This past weekend was a crazy weekend of NFL Playoff Action. Two games, both coming down to the wire. And both had fan bases that were heartbroken by losing a game that could have gone the other way. Sadly, many fans went to the extreme – filling Twitter with personal attacks against Kicker Billy Cundiff of Baltimore or Returner/Receiver Kyle Williams of San Francisco. (read more if you missed this, here).
But what I loved through all of this was one player stepping up in social media and showing us how it should be done:
- Patrick Willis Lifts His Teammate Through Twitter
I loved this post for several reasons, but most of all it shows us a right way to approach a bad situation through social media. Here’s 3 takeaways we can all apply to our posting when our players/teams/fan base have stretches that are emotional and negative.
- Respond Swiftly. Willis went into Twitter immediately when the bad news and negativity were at their peak. He didn’t wait to step in and offer a different perspective.
- Uplift. Tone is so important in cases like this. It’s not about painting a false picture of the way things are. But rather it is about owning it and applying it in a way that brings people together.
- Unite. Whenever possible, visit the concept of Shared Goals. Willis stated they lost this as a team. Similarly, you win as a team.