Just a few days ago I was looking to see how I might start to discover a little more about how local authorities in the UK are using twitter and the social web more generally.
I’d seen from following our coverage of the Solace conference that a few chief executives use twitter. Rather innocently, perhaps, I asked on Twitter whether anyone had started a list of council chief execs who tweet.
I know there's a list of councillors who tweet but has anyone got a list of council CEOs that tweet? Thinking of starting one
I then went home, had dinner and for quite a while completely forgot about my question. When I got back to twitter a few hours later it had been answered – and some. Greg Hadfield had retweeted my query, as had Andy Sawford. Then @RossIGrant issued a rather interesting challenge:
@AndySawford @andbwell start that list & watch numbers rise as CXs ignore their comms advice.
Before I’d had a chance, Andy had got going, setting up @Council_Chiefs. It didn’t take him long to get things moving and (at last count) he’s up to eight tweeting CEOs – and a mention in the Society Guardian blog. A few people have pitched in, looking for CEOs, including a very grateful me.
I’ve no idea whether Ross will be proved right, but it’s a great example of how twitter can be used to explore an issue and help people to work collaboratively in ways we’d never have imagined until very recently. I’m also rather cheered that there are at least eight CEOs who are using twitter. Here’s hoping that we find more.
