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  • Why I stopped trying to engage passive community members — the 3 circles model.

    Why I stopped trying to engage passive community members — the 3 circles model.

    So many community weavers struggle with trying to activate the passive parts of their community. That can be a frustrating and exhausting…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Dec 15, 2021
    Co-creation is crucial. But most communities still fall and rise with the leadership of a few.

    Co-creation is crucial. But most communities still fall and rise with the leadership of a few.

    And how that natural flow can be a relief.
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Jan 21, 2022
    What does “community” even mean? A definition attempt & conversation starter

    What does “community” even mean? A definition attempt & conversation starter

    While shopping for groceries a few weeks ago, I picked up a pack of salad and flipped it around to learn about its origin. Immediately…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Sep 20, 2017
    Community weaving is about creating (safe) excuses for people to connect

    Community weaving is about creating (safe) excuses for people to connect

    I have been living in Amsterdam for 2.5 years now and found it surprisingly hard to make friends and build my own local community. In New…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Jan 20
    The brutality of the word “Social Impact” — and why metaphors matter

    The brutality of the word “Social Impact” — and why metaphors matter

    This image is what I think of when I hear the word “impact”.
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Jan 4
    The magic of finding my peers of relationship-centred practitioners

    The magic of finding my peers of relationship-centred practitioners

    Reflections & impressions from the Relationships Project gathering.
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Dec 19, 2022
    “Networks connect; communities care”

    “Networks connect; communities care”

    What’s the distinction between a network and a community?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Dec 16, 2022
    Beyond the noise of crypto: 4 amazing community technologies

    Beyond the noise of crypto: 4 amazing community technologies

    Blockchain has a lot of promise for community, but most of it is still largely unusable. Here are 4 powerful non-crypto community tools:
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Dec 1, 2022
    Relationships before structure — an obvious lesson we keep forgetting?

    Relationships before structure — an obvious lesson we keep forgetting?

    Have you ever participated in a meeting to debrief a collaborative project, where the ultimate conclusion is that we should have invested…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Nov 21, 2022
    How can we make co-creation in community less exhausting?

    How can we make co-creation in community less exhausting?

    I don’t know about you, but I find co-design of community awesome and often absolutely exhausting. What can we do to make it better?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Nov 16, 2022
    We’re all talented at community, but so out of practice. What if we became good at community again?

    We’re all talented at community, but so out of practice. What if we became good at community again?

    What if we — collectively — became good at community again?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Nov 9, 2022
    Community as a place to practice a better future

    Community as a place to practice a better future

    What if our communities are an ideal place to model and embody - today - the future we’re hoping to create?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Aug 16, 2022
    Paying attention to the community cross-pollinators

    Paying attention to the community cross-pollinators

    Who are the people helping to weave local chapters into a bigger whole?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Aug 2, 2022
    The unique motivation of outsiders to run local chapters

    The unique motivation of outsiders to run local chapters

    At Sandbox, our local chapters are run by volunteers from the community that we call “ambassadors”. At some point I started to notice a…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Jul 20, 2022
    Community leadership through role modeling?

    Community leadership through role modeling?

    In the 1950s, social psychologist Solomon Asch developed a series of foundational experiments around social conformity. One of the famous…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Jun 22, 2022
    Gratitude: the most powerful & overlooked energy source in community

    Gratitude: the most powerful & overlooked energy source in community

    A few years ago, in my role as IIR for the Kauffman Foundation, I went to Cincinnati, Ohio, to experience the graduation ceremony of…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Jun 16, 2022
    The personal growth dimension of community leadership

    The personal growth dimension of community leadership

    Can I weave transformative communities without transforming myself?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    May 18, 2022
    “Community is like a muscle that grows when you practice together”

    “Community is like a muscle that grows when you practice together”

    Whenever we start working with a new group, we usually introduce the practice of a “check-in” at the beginning of each call and a…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    May 12, 2022
    How do we collaborate across different networks and organizations in times of crisis?

    How do we collaborate across different networks and organizations in times of crisis?

    When the war in Ukraine started we saw how many organizations and networks were drowning with incoming requests for help. At the same time…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    May 5, 2022
    The power of groups that are both local and global

    The power of groups that are both local and global

    I’m tired of engaging in global, virtual-first communities. I crave real, in-person human interaction. And yet, I also wish that my local…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Apr 27, 2022
    The rise of Relational Design

    The rise of Relational Design

    What if we designed anything with relationships in mind?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Apr 26, 2022
    Weaving communities from the inside-out or from the outside-in?

    Weaving communities from the inside-out or from the outside-in?

    And what can we learn from the conversion mindset?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Apr 25, 2022
    Applying force in community doesn’t work

    Applying force in community doesn’t work

    And what is leadership without force?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Apr 22, 2022
    “You never know when you need relationships, but when you do, you need them fast”

    “You never know when you need relationships, but when you do, you need them fast”

    Communities as an investment for emergent collaborations in the future.
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Apr 4, 2022
    Do we undervalue the role of personal interest in purpose-driven communities?

    Do we undervalue the role of personal interest in purpose-driven communities?

    And at what cost?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Mar 29, 2022
    Community leadership: are we paying enough attention to member enthusiasm?

    Community leadership: are we paying enough attention to member enthusiasm?

    And when is enthusiasm more important than strategy?
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Feb 23, 2022
    The limitations of community as a vehicle to solve problems together

    The limitations of community as a vehicle to solve problems together

    “Life isn’t a problem to be solved, but a gift to be explored” — Roohi Radparvar.
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Feb 20, 2022
    Community leadership: how can I uplift the voices of members while still expressing my own vision?

    Community leadership: how can I uplift the voices of members while still expressing my own vision?

    Three years ago I helped co-initiate a community called Wasan, bringing together network builders in philanthropy and non-profits. We had a…
    Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
    Fabian Pfortmüller
    Feb 18, 2022
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