Why Building a Community at Work Can Help
Community is the lifeblood of the organization. We don’t own it, yet we are all responsible for it. We each have a choice. We can purposefully build a healthy community or leave it to chance. Luck, as they say, is not a good strategy for business; neither is it good for community building. Communities enhance the health, vitality, and purpose of the people you work with while unleashing your organization's potential. If you are looking for good reasons to build a community at work, permit me to offer you four.
Reason 1: Earn permission to lead while making a difference in the lives of people
Leadership has never been a title. As John Maxwell teaches, leadership is influence; nothing more, nothing less. It is what empowers you to bring change and your inspired followers and partners make it happen. Today is the day to give up the excuses of why things don't change. Do it by taking responsibility to become the leader others desire to follow.
“The more people you help, the more people you have in your corner.” Honoree Corder
People resist following those they don’t trust. If you show yourself as an individual who cares enough to give to others and the organization when you don’t have to do so, you earn credibility. According to David Horsager, credibility is one dimension of trust in his book, The Trust Edge. Do what you do consistently and you can amplify your organizational credibility even more.
For more impact — multiply.
Seth Godin describes in his book, The Practice, you don’t have to influence everyone to bring the change you seek to make. He describes how cowboys herd a thousand cattle. He says the fact is they don’t.“They herd ten cattle, and those cattle influence fifty cattle and those cattle influence the rest.”
It's the same with people, but you must go first. Be the change and start today. All it might take is finding a few friends or colleagues who want to make things better and then get to work.
Showing up is key to making real friends and building lasting communities. ~ Radha Agrawal
Reason 2: Make your work more impactful
Humans need connection and a feeling of belonging for their mental health. The myth of work-life balance is debunked in the seminal work by Stew Friedman, Wharton School’s leadership program founding director. His book, Total Leadership will get you thinking about work-life integration instead and how to achieve 4-way wins.
Work is just one of your domains. Use the time you have at work to enhance your life, not compete with it. Many factors contribute to ensuring we live happy well-balanced and meaningful lives. I agree with how Dan Schawbel identifies them. He lists 5 factors in his book, Back to Human that includes connection values, purpose, openness, and accomplishments.
We spend one-third of our lives working. According to Andrew Nabor, this equates to 90,000 hours. Imagine if we acted more on purpose in how we connected to our colleagues during our working hours, how much richer our lives might become over time. When we build a community where we value the whole person, trust is amplified and our work means more to us because we did it — together!
Reason 3: You feel grateful to others who have helped you
Living from a grateful heart inspires others. Deciding to become a servant leader moves you towards showing up as your best self every day. Serving others generously can bring healing to a family, a society, and perhaps a nation. Amira Adams wrote and recited an inspiring poem describing the impact servant leadership brings. When you embrace your identity as a person who is blessed, corresponding actions follow. You become a blessing to others.
“Multipliers understand the power of an opportunity. Multipliers analyze problems, but they also reframe them to show the opportunity presented by the challenges.” ~ Liz Wiseman | Multipliers
Reason 4: You believe your organization can make a bigger impact
The work we are capable of performing is likely not contained in our job description. Each human is unique; possessing special giftings, talents, and skills that are not fully utilized in our jobs. Investing in a community at work can unleash your organization's potential for achieving its mission in ways yet to be imagined. This is because each new connection between people increases its strength, resiliency, and reach.
Last thoughts
Investing your time in building a community at work is worthy of your attention. Just as there is no community of one, you will need help, support, and a bigger mission than yourself. Becoming a community advocate is foundational to becoming a leader worth following. Letting go of the desire to take credit, the people and the cause becomes the focus allowing change to happen. First in the hearts of the people being served, then outwardly into the surrounding environment. When all is said and done, the people will say they did it themselves. And they would be right.