Sometimes temptation can get the best of us. You may eat one too many cookies, or speed to avoid being late, or hit the snooze button one too many times. None of those are particularly serious temptations, but as the saying goes, a butterfly flaps its wings…
Social media sites offer a daily temptation – the opportunity to call somebody out. Perhaps someone tweets a typo. If you manage a brand page, maybe a disgruntled customer wrongly accuses your company publicly. Or, maybe a friend posts an opinion that is just wrong (at least, according to you).
Right or wrong, calling someone out on a social media site is rarely a good idea. Don’t believe me? Think of politicians. Do you applaud a candidate more when they openly and aggressively bash an opponent?
Even if you are right, pointing out that someone else is wrong doesn’t elevate your position with followers. It doesn’t make you a leader. All it does is pick a fight, and poke the bear.