Three Parts of Engagement

My friend and I were discussing engaging people in programming for our institutions and we identified that there are three parts to the equation.

1. Bringing people in the door

First of all, engaging people means that we have to entice, encourage, and excite them into trying what we have to offer. It requires trust and community. How many times did you want to go to something but didn’t know anyone else there? That’s the hurdle to fix.

2. Bringing them value

The next piece of the puzzle is making sure the thing/event/experience actually brought value to their lives. Without relevance and meaning, why even come? It has to actual bring them some value.

3. Creating ownership

The third aspect is transitioning individuals who enjoy the experience to feel and act like they own it. That means taking responsibility and helping build the experience further. It means taking leadership roles. This is incredibly difficult.

To me these are the great challenges, each of them different and interconnected.