Homepage
Open in app
Sign inGet started

Together Institute

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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
Applying force in community doesn’t work

Applying force in community doesn’t work

Yet subtle forms show up nevertheless. Why is that?
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Apr 22
“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
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
Community leadership: is member enthusiasm more important than strategy?

Community leadership: is member enthusiasm more important than strategy?

I’m currently in India and recently sat in on a meeting of a local community that comes together to transform their city. At the gathering…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Feb 23
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
Community leadership: What’s the role of my own motivations & opinions?

Community leadership: What’s the role of my own motivations & opinions?

And how come I find it easier to uplift the voices of members rather than speaking my own truth?
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Feb 18
Community leadership: How transparency & vulnerability are super-powers, but scary to act upon.

Community leadership: How transparency & vulnerability are super-powers, but scary to act upon.

Like so many groups, we struggled at Sandbox with finding a sustainable revenue model and our financial situation was often shaky. Among…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Feb 16
What does it mean to build community at the speed of trust?

What does it mean to build community at the speed of trust?

I’m often skeptical when organizations tell me how fast they are hoping to “build” a community. 200 people the first year, 1000 people the…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Feb 11
Cyclical re-commitment: The importance of allowing community members to choose their roles…

Cyclical re-commitment: The importance of allowing community members to choose their roles…

In recent posts we have explored the same idea from different angles: The lives of community members are highly fluid and as a result their…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Feb 8
Communities = human search engines?

Communities = human search engines?

How proxy trust allows us to search across strangers
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Jan 31
Guilt & community engagement

Guilt & community engagement

Why do so many community members feel guilty about not showing up enough? And how do we design a guilt-free environment?
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Jan 27
Community principle: Weaving from the inside out

Community principle: Weaving from the inside out

Healthy communities need a center of gravity with dense and trusted relationships. Otherwise they are hollow and unsustainable.
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Jan 14
Gathering ≠ Community

Gathering ≠ Community

Why do we confuse gatherings and community so often? How are they different and what should we consider if we want to turn a gathering into…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Jan 11
What’s possible here & who cares? A powerful question for any community

What’s possible here & who cares? A powerful question for any community

Inspired by Meg Wheatley, I found this to be one of the most powerful questions a community can ask. Here is why.
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Apr 21, 2021
10 Principles for Healthy Communities by Meg Wheatley

10 Principles for Healthy Communities by Meg Wheatley

One of the main questions we keep coming back to in our work is: what makes a community healthy? What allows a community to thrive in the…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Apr 1, 2021
Building trust in society, one tea at a time. Community profile: Tea With Strangers

Building trust in society, one tea at a time. Community profile: Tea With Strangers

Last summer I was sitting with Ankit Shah in a cafe in San Francisco. A while into our conversation a stranger, sharing a table with us…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
Jun 17, 2019
There are so many amazing community builders in this world … who can’t make a living being a…

There are so many amazing community builders in this world … who can’t make a living being a…

Our work with the Community Canvas has allowed me to see the state of “community building” from a bird’s eye view. Through the Canvas and…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
May 28, 2019
Communities: a space to be heard and seen?

Communities: a space to be heard and seen?

Over the last two weeks I participated in several community retreats. At all of these gatherings the discussion circles with the full group…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
May 24, 2019
Powerful community ritual: Canadian engineers wear an iron ring

Powerful community ritual: Canadian engineers wear an iron ring

A few weeks ago I was part of an inspired dinner conversation where one of the guests told us that many Canadian engineers — like himself —…
Go to the profile of Fabian Pfortmüller
Fabian Pfortmüller
May 7, 2019
About Together InstituteLatest StoriesArchiveAbout MediumTermsPrivacy