Yesterday was my birthday. And the one great thing about social media, particularly Facebook, is that you get to hear from many people wishing you a happy day because the platform alerts them. This year I had a tsunami of birthday wishes. Towards the end of the day, the New York Times published a story about a big announcement from Mark Zuckerberg about a change in the algorithm and newsfeed that it would prioritize what their friends and family share and comment on while … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2018
A Few Thoughts About Nonprofits and Digital Transformation in 2018
Over the past year, I have felt less optimistic than ever about the power of connectivity and networks for social good. And, if the truth be told, almost to the point of wanting to crawl up on a fetal position and never another look at a screen again. In December, while in London to reach workshops, I attended a dinner hosted by Vinay Nair, CEO and co-founder of Lightful. Vinay assembled charity sector thought leaders, representing organisations such as Small Charities Coalition, Comic Relief, … [Read more...]
AI and Nonprofits: Will Bots Make Transition from Functional to Friendship?
The next disruptive technology phase is already upon here and it includes a technology designed to emulate human conversation - chatbots programmed with artificial intelligence. It will have implications for nonprofits way beyond simply setting up a Facebook Messenger bot for your nonprofit's Facebook Brand Page. With over 100,000 bots created on the Facebook Messenger platform and the rise of AI and conversational user interfaces (think SIRI), Gartner analysts predict by 2020 the average … [Read more...]
Twitter for Nonprofits in 2018: Rebirth or Retire?
The past year, Twitter has been widely criticized for its role in spreading misinformation , being a Petri dish for hate speech, and how it approaches world leaders use of the platform. You will also see some of the most viscous attacks from trolls on Twitter and they are only rarely quieted with compassion. On the other hand, some say Twitter is ready for a renaissance, a phoenix rising from the ashes. And while the bulk of nonprofits put most of their resources into Facebook (whether … [Read more...]
3 New Year's Rituals for Nonprofit Professionals To Begin 2018 with Clarity
I wish you a very happy and healthy 2018! I used my holiday break as an opportunity for a brief digital detox and time for family, travel and fun. During the first week of January , I use the quiet time for three New Year's rituals that help me prepare for the year ahead and identify professional growth areas. I've used these rituals for over a decade and found them helpful. 1) Review the Year: For as long as I can remember, I have kept an annual professional journal, using a variation of … [Read more...]
