How Your Digital Reputation Can Support Your Organisational Change Program with Roger Christie

We all know that most public sector organisations have official accounts on social media.

Of course, those are carefully operated by teams of social media experts inside the organisation, but… what about your own account?

Our digital reputations are more impactful than ever, so should senior public servants and change leaders be active on social media?

As the change sponsor, can participating online and being active on social media from your personal account help support your organisation’s transformation program?

And if it can help, why are so few public sector leaders participating online?

These are questions I’ve been pondering for a while, so I’m thrilled to be chatting with Roger Christie on the podcast today.

Roger is Founder and Managing Director of digital reputation advisory firm Propel – a multi award-winning firm that helps leaders protect and enhance their digital reputation.

Roger has 15+ years of experience helping executives, boards and operational teams use social media to communicate strategy, attract talent, engage staff, access opportunities and manage risk. He also runs the Government Digital Leaders Network and hosts the ‘Your Digital Reputation’ podcast.

In this conversation, Roger and I dive into how your digital reputation can support your organisational change program.

You’ll discover:

The difference between communications coming out on an agency's official account compared to communications from a leader’s personal account;
Exactly how public sector leaders can participate in the digital environment in a way that respects their role as professional public servants; and
What to do first if you’re a public sector leader interested in building your digital reputation.

Roger even name drops 4 different leaders to check out on social media as highly relevant examples of those who are doing things well right now.

This fantastic, eye opening and very practical episode definitely inspired me to think about digital reputation in a whole new way. I know it will for you too.

Take a listen now!

TOPICS DISCUSSED AND WHERE TO FIND THEM:
[00:52]: Our digital reputations are more important and more impactful than ever. Should senior public servants and change leaders be active on social media?
[1:20]: As the change sponsor, can participating online and being active on social media from your personal account, help support your organisation’s transformation?
[1:44]: I am thrilled to chat with Roger Christie - founder and Managing Director of the digital reputation advisory firm Propel.
[2:14]: Roger has worked with a huge range of clients across the ASX 100, Government agencies and key industry bodies, and is the host of the Your Digital Reputation podcast.
[2:44]: We talk about the difference between organisation and personal communications online, how public sector leaders can participate in the digital environment and how to build your digital reputation.
[4:15]: Roger explains that your digital reputation exists whether you’re active or not.
[6:37]: Does information land differently if it comes from an organisational compared to a senior leader’s personal account? Roger explains that both work hand-in-hand.
[9:08]: Connection and a sense of belonging are created differently in a human-to-human capacity - there is more intimacy.
[9:57]: Roger discusses that digital platforms allow you to have intimacy at scale.
[10:52]: Creating dialogue at scale is the key.
[11:39]: Can digital participation from senior leaders support their change initiatives? Roger explains the complexities behind this.
[14:00]: Sharing messages in the public domain is powerful as it can reach an audience and talent you don’t have a direct connection with yet.
[15:46]: Many senior leaders are not present online. Rogers tells us more about they aren’t participating online, including policy and a lack of role models.
[17:08]: Roger encourages us to find examples to learn from. If you are clear on your purpose for turning up online, then you’re much less likely to attract risk.
[19:17]: Roger explains how senior leaders can turn up online apolitically, including recognising their team and sharing smaller stories to maintain conversation and dialogue, which builds trust over time.
[23:15]: You can’t be what you can’t see. Roger shares the people that he recommends we can learn from.
[24:10]: Victor Dominello MP is a great example of doing things in a different way - he takes people on a journey and has a powerful method of storytelling.
[25:05]: Mike Kaiser is another example of an authentic presence online.
[25:50]: Amanda Yeates is a champion for change.
[26:36]: Bill Cox is himself online.
[28:22]: Roger recommends where to start in this space. The first is to listen. Immerse yourself in the environment of your stakeholders, and learn what matters to them.
[29:20]: As you get more confident, start engaging with something as simple as comments. Build connection, trust and rapport with a listen-first mentality.
[30:27]: What platform should we start on? Roger recommends that we start on the platform where our audiences are most active, which is different for each industry.
[31:53]: Roger shares how to connect with him.