Kem Meyer on Less Clutter & Noise

No value in social media; I’ll let you in on this private email…

I got an email today from a friend of mine in Shreveport, LA. He thought his content could be classified as a rant. I classify it as a motivating challenge. With permission, I’m sharing his email with the world.

“I have learned that the vast majority of our church members are clueless [about social media].  I’m actually okay with that.  However, I also know that we (my church) also don’t know any people outside church.  Can you believe that?!  We have so insulated ourselves that the majority of us literally don’t go anywhere that doesn’t surround us with other church people. You think I’m kidding…I’m not.

THE QUESTION: Nobody is ever going to search for our church Twitter account so they can follow it. Why would they?  And since only a few of our people even know what Twitter is, our church membership certainly isn’t going to follow it.  So why then should I spend any time at all working on it?  

In an effort to tangibly demonstrate to my church the magnitude of the people around us who don’t have any connection to church, I developed a billboard campaign that shows a head shot image of an expressionless middle aged man along with the simple question:

          Where can I find hope? 

Below the question, this appears:  Text GOD to 25827. 

This single billboard, located at the second busiest intersection in the city, went up on Jan. 27, 2010.  As of noon today there have been 1,214 specific cell numbers gathered from this effort that are not registered within our own database already. This tells me that nearly 25 new people a day, who are nameless to us, are taking the time to stop and send a text message to find out the answer to that question. This billboard is less than a mile from our church.

No effort in the history of this 80 year old church has garnered that number of potential candidates for salvation. 

MY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION: There is a lost and suffering society all around us without hope. A high percentage of them actually use Twitter and Facebook. Since I know they don’t have an interest following our church, I’m going to follow them instead.  Using the search tools, I’m going to purposely follow anyone and everyone who posts anything on Twitter within 10 miles of our zip code. I’m going to do this with the prayer that some of them will in turn follow us. And even further that some of the people who follow the people we follow will want to follow us (confusing I know…draw a picture if you need to).

In all honesty, much of what is posted on the twitter accounts I’m now following is very objectionable. I want to lead old school believers to an understanding that not only is it okay for the church to do this, we’re supposed to. What I know to be true is the best way to fill your own cup is to fill someone else’s. Since I know these people are not going to come to me, I’m going to go to them.

I wrote (very quickly I might add) a brief statement to this affect on our web site. Let me know what you think.

What do I think? Well done, Allen. You are not stuck on yourself. You are loving others and listening to what they have to say. Well done.

Steering through chaos…

The challenges of leadership often multiply during times of transition. And, churches seem to be a breeding ground for potential chaos as a result of change. The smallest adjustment can be enough to break a relationship, derail a vision and stall momentum.

We all could use some counsel and case studies to craft a plan to help us navigate through our own change successfully. And, that success isn't defined by making it through unscathed, but to grow courage, strength, unity and faith in every person affected by that change.

Impossible task? Doesn't have to be.

Forego the one-way ticket to burn-out and a nervous breakdown. Pick up a copy of Scott Wilson’s new book, Steering Through Chaos instead. It’s full of simple wisdom, case studies and transferable principles regarding our self-leadership and the leadership of others. Some macro categories:

• Our response to transitions and discomfort
• Clarity, tenacity and the endurance to stay on track
• Timing and crucial moments
• The delicate balance of motivation
• Corporate prayer and trust
• Recognizing opportunities and avoiding obstacles

Scott even includes case studies from some great coaches that make this resource even more valuable. Among others, you'll hear stories from my boss Tim Stevens about communicating change, from Larry Osborne about changing staff structures, from Dino Rizzo about obedience without consensus, from Scott Hodge about asking questions, from Troy Grambling about knowing who to listen to and from Greg Surratt about tips for transition.

I’ve got one free copy of Scott’s book to give away. If you’re in the middle of chaos looking for some handles to help steer through it, leave a comment. This free copy might just have your name on it.

How to make your Web site better in 45 minutes…

• 0 to 5 Minutes
  Select a page where you can have the greatest impact
• 5 to 15 Minutes
  Use free (or cheap) tools to find which areas on the page need the most attention
• 15 to 40 Minutes
  Define the top 3 items from your research and implement the changes
• 40 to 45 Minutes
  Test your new page, rinse and repeat

Full article by Andrew Follett, Concept Feedback.

 

Trouble leading change? Here’s 5 themes that might help…

“Knowing how people grow, does not mean we know how to grow them.” – Management of the Absurd

If you’re having a hard time getting people to buy into change, it probably has more to do with bad relational navigation than it does the change itself. If we focus on the WHO more than the HOW-TO, the rest of the pieces will more easily fall into place.

When I feel stuck in the mud and frustrated with lack of progress, here’s five themes I revisit to see what I need to adjust in my efforts. Many times, I find what’s blocking the transformation in others—is me. And, it’s usually because I’m neglecting one of these areas.

1. SERVE
   The best leadership model is servant based - where authority doesn't come from outside sources, but from an internal power. Transformational leadership doesn’t doesn’t come from title, position, tenure or finances—but from a moral authority that is expressed in a way of serving others.
• What does it look like? by Rob Wegner (10 minutes)
• The most powerful person in the room. by Andy Stanley (18 minutes)
2. SPACE
   Give people the space to do what only they can do. Tell them what needs to be done and give them room to figure out how to do it.
• “You want to create a culture for innovation? Give your staff freedom and flexibility in their area. And, be willing to back up failures. If you don't; they'll never try again.” Michael Lindsay, sociologist and author
3. STUPID
   Many times, people just don’t know it’s ok to have fun at work. Are you giving them permission to laugh, blow off some steam and get loud on occasion? Are you participating in the fun? One way to cultivate creativity and inspire productivity is to create outlets for diversion. 
• Don’t be boring. by Fast Company
• Top 10 Benefits of Play. by the Creativity Portal
  
4. STORIES
   We tend to conform to the behavior of the people around us. We tell stories, we share stories and we are changed by stories. Positivity is contagious. At times, you need to forego the performance review system, the rewards packages and the training programs and create experiences that get people talking.
• Peer pressure is the key to change. by the Harvard Business Review
5. SWITCH
   Instead of trying to find answers to the question “why doesn’t he get it…” or “why won’t she change…” the question we should be asking is “what hurdles are making it hard for people to do their job…” or “do I have all the information to make a judgment here?” Switch your focus, seek the perspective of others. Switch your workday, seek interactions that come with a different flow.
• What I’ve learned from my mistakes. 
• Why it’s important to stop what you’re doing and look around.

NAB & DC10. I blog. You save.

Here’s two deals my tech event friends are allowing me to pass along to you. For what it’s worth, we’ve got team members from Granger attending both of these events this year.

NAB Show
April 10-15, 2010
Las Vegas, Nevada

A ginormous show about content syndication where industries converge to learn best practices and tools for information, entertainment, next-generation technology, digital media and more.

Use the code A913 when you register to get access ($150 value) for FREE. This special pass includes the exhibit floor, the Opening Keynote and State of the Industry Address, Info Sessions, Content Theater, Destination Broadband Theater and Exhibits. I’m interested to hear about some of the new broadband centric additions they’ve added. 

 

Dynamic Church Conference
May 12-14, 2010
Plano, Texas

A Fellowship One educational event for users, developers, administrators, ministry leaders, pastors, technology gurus, lay leaders, consultants and volunteers. It covers fundamental and advanced tracks for volunteer, people, activity, contact and contributions management in church membership.

Use the code IMPACT if you register prior to March 31^st to get $50 off. That’s real money.

Want to see who is already registered?

You’ve outstayed your welcome…

I got three new phone books, each weighing 7-10 pounds, dropped at my doorstep this week. I picked each one up and promptly deposited them right in the trash.

 
From Jessica Hagy’s blog: Indexed.

Reaching the next gen without leaving the last gen behind …

Last week, I spent a full day with 12 leaders from TX, IL, PA, IA, LA, SC, NY, GA, MO and VA. We devoted an entire day to the topic of why transformation efforts fail—it all boils down to people. And, as you know, people are a strange bunch. So, it’s tricky. We wrestled with this truth:

Is your goal to get the most out of people or the best out of people? You typically can’t get both.

Jonathan Falwell joined us via Skype for about an hour to share about his change experiences at Thomas Road Baptist Church. It was the highlight of the day. He challenged, encouraged and enlightened us with a humble spirit and bold responsibility. Here’s a summary of a portion of his response to this question:

What does that look like when you have the authority to make change and when you don’t—when you’re under-powered and high-powered ?

• Great ideas don’t generate automatic adoption. Don’t try to force change without managing it.
• Cast vision over and over (and over) to give people the opportunity to warm up to change before implementing it.
• Ask yourself, do I have a willingness to start anew, or do I just want to stick with what I know or makes me most comfortable? I can’t ask people to change unless I’m open to change in my own life as well.
• Communicate the WORTH of the chaos you are about to create with any change. Don’t miss this step. It’s crucial.
• I can’t bring people into the story on my own, with clever marketing or additional programming. That’s a ridiculous objective. I can, however, create the environments that make it easy for people to reach people in their need—even if it’s not my need.
• There is just as much value in the past as there is in the future. We have to stand in the gap and reach both ways.
• Don’t chart a course without taking into consideration the gift set God has put around your table. Your methodology should take the unique DNA of your team into account.
• Keep it simple—look outside yourself and focus your heart and efforts on the people on the other side of any change—the rest will fall into place.