How to Be Leaders of Meaning in an Age of Information Overload

In the digital age, we have more information at our fingertips than ever before. Yet for this same reason, information is made cheap—it can be found anywhere, instantly and often for free.

But what we’re really looking for is something wholly different. What we’re really looking for is meaning.

And the job of the leader, in this age information overload, is to help people find it.

In many of our studies at Barna Group, one common theme is emerging: Life is complicated. And people are looking for ways to simplify it. For the Barna team, this has meant the creation of a new annual book series called FRAMES. It’s a new kind of book for a new kind of reader, short yet deep, compact cultural analysis that “frames” the 10 big ideas facing the Church today.

In the face of this cultural complexity, there are three trends in particular that have led our team to the creation of FRAMES, and we think these trends also have something to say about what kind of leadership is really needed in an age of information overload. Here’s how you can become this kind of leader:

1. Bring clarity, rather than complexity.

Life is speeding up. You know this, because you’re living it every day. In fact, Barna research shows that two-thirds of adults today say the complexity of modern life is only getting worse.

What’s interesting is that this is especially true among people of faith. More than seven out of 10 evangelicals, for example, say life is accelerating in its complexity.

Why? Perhaps because when a person worships an unchanging God in a rapidly changing culture, that person becomes aware of a growing disparity between the two. Leaders can help navigate and reconcile that divide, to offer clarity—leading to faithfulness—in a complex world.

1. Teach discernment not just in content quality, but content quantity as well.

Adults today want to be culturally informed. Barna’s research shows that Christians want to keep up with culture and trends just as much as anyone else—73% say this is of personal importance to them, mirroring the national average.

Yet in today’s 24-hour news cycle, “keeping up” can be hard work. What’s trending on Twitter this morning is old news by noon. Three million books were published last year alone, and the numbers are slated to rise exponentially this year.

Not only that, but many people are losing patience in the midst of over information. For example, more than one-third of adults (35%) say that while they enjoy reading, most books are too long—a determining factor for our team in the unique FRAMES format.

All of this points to two converging implications. People are looking for faith leaders who can teach them about cultural engagement. But no one can possibly consume all the trending information out there. What people need instead is depth over breadth. The Church needs leaders who can offer primers, the essentials and substance that isn’t padded with filler content.

1. Be curators of meaning, more than mere information.

For the flood of information available today, Barna research shows adults are looking for a different kind of intellectual currency altogether. Barna research shows three-quarters of all adults say they are looking for ways to live a meaningful life. This is true of Millennials (90%) more than any other generation.

Our studies show practicing Christians deeply crave this kind of guidance. Nearly eight out of 10 (79%) practicing Christians say they want to know how their faith speaks to the current issues they face.

People fill their search bar with many things, but what they’re really looking for is a life that matters—identity, calling, belonging, meaning. And it is your task, as leaders, to help point them to the right source. You can help them distinguish between information that overwhelms, and meaning that enriches life and faith. You can guide them into a better understanding of what Jesus really means when He offers us “life to the full” (John 10:10).

Bio: Stephanie S. Smith is web managing editor for Barna Group, and part of the FRAMES editorial team led by general editor Roxanne Wieman.