communities, networks and engagement: finding a place for action
TRANSCRIPT
Communities, Networks and Engagement:
Finding a Place for ActionFor the Leadership Learning Network,
http://leadershiplearning.org/ October 2011Nancy White – Full Circle Associates
Poll 1: (for those viewing on SlideShare after the event, we did
some polls within the meeting tool.
• I facilitate online groups regularly
• I facilitate online groups occasionally
• I never facilitate online groups, but plan to soon
• I have nothing to do with online facilitation!
Poll 2:
• I regularly participate in online groups or communities
• I occasionally participate in online groups or communities
• I rarely participate in online groups or communities.
PART ONE: ENGAGEMENT FROM 3 PERSPECTIVES
Where we pay attention to our stakeholders…
Three Perspectives:
Sponsors
• Strategic goals• Resource provision• Monitoring & evaluation• Communication on results
What are the intended and unintended impacts of sponsors on engagement?
Facilitators & Leaders
• Role clarity• Task clarity• Feedback
What does leadership look like online?
Members
• Clarity of purpose• Ease of use• Efficient of time
Bridging Across Perspectives
PART 2: BASICVOCABULARY
Where we develop a way to examine and lead ourcommunities & networks
• Meets needs of sponsors, leaders and members• Broad enough to attract people• Focused enough to matter in their work• Often shifts over time• Drives the “who” and the “what we do”
What We Care About:
• What are we about?• What is our identity?• What is the
significance?– To our Organization– To us as individuals
Practical Purpose Points
• Is it clear?• Is it sharable?• Is it inviting?
– to organizations– individuals
• Is it reasonable?• Is it negotiable?
• It relates to my identity• Connects me to other people “like me” (yet with diversity)• People who have time and attention to engage• Involves relationships
• Activities• Content people use and create• How people engage with each other to learn/do things• How people apply what they learn in the community back at their work
What do we do together?Our roles
How we interact to solve problems & answer questions
How we foster trust & engagement
How we capture and share what we learn & do
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/4149444067/sizes/l/in/photostream/
… meetings
… relationships
… community cultivation
… access to expertise
… projects
… context
… individual participation
… content publishing
… open-ended conversation
Community activities
oriented to …
Base material from: Digital Habitats: Stewarding technology for
communities© 2009 Wenger, White, and Smith
activities oriented to …
Example: The Birdwatchersof Central Park
… open-ended conversation
… meetings
… projects
… access to expertise
… relationships
… context… community cultivation
… individual participation
… content publishing
Weekly bird walks, winter bird feeding fillings, irregular celebrations and events…
Advocacy drives, adopt parts of the park, bird counts…
The participation of the “Big Guns,” and “Regulars.” Mostly F2F
Note when people missing… Invite people in
Internal and External focus: Publishing, the “Register,” available to media…
While everyone pays attention to the community, no centralized efforts…
Anyone can bird watch, but sharing what you see/know is important…so the community accommodates both
The “Register” (print) is central to community…
Bump into another bird-watcher? Have a conversation…
Base material from: Digital Habitats: Stewarding technology for communities, © 2009 Wenger, White, and Smith
PART 3: ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY ACROSS LIFECYCLES
Where we think about our choices…
Some Comparisons
Who belongs Purpose Cohesiveness Duration
Formal Org.
Hierarchical reporting
To deliver a product or service
Organizational goals
Until next reorganization
Project Team
Management assigned
To accomplish a specific task
Project goals Until project is complete
Community of Practice
Voluntary, invited or self-selected
Build & exchange knowledge
Passion, identity, commitment
As long as interest remains
Informal network
Friends and acquaintances
Collect & pass on information
Mutual needs, friendship
As long as reason to connect exists
Etienne Wenger 2003
PART 4: ROLESWhat is the magic?
enable people to…• discover &
appropriate useful technology
• be in and use communities & networks (people)
• express their identity
• find and create content
• usefully participate
facilitators community leaderstechnology stewards network weaversIndependent thinkers curators
moderators
Ramlinger: 6 Network Functions
• Filters
• Amplifiers
• Convenors
• Facilitators
• Investors
• Community builders
http://www.odi.org.uk/Rapid/Projects/PPA0103/Functions.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frumbert/83756546/
• Stay alert to the three perspectives (sponsor, facilitator, member)
• Balance the three legs of the CoP stool – what we care about, who cares and how.
• Be strategic. Consider options over time.
• Facilitate, facilitate, facilitate.
Leading into the Future
Most important? Iterative Improvements
http://www.flickr.com/photos/exper/1477729345/
More information: http://www.fullcirc.com and https://onlinefacilitation.wikispaces.com/