Online Leadership / Influencing Online

In October 2015, I had the pleasure of being the Duvall Leader in Residence at the University of Kentucky’s Center for Leadership Development (CFLD), part of UK’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, in Lexington. My visit was sponsored by the W. Norris Duvall Leadership Endowment Fund and the CFLD, and focused on leadership development and community development and engagement as both relate to the use of online media. It was a fantastic experience!

Among the many workshops, classes and consultations I was asked to create and then present in my week in Lexington was one on leadership online: not on how to lead a team on a project but, rather, how a person can build and demonstrate leadership and expertise online, and become an influencer regarding a particular topic related to nonprofits, NGOs, charities, community issues, etc. How do you cultivate a profile online that builds your credibility and reputation in a particular field or regarding a particular subject matter?

That presentation in Kentucky was one of the hardest presentations I have ever created in my decades of being asked to create trainings, but it turned out to be one of the most interesting of that entire energizing, challenging week, and I couldn't let go of the conversations about it. Hence why I now have this page on my web site about this subject and why I continue to be interested in such.

To me, leaders are looked to for advice, direction, knowledge and opinions on specific subjects, and leaders influence the thinking of others. This is true offline as well as online. Online leaders engage online - they don't just post information or their own thoughts: they discuss, they acknowledge reactions and feedback, they even debate others, respectfully. Online leaders aren't measured by how many followers they have on a social media account; rather, they are measure by how often their opinion is sought out by others, how often they are quoted both online and offline, and if they are influencing others in their particular field of expertise or focus. In addition, one viral message, or one very popular blog, doesn't indicate a person's leadership online. Rather, it's a body of work and activities online, and how often that work gets referenced by others.

In my presentation at U of K, I emphasized that there's a difference in advertising or promoting versus influencing, or leading, online, though there is most certainly a lot of crossover. Advertising and self-promotion is certainly necessary: people need to know who you are, what your work is, when you will be speaking, what your nonprofit, NGO or charity is doing, etc. But such mission-based organizations also need to strategize on how they their executive director or executive leadership will influence people online, how this person or these people will LEAD online, how that person will guide and inspire others to new understanding, new ways of thinking, even changes in behavior. A nonprofit or government initiative has a mission, and its online activities need to educate people about that mission, create excitement about it, show how it is relevant/vital, and position themselves as key players in addressing issues related to that mission, and that takes online leadership.

I broke it down this way, and I still do:

ADVERTISING: Announcing the dates and times of events, start dates and fees for new programs, deadlines, fundraising needs, etc.

INFLUENCING: Build awareness regarding a cause, offering messages and sharing information that could change minds, commenting on legislation, national or local news, asking questions, etc. in such a way as to position an organization or a person as a key player in addressing that issue.

And to be an online leader, you need a mix of both.

How people influence online

People that influence other people online undertake a number of activities to establish themselves, including:

asking questions or offering perspectives in the online comments section below a newspaper article online or a blog.
posting on their own Facebook page as well as those of other thought leaders, nonprofits, government initiatives, university programs, activists, etc., as well as Facebook online discussion groups. They start discussions, participate in those started by others, ask questions, comment, share info, etc.
using sites other than Facebook, such as BlueSky and Mastodon, responding to messages you see there, creating lists by subject matter or type of poster, one that you not only find valuable, but that others find valuable enough to follow as well.
blogging.
participating in online discussions via LinkedIn, Reddit and other online communities.
posting videos on YouTube or Vimeo, and asking questions or offering perspectives in the comments sections of these sites on other videos.
using visually-focused tools, like Instagram, Tik Tok, etc.
posting valuable, helpful, relevant, even provocative information or comments online regularly.
talking offline about what is happening online.

Leaders online aren't just sharing information and opinion through their own social media profiles, via their own online spaces; they are also doing so on other people and organization's online spaces, in a way that is helpful, that moves a conversation forward, that informs, that is relevant, etc. Which leads us to...

Qualities of online leaders

The aforementioned noted where and how influencers post online. But what content do they post? A leader (not an intern, not an assistant):

provides relevant, even vital, content or perspective related to the subject with which that person wants to be identified.
asks questions that spur thought and discussion.
compliments and thanks others for relevant information or helpful questions.
confronts, even debates, in a respectful (not insulting, but can be forceful) manner.
provides content in a way that's particularly accessible (for instance, it's FUNNY/entertaining, it eschews jargon, it relates to current events or leverages a current cultural trend, etc.)
is consistently truthful and credible.
addresses online criticism promptly, honestly, sincerely.
shows that he or she is listening to what others say online.
responds quickly to questions or replies to their comments.
talks openly online about what is NOT working at a program with which he or she is involved, challenges, etc.
acknowledging that they have changed their mind.
altogether produces content that is primarily focused on the mission of whatever program he or she is affiliated, rather than content that is negative or insulting. Even someone leading a program focused on something confrontational - increased taxes on the wealthy, stopping racism within and brutality by the police, rooting out corruption in local government, etc. - can do so in a way that is focused on the justice and benefits of doing so for the entire community and for marginalized people.

It's worth saying again: leaders online share info that is helpful, that moves a conversation forward, that informs, that is relevant, etc. They can be critical, they can question, but they also acknowledge quality information by others and they give credit for ideas or opinions that have come from others.

The comment about using humor proved controversial during my discussion in Kentucky. An attendee said humor was best avoided, particularly in multi-cultural settings, because it could be misinterpreted. I just couldn't disagree more; while not every joke is universal, humor most certainly is. Humor has been vital in my success at working abroad. Indeed, knowing your audience and its culture is vital, and humor shouldn't be entered into without careful thought; but to avoid humor is to avoid one of the best ways to connect on a very human level.

Examples of Leadership Online

There are a LOT of people that, through their online activities, influence my work and my thinking. I had a different list in 2015 and I had a still different list in October 2020 of some of the people that I believe are leaders online, that do most or all of the aforementioned. I am working on a new list, since I refuse to use Twitter (and if you have any ethics at all, you should refuse too). I like to look at the replies to their messages when I see there are several, to see how they handle challenges to what they have written. I'll post my update of leaders online in early 2026.

The revised list will be some of people that have influenced me and my work in a number of ways, that I feel compelled to seek out and read regularly, and that often change the way I'm thinking about a particular topic, and they influence me mostly through their online activities.

Your list of leaders online will be different. My list of leaders will probably be different in a year.

Media Monitoring

A key to leadership online is knowing what people are saying about you and your organization online, and responding appropriately, as well as knowing what is being said about a particular topic. The Internet makes finding this out super easy. For instance, you can use GoogleAlerts or a similar tool to track what is being said about you, your organization, subjects that are most important to you, etc. Also, ask your volunteers, staff and others to let you know, as a courtesy, what's being said. I have a detailed guide about media monitoring here.

I take time at least three times a week to read BlueSky, Mastodon and the Reddit groups I am interested in, for at least 30 minutes at a time. I read through the messages of those I follow and that are on specific lists (like people who work in humanitarian affairs or public health). I don't wait for time to do this; I make the time to do it.

I have a variety of online discussion groups devoted to topics in which I am most interested that I make time to read, to share information on, to start discussions on and to respond to content by others.

Overcoming Intimidation (real & imagined)

There's a reason many people, particularly women, are reluctant to attempt to lead, online or off: the Tall Poppy Syndrome. People talking about an accomplishment or offering advice based on their experience can be seen as bragging, and many feel that when a tall flower is "bragging," it has to be cut down to the same size as all the others - or even shorter. The phrase is particularly popular in Australia, though some people say it isn’t success that offends Australians but, rather, someone that acts superior. Regardless, in many places, a woman saying anything on social media is seen as bragging, as acting "superior" – and she becomes a target for her “tall” reputation being cut down, with over-the-top criticisms and insults.

There's also the Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive bias in which people wrongly overestimate their knowledge or ability in a specific area because their lack of self-awareness that prevents them from accurately assessing their own skills. There are people who doubt their abilities and knowledge, strong though those abilities and knowledge might be, to the point that they may be afraid that they actually have the Dunning-Kruger effect and are over-estimating their own abilities - they may have a fear that they are an imposter regarding their knowledge and abilities. It's a vicious self-defeating cycle - trying to be confident but being terrified of being accused of being an imposter, and it's one that women in particular experience.

And there's also the fear of making a mistake: of saying something without realizing it's inappropriate, or saying something inaccurate and being corrected.

It would be horrible if women were so upset at the thought of being harassed, and so scared of being accused harassment, defamation, libel, slander and even blasphemy, that they were afraid to say anything, including opinions and criticisms and even questions. But that is, indeed, what is happening, particularly with women.

Research tells us that women may be left with little option but to resocialize their own values or suitably self-govern their online presence to live within hyper-visible lakshman-rekhas (lines of propriety in women’s conduct that must not be crossed) of performative online modesty. Misogyny in digital spaces directly impacts women’s rights with consequences for their physical, emotional, mental, economic, reputational, and aspirational lives... digital spaces proliferate subterranean male networks and ‘bro clubs’ that are always ready to strike... Cyberspace has thus engendered a new masculine that terrorizes women if they dare to assert their public selves. This targeted hate against women impacts the inclusiveness of the online public sphere through the chilling effect it creates for women’s public participation. -- from "Articulating a Feminist Response to Online Hate Speech: First Steps", from Bot Populi, October 9, 2020.

For those who are active online, even if you think your subject matter is completely benign - blogging about ethics in volunteer engagement, or model trains, or the importance of tree planting, or changes in the Girl Scouts of the USA programming, or kitschy Christmas decorations, whatever - you could be the target of online harassment and accusations of defamation, and even a lawsuit. And unlike what we've all been taught in movies, being truthful is NOT an automatic slam-dunk defense against a defamation suit.

In the article Cyber Safe Girl: How Not to Write a Cyber Safety e-Book, R Vaishno Bharati critiques a cyber safety e-booklet titled Cyber Safe Girl – Beti Bachao, Cyber Crime Se 3.0 that was written by a well-meaning cyber security expert and professor at the Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management and credits numerous IPS (Indian Police Service) and KSPS (Karnataka State Police Service) officers for their inputs. The author notes that the e-booklet:

uses the reductive albeit common patriarchal trope of framing women’s safety in terms of their relationships within the family, their identities constructed and understood in relation to the people around them. Furthermore, its messaging seems to be directed as much at family members — parents or guardians — who are purportedly responsible for the protection of their daughters, as women themselves. This is particularly notable given that the book credits a group of predominantly male police officers, thus foregrounding a male perspective on women’s safety while largely ignoring women’s voices and their lived experiences. In addition, the title of the book patronizingly uses the term ‘girl’ despite featuring sketches that include women of all ages. In fact, it does not address cyber safety issues experienced by children at all.

another comment:

Many of the incidents mentioned in the book are not specific to women, and yet, the book seems to suggest that women need to take additional precautions to make themselves safe when accessing online spaces. This is not to say that women do not experience cybercrimes or a disproportionately more hostile online space on account of their gender and other intersecting social identities. However, some of the solutions offered by the book — such as installing and updating anti-virus software, creating strong passwords, and being wary of phishing emails and messages — are practices that all internet users need to be aware of, regardless of their gender identity.

and

The book presents steps and measures that women can take in order to avoid being in situations that lead to gender-based violence, harassment, trolling etc. The sketches warn women of the dangers of cyberspace, making the predominant tone of the book not one of empowerment but of fear and danger. It equates safety with caution — women will be safe if they do not put themselves in unsafe situations — and places the onus of safety, through self-policing, on women themselves. By calling people to action with its subtitle of ‘save the daughter’, the safety manual enlists families into this act of policing, thus adapting the patriarchal control and surveillance of women’s bodies in offline spaces for the digital age.

And one more excerpt:

the book’s narrative of fear and danger can significantly discourage women from using the internet, especially those who are new users of information and communication technologies (ICTs). In a country like India, where girls and women often find their access to digital spaces already restricted, the narrative of fear would spread faster than the access to technology.

The critique of this booklet was published online at from Bot Populi.

When I talk to women who fear trying to lead, online or off, it's one or all of these aforementioned factors that hold them back.

My advice

Follow people on social media that you identify as leaders and be conscious of what they say and do that causes you see them as leaders and try to emulate that, including how they handle critics. I've learned a lot from watching how people like Chris Klewe (@ChrisWarcraft), JohnFugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) and Imani Gandy (@AngryBlackLady) handle their "haters."
Every time you post to social media, do your best to come from a place of sincerity and honesty and trying to be helpful. Even in promoting yourself - a speaking engagement, a new publication you have written, a new video, etc. - remember that you are posting it to be helpful, that there are people that WANT that information, and they appreciate your sincerity and honesty and information sharing, even if they don't like your posts every single time.
When someone responds and you feel criticized, explore carefully the motivations of the person speaking. Are they someone that is respected in their field and, therefore, their criticism is something you might consider? If they are disagreeing with you, is that okay - can you just simply live with this person disagreeing with your opinions? Is it a misunderstanding and you just need to explain a bit more? Or is this person a troll that spends an inordinate amount of time criticizing and insulting others, is this a person that has an online profile that is full of a great deal of negativity and name-calling and outrage? In all but that last circumstance, you might want to respond and engage with the person. But in the last - do not respond, as it won't lead to anything but more insults. See How to Handle Online Criticism for more detailed guidance.
Every person on earth makes mistake. You will make mistakes online and off. When someone says you've made a mistake, evaluate what you said and decide if, indeed, it was a mistake. If it was, apologize. If it wasn't, it's okay to say you don't feel that it was, it's okay to defend your position. But don't let the fear of making a mistake keep you from posting online. Have a look at Handling a social media faux pax. And, again, see How to Handle Online Criticism.
You got online for a reason: you are representing a nonprofit organization, an NGO, a charity, a government program, a cause - you are representing a mission, or the interests of mission-based organizations, and you feel you have something worth sharing. Being involved in the third sector means you are a caring person that wants to make a difference, to do good, to help people or the environment. You are engaging online with the best of intentions, and if the majority of your posts reflect that, you deserve to take up space in cyber space. Please take up that space - you deserve to be here.

Regarding these subjects in particular, here are more resources you might want to review:

A work in progress

All pages on my web site are a work in progress, including this one. They evolve over time with new/changed information.

Also see:

The Difference in Email, Social Media & Online Communities: A Graphic Explanation.
It can be difficult for people to understand the difference in email, in social media and in online communities, especially since email can be used to create an online community, or social media can be used to create an online community (Facebook Groups, for instance). And they all are people sending messages to people - so what, really, is the difference? This is my attempt to graphically show the difference, but I'll still have to use words to more fully explain what I mean. All three of these avenues for online communication can intersect. But one online avenue of online communication may be a better avenue for a communication goal than another - this resource examines that as well.
How to Handle Online Criticism
Online criticism of your organization, even by its own supporters, is inevitable. In fact, your nonprofit is probably going to be criticized on other people's blogs, Facebook profiles, etc. You can't prevent it, but you can be prepared to respond to such in a timely manner, in a way that could increase your credibility with key audiences.

Why Every Staff Person Should Regularly Read At Least One Online Discussion Group
Each and every employee of your mission-based organization should be a part of at least one online discussion group, and subscribe to at least one email newsletter, relating to their job. Why? It offers a simple, easy way to get employees connected to important news and resources they need in their jobs, It's professional development right from their desktops!.

Virtue & reputation in the developing world
A caution to humanitarian and development workers wanting NGOs and government agencies to engage more on social media; you need to provide guidance for the women who would be expected to manage online activities on how to stay safe and protect their personal reputations. For them, online activities can be a matter of life and death.

The dynamics of online culture & community
Working with people online means building trust and communicating clearly and regularly.
Cultivating Online Civility
When I began writing about online culture, back in the late 1990s, misinformation was at a minimum and easy to identify, and hateful trolls were oh-so-quickly banned from online communities. Now, hate and misinformation rage online, and not just among strangers - neighbors are raging against each other on local online communities. Can online civility be restored? Is it possible to challenge misinformation and destructive speech in the strongest, most deliberate of terms without being accused of hate speech yourself? This page links to efforts focused on online civility - most of these efforts are not by me, BTW.