Tag Archive - leadership

GBOD Social Media Strategy

May 10, 2011 in Social Web, Web Ministry with 6 Comments

I was recently asked by the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) to develop and design their social media strategy. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD connects United Methodist leaders with needed resourcing, training, consulting, and networking that support spiritual formation, new church development, revitalization of local churches, and materials for use in Central Conferences (outside the U.S.).  As part of this project, I designed and developed components for key social media applications.

DELIVERY SYSTEM

ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

Like most faith groups and non-profits, staffing can be limited, so management of a broad social media strategy must be simple to implement.  Through the use of a series of social media applications, GBOD will be able to distribute a single message to a vast network of social sites. Reoccurring content can be distributed automatically, and regular updates can be broadcast at the click of a single button.

ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

Developed in late 2010, GBOD’s Five New Ideas electronic newsletter is distributed on a monthly basis to leaders throughout the United Methodist Connection. Simple in design, this newsletter delivers in a big way, offering vital resources to busy church leaders. I encourage you to view the latest edition and sign-up for the newsletter at http://goo.gl/zgTsc.

FACEBOOK

CUSTOM FACEBOOK FANPAGE

More than 500 million people have registered Facebook accounts. They are active and are seeking opportunities to connect and learn. This custom Facebook welcome page allows those unfamiliar with GBOD to learn more, and connect directly with resources and staff. As well, you will see that we integrated the newsletter sign-up form.  Join the GBOD Facebook Fan Page at http://goo.gl/IijhV.

TWITTER

Twitter recently changed its custom design requirements. As such, most organizations have yet to meet design standards. I developed a custom Twitter theme that elegantly promotes GBOD’s “Equipping World-Changing Disciples” message. Follow GBOD on Twitter at http://goo.gl/Zp2ch

CUSTOM TWITTER ACCOUNT

YOUTUBE

I am often surprised at how little faith groups and non-profits adopt YouTube as part of their social media strategy. Most organizations have a wealth of training videos and other materials that could easily be posted to YouTube. If your videos are simply collecting dust on shelves, you are missing a huge opportunity. Again, the “Equipping” message is translated to GBOD’s custom YouTube Channel. I encourage you to subscribe to GBOD’s YouTube Channel at http://goo.gl/Gms88.

CUSTOM YOUTUBE CHANNEL

If you would like to learn more about how I could help your organization design and develop a custom social media strategy, please tell me about your project.

Video Post: What happens when your social media-savvy pastor leaves?

April 21, 2010 in Web Ministry with 0 Comments

What happens when your social media-savvy pastor leaves? from Matt Carlisle on Vimeo.

I spend a fair bit of time leading workshops and speaking at ministry conferences. The following video clip is from a recent workshop I lead at the the Chicago Marriott for the Religion Communication Congress 2010. I honestly was surprised when a woman in the crowd asked me to comment on a very real situation that many churches face. What to do when your social media-savvy pastor, who has established a strong following online and in your congregation, decides to move on to another church? And how do you replace that voice? It was a great question that many churches will have to face in the near future. Enjoy!

Thanks to my friend Dale Lature for shooting the video and giggling in the background when I dropped the word “voyeur” during the workshop.

Has your CEO become a victim of technology irrelevance?

March 30, 2010 in Humor with 0 Comments

Has your CEO become a victim of technology irrelevancy?

Has your CEO become a victim of technology irrelevance?

This past Sunday night, as I sit engrossed in the latest episode of Celebrity Apprentice, my attention was broken by a very familiar far off stare that I’ve become all too familiar — In this case, the blank gaze belonged to the former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich.

For those of you who watched, you witnessed something that happens in executive offices across this country every day – executive leaders that have become technically irrelevant. Blagojevich’s situation isn’t much different than most – he has been in a position of leadership for an extended period of time, and has relied on administrative staff for so long, that the basics of operating a computer and navigating the Internet have simply passed him by.

It saddens me to say this, but I have witnessed on numerous occasions executive leaders who have placed an acquisition for a computer that will sit on their desk, never to be turned on, and is simply on display so no to be found out.

The technology-based needs and expectations of your customers, members and constituency are far too great for your executive leadership to be technically illiterate. It seems every decision has either a technology or web implication these days – do you really want the guy who can’t turn on a computer to be the final decision maker? The time has come that executive leaders possess the same core understanding of technology and use of the Internet that they require of their staff.