Associations would be smart to take a close look at Facebook’s new mission statement, released this week at the Facebook Communities Summit: “Give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.”

“We want to help 1 billion people join meaningful communities,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the event, according to TechCrunch. “If we can do this, it will not only reverse the whole decline in community membership we’ve seen around the world … but it will also strengthen our social fabric and bring the world closer together.”

Zuckerberg says the Facebook business strategy will be based on its new mission—that it’s not just a lofty statement, it’s a charter going forward. (Of course, we won’t know whether it succeeds until a few years from now.)

Also at the summit, Facebook revealed new management tools for Facebook Group admins. As the new features roll out, associations may need to rethink whether creating a group makes sense for them.

The company’s new direction arrives in the wake of the 2016 election “fake news” controversy and as the U.S. political conversation—on Facebook and elsewhere—has become increasingly heated and polarized.

Writing Inspiration

https://twitter.com/360LiveMedia/status/878259612377636864

Writer’s block is frustrating, but effective writing is essential in any association. Luckily, there are a few tricks to shake it off.

Start by doing more research. “If you can’t figure out what to write, chances are you don’t have enough information,” writes Bill Zimmer in a recent 360 Live Media post. Interview an expert, learn more about your target audience, and dive deeper into the subject you wish you knew more about.

Zimmer recommends “writing hot and editing cold,” switching up your writing medium, and stepping away from your keyboard to spend a little time outside.

Other Links of Note

A changing world requires new leadership skills. But a Forbes writer shares how to keep a few of yesterday’s leadership values in mind.

Organic reach on Facebook and other social media platforms can be hard to achieve. The CoSchedule blog shares 30 tactics to try to amp up engagement.

The new Bloomberg headquarters in London is going to be a “cafeteria-free zone.” Founder and CEO Michael Bloomberg wants to encourage employees to take a midday break outside the building, reports the Evening Standard.

(Reuters file photo)