On May 22,
NAAAP-Seattle partnered with the
Executive Development Institute (EDI) and
Qwest Pacific Asian American Network (PAAN) for a 2010 Leadership Together Educational Forum entitled “Invasion of Social Media - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!”
Charlie Harger, Technology & Social Media Reporter for KOMO Newsradio and President for Bohado Media, spoke to 75 attendees on using social media for professional and business development.
EDI board member and the forum’s organizer, Elaine Kitamura, said she impressed by the number of attendees as well as the breadth of diversity in age and race in the audience.
The event’s sponsor, Prudential, was pleased with the outcome.
“I thought this event was terrific,” said Joneil Custodio, Prudential’s West Coast Diversity Manager and former NAAAP-Seattle PR/Marketing Chair. “My favorite part was hearing actual business owners sharing real life concerns about the use of social media with the audience that really proved the level of safety and comfort created here tonight.”
Social media, literally, brought many to this event.
Liz Shaiken, a development officer at the Wing Luke Museum, learned about the event through NAAAP-Seattle’s Facebook, along with Jeannette Roden, also with the Wing Luke, and Chakrya Lim of Red Lion. For Shaiken and Lim, it was their first time to an EDI event.
“It was a great intro for small businesses,” said Shaiken. “But I wish it showed good and bad examples of how social media is being used in business.”
“I thought it was good,” said Lim. “Though I thought it would be more on personal branding.”
Personal experience with social media varied widely among audience members.
“The content was a big basic,” said Roden, a NAAAP member. “I wish they had delved a bit deeper into the topic.”
“I still have so much more to learn,” said John Tang, EDI board member. “A few things Charlie mentioned, like putting a post up a day, I didn’t realized I could brand myself that way. I just post every now and then but now I’ll try to post more consistently.”
Vichai J. Lim, a Partner at New York Life, was invited to the event by with NAAAP-Seattle member Vanessa Diego.
“I learned a lot,” said J. Lim. “I might look into Facebook. People invite me all the time. I have to learn more about social media.”
Harger also imparted some warnings about social media.
“I learned that I shouldn’t spend too much time on Facebook because I might get addicted and Facebook might start charging me for use!” said Yuwen Dai, a NAAAP-Seattle member.
Colleen Yamaguchi, EDI board member and EDI Navigation coach, said she wished the forum focused more on how social media could be used as a strategic tool for leadership development.
The most important lesson learned?
“Don’t be annoying!” said Yamaguchi.
Photos: Top: Hang-Ping Chen (left), Starr McDonald (seated); Middle: Colleen Yamaguchi, Joneil Custodio, David Eam, Amy Duong; Bottom: Charlie Harger, Technology & Social Media Reporter for KOMO News radio and President for Bohado Media, lectures
