The golden rules of dinner party etiquette are to avoid talking about politics or religion.  Indeed, simply sitting there eating your food, occasionally complimenting your hosts and nodding attentively, will certainly win you more success than blurting out your dearest and more extreme dislikes and affinities.

Social media is the mother and father of all dinner parties; a seemingly never-ending social occasion with the promise of business opportunity at every turn.  Should things like politics and religion be off-limits here too?  And if the safest option is to just be a wallflower, how will anyone ever understand anything about you, your business, your value?

The success of your chosen approach rests on your powers of self-control.  Are you confident about sharing your observations and frustrations in the most appropriate manner, or are you over-confident?   Is your contribution to ‘the debate’ constructive or destructive?  Are you skilful enough with language to avoid misrepresenting yourself in the heat of the moment with comments and actions that are near-impossible to erase?  Can you overcome the temptation to say any old rubbish?

I would be the last person to advocate ‘playing it safe’ as a communications strategy, whether for an individual or an organisation.  Giving the perception of blandness does not sell.   However, apparent bigotry sells even less.   

‘Opening the kimino’ was what many IT marketers used to say to describe the corporate aspiration of being more transparent and communicative with journalists, analysts and investors, back in the age of web 1.0.  Open yours as much as you dare, but always leave a little to the imagination.

Mark