Army Colonel Dave Butler discusses the pitfalls of social media engagement and the power of relationships for leaders. He also shares tips on being an effective staff officer and the importance of purposeful communication in leadership.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Purposeful Public Engagement
Be aware of the information environment so you can make decisions with context.
Only engage publicly when you have a clear, tangible purpose for the communication.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Don't Fight On Social Media
Avoid getting into scraps on social media because senior leaders will lose public disputes.
Don't respond to insults; the platform amplifies negativity and creates no-win outcomes.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Adopt A Cooling-Off Rule
Use a cooling-off period before replying to provoke comments online.
Ask what problem your response solves and wait 24 hours if it feels good to post.
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Army Colonel Dave Butler joins Joe to discuss communication for leaders in today's information environment. This episode is a must-listen for leaders at all levels because Dave and Joe tackle the delicate dance military leaders must perform on social media, navigating the fine line between engagement and overexposure. Dave and Joe also discuss:
The pitfalls of social media engagement
Why senior military leaders have glass jaws
What to do if internal memos and emails spill into the public domain
Dave Butler has been a close advisor to Joint Force leaders for several years. Much of his early career as a communicator was with special operations, where he served as a comms guy for an Army Special Mission unit and the Joint Special Operations Command. He came out of the shadows in 2018 when he became the chief communicator and spokesperson for US and NATO Forces in Afghanistan. After that, he served as an advisor and spokesperson for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and now serves as an Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army. Before switching to communications, he was an Infantryman, with his time culminating as a company commander in Iraq. He has received numerous awards and graduated from several military schools. He earned a graduate degree from North Carolina State University and attended a fellowship at Duke.
He's a proud Long Islander, married with two kids (14 and 17) and a German Shepherd.
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