It's a Wonderful Life

In Chaos Theory, the Butterfly Effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.

As a community manager, you’ve certainly had days – or weeks – where you just think you aren’t making any sort of impact. As one problem gets solved another crops up to take its’ place and no one says thank you for solving the first problem and likely won’t say thank you for solving the next. It’s very easy to become discouraged and lose sight of the tremendous impact you have – every day! – on your clients, co-workers and business partners. You may feel like George Bailey in the holiday movie classic It’s a Wonderful Life, wherein he, and you, forget the difference you make in all the things you do (or, the silent flapping of your butterfly wings). Here’s how George’s story goes:

George (played by Jimmy Stewart) is a man who always wanted to see the world; yet for various reasons gets "stuck" in his small hometown of Bedford Falls where he is thrust into ownership of the Bailey Brothers’ Building and Loan, his family's bank. George starts a housing project called Bailey Park. One day before Christmas, George's hapless Uncle Billy loses $8,000 that must be deposited into the Building and Loan. The money is found by the evil Mr. Potter, who would like to see George out of the way so he and his business interests can take over the housing project. Mr. Potter hides the money and calls the bank examiner with the news of the missing $8,000. George realizes that he will go to jail and his company collapse. Thinking his wife and children would now be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide.

George is then visited by his seemingly bumbling and wingless guardian angel Clarence, who has been given this divine task to earn his wings. Through Clarence’s divine intervention, George is thrust into a life in Bedford Falls where he had never been born. George sees the effects of his absence on his family members, business and community first hand, making him realize that he has profoundly touched many people in such positive ways. Through his wife and family, George realizes his life is truly meaningful and wonderful. With that epiphany, George knows he wants to live (and for saving George, Clarence gets his wings).

Think about this: What if I told you that everything you say and do has some effect, subtle or profound, on the lives of those around you as well as your co-workers and your communities? I am here to tell you that indeed, you do! And it’s a great lasting effect. I know you don’t always see it, and here’s why:

The results of the work managers do often comes at a later time, sometimes a much later time and the connection between cause and effect are muted or forgotten due to the time between act and result; and

Managers, like everyone else, judge their contribution or worth through the recognition they receive from others and negative recognition outweighs positive recognition significantly.

No wonder it's difficult for community managers to see their effect on the people they touch and the communities they manage. Seldom are they thanked for their contribution to the good, big or small; yet when something goes wrong, real or perceived, it is immediately brought to the manager's attention, and usually not in a positive fashion.

There are many ‘big’ ways managers have an effect on the communities they manage. Exposing corruption, introducing new ways to save energy, finding better and less expensive contracts - any one of a number of things that allow a manager to see their effect immediately and make them at least a temporary hero in the eyes of the Board. But while managers think those are the only times they are having a real impact, it's not true. The real impact happens in the thousands of small things managers do every hour of the day: Simple acts, like handling a problem resident professionally and without emotion, making sure vendors are paid on time so they can meet their payroll or returning calls and emails in a timely manner. Maybe you listen to an elderly resident just a few minutes longer because you know you are their only link to the outside world. Or you are taking time to mentor a new manager. In short, treating those with whom you have contact as you would wish to be treated because that’s who you are and what you do.

Finally, if I may play Clarence for a moment, I want to impress upon all community managers that yes, you have a powerful impact. You all touch dozens, sometimes hundreds, of people in a single day. Sadly, it is the nature of human beings that when everything is fine, the silence is deafening. But make no mistake, your good words, work and deeds and the effects thereof are profound and lasting on the people in your life.

THANK ALL OF YOU for all your good words, work and deeds. Merry Christmas a and Happy New Year!

What’s that noise? I think I just heard a bell ring!

c. 2018 Julie Adamen

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