Episode 070: Nona Jones on Social Leadership

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SUMMARY:

The social distancing we are experiencing in the Spring of 2020 has caused individuals and organizations to lean into digital communication like never before. Businesses and churches are sensing an urgent need to ramp-up their ability to effectively use social technology and build community online. In this impactful GLSnext Event session, recorded in February 2020, Facebook executive Nona Jones provides timely instruction about the key mindset and tactics you will need to build meaningful social relationships on digital platforms.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• I was born to a mother who did not want to have children. I was sexually and physically abused as a child and tried to commit suicide twice by the age of 11.
• Every day, many of us walk by people who are experiencing deep trauma and isolation and we are too busy to ask why.
• If we fail to see the people we serve, we fail to lead the people we serve.
• My life changed when, after my second suicide attempt, my classmate invited me to church. There I found a community of people who loved me, welcomed me and saw me.
• There is a correlation between social isolation and use of social media. The more people passively consume social media, the worse they feel.
• The concept of “Social Leadership” will revolutionize the way we function in this society.
• 1) The antidote to isolation is belonging.
  • The root cause of our addictions to likes and shares is a desire to matter.
  • People don’t want to know about what matters to us, they want to know that we care about them.
  • People are more than just a number or a like.
  • If increasing the likes and shares on your content is where your interest ends, you’ve missed the purpose of social media.
  • We need to reverse the trend of social isolation by becoming more relational.
• 2) Content is king, but engagement is emperor.
  • Content is the easy part. You can set it and forget it.
  • People don’t build relationships with content. People build relationships with people.
  • People who are in healthy digital communities are coming away with positive well-being.
  • We need to focus on what makes a person whole vs. what makes a person scroll.
  • If you don’t have time to engage with the people who want to engage with you, you don’t have time to lead them.
• A following deserves a leader. Lead your following!
• Respond to their comments with questions. Invite engagement.
• Your page on Facebook is like a house. The page is your front porch. Your Facebook Group is your living room.
• Legacy is the reward we have when we invest in the lives of other people.
• Learn to know your people so well you can connect people together. That takes time and intention. That takes social leadership.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

1. Nona Jones challenges leaders with this statement, “If you fail to see the people you serve, you fail to lead the people you serve.” When you think about your platform(s) on social media, how much are they about what you are trying to project and promote vs. genuinely connecting with others?

2. What is the mindset and/or other barriers that prevent you from prioritizing engagement with your social following?

3. What would need to change so you could overcome those barriers and more genuinely connect on your social platforms?

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

COVID-19 Crisis of 2020

Facebook

WhatsApp

RELATED LINKS:

Nona Jones

Facebook

The Global Leadership Summit