I am a big fan of Lori Deschene, who tweets under @TinyBuddha and blogs at www.tinybuddha.com. I enjoyed reading her article, "Ten Mindful Ways to Use Social Media" in the spring 2011 issue of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. Given the interest lawyers are developing in social media, I thought I'd share some of her wise counsel.
- Know your intentions. Ask yourself: Why am I using social media? Is it for acknowledgment? Approval? Acclaim? Inclusion? Know your heart.
- Be “your authentic self.” Her advice: “Ego-driven tweets focus on agenda; authenticity communicates from the heart.”
- Avoid harm. It easy is to forget how many people are reading our tweets. In person, 200 people constitute a crowd, she notes, but that number seems insignificant online. Before tweeting, ask yourself, "Is there anyone this might harm?"
My experience with Twitter has been good. It has helped me become a better lawyer by exposing me to informative tweets on employment law and jury persuasion. It also has allowed me to do some teaching. Give it a try, but do so with awareness and compassion.
