Community is more than a buzzword

If you spend a lot of time on LinkedIn, you probably stumble on the word "community" pretty regularly. It's in job titles, job descriptions and responsibilities, strewn alongside other marketing-speak like "engagement," "growth," and "retention." If you've brushed off the term as another meaningless business buzzword, you're not alone. Community as a business priority is famously misunderstood, often misinterpreted and generally undervalued — so if it feels nebulous to you, you're in good company.

After working in the Community space for the past few years, I still struggle to define the work. But recently, I've felt more inspired than ever, all thanks to lessons learned at a real-life, old-school, brick-and-mortar Community Center. It's breathed new life into my energy as a Community professional, and best of all, made the work easier to explain.

So here's the story...

Last year, still new to Seattle, I cautiously arrived at my local Community Center to try pickleball. The facility has the vibe of a 1990s elementary school gymnasium, but it drew an enthusiastic crowd. At 6:15PM on the dot, I saw Gen Z'ers join forces with grandfathers, amiably working together to set up makeshift courts, drag bleachers across the room and launch into the night's activities.

That night, I found a pickleball hobby, but more meaningfully, I found true community. More people introduced themselves that first night than I'd met since I moved to the city. Before long, I was in the groupchat. Wednesday night small-talk became any-night quality time, and I've seen group members help each other through crises, celebrate personal and professional wins, and consistently show up as caring humans.

The Community Center created space for that community to grow, and in doing so, is now an essential part of my weekly routine. In essence, they provided the "product" — four walls, lines on the floor, balls and nets, bleachers to sit on, and the time and space to play. But sports facility ≠ community, so what's the special sauce that keeps me coming back?

When it comes to building community, the answer is always with the people. Some people are natural organizers; we were lucky to have several in our crew. Others are friendly and outgoing, welcoming newcomers and making them feel at home. Some are gifted teachers, helping people grow their skills and gain confidence. Notably, these aren't Community Center employees — they're community members, building the community from within, making a serviceable space invaluable to others.

So, bringing this back to my own industry... why would a tech or social media company hire a Community team?

Anyone who has taken part in a real community knows the value of that experience: it makes life better. For a product or social media platform, investing in community means building an ecosystem that is naturally made better by the people who use it.

The role of Community professionals in these industries is to constantly ask ourselves, our leaders and decision-makers: are we creating the conditions for a true community to grow and thrive?

We get barriers out of the way so natural organizers, teachers and ambassadors can do what they do best, making our spaces safe, comfortable and rewarding for them and others.

This means informing policies, influencing products, crafting programs, analyzing trends, and of course, having plenty of direct community interaction.

We know that certain aspects of this work will always be intangible. Translating community into measurable metrics is ripe with challenges. But we also know that without our efforts, our products risk becoming four bare walls and shabby nets — and especially in the competitive world of technology and social media, people can always find more colorful walls and newer nets elsewhere.

So yes, Community work is still kind of hard to describe, and often even harder to measure. But if you've ever felt real community — either online or IRL — you know there's nothing else like it. If we can help communities grow in our businesses, products and platforms, our companies can do good and do well at the same time... which is the most meaningful way to work.