On one of my networks, a large part of the professional appeal seems to be posting "help me" questions. These are questions people ask when they want help with a vexing problem, but they don't want to pay a consultant for an answer. I can respect that. Consultants are an expensive option, especially for simple issues. The social network is inexpensive and places the "wisdom of crowds" at your disposal.
One thing that gets me, though, is when people post more complicated requests to their social network, then trust the advice they receive. Yes, people defend the practice by saying "why reinvent the wheel?" I can buy that, but only to a certain extent. If someone has encountered the exact same problem in the past, for the exact same circumstance, and have the exact same underlying corporate structure (strategy, organizational design, culture), and subsequently offer a response to your challenges, then by all means use the suggestion. It should fit. But how many institutions in the world are exactly the same?
Every organization is different, in fact every organization should strive to be different. Compelling and calculated differences form the basis of competitive advantage. If you have an organization that truly strives to develop an advantage, why would you ever make use of someone else's response to similar challenges? All you end up with is a second-class implementation.
Furthermore, who is to say that what your network proffers is actually right? What if you need wheels for your cart, and the best your network has created are square wheels. With a firm "try this - it has worked great for us and should work just as well for you" recommendation, you are on your way to having a cart just as bad as everyone else's.
This brings me back to consultants, and their value to organizations. A good consultant should never apply turn-key solutions to your institution. A good consultant should work to assess your strategy, build an understanding of your organizational design, and get to know your culture. A good consultant should develop a relationship with you so that their recommendations are deeply related to your organization and crafted to succeed, given your own unique infrastructure.
Social networks are not that deep. You may find, via a feed, that someone in your network is off on a trip across country to visit a long-lost aunt. That knowledge does not make their relationship with you any deeper, and it certainly does not make their uninformed recommendations to you informed, accurate, or correct.
Interestingly, social networks and consultants start from the same basic point - experience. Those with experience in the stated challenge rise to answer, but here is where they differ: The social network response is, "Here is what worked for me, it should work for you." The consultant response is, "Here is what I have seen, let's determine how it applies to you, given the unique circumstances of your situation."
I suppose I will continue participating in these social networks because they do encourage me to think, even if the thought they inspire goes against some facet of their proposed usefulness. And besides, I feel like that long-lost aunt of a friend, of a friend, who was recommended to a friend of my friend, is a member of the family. Saying goodbye would just be too hard....
