As I read the comments, however, I noticed that there wasn’t a lot of people who are embracing his idea. This really bothered my.

What I read in the comments was actually what really bothered me. The comments were very polite and dismissed human resources. I was struck by phrases like “ownership comes from specialists” or “people who are in sync to the corporate culture.” It made me feel that HR should not own social media, as it isn’t capable or equipped to direct it.

Hmmm. I’m not capable. Nobody has ever said I wasn’t capable. It doesn’t matter if I don’t know something or I don’t use an app at the moment. This reminds me of when I used to work for an airline. I was responsible for managing the uniform inventory and ordering of flight attendants. I had no knowledge of uniforms. When I spoke with my manager, she said, “Why me?” She replied, “If anyone can fix that, it’s yours.”

Let’s suppose you are the CEO of a company and want to develop and implement a social media strategy. It is up to you to determine who will be responsible for this vibrant new strategy and medium. Some departments, like accounting and operations, are not even mentioned in the conversation. Most likely, the conversation will come down to marketing and human resource.

No matter your opinion on social media, marketing or human resources, I think every strategic business partner would like to be a part of the conversation. The CEO of any company will look at each department’s projects, what topics they feel are important and the willingness to take calculated risks in taking ownership.

It comes to the point when the senior leadership team sits down and discusses who will control social media. It is interesting to see how this conversation might turn out. The first question I would ask is are there human resources?

Are you positive that HR can help develop the company’s social media strategy

What makes you believe they are capable?

If they aren’t, then why aren’t they?

What types of projects does HR work on to support their decision to give them access via social media?

Do they have the commitment to make social media work for our company?

What would your executive team think? What would HR say to your executive team?

The ultimate decision should be made in the company’s best interests. It should not be about being capable, as everyone on your payroll should have the ability to do so.

Chris’ post was not about who will control social media. That’s the catalyst. It’s all about the ability of human resources. Conversations about the viability and composition of our profession send the message that HR doesn’t have the capability to do the job. Could it be that HR is creating a self fulfilling prophecy? Please share your thoughts.