5 November 2015

Bridging the Divide: A Social Media Reading List for Senior Leaders

October 31, 2015

Today, there is a large generational divide in the military. While our younger Soldiers and leaders were raised on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms, our senior leadership was not. Many senior military leaders struggle with understanding this medium of communication that comes with its own language, culture, and norms. When they were company commanders, they did not have to worry about a misstep at the company level being posted on Army WTF Moments. They did not have to worry about maintaining a unit level Facebook page. They did not have to worry about someone “tweeting” away their position in war. The digital age has brought with it, it’s own set of leadership challenges.

I hope to help bridge this gap, by providing leaders with a professional reading list of books, articles/blogs, and podcasts. While there are several dangers lurking on the social media landscape, there are also benefits with huge payouts in the domains of professional development and warfare. The list below is not all-inclusive, however it’s a start. If I’ve left something off this list, please include it in the comments section below. Also, if you have any questions please feel free to email me (my contact info can be found on the About Me page).

Joe Byerly has served as a Cavalry platoon leader in a Stryker Brigade Combat Team and a Troop and Headquarters Company Commander in an Armored Brigade Combat Team. He also served as an instructor at the School of Reconnaissance and Security. He is currently a student at the U.S. Naval War College. He was a 2011 recipient of the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award.

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