5 Collaboration Tools I’m Thankful for

Leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday we’re going to weave threads of gratitude through the blog posts on Christian Web Trends as much as possible.

Collaboration is one of the key elements to innovation.  Great, new ideas rarely come from one isolated person.  Usually, great, new ideas are a mashup of ideas from two or more people, a collaboration.

Technology has made collaboration easier than ever before.  It’s now possible to collaborate with people we never could before in ways we never could before.

I’m particularly thankful for these four tools which have empowered collaboration for me.

1) Google Docs. At OurChurch.Com we are using Google Docs in place of  traditional word processor docs and spreadsheets more and more all the time.  We use it for metrics, staff priorities, strategic planning docs, meeting notes, policies and procedures, and more.  It enables multiple people to view and update documents without having to constantly email people the latest version.

2) Google Calendar. Make checking people’s schedules and scheduling meetings a piece of cake.  We always know who is available at what times.

3) Skype. We do our all our staff conference calls on Skype.  We can do video.  We can share our screens with each other.  It’s great!

4) WordPress. We use WordPress for Christian Web Trends.  Every post is an attempt to collaborate on a new idea.  We share our ideas in the posts and look for you to build on them, shape them, and tweak them, by adding your own thoughts in the comments.  And in case you didn’t notice, the number of authors contributing posts has been growing.  Last week 3 of our staff contributed posts (Karl, Richard, and I) plus Steve Fogg contributed a post all the way from Australia.

5) Twitter. I hear about other people’s ideas through Twitter more than any other source.  Through Twitter I’m constantly meeting and building relationships with new, innovative people.

Now it’s your turn to collaborate with me.  What collaboration tools are you thankful for?

Paul Steinbrueck

Co-founder & CEO, OurChurch.Com

Paul has been the CEO of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, combining his passion for faith and technology to lead the organization.

An accomplished writer, Paul has authored over 2,000 articles on faith and technology, featured on platforms like ChurchLeaders.com, The JoyFM, and his personal blog, LiveIntentionally.org.

Beyond his professional achievements, Paul serves as an elder at Journey Community Church and is deeply engaged in his community through his involvement with the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributing author of the book Outspoken! Conversations on Church Communication.