Push that insecurity aside—here’s how to pretend to be (and eventually become) more confident. Plus: how to encourage staff to become active online “brand ambassadors.”

Not all are born with the self-assurance of the world’s (or your association’s) next great leader. But that’s not to say you can’t pretend you were. Your first step: adjusting how you think about confidence.

That, and more, in today’s Social Media Roundup.

Faux Facade

"The Best Way to Be More Confident" http://t.co/34piYntHFK

— David Butler (@david_a_butler) November 14, 2013

Best foot forward: Insecurity afflicts everyone to some degree, but it’s actually a gift—kinda. Come again? “A lack of confidence isn’t a problem; lack of confidence is actually the means to a solution. When you accept your weak points, your flaws, and your imperfections, then you can motivate yourself to make changes and improve,” writes Inc.com columnist Jeff Haden. Setting yourself up for a challenge and eventually overcoming the fear (no matter how many times you bomb the attempt) improves how you perceive your own capabilities. Try this: Pick a goal—and then factor in your own weaknesses, Haden suggests. “[N]ot so you’ll feel less confident, but so you can determine exactly what you need to work on.” And when you succeed—well, it’ll feel that much better because you’ll know you’ve earned it. How have you overcome your insecurities, and how has it improved your leadership abilities? (ht @david_a_butler)

A Cookie for Good Behavior

Do Employees Need Rewards to be Active on Social Media? http://t.co/m6pLTMSZ08 #socbiz

— Rv Adrichem Boogaert (@reynoutvab) November 14, 2013

Rally the team: Social media is a great tool for raising awareness of your association and its mission—and it’s likely that your staff members are active social networkers. So how can you help them become social media “brand ambassadors” for your organization? That’s the question Stefan Pfeiffer of CMS Wire poses. His recommendation: Go with the carrot rather than the stick. Give your employees an incentive to blog about their area of expertise or even host live Twitter sessions to answer association-related questions. But respect the separation between personal and professional online presence, he adds. Although many people may feel nervous about talking about their employer online, an organization “can address the uncertainty through social media guidelines and ongoing training.” (ht @reynoutvab)

How do you encourage your staff to partake in social media engagement efforts? Tell us in the comments.

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