It’s often challenging just to get a CFO to dip their big toe into social media (Linked In), so the article by Steve Tobak, “The Hazards of Being Too Social in the Age of Social Media” may not apply to many Chief Financial Officers. However, he does raise some excellent points and it might be worth a read.
Tobak’s focus is on C-suite executives who self-destruct on social media because their social media communications focus on their companies. That’s definitely a recipe for serious problems.
From a career perspective, though, might I suggest that your “branded visibility” be around your area of subject matter expertise, passions, and/or interests RATHER than about proprietary or sensitive corporate issues related to your current position?
For example, if you happen to be a subject matter expert in turning around companies and it is what you would like to do more of in the future, create your social media presence around that topic. Share your depth of knowledge; provide examples of past successes without violating confidentiality; or if you regularly speak on a specific topic, share your slides on your Linked In profile.
Or, if you happen to be passionate around a specific interest or hobby, particularly if the skills that are used in that interest or hobby are some of the same skills you use in and on the job, you could make that the central theme of your digital footprint. Two clients come immediately to mind. One is a competitive tennis player and another one is a serious bike racer. The discipline and teamwork that are required in both sports transcend just the sport.
You can be a social CFO … particularly if you are leveraging your authentic branded positioning to attract the right kinds of opportunities. Just be smart about it!
