“Networks connect; communities care”
In the ever ongoing conversation about the lexicon of the community space, I still find myself regularly confused about the distinction between “community” and “network”. And in those moments I usually recall a quote from an article by Henry Mintzberg, that my colleague Michel Bachmann shared with me a few years back:
“Networks connect; communities care”
It’s so simple, and yet so powerful.
Networks connect
Networks are arguably one of the most common patterns in the universe. They are simply webs of relationships. David Ehrlichman, in his insightful book “Impact Networks”, references the physicist Fritjof Capra who says that “networks are the unified basic pattern of life”. Once you start looking for the network pattern, you start seeing it everywhere. The cells in my body are a network. The traffic outside is a network. The mycelia connecting trees, fungi and other life in a forest soil are a network. My computer is a network that is connected to a wider network of many other computers. Networks is connection without judging what kind of connection it is (good, bad, strong, weak, healthy, unhealthy).
Communities care
Community on the other hand is a certain type of connection. It’s a connection with a certain level of depth, a quality of care. And this quality of relationship makes a huge difference. Among other things, it makes the connection actionable. Mintzberg says it well: “If you want to understand the difference between a network and a community, ask your Facebook friends to help paint your house.”
Most groups are both community and network
Bringing back the 3 circles model championed by Michel Bachmann, it’s not that certain groups are all care while others are just superficial connection. Rather, most groups have a smaller inner circle of community, people who actually know each other and care about each other. And the same group will also have a large outer circle of a network, of weak ties connection of people who feel a certain curiosity and interest in this group, but are not interested / willing / able / privileged to engage more deeply.
What’s the danger of conflating “community” and “network”?
While we certainly need both — networks and communities — there is a danger in not distinguishing between the type of relationships that actually matter and mere connectivity. In the ongoing trend of “community washing” an increasing number of organizations are saying they offer community, while in fact they are mostly offering another opportunity to connect without depth. Is there a collective cost to that? I sense so, but can’t quite find words for it. Mintzberg writes about it eloquently back in 2015 and I recommend reading his fully article.
As always, I’m writing this to be in conversation with you all, so I’d appreciate reading any reflection or feedback you might have. Thank you!
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Thank you
Thank you to my colleague and friend Michel Bachmann for bringing this distinction into my awareness. And thank you to Henry Mintzberg for his work.
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