Read on Twitter
Thinking about online communities I’m a part of.
What is it that makes one feel like they belong to a community rather than an observer to a bunch of strangers talking?
What is it that makes one feel like they belong to a community rather than an observer to a bunch of strangers talking?
One difference is whether other members respond to your bids for emotional connection.
If people respond, or even emoji-react, then you feel seen. If they don’t, you feel like an observer, “shouting into the void”.
If people respond, or even emoji-react, then you feel seen. If they don’t, you feel like an observer, “shouting into the void”.
Rather than gatekeeping, thoughtfully crafted entrance criteria can be a favour - they let potential members know whether they would be heard in a group.
If a group wants to successfully recruit, it needs to be considerate about entrance criteria.
It also needs to craft some mechanism that will cause new members to interact with existing members more often, to facilitate bonding.
It also needs to craft some mechanism that will cause new members to interact with existing members more often, to facilitate bonding.
I don’t think people are aware of this!
Most open groups I’ve attended just kind of dump people in a common location and tell them to go socialise.
That’s lazy. It’s like chucking some seeds into the ground and expecting a garden to spring up.
You know what will grow? Weeds.
Most open groups I’ve attended just kind of dump people in a common location and tell them to go socialise.
That’s lazy. It’s like chucking some seeds into the ground and expecting a garden to spring up.
You know what will grow? Weeds.
I think organisers should put much more work into connecting to group members and helping them bond with each other.
Bonds are more important than location, catering, or famous presenters. People come for a talk, but stay for their friends.
Bonds are more important than location, catering, or famous presenters. People come for a talk, but stay for their friends.
Groups are valuable because people hate to lose existing bonds, so there will be people or sub-groups that want to take groups over, or just create value clashes.
Several co-organisers provide a stable core that makes takeovers harder.
Several co-organisers provide a stable core that makes takeovers harder.
Moderation and member pruning processes also protect against value clashes and abuse.
Codes of conduct are valuable as a signal but not abuse prevention. People are good at twisting the rules.
One good rule of thumb: “would I want to be on the receiving end of this action?”
Codes of conduct are valuable as a signal but not abuse prevention. People are good at twisting the rules.
One good rule of thumb: “would I want to be on the receiving end of this action?”
In short, groups require active social involvement from the organisers.
I wouldn’t count linked blogs as a community, for example. I’m thinking of meet-ups, forums and persistent chat groups that I’ve joined over the past several years. https://twitter.com/vscodeg/status/1262671788217036800
Truth is, I’ve gotten very little value out of them.
I found it hard to start conversations. People mostly talked existing friends. The orgs did not try to get to know me, or introduce me. I made no new friends. I did not feel like I belonged.
I did not return.
I found it hard to start conversations. People mostly talked existing friends. The orgs did not try to get to know me, or introduce me. I made no new friends. I did not feel like I belonged.
I did not return.
Toastmasters was an exception. The org teaches business skills - public speaking and leadership. You practice through running a local Toastmasters group. It teaches you how to recruit and make people feel welcome.
And it showed!
(Also the group was genuinely nice.)
And it showed!
(Also the group was genuinely nice.)
I wonder if joining an open group is really shooting yourself in the foot, because “open to anyone” makes you “anyone”, and therefore of very little interest.
(Do you come up to “anyone” on the street to strike up a chat?)
(Do you come up to “anyone” on the street to strike up a chat?)
Anyway, I started by being grumpy at company onboarding processes and ended up accidentally writing the gatekeeping/recruitment thread I’ve been promising for a long time. Enjoy!
End thread.
End thread.
