Adventures: Navigating the Thrilling Path of Community Building
Discovering new paths and embarking on exciting adventures is what keeps life thrilling. Now and then you find a new path, something that tickles you and makes you giggle or whatever Englishmen say.
Not expected but the whole idea of building communities took a flight from this period, submerging in detail, enthusiastic and excited to learn and grow. Several years down the line here we are.
During my university days, my passion for technology led me to delve into coding( ( Not my cup of tea). This exploration immersed me in the lively and vibrant tech environment along Ngong Road, Nairobi during the rise of “Silicon Savannah” era. Vibrant community gatherings at places like Moringa, Pinetree Plaza (Nairobi Garage), and ihub became my go-to spots for acquire knowledge, socialize over drinks, connect with like-minded individuals (who were older than me at the time), and relishing the camaraderie of the Tech world and the delightful ambiance it offered. Unexpectedly, this period sparked my interest in community building, igniting my enthusiasm and eagerness to learn and evolve. Fast forward several years, and here we are, continuing on this exciting journey with a slight transition from “Play communities” where fun and shared interests are the driving forces to “Practice communities”- centered on skill enhancement and collaboration .
This has been an enlightening experience with a whole lot of experience and learnings. Well, Here are some key insights and lessons learned along the way:
- Long-Term Vision: Develop a long-term vision for the community while balancing short-term goals and enjoyable experiences. Prioritize the well-being and engagement of community members above mere metrics. Yes metrics matter but without members satisfaction there exists no Metrics to measure.
- Community Roadmap: Develop a clear roadmap aligning organizational goals with the needs and aspirations of community members. Foster a two-way communication channel to ensure mutual support and assured growth.
Every single human being is selfish, always remember that.
3. Leverage Community Power: Harness the collective strength of the community through self-organizing events by members , daily interactions, informal gatherings, and celebrations of member milestones.
4. Storytelling: Share compelling stories about community, its members, their goals, achievements, and trending topics. Use storytelling as a tool for not only creating engagements but also learning, connecting, and fostering a sense of belonging.
“Stories are a communal currency of humanity.”
5. Enabling Community Members: Provide opportunities for the most proactive individuals to take leadership roles within the community is empowering and acknowledges their valuable contributions, this members often possess unique skills and enjoy sharing their expertise, which enhances the overall community experience. Recognizing that every member brings different strengths to the table also allows for the optimization of community dynamics and growth.
6.Creativity and Feedback Loop: Foster a culture of creativity by planning, executing, receiving feedback, and making adjustments iteratively. Create a continuous feedback loop to drive community engagement and improvement. This not only help identify areas for improvement and drive positive change but also build trust and a culture within the community.
7. Nurturing Leadership: Encourage existing community leaders to mentor and nurture new members. Facilitate a smooth transition of leadership styles while preserving the core values and culture of the community. Change is inevitable unless planned for, members get new endevours , new members join etc. Acknowledging this changes gives you an upper hand in the growth and development of a community.
8. Mastering the Community Platform: Another essential aspect of community building is comprehending the platform being utilized. For instance, communities on Reddit exhibit distinct characteristics compared to those on Twitter. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses that influence community dynamics. Take an example of Circle where members can post long, short or medium posts with title. Its very confusing for new members on how to use the platform without proper guidance.
The key takeaway emphasizes that Community Members hold greater significance than predefined KPIs, goals, or plans initially set by the organization. Each individual carries significance in their own journey, and tapping into their strengths or challenges is essential. Echoing the sentiments from the book “New Power,” organizations may possess resources, but true power lies within the people themselves.
Great Books/Reads
As always, I wouldn’t conclude without sharing some of my personal reading recommendations; The Top 6s.
These books and articles offer valuable insights applicable to communities in diverse ways. I recommend checking out previews before delving deeper into them.
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go
- “Bowling Alone” authored by Robert Putnam
- New power : How Power Works in our Hyperconnected World by Henry Timms and Jeremy Heimans
- “Turn the Ship Around!” by L. David Marquet
- “Working in Public” penned by Nadia Asparouhova
- “The Rise of Reddit: Unraveling the Phenomenon of the Platform”
- LETTER FROM THE CATHEDRAL AT MILAN | by Bill Moore.
These are just a handful of insights gleaned from my brief three-year tenure as a community builder. Moving forward into the phase of constructing “Practice communities”, eagerly anticipating the chance to organize mixers, demo days, and various physical events. This journey promises ongoing learning and growth within the realm of community building. And the Adventures continue…
