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1. I've been thinking/talking lots about /community building/
2. I've been meaning to write these in a blog/book but it seems like it's gonna take a while, so instead—
3. Here's the sparknotes version in a mega-thread for now:
How to build a community
2. I've been meaning to write these in a blog/book but it seems like it's gonna take a while, so instead—
3. Here's the sparknotes version in a mega-thread for now:
How to build a community
1/ A community is a group of people who come together because of some shared identity. That identity can be generational like "gen z" or geographical like "Boston". Commonly it's about some shared experience, like "We went to Cal."
2/ But a shared identity isn't the endgame. There's lots of people who went to Cal and never talk to another Cal grad. There's lots of Bostonians who don't feel like they belong in Boston.
Building a community = crafting ways for people to /choose and grow/ an identity together.
Building a community = crafting ways for people to /choose and grow/ an identity together.
3/ So then, building a kickass community comes down to
crafting that shared identity, and then
providing ways for people both outside and inside the community to participate in the ongoing process of building and evolving that identity together by doing things together.
crafting that shared identity, and then providing ways for people both outside and inside the community to participate in the ongoing process of building and evolving that identity together by doing things together.
4/ Initially, people are going to come for a "what"—an interesting topic or conversation. But eventually the novelty fades, because niche interest groups are commonplace.
People have to stay for the "why" & the "who"—they resonate with a mission, and they enjoy the people there.
People have to stay for the "why" & the "who"—they resonate with a mission, and they enjoy the people there.
5/ Most communities don't exit the "what" phase, and so have constant churn. People leave when they graduate or move on from the interest or get bored.
But folks tend to stick around the "why/who" groups, because people and missions change less. "why" communities endure & grow.
But folks tend to stick around the "why/who" groups, because people and missions change less. "why" communities endure & grow.
6/ Ok, so now we know where we're headed to build an enduring community. What follows here is tactical advice 
strategies to turn your "what" community into a *place* people come to for the people and a shared perspective on the world, to belong.
strategies to turn your "what" community into a *place* people come to for the people and a shared perspective on the world, to belong.
7/ Find and grow leaders.
From the start, you're going to find members who give a little more than others, who have more enthusiasm and love for the community and culture you want.
Don't let them linger. Give them a voice and role, hear them out. They're your best advocates.
From the start, you're going to find members who give a little more than others, who have more enthusiasm and love for the community and culture you want.
Don't let them linger. Give them a voice and role, hear them out. They're your best advocates.
8/ Build an aspirational ladder.
Large communities aren't flat. There are aspirational hierarchies that enthusiastic members buy into and want to climb. People climb the ladder by giving back, helping out, contributing to the community as a whole. Build that ladder of roles.
Large communities aren't flat. There are aspirational hierarchies that enthusiastic members buy into and want to climb. People climb the ladder by giving back, helping out, contributing to the community as a whole. Build that ladder of roles.
9/ Build a layered, cellular community.
A 20-person group can't grow to 200 outright. To scale safely, seed many small, intimate groups, and connect them together with superconnectors and leaders. Without these layers, most people get drowned out and you lose intimacy.
A 20-person group can't grow to 200 outright. To scale safely, seed many small, intimate groups, and connect them together with superconnectors and leaders. Without these layers, most people get drowned out and you lose intimacy.
10/ Let members build with you.
Building layers, growing leaders, building a ladder—all of these are interconnected. There are jobs to be done, and good people for those jobs. Don't try to do it all yourself; you'll get more out of it by sharing the burden.
Building layers, growing leaders, building a ladder—all of these are interconnected. There are jobs to be done, and good people for those jobs. Don't try to do it all yourself; you'll get more out of it by sharing the burden.
11/ Build an evolving habitat, not a pristine garden.
A good community feels like entering an alternate world, with new customs, icons, inside jokes, legends. Like a lair with photos and quotes plastered on the walls. Brew an evolving sense of place that learns from the people.
A good community feels like entering an alternate world, with new customs, icons, inside jokes, legends. Like a lair with photos and quotes plastered on the walls. Brew an evolving sense of place that learns from the people.
12/ Be observant—notice new ideas or traditions and build a culture around them.
Keep an eye out for what happens. When you bring people together w/o an agenda, you'll see things you want to remember. Turn them into recurring events, stickers&icons, stories told to new members.
Keep an eye out for what happens. When you bring people together w/o an agenda, you'll see things you want to remember. Turn them into recurring events, stickers&icons, stories told to new members.
13/ Grow a community around you, not beneath you.
As a founder, it's tempting to reach for control, and "own" a community. But your job gets a lot easier when you gather people and build culture around yourself, and allow others to share in that work. Don't try to own it.
As a founder, it's tempting to reach for control, and "own" a community. But your job gets a lot easier when you gather people and build culture around yourself, and allow others to share in that work. Don't try to own it.
14/ Don't conflate the community identity with a platform or tool.
A common critical mistake is to adopt a platform like Slack or Discord and think that "being in the slack" and being "in the community" are the same. A Slack takes a single click to join, whereas...
A common critical mistake is to adopt a platform like Slack or Discord and think that "being in the slack" and being "in the community" are the same. A Slack takes a single click to join, whereas...
14.5/ ... to belong to a community takes adopting the community's shared identity and culture and vibe. When you pretend that they're the same, you make it easy for new people to come in without really belonging or buying into the community, which dilutes the whole community.
15/ Build immunity, not exclusivity.
The best communities let in the people they want, not because there's a bouncer keeping folks out, but because the community makes the right people feel welcome, and reject the ones you don't want. Immunity scales, exclusivity doesn't.
The best communities let in the people they want, not because there's a bouncer keeping folks out, but because the community makes the right people feel welcome, and reject the ones you don't want. Immunity scales, exclusivity doesn't.
16/ Share empathy, not value-add.
Members of a strong community are bound by their shared belief in and care for each other as humans. Communities like this come together tighter under duress, rather than splinter off to fend for themselves.
Members of a strong community are bound by their shared belief in and care for each other as humans. Communities like this come together tighter under duress, rather than splinter off to fend for themselves.
17/ Build for your people.
This isn't a competition. The only way to win is to build a place and culture and atmosphere that welcome the people you're building the community for. Your people are your customers, your co-conspirators, and your investors.
This isn't a competition. The only way to win is to build a place and culture and atmosphere that welcome the people you're building the community for. Your people are your customers, your co-conspirators, and your investors.
Finding good people who care about the same thing together, and then building a culture and an alternate world around it for others to enter—that's what community comes down to.
More than a product or company, a good community is lifelong. It's the best kind of labor
/end
More than a product or company, a good community is lifelong. It's the best kind of labor
/end
