2
In this chapter, the author discusses the importance of having a clear plan and strategy when building a community. They highlight that many organizations struggle with understanding how to build a community and often get overwhelmed with all the details and information. The author provides a clear path and steps to take to make good decisions without getting bogged down.
The first step in building a community is to define the business vision and community vision. The business vision is the overall goal and purpose of the organization, while the community vision is how the crowd can play a role in making that vision a reality. The author gives examples of how the community mission should relate to the business vision.
Next, the author introduces three community engagement models: consumers, champions, and collaborators. Consumer communities are focused on bringing together people with a common interest and allowing them to engage in discussions and share their ideas. Champion communities go beyond discussions and actively deliver work that supports the success of the community. Collaborator communities involve members working together as a team to create and improve the products or services of the organization.
The author emphasizes the importance of starting simple and building valuable assets when building a community. They also stress the significance of having clear and objective leadership, establishing a clear culture and expectations, focusing on relationships, trust, and engagement, striving for and being reactive to insight, and being surprising to keep the community engaged and excited.
The author concludes the chapter by discussing the importance of finding the right balance of power between the organization and the community. While it is important for the organization to give up some control and empower the community, they should still remain leaders and provide guidance and support.
In summary, this chapter provides a clear framework and steps for building a successful community. It emphasizes the importance of having a clear plan and strategy, defining the business and community visions, choosing the right engagement model, and following key principles such as simplicity, clear leadership, culture and expectations, relationships and trust, insight, and surprise.
Words: 351