The Dangers of Oversharing on Social Media

People’s lives are very much exposed today online. From places visited to meals eaten to clothes worn, almost everything is broadcast on various social networking sites.

Social media has its pros and cons. While it is a function of social networking sites to connect users to their family and friends, “netizens” are also exposed to risks such as defamation, identity theft, hacking, among others

As an online safety campaign goes, “Think before you click.” Below are typical social media behaviors that can spell danger:

Image source: gosimplysocial.com

Posting birthdate, address, current location, and contact details:

As much as you want to receive greetings from loved ones on your birthday, posting your birthdate is information scammers and hackers can use to access your personal accounts. The same goes with making public your address, current residence, and contact details such as mobile number. Also, make sure that you turn off your smartphone’s geotagging function. The last thing you want is strangers lurking around your neighborhood because you have made your home address available to the entire online community.

Taking pictures of classified information

Some things are meant for your eyes only. Do not share top-secret information linked to your job or profession. Also, stay away from sharing your ID and bank account numbers, as hackers are always on the lookout for identities they can use for their schemes. If you must post, make sure to blur sensitive information that can expose you to risks.  

Image source: alternet.org

Sharing embarrassing moments, work complaints, and marital woes

Remember that wild night you had last Thursday night? Well, it turned out it’s all over social media, and your bosses now know why you were not at work the following day. What will your friends think when they see you saying nasty stuff about your spouse?

Save yourself from trouble and do not share too much of your thoughts on social media.

Be a responsible social media advocate. Think before you click, and keep yourself (and your social media accounts) safe.

Marc Slavin is a communications strategist with over two decades of experience in communications management. Find more about responsible communication when you visit this Twitter feed.

Can The Myers-Briggs Test Show Personality Disorders?

The Myers-Briggs personality test (MBPT) is considered one of the most popular personality assessments. Many psychologists use the MBPT as an initial gauge of their client’s character. People can fall under one of 16 potential categories, and it is thought that these personality accurately provide a picture of how a person communicates, thinks, and interacts with others.

Image Source: careerealism.wordpress.com

That being said, the MBPT should not be used as an end-all be-all kind of test. There is a danger, given its simplicity and the fact that people need only five to seven minutes to complete it, that the MBPT will be used incorrectly. All tests have limitations.

Many mental health practitioners worry that the MBPT is being referenced to determine certain personality disorders. This becomes especially dangerous when a “diagnosis” puts a person’s professional or social life at stake. Companies are now using the Myers-Briggs as an employment requirement. It is not uncommon for candidates to be turned down for their MBPT score.

But is this fair?

Image Source: hcamag.com

Companies that rely heavily on work culture and cohesion will affirm the merits of the test. However, candidates must not be turned down for a potential personality disorder, particularly if the only reference is the MBPT. The Myers-Briggs test is not meant to diagnose any disorder. If stretched, perhaps it could show a predisposition, but it does not, and cannot fully state if a person will or has a troublesome personality disorder.

Marc Slavin professionally administers the Myers-Briggs test, for which he has received qualification. Like this Facebook page for more articles related to the MBPT.

Communications Strategies: Leveraging the power of traditional media

With the strength of social media and other digital channels, people often forget the power of traditional media within an effective communications strategy.

For those who value it, traditional media is a critical component in creating a multi-platform mix of both offline and online channels.  And while newspaper circulation and TV viewership are dropping, traditional media is still often used to drive large audiences to digital platforms such as websites or to create ‘buzz’ in social media sites.

Image source: www.amplifymm.com

In her blog, Elena Verlee, a public relations practitioner, cites the following reasons we still need traditional media:

• It is instantly recognizable.  Traditional media has long been used as a platform for people who want to gather reliable news and information.  Until today, most people are still aware of the name of the most credible newspapers than the most popular blogs.
• It has more status and authority.  Traditional media coverage of a company’s event, for instance, can help the organization gain more credibility than by just merely posting the event on their company website or social media account.
• Most social media feeds are gathered on traditional media.  Bloggers, for example, often cite news channels on their blog entries as reference for their stories.

Image source: blog.selfstorage.com

Although there is no doubt that digital media is becoming more prominent, integrating your communication strategy into both new and old media can help you achieve your desired level of exposure.

Marc Slavin is a communications strategist who employs philosophical and psychological approaches  to  creating  communication  plans.  Visit this blog for more articles on effective communication.

LEEDing by Example: Laguna Honda Hospital's Efforts in Staying Green

Everyone agrees that the role of hospitals and other healthcare institutions in society is to help maintain the health of its citizens. However, the Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center in San Francisco believes in going beyond its normal duties by doing its part in keeping the planet healthy by creating an environmentally-conscious space for healing and recovery – an act that led to its U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program's silver certification in 2010. 

Image source: arup.com

Recognized as California's first LEED-certified hospital, the 167-year-old Laguna Honda Hospital underwent many changes to curb the negative environmental impact through a redesign that was completed in 2010. According to Marc Slavin, the hospital's government and community relations director at the time, the renovation and new construction focused on energy savings, greenhouse gas reduction, water conservation, improvement of indoor air quality, and the creation of open spaces, among others. To achieve those objectives, the intensive design plan involved: 

-Installing roofing materials, windows, and insulation all of which eventually helped control air conditioning and heating requirements -Creating an efficient water system that reduced evaporation rates to save gallons of water, -Using building materials with no irritating and harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as recycled materials like concrete and asphalt 

-Encouraging responsible travel by installing bike racks and using alternative fuel or electric-powered vehicles for its fleets 

-Adopting "green" cleaning chemicals and participating in San Francisco's waste management program. 

Additionally, the hospital also built 10 landscaped therapeutic gardens to provide patients, long-term residents, and staff members secure, beautiful, peaceful, and accessible restorative green spaces.

Image source: aplusgreenblog.wordpress.com

These innovative improvements to Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center’s 62-acre campus led to its becoming the first ever green-certified hospital in the state. This, in addition to its many unique and high-quality services such as being the only skilled nursing facility for HIV/AIDS in the Bay Area, having recognized programs for restorative care and memory care, and offering monolingual services for Spanish and Chinese-speakers, have made it an excellent example to other healthcare institutions in California. 

Marc Slavin played a part in organizing Laguna Honda Hospital's transition and re-branding. For updates on Mr. Slavin's professional activities, visit this LinkedIn page.