, hiring managers, or other connections to infer.

Think of a departure post as being on par with a well-crafted resignation letter, says Carlos Ledo, assistant general counsel and HR consultant for Engage PEO, an HR outsourcing-solutions provider. The goal is to show your former employer appreciation for the opportunity you were given and leave the door open for a potential future return, he says.

If youre going to a new job, list your new job title and function, adds Ledo. Not only will this provide individuals who follow you a clear picture of where you currently are in your career, but it can open the door to collaboration with others in your social media community, he says. It can also help you bring in new business to your current employer.

It can help to stay connected to colleagues from past companies on social media, says Dazel. Its a small world when it comes to the job market within a specific industry, so you never know who you will cross paths with again, either as a colleague or a client, he says. Maintaining and fostering these relationshipseven when youre no longer coworkersis a positive step and strong networking practice that takes little time and effort.

Talk about whats next for you, and ask for what you need, says Pruitt-Haynes. For example, if youre retiring, mention that youre open to catching up over lunch or happy hour. If you are looking for a job, share that youre excited about finding your next opportunity in the industry or fields of interest to you. And if youre taking time off, let them know you cant wait to emerge from your much-needed down time with a renewed sense of purpose.

If youre looking for a new job, be clear about what you want and the skills you possess.

It isnt easy to truly understand what skills a person has, or the types of functions they perform within a role, solely based on a job title, says Ledo. Succinctly express the skills you possess, how you can apply them in your next role, and how you feel your experience can add value to a new employer.

If you lost your job and didnt see it coming or didnt feel it was warranted, Peters suggest taking some time before you post the news publicly.

The worst thing that I see happening is that folks are being let go or leaving organizations, and theyre at home and dont have an outlet, says Peters. We all need to give each other a little grace and think through how were communicating, even more than we might have when we were all on site. Its a different feeling of rejection and loneliness when youre in a home office.

And assume everything you share or post on social media is viewable by the public, says Ledo. A false sense of security can lead to posts that can be seen as controversial or damaging to your professional reputation, he says. A good rule of thumb is not to post anything you wouldnt be willing to say in front of a large audience filled with strangers and potential employers.

Disappointment is temporary, but the internet is forever, says Pruitt-Haynes. Represent yourself and your long-term goals well.

See more here:
This is the right way to post about your job change on social media - Fast Company

Why Good Wi-Fi Is Critical for Business Operations

Most commonly, what we would experience is just a dropping connection to the network, explains Wayne Shuster, service manager at Hansel Ford. Thats a big problem for automobile service technicians because modern cars are sophisticated, requiring network-connected diagnostic equipment to pinpoint and fix problems.

We need that network in order to communicate with vehicles and then connect to Ford through that wireless network, Shuster says. We also use tablets around the shop, and those tablets are used to record vehicle specifications during routine maintenance.

Mikayla Lopez, a consumer experience manager for Hansel Auto Group, said she often had to use her cellphone as a wireless hotspot while shooting videos for Hansels social media accounts and to perform other aspects of her job.

It was pretty frustrating to get kicked off the network or just have that really slow lag time, Lopez says. It was really difficult.

The problem was compounded by the fact that Hansel had a mix of different vendors networking technologies installed at different locations and by the fact that some of that equipment was managed by a third party while other parts were managed by in-house staff, led by IT Manager Joshua Demitro.

MORE WI-FI:How to get flawless connectivity from anywhere.

Demitro decided to deploy Cisco Meraki networking technology and Wi-Fi 6 access points throughout Hansels locations. That decision allowed the company to move on from its third-party vendor and easily manage the network in-house.

We were really confident in the tools that the Cisco Meraki platform provided for us, Demitro says. It gave us all the tools that we needed to feel confident in managing it on our own without having to go through too much complexity. Built into the product were all the tools that we really needed to troubleshoot issues and to maintain the security of the infrastructure.

Wi-Fi 6 technology allows for much faster connection speeds and up to 75 percent less latency. Thanks to the introduction within Wi-Fi 6 of orthogonal frequency-division multiple access, which allows for the transmission of signals from routers and access points to multiple endpoints at the same time, Wi-Fi 6 communicates better with multiple devices than previous generations of Wi-Fi technology.

For Hansel, the results were immediate.

Its a lot better, Lopez says. I can actually use the Wi-Fi, so thats great for somebody that handles the social media accounts. I dont hear many complaints from our customers anymore, and our salespeople are very appreciative of it.

Read the rest here:
How the Right Network Equipment Can Boost Business Operations Overnight - BizTech Magazine

HERZLIYA, Israel, Jan. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Playtika Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: PLTK), a leading mobile entertainment and gaming company, today announced the appointment of Ms. Dana Gross and Ms. Hong Du to the Company's Board of Directors. Ms Gross, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Prospera Technologies, will also join the Company's Audit Committee. Ms. Du, Co-President and COO of SINA, will also serve on the Company's Compensation Committee. Gross and Du bring a deep level of technology and public markets expertise to Playtika's board as the company continues to expand and diversify its global foothold, businesses and operations.

Playtika's CEO Robert Antokol said,"The appointments of Dana Gross and Hong Du come at an exciting time for Playtika. We are taking the company to the next level and our business is poised for tremendous growth in the decade to come. Bringing on Dana and Hong is part of our ongoing commitment to excellence and support of gender diversity within Playtika. Their substantial experience will assist us as we continue to expand our leadership position in the gaming space and as a public company."

Dana Gross is a technology and public markets veteran, currently serving as COO of Prospera Technologies an Israeli AI company, which was recently acquired by Valmont Industries. Prior to joining Prospera Technologies, Gross was Chief Financial Officer of the fintech company eToro, and served on the boards of Tower Semiconductors Ltd., M-Systems, AudioCodes, and was a venture partner at one of Israel's leading venture capital fund, Viola Ventures. Dana graduated Cum Laude from Tel Aviv University with a BSc in Industrial Engineering and received her MBA from San Jose State University California.

"Dana has a wealth of operational and financial experience, and has added significant value to the boards she has served on. We will greatly benefit from her experience both in our day-to-day business, and as part of our board," Antokol added.

Dana Gross said, "I'm thrilled to join Playtika's Board of Directors during these exciting times. Playtika is one of the most successful companies to originate from Israel and I look forward to being a part of their journey as they continue to grow even further in the digital and mobile space, and enter new markets while leveraging their strong brand, core technologies and unique expertise."

Hong Du is Co-President and Chief Operating Officer of SINA, one of China's largest technology companies, operating five major business lines - SINA.com (online news and content), SINA Mobile (MVAS), SINA Community (Web 2.0 and social networking-based services and games), SINA.net (search and enterprise services), and SINA E-Commerce (online shopping). Du joined SINA in November 1999 and served in various roles until her appointment as Co-President and Chief Operating Officer of the company in 2013. She has served on Weibo's board of directors since January 2014. Du holds a B.S. in Applied Chemistry from Harbin Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Business Administration from Lincoln University.

Hong Du added "I've had the opportunity to review many successful mobile and internet businesses during my tenure at SINA, and I was extremely impressed with the technology that Playtika has built. I look forward to joining Playtika's Board of Directors as one of the leading players in the mobile gaming world, creating entertaining experiences for users around the world."

About Playtika:

Playtika Holding Corp. is a leading mobile gaming and entertainment company with over 35 million monthly active users across a portfolio of games titles. Founded in 2010, Playtika was among the first to offer free-to-play social games on social networks and, shortly after, on mobile platforms. Headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, and guided by a mission to entertain the world through infinite ways to play, Playtika has 20 offices worldwide including Tel-Aviv, London, Berlin, Vienna, Helsinki, Montreal, Chicago, Las Vegas, Santa Monica, Newport Beach, Sydney, Lausanne,Kiev, Bucharest, Minsk, Dnepr, and Vinnytsia.

SOURCE Playtika Holding Corp.

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Playtika Bolsters Board of Directors with Seasoned Tech Executives - PRNewswire

When Phil Jones walked off the field after Manchester Uniteds defeat to Wolves on Monday night, he patted the badge on his chest while he fought back the tears as the supporters in the Stretford End chanted his name.

He had just completed 90 minutes of Premier League football for the first time since January 2020 something that in the darkest days of his recovery from injury he feared he wouldn't be capable of doing ever again.

Jones' fitness issues first started before he signed for United, when he was still at Blackburn Rovers, and while he bravely battled on with the effects caused by the severe meniscus damage he suffered in his right knee in a game against West Ham in December 2010, it caught up with him after his move to Old Trafford.

During his 11 years at United, he has been sidelined on 22 different occasions with various injuries.

However, he has not let that deter him.

During the first coronavirus-enforced lockdown, he would get up before his children to do extra running and gym work. Consequently, when he returned to training with the rest of the senior squad in 2020, he felt fitter and stronger than ever before.

But then, injury struck again, and he required surgery which ruled him out for the entirety of last season.

Cruelly, his injury record, facial expressions and form have led to the centre-back becoming a figure of ridicule during his United career, so much so, in fact, that he deleted all of his social media accounts in 2017.

That may have spared him all of the abuse he received online, but it did not stop him becoming a scapegoat.

In August 2020, Twitter were forced to apologise to the player after United lodged an official complaint with the social networking service after it posted a picture of the 29-year-old which provoked a stream of abuse.

It hasn't just been faceless fans who have unfairly attacked Jones either. His former team-mate Rio Ferdinand called him a "waste of time" on YouTube back in August.

It is believed that Ferdinand's attack prompted Jones to give a detailed interview on the struggles he has faced in getting back to full fitness.

That dedication and determination to play again also triggered an impassioned defence of Jones by then-United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and it is understood Ferdinand has since been in touch to apologise for his comments.

Sources say Jones has used the setbacks and criticism to drive him on and anyone that has worked with the centre-back will testify to his dedication and perseverance.

After 14 months of rehabilitation, he completed his first full session in August 2021 and was applauded onto the training pitch by his team-mates.

It is understood that he is still regularly one of the first at the training ground, in order to do a longer warm-up in the hope that it will minimise his risk of him suffering a recurrence of his injury issues, while his hard work in the sessions has also been noted.

Furthermore, he is a popular figure around the clubs Carrington training base, with sources crediting Jones with "keeping morale up" during tough times such as these.

Jones first taste of action this season came in September when he played for Neil Woods Under-23s side at Arsenal. Even though it meant a long journey south, he asked to play to boost his attempts to get match fit.

Jones was also given the option to make his own way down to London but he chose to both travel and stay with the rest of the team.

The group were really impressed with how well he integrated himself and he offered advice to several players, including fellow defenders Teden Mengi and Bjorn Hardley.

Jones completed 90 minutes against Arsenal and played another full game seven days later at Leigh Sports Village as United hosted Brighton.

He didn't just ingratiate himself to the Under-23s, though. During United's Champions League trip to El Madrigal in November, he asked permission to go cheer on the Under-19s in their UEFA Youth League clash with their Villarreal counterparts.

He still hadn't featured in a first-team fixture, though, when he travelled to Spain with the senior squad for the Champions League clash with Villarreal before returning to the team hotel for a pre-match meal with the senior squad.

It is this supportive nature, coupled with the dedication and effort he has displayed in training, which has endeared him to Solskjaer's successor, Ralf Rangnick.

Indeed, despite the shock Jones' inclusion caused, the German coach had no qualms about starting the England international in Monday's Premier League clash with Wolves a staggering 712 days after his previous appearance for the club.

I think he did well, Rangnick said at full time. Bearing in mind he hasnt played for two years on that level, you didnt see that in the game. He played as if he had played in the last couple of weeks."

The emotion of what his comeback meant was clear to see on his face when he left the pitch but it also meant a lot to his team-mates.

It is understood David de Gea, Luke Shaw and Scott McTominay all sought Jones out in the dressing room at full-time to pat him on the back, while the fans showed their appreciation too with their vocal backing throughout.

So, what's next for Jones?

He was only drafted back into the team because of the unavailability of both Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof and both are expected to return imminently.

Jones is understandably desperate for game time and a number of clubs are interested in taking him on loan for the remainder of the season, while United are open to offers.

Whatever happens, one can only hope that the most difficult days of Jones' career are finally behind him.

And even if Monday night turns out to be the last time he starts a game at Old Trafford, then it is a moment he can look back on with pride.

United may have lost on the night but playing the full 90 minutes was a victory in itself. Because many doubted it would ever happen again, Jones included.

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Phil Jones: How Man Utd defender overcame two years of injury hell and social media abuse - Goal.com