Talking Stick - May/June 2016 - 37

administrators' use of social media,
has seen the struggle that emerges for
professionals engaging in an online
community environment. "We are all
at the same level of trying to figure
out how to be good human beings on
these tools. It gets more complicated
as an educator, especially working
in residence life. Staff members
are already up against personal and
professional challenges, trying to be a
successful being and also living where
you work." The residence life and
student affairs Facebook groups have
grown exponentially, with a group called
ResLife Professionals now boasting
more than 3,250 members. "There is a
tipping point with online communities
where they become so big they become
a byproduct of our society. People want
to feel like they are empowered to
express themselves online. If you want
to go into one of those groups and push
an issue, you may as well put that on
your résumé because those words and
that behavior is now associated with you
as a professional," says Ahlquist.
Because of the public nature of social
media, even a discussion intended to be
neutral in tone can quickly escalate to a
conflict as more and more people pile
into the discussion. Nuance is lost, as
there is no opportunity to interpret body
language or tone of voice. What could
have been the equivalent of a friendly
discussion at a dinner party becomes
raucous and convoluted as others
invite themselves into the discussion.
"It's fantastic to see two people who
don't agree with one another discuss
or debate their perspectives because
I learn something with every healthy
debate," says Miranda Perry, associate
director of student conduct and conflict
resolution at Northeastern University in
Boston, Massachusetts. "In social media
spaces, though, it has become more
about the spectators than about the play.
People have forgotten how to watch
without inserting themselves and acting
as armchair critics." Discussions can

become complicated when others begin
interjecting their own experiences and
opinions, drawing attention away from
the original conversation.
Ahlquist agrees that the involvement
of spectators can become problematic,

and more significant that someone
needs to step in and mediate or slow the
pace down, as anyone would have to do
in a conflict resolution for roommate
disputes. Using those same skills is not
as clearcut online." She explains that the

Pairing Professionalism and Social Media
Social media used to be considered a young person's game, largely used
for personal reasons by individuals 18-24 years old, but now many older
users are using the media for professional reasons. In a recent survey of
244 housing and residence life staff members, almost all respondents
indicated that they read posts on student affairs-oriented Facebook
groups on a weekly basis, though fewer respondents indicated active
engagement on the pages. In fact, 30 percent of respondents shared that
they never post or engage in Facebook discussions.
While Twitter has been another popular platform for professional
development and networking, often heavily used by those at conferences
to connect with others and share learning from sessions, it appears that
the popularity of the platform has been overstated. Twenty-four percent
of respondents shared that they do not have Twitter accounts and have
never engaged in that environment.
A thread connecting much of the conversation about social media
usage is the perception of professionalism and determining what
behaviors are appropriate for the public sphere. When asked if a
candidate's problematic engagement in online conversations would
impact their being considered for a position, 81 percent said yes. One
respondent said, "I am a firm believer that we are all ambassadors
for our institution, and there is a level of maturity needed to engage
in transparent conversations while maintaining professionalism. If the
individual doesn't value that balance, then it's not a good fit." This raises
the question of whether employers can ethically consider online behavior
outside of an interview to reasonably make judgments about candidates.
Given that conversational behavior on social media can - without the
signals provided by tone and body language - easily be misinterpreted,
it is wise to remember that all encounters should be treated as if they
were face-to-face interactions: Be professional, be careful, and be
courteous.

noting that the immediacy of social
media - the ability to respond to things
quickly - also contributes to the size
and scope of conversations. "Social
media can fuel something much larger

goal of all social media interaction - and
especially conflict - should be to move
conversations offline or into a private
space. Often, people get caught up in
the ability to respond to one another

MAY + JUNE 2016

37
Talking Stick - May/June 2016

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