Home Pastors Articles for Pastors 3 Current Cultural Crises That Provide Great Opportunities for Leaders (If You...

3 Current Cultural Crises That Provide Great Opportunities for Leaders (If You Seize Them)

You’ve felt this every time you’ve scrolled through your social media feed and thought “there is nothing of value here at all.”

In fact, on some days, the constant rants, drivel, trivial observations, bragging, self-promotion and complaining has made you think about giving up social media all together.

The challenge for leaders moving forward is not to produce more content. The challenge is to provide meaning. 

I believe the future belongs to leaders who broker meaning in the sea of endless content

It follows, then, that the key to providing meaning isn’t more, it’s better. More content will simply get lost the constant chatter.

More without meaning will make you less relevant. You become yet another unhelpful voice.

Better is not nearly as easy as more. Better requires thought, reflection, digestion and ultimately resonance (it’s resonance that tells you your content is connecting).

This provides a huge opportunity for church leaders. Who better to provide meaning than the leaders called to share timeless truth in an era starved for meaning?

And for business leaders, the opportunity to stand out with your customers, your peers and your clients is right in front of you.

Just know that the race to produce more will compete with the need to produce meaning.

Leaders who read widely, digest, think and, above all, publish content that actually helps people find meaning will become THE leaders in their field.

2. A crisis of connection, not followers

It’s not that difficult to gain followers, fans or even make ‘friends’ these days.

We subscribe, like and follow dozens, hundreds and even thousands of causes, businesses and people.

As a leader, it’s one thing to be followed.

It is quite another to connect with the people who follow you.

Followers are fickle. They can go as easily as they come. They can unlike as impulsively as they liked.

Whether you’re leading something virtual or something that requires physical presence (I lead in both contexts), it’s easy to focus on gaining followers without realizing they’re losing connection.

Connection will win the future.

There are a lot of lonely people on social media who have 1,000 followers and no one to actually connect with.

There are more than a few people who attend whatever gathering you’re hosting who feel completely disconnected from anything and anyone in the room.

We are more networked than ever before, yet we’re more isolated than ever before.

Having a million followers does not produce a million connections.