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<h2 class="vjs-social-description">Cole Mason is the cofounder of auction site Pearpop.</h2>
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HOW TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND WHY IT MATTERS SO MUCH
Tracy Brower
Contributor
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
I write about happiness, work-life fulfillment and the future of work.
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Oct 25, 2020,06:30pm EDT|
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Community is critical to our health and wellbeing.
getty
You’re feeling the effects of the pandemic, quarantines and social isolation
acutely. You’re missing your people, your network and your community. Sure,
you’ve stayed in touch with those with whom you’re closest, but your more
distant ties are diminishing, disappearing or declining.
Community is critical to our overall wellbeing and the decline of our
connectedness is coming at the same time mental health issues are on the rise.
In a study by Queen’s University, 27% of people said they were suffering from
loneliness, and research from Washington State University found all ages suffer
from social anxiety and FOMO (fear of missing out) which are correlated with low
self-esteem and low self-compassion. In addition, a newly-published study by the
University of Houston showed the mental health effects of the pandemic will be
both long lasting and potentially devastating.
We are social animals and our instinct is to find strength in numbers. We
appreciate a small circle of people, but need larger circles as well. Our health
and happiness are inextricably linked with our connections.
PROMOTED
Yet despite the sweeping effects of the pandemic, we can strengthen and sustain
community. You can have impact as an individual, and as a leader.
PURPOSE
Strong communities have a significant sense of purpose. People’s roles have
meaning in the bigger picture of the community and each member of the group
understands how their work connects to others’ and adds value to the whole. As
members of community, people don’t just want to lay bricks, they want to build a
cathedral.
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Build your community by keeping your purpose in mind and reminding yourself of
how your contribution matters. You’re a great parent, aunt or uncle, and you’re
having a meaningful impact on children’s learning. Or you’re participating on a
key project which will affect the user experience for your company’s customers.
Or you’re processing payments at a university where students will get their
start toward their life goals. Even everyday contributions matter to the
community as a whole.
As a leader, provide people with vision and line of sight so they are crystal
clear about the broader purpose of the organization and how their work fits into
the whole. Also give them a sense of business literacy so they understand
context and know how they can be proactive and make an impact. Taking these
actions will give individuals a better experience, and also strengthen the
overall community.
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BELONGING
When we are part of a thriving community, we feel a sense of kinship,
camaraderie and connectedness. There is a place and a role for each person, and
group members feel they can bring all of themselves to their work and their
team. There are high levels of trust and psychological safety in which people
know others will have their backs and will give them not only the benefit of the
doubt, but the space to apply their talents and develop new ones. Within a
strong community, people feel valued and all work has dignity. In addition, the
needs of each member and the needs of the whole organization are fully met. As
Plato said, “The part cannot be well unless the whole is well.” Communities take
care of their members and vice versa—because they are invested in the collective
success of the group.
The strength of our bonds matters too. A just-published study by Ohio State
University found people feel more supported when their networks are more tightly
knit. In other words, when your own connections know each other, you’re more
likely to feel supported.
Build your community by staying in touch with people—even if you have to
accomplish it virtually. Invest time and energy in maintaining your bonds. Send
a quick note to someone you haven’t seen in a while or call a more distant
acquaintance. While making a phone call may seem very yesterday, a new study by
the University of Texas Austin found voice calls can create stronger bonds than
text messages.
Also, demonstrate compassion and help others feel a sense of belonging. New
findings published in the Journal of Neuroscience found people made better
decisions when they considered others. After yoga, invite a new attendee to have
a physically-distanced coffee with your core group, or ask for input from a
colleague on your project. People appreciate being welcomed and valued. The
sense of belonging you extend strengthens the whole.
As a leader, hold regular one-on-ones with your staff members. Have frequent
meetings with your team so you can coordinate tasks and ensure people are making
meaningful connections. Encourage team members to pull each other in, obtain
feedback and work through tough challenges together. Encourage people to build
their social capital—their relationship ties (think: webbing) across
organizations. Social capital is positive for people because it provides the
opportunity for growth, learning and advice. And it is good for organizations
because social capital helps people get work done more effectively and
efficiently.
RESILIENCE
Strong communities are always evolving. They aren’t immune from tough
circumstances, instead they adapt and become stronger as they cope together. The
most effective communities support members who take risks, try new things and go
out on limbs to create and innovate. Effective communities also embrace conflict
and diversity—working through differences of opinion and making space for civil
discourse and the learning that occurs from appreciating multiple points of
view.
New research published in The Economic Journal found the most novel, disruptive
innovations, and those which linked technologies across and between fields were
most likely to arise within cities. This was because the networks in cities were
denser—with more people exchanging ideas and testing new thinking across social
and professional groups.
Build your community by seeking new learning and stretching your own skills.
When people within communities are continually developing, the communities
themselves progress as well. Help members of your group who are struggling by
encouraging plenty of expression, especially from those with fresh or novel
opinions. Innovation often comes from the edges— previously untested, untried or
unpopular ideas.
As a leader, encourage career growth and support people if they try something
new and fail. Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress. If you’re not
seeing some mistakes or missteps, your team may not be reaching high enough.
When work is stellar, recognize it. Also hold people accountable for
performance, while also making room for team members to stretch.
We are craving community and cannot live our best lives without it. Our mental
health and our physical health literally depend on being part of strong and
capable communities. Remind yourself how much you matter, and take action to
strengthen and sustain your community.
Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other
work here.
Tracy Brower
Follow
I am a Ph.D. sociologist and the author of The Secrets to Happiness at
Work exploring happiness, fulfillment and work-life. I am also the author
of Bring Work to Life
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SHARE: COLE MASON ON THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF RAISING CAPITAL
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