The Life-Altering Impact of Building & Shaping Communities
During this week’s Social Selling 2.0 with Tom Burton and Brandon Lee, I had a realization: that for every area of my life and career that I’m passionate about, I have or have built a community. And it’s been life-altering.
In communities, people come together to collaborate for a greater purpose, enhancing the sum of their individual parts.
From the internal teams I’ve nurtured within various organizations over the years to the intentional communities I’ve forged with customers, partners, and even competitors, the essence of community has been a driving force that has led to exceptional results every single time.
I recall a time about a decade ago when I embarked on a new role. We were serving SMBs and encountered situations where some of our partners and even competitors had solutions that could complement ours. Instead of viewing them as adversaries, we saw the potential for collaboration.
Introducing our customers to competitors or vice versa wasn’t a threat, but rather a way to strengthen relationships, build credibility, and offer the best solutions. Our team out of St. Louis was #1 in the world 8 quarters in a row as a result.
But community isn’t limited to external connections. Looking inward, I realized the untapped potential within my organization. Recognizing that 80 managers within our business unit weren’t collectively communicating, I initiated the Coaches Corner. This space enabled us to share best practices, navigate challenges, and amplify our collective efforts – making everyone better.
An essential lesson I’ve learned is that community is abundant and versatile. I’ve witnessed its impact in churches, neighborhoods, cities, and more. A personal example is the career network I founded on LinkedIn. It has grown to over 6,000 members, showcasing the possibility of community creation around shared passions and strengths.
“To my big brother George, the richest man in town.”
Every Christmas Eve, we sit by the fire and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life.” George Bailey unknowingly built a powerful community throughout his life, enriching the lives of others. This story serves as a reminder of the transformative power we hold in creating, enabling, and investing in communities around us.
How have communities enriched your life?
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