Share Your Platform

Everyone has a stage to call their own. You have a voice. An area of expertise. An audience.

It’s not enough to use that stage for your own agenda. Good stewardship dictates that you share the stage, that you bring in more voices, more experts.

The rise of social media has made it easier than ever to both hog the spotlight and share the limelight. But really, whether you’re a blogger, a preacher, a nationally-known speaker, a mid-level manager, or a front-line cashier, you have a voice. And you should use it wisely.

Our tendency is to solidify our own fan clubs and never think about helping others rise. I’m continually impressed with well-known social media mavens who use their platform not as selfish silo-building, but as a generous expression to help others find their voice.

• Jon Acuff does it. He’s runs a struggling little blog that’s read by every person on the planet. People who don’t like to read, read his blog. People without computers read his blog. Blind people hire Braille experts to glue little divots on their screens so they can feel his blog (it would be easier to wait for the audiobook). And yet Jon regularly steps off the stage so others can step on. Guest contributors are a rule, not an exception. He’s the Johnny Carson of the Christian blogosphere, launching unknowns onto their own platforms.
• Trevin Wax does it. He runs an almost-daily feature called “Worth a Look” that promotes several links to other sites. Some are news articles, but most are blog posts or thoughts by pastors and ministry leaders around the country…pastors and ministry leaders that may not ever be heard any other way.
• Michael Hyatt does it. His blog is the go-to resource for refining your systems and improving your work life. The former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Michael also gives ample space for guest contributors.