Although government is finally beginning to pay attention to emerging media and especially, social media, its rate of adoption still lags far behind the non-profit and commercial sectors.  There are some sound reasons for why this is the case, but there are even better reasons for why this should change.  Here’s three of them:

1. Improved transparency
2. Enhanced collaboration, and
3. Increased ability to recruit the best and brightest

Heeding the call for more transparency in government won’t be easy but the way can be smoothed by understanding that it’s an opportunity for government agencies to highlight successes (of which there are many), while at the same time engaging in a frank conversation with the public about shortcomings.  The very nature of social media demands two-way communication and an honest assessment of strengths and weaknesses, an inevitable consequence of adopting both the tools AND the culture of new media.  The good news is that this type of interaction builds rapport and establishes trust, both of which are necessary components of a robust democracy and, if utilized correctly, can be powerful tools for accomplishing agency missions.

Another positive outcome is collaboration.  Agencies throughout the Federal sector should understand that by using social media tools they can enhance intra-agency and cross-agency communication and knowledge sharing, as well as increase collaboration with the public to help solve the problems we face as a nation.  Although this type of open collaboration may sound like an impossibility for a bureaucratic culture that values stability and silos over openness and cross-pollination, it can be accomplished.  It won’t be done easily, but it can be done.  For practical first steps that could help foster collaboration, see the National Academy of Public Administration’s new white paper entitled Enabling Collaboration: Three Priorities for the New Administration.

And finally,  the agencies that decide to adopt social media sooner rather than later will have a leg up in the race to attract the “best and the brightest.”  The current state of the economy notwithstanding, Federal agencies face a significant brain drain over the next decade.  The exodus of trained and experienced government workers needs to be addressed now and a new generation of Americans need to view government agency missions as worthy of their talent and support.  Unless agencies want to attract substandard talent, they will have to adopt new media both internally and externally and the ones that do so now will have a serious recruiting advantage over those that don’t.