Teaching PR

Chris Heuer spoke about the work-life issues that social media can raise. "Business is personal again," he said. You can't separate emotions from work life. "I don't want to work with someone I don't like." He also tied it back to work issues. "Have you ever tried to 'manage' a relationship with a spouse or loved one? Perhaps that is why it doesn't work with customers either."

Chris had a slide that asked, "Do you friend your co-worker on Facebook?" -- in other words, where do you draw the line? "There is a limit on how much we share," an audience member said.

Another audience member expanded on this by talking about separating work-personal by using different sites for different things -- she says she won't talk about religion or politics on LinkedIn because she'll work for anyone (well, almost). She suggested that there's a different place to talk about personal beliefs (she mentioned talking politics on a classmates site where people have known her for years). This was the point I tried to make on Melanie Seasons's blog last week. (Some guy called me silly.) Chris (and the guy who called me silly) said we have to learn to talk to people who aren't like us, a worthy goal -- but I don't know if I'd stake my business on it. Luckily, I don't have to.

He also talked about transparency being not an entirely "open kimono" but just being honest. "Inentions matter," he emphasized. Building trust is the key.

Chris had a lot more to say -- check out Robert Armstrong's live blogging here.

Labels: conference, social media