Community of practice: TV
When creating a live TV show, there’s a very specific shared objective that all the members of the community have: putting the show on TV at the exact moment as it is scheduled for: not later nor sooner. The tension that brings to a group of people makes them connect instantly. After the show is done, the community regularly disassembles to be put back together again the next week. I do think that defining such a shared objective could be a very strong tool for any community. But there’s more. As Charlie told with all the passion and emotion he could bring to the table, he almost forced the best out of every individual he’s working with. During his work he shouts, he is energetic, everything can be said, he’s open, gives people the opportunity to make mistakes, there’s mutual respect and trust etc., etc. I think again, all can and should apply for any community at hand. But the crucial element, yet again, is scarcity.

Scarcity: ingredient to make accidents happen
You can not build a community. We’ve said it often, and I still think it is true. You can not put a group of people together and tell them that from now on they are a community. They have to feel connected to one another on their own. And that connection emerges out of the interactions between the individuals in a group. So, they only thing you can do, is increase the possibility of people having interactions with each other. By decreasing the amount of ’shared space’ they operate in, you can make sure that something happens. And it is that energy that communities form upon. Charly applies the same rules when he brings everybody into focus for the show of that evening. Confronting people with their lack of energy level, challenging them to look for that extra special shot and being allowed to make mistakes in the process. It is all part of pushing people to the fringes of their own safe havens and personal spheres, and force them to interact with others in the process.

Let the right one in: making choices as a crucial step to build your environment
There was one thing that became very clear to me during the meeting and that follows from the creation of scarcity in your environment and that is ‘choice’. Not everybody fits a community. And not everybody should have access to a community. We regularly talk about how to get people in and most often, we try to get as many people in to increase the chance of people hanging in there and progressing to the next level. That is a focus on quantity and not on quality. Instead of trying to get as much people in, a better strategy is to get the right people in. That in itself will increase the chance of people truly forming connections with each other and starts building the relationship between them. But I have yet to come across the first concept that clearly states who not to let in.

And yet, the strongest fiber of any community, Charlies as well, is the story that they share in the end. The development of each individual within the community. Only if that happens strong links are created and a community thrives, or in Charlies instance, will be able to reconnect next week at the same level. Each individual should be able to participate in that story and have his own character development. And as in any good stories there are protagonists (heroes) and antagonists (villains). So, ask yourself not only who the heroes are that you’d want in your community, but also ask yourself: who are our villains. That means taking a chance, being open and perhaps making you vulnerable, but isn’t that what will bring the tension and excitement that builds relationships?