The Power of a Community

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members" - Unknown

For those of you who have been long-time subscribers of “Your Metronome,” you know that I have written about the power of a community in the past. September 2023 to be exact when I wrote about my Ironman community and the energy and support, I consistently get from that group of people.

Bringing like-minded people together can date back to the dawn of time. Some of the original communities were tribes consisting of small groups of people who lived together. These groups shared common languages, interests, food, and shelter. It was apparent even then that a group of people working together had a higher probability of survival than individuals on their own.?

Fast forwarding to the digital age and the evolution of online communities. Originally starting in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s we saw the creation of Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). These were computer systems that allowed users to dial in via a modem and interact with each other by posting messages.

Online communities continued to evolve and took off in the early 2000s with the emergence of social networking Friendster (2002), MySpace (2003), Facebook, and LinkedIn. These platforms revolutionized online interactions by focusing on connecting people based on real-life relationships.

Today online communities are available for pretty much anything you can dream up. The challenge is deciding which community you want to join and committing your time and money to participate.

Here are a few tips when deciding on a community to join:

• Active and Exciting Membership – it is important to join a community that is full of members who are actively giving back to the community. You want to be a part of a group that is committed to attendance/participation, transparency/accountability, availability for fellow members; that are committed to tracking business trends and forwarding updates
• Evolving Content – online exclusive communities can be fantastic, no doubt. But here's a nugget of wisdom: aim for one that not only thrives in the virtual realm but also offers the chance to connect face-to-face a few times a year. Why, you ask? Because while the online experience is incredible, there's a unique magic that happens when you get to meet your digital folks in person. It adds a whole new dimension to the bond, turning your virtual connections into real-world friendships. So, when you're scouting for that perfect online community, throw in the extra spice of occasional in-person meet-ups – trust me, it's worth it! Smaller Cohorts – some of the online and hybrid communities can have thousands of members, don't get lost in the crowd – pick one that lets you dive into more intimate connections within a smaller group. It's like having your cozy corner within the vast digital landscape, ensuring you get the chance to truly engage, share, and build meaningful relationships
• Investment in Community Technology – onboarding, training, collaboration, and content sharing all require investment and management of technology for the community to run efficiently. Make sure you join a community that has an easy-to-use technology stack and a team to support your journey.
• Legacy – online communities come and go. If you are planning to leverage a community for a while, make sure they have been around for a while and there is a solid plan to continue to provide their community services to the membership.
• FUN – being a member of an online or hybrid community should be FUN! It should eliminate a lot of searching for information, the membership should be people you want to spend time with, and the community management should offer events or activities to connect.

Occasionally I am asked if it is better to pay to be a member of a community or seek a free group to join. My response is nothing is ever free. You may avoid paying a monthly charge, but you will be spending your time continuing to search for more content, events, and people to connect with outside of the “Free” group.

A monthly fee is worth leaving content curation, event scheduling, content sharing, and technology support to the community managers. Allowing me to focus on contributing as a member, networking, and experiencing all the member benefits.?

I encourage all of you to explore professional communities and experience the support a community can provide.?

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Thanks for reading,

Shannon