Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
By Melanie Lockwood Herman
This past weekend I served on a panel at the annual conference of the National Association of Planning Councils. The session topic was “social media” and I was asked to speak about the risks associated with the use of social media tools in nonprofit organizations. It was a terrific opportunity to distribute copies of the Winter edition of our newsletter, Risk Management Essentials, which contains a thought-provoking article on this topic by lawyers Jeff Tenenbaum and A.J. Zottola. Based on the informal feedback I received during the workshop, it seemed as though half of the audience were willing participants in the social media world, admitting active use of the most popular tools. A smaller percentage of the session attendees seemed a bit fearful of the social media frontier.
The discussion reminded me of David Ropeik’s new book, How Risky Is It, Really? Some readers may recall Ropeik, the former Co-Director of the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, whose prior book is titled: RISK: A Practical Guide for Deciding What’s Really Safe and What’s Really Dangerous in the World Around You. Ropeik was a keynote speaker at a Center conference when the event was held in Washington, DC. Ropeik’s new book begins by reminding us that our brains are hard-wired to “fear first and think second.” The first chapter of the book, titled “This is Your Brain on Fear” delves into the field of neuroscience to explain the biology of risk response.
As I was driving home from the conference I realized that my own response to social media has been to “fear first and think second.” One of my co-presenters gently shamed me into admitting a bit of cynicism about the business uses of Twitter and Facebook. Another fellow panelist offered the following provocative statement: “The conversation is going on. The question is: do you want to be a part of it?” Upon arriving home, I logged into my dormant Twitter account and sent my first Tweet. Thus far my experience is reminiscent of talking to myself in the car. Hello? Is anyone out there? The only people who seem to be “following me” appear to have no interest in my Tweet or risk or nonprofits. But you’ve got to give the coffee time to brew, right?
Some of the questions I’ve been mulling over recently include:
Melanie Lockwood Herman is Executive Director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. She can be reached at 703.777.3504 or via email at Melanie@nonprofitrisk.org.
“First let me congratulate you on a conference well done. I had a great time at the Nonprofit Employee Benefits Conference and walked away with some valuable tools and questions that we’ll need to be addressing in both the short and long term. Thanks to you and your staff for all you do to provide us with quality resources in support of our missions.”
“BBYO’s engagement of the Center to conduct a risk assessment was one of the most valuable processes undertaken over the past five years. Numerous programmatic and procedural changes were recommended and have since been implemented. Additionally, dozens (literally) of insurance coverage gaps were identified that would never have been without the work of the Center. This assessment led to a broker bidding process that resulted in BBYO’s selection of a new broker that we have been extremely satisfied with. I unconditionally recommend the Center for their consultative services.
“Melanie Herman has provided expert, insightful, timely and well resourced information to our Executive Team and Board of Directors. Our corporation recently experienced massive growth through merger and the Board has been working to better integrate their expanded set of roles and responsibilities. Melanie presented at our Annual Board of Director’s Retreat and captured the interest of our Board members. As a result of her excellent presentation the Board has engaged in focused review which is having immediate effects on governance.”
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“The board and staff of the Prince George’s Child Resource Center are extremely pleased with the results of the risk assessment conducted by the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. A thorough scan revealed that while we are a well run organization, we had risks that we never imagined. We are grateful to know that we have now minimized our organizational risks and we recommend the Center to other nonprofits.”
Great American Insurance Group’s Specialty Human Services is committed to protecting those who improve your communities. The Center team has committed to delivering dynamic risk management solutions tailored to nonprofit organizations. These organizations have many and varied risk issues, hence the need for specialized coverage and expert knowledge for their protection. We’ve had Melanie speak on several occasions to employees and our agents. She is always on point and delivers such great value. Thank you for the terrific partnership and allowing our nonprofits to focus on their mission!