One of the most confusing aspects of social media is the promotion of solutions without context. It transforms useful ideas into blueprints. They indicate how things should be, independently from how adequate they are for the situation in which people seek to apply them.

In describing ideas as the way to go there is an implication that it leads to an all positive result and smooth transition or experience. Another important impact is that it shapes the ideas of leadership and organizations as single forms that are how things should be.

The thing is, most of these solutions have something that is true about them and also something that makes them attractive.

Taking a golf metaphor, one may associate the described solutions with suggesting a swing. No one will doubt that a golfer needs to use his club to hit the ball. Thus, any interaction with a ball requires a swing. However, depending on where one stands and what one seeks to achieve, the club, the stance, and the swing will vary. Suggesting a swing thus mainly is telling a golfer to do what he probably knows he has to do.

And I’m clearly exaggerating my description in the hope of making a point. One to which there will be many exceptions.