7 Things Student Leaders Need to Know to Connect with Teens

There are some things we have to know to ensure we are connecting with teens today.  What I hope to give you quickly are 7 trends we are noticing and what we can do to leverage these realities.  Here are 1 - 3.

1 | Attention spans are shrinking | That's probably all I have time for on this topic…  But seriously, research indicates that, impacted by social media and media outlets such as YouTube, there is probably an 8-minute window to keep a teen's attention.

2 | Distraction rates are growing | Wait, where was I?  Oh yeah, distraction.  Sorry, I'm having a hard time focusing, my phone keeps going off in the middle of my YouTube video about how to post better selfies.  Need I say more?

3 | Cause-driven Decision-making |  More than ever, young people want to be connected to something bigger than themselves.  They want to know that they are making a difference, then get on with their lives.  They are not necessarily cause thinkers, but they want to be cause participators.

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

1 | Move quickly | No need to linger on that thought for 30 minutes, keep it moving.  In fact, the easiest way to accomplish this immediately is to take your content and break it up into 5 minute segments.  Sesame Street has been doing this for 40 years (Wait, maybe they're the reason we have a hard time focusing).  Their research departments look at their shows in :45 segments (That's 45 seconds) and tweak those segments based on viewer feedback.  We can start with 5 minutes, that will help.

2 | Allow for Distraction | Unplanned moments that the teens can control are a great way to embrace their culture and give them a chance to BE distracted.  The truth is, they're going to be anyhow, why not roll with it and build loyalty?  They'll love the fact that you care enough about their personal needs to give them some freedom (with guidelines).  For example, make your point, then ask them to snap a photo of an object in the room that has to do with the topic.  Or give them the chance to share their thoughts with a friend on the spot.  Sure, they'll lose focus on the task for a minute, but that's ok, bring them back into the topic and you've satisfied the distracted need.

3 | Create a Cause | Try to point your content toward a cause.  Give your teens a chance to exercise their cause muscle.  They love the community that comes from doing something significant.  Feed that desire and connect it directly to the heart of God.  Building small causes around a bigger cause is also valid.  So rather than 52 causes a year, just choose four and build all the others around those 4.

It's true that our teens are more fast-paced, distracted and self-focused than ever, but that doesn't have to be a negative.  Just understanding this reality and embracing what it means for you as a leader can change the complexion of your ministry.