I’m convinced that Twitter and social networking are operating on the cutting edge of society. Not necessarily the platform itself, but the opportunities it opens up for the spread of ideas. What used to take hours to reach the print is now being spun out in real time. What you used to have to wait for the evening news to see, you can now see instantly wherever you are. What used to take months to get to to the print press as a book is now updated daily.
But social media is so large, now, that it can be tough to find those people that you’d like to follow.
For a while now, Twitter users have been promoting their friends using the hashtag #FF (which stands for Follow Friday). Basically, on Friday, you mention a few people that you enjoy following on Twitter, and encourage others to follow them, too. (by the way, if you need a crash course on the language of Twitter, read mine HERE) Here’s an example:
It’s kind of like Facebook’s “Suggest” button. Mike suggests that people follow these Twitterers. Make sense?
I’m taking this concept one step further. I’ve been on Twitter now for about 2.5 years, and have stumbled upon some great leaders. To save you the time of reading their updates and visiting their blogs to see if they’re worth following, I’m handpicking the best of the best.
Not on Twitter? No worries. Even if you don’t use Twitter, you can follow people on Twitter. Just open up a Google Reader account, and subscribe to their RSS Twitter feed. (that sentence lose you? Don’t fear. My explanation of Google Reader is HERE)
Each week, I’ll present a different crop of Twitterers that you need to be following. This week, I give you 5 people who are influencing me right now. You should follow them…immediately.
5 people influencing me:
Seth Godin – Seth Godin is a entrepreneur, author, and speaker. And he’s a marketing genius. His books are helping shape the way I think about leadership and influence. Follow him on Twitter, @ThisIsSethsBlog and find him on his website HERE.
Matt Chandler – Pastor at The Village Church in Dallas, TX. I often listen to Matt’s sermons when I run…which means I laugh, I’m convicted, and when I’m done running, I have pages worth of notes in my head. My small group is also going through his Philippians study. Follow him on Twitter, @mattchandler74
Michael Hyatt – Chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Michael is a prolific blogger (blog HERE) and Twitterer. His content is consistently helpful and insightful for me in my area of leadership. With my love of leading and writing, I don’t miss one of his posts. Follow him on Twitter, @michaelhyatt
John Burke – Pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas. His book No Perfect People Allowed will mess you up. Follow him on Twitter, @johnburke_, though he’s not a prolific Twitterer.
Rick Warren – To be honest, when the Purpose Driven Life craze was in full swing, I was not on that bandwagon. Not because I had anything against it…I just hadn’t bought in yet. Or read it. Which explains why I hadn’t bought in. On top of that, early in my ministry career, Rick Warren was lumped into a category of pastors who were seeker-friendly at the expense of the Gospel. I’ve learned that that category is far from fair with Rick. His short Twitter updates strike to the heart. Follow him on Twitter, @rickwarren
Who’s influencing you?
