Community

We hear the word “community” a lot today.  Yet we use the word so liberally, applying it to any group at all, that it has become nearly meaningless.  This does a disservice to the true meaning of community:  When we label all groups communities, we believe community just happens without any effort on our part.

The Conundrum

Real community is so incredibly rare that most of us have never experienced it.  Before we have experienced something, we can only aspire to a state of it that is the best we can imagine.  But what if being part of a community is even better than what we can imagine?  [Spoiler Alert: it is.]

Community Comprises a Host of Soft Skills

Soft skills are now recognized as essential skills and these soft skills are a result of the community building process:

Communication; it’s easier to communicate with people who you feel care about you.

Problem-solving; there are support and security in community relationships which means no small voice remains silent.

Creativity; knowing you are supported by the group facilitates risk-taking.

Teamwork; people are happier in an organization when they feel as if they are a valued and supported member of the team.

According to this article, “[in] Deloitte’s (2016) Global Human Capital Trends report they found that over 90% of executives rated soft skills as a priority for their employees”.

Team Building – on Steroids

Community building is unlike team building In. Many. Ways.  Community is the highest evolution of a team.  When the members of an organization know, respect, and care about one another – not only on a professional level but on a personal one – the organization functions optimally.

If you are the leader of a group and you want effective collaboration, break-out creativity, authentic communication, mutual support, home-away-from-home camaraderie and the hearty contribution of all members of the team – not just a few – you need to build community with them.  Community building forms the foundation.

Start with One Community

In a world experiencing anxiety, addiction, loneliness and despair like never before, everyone should have at least one community their lives.

Let’s build one together.

I’m a Community Facilitator.  I craft and deliver fully-customized, local programs – and live online programs –  to help organizations build a community culture.  Does this resonate with you?   Contact me so we can explore the possibilities.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash