Communities, Networks and Engagement: Finding a Place for Action

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/

Thanks!Nancyw@Fullcirc.com

More information: http://www.fullcirc.com and https://onlinefacilitation.wikispaces.com/