How to manage and grow a community?

Today, with the increasing importance of teamwork, community management has become an important issue. Both companies and startups have been working on this issue and have become discussing the relationship between the leader and the community. Although there are multiple views on the subject, strategic steps taken in community management and community growth are shaped around interpersonal communication.

So, how is the community managed and how is interpersonal communication used during community management? In addition to the tips on community management, the article will also explain how to proceed when you aim to grow your community.

What is community?

A community is formed as a result of a group of people coming together for a common idea, both for business and for different studies. The community generally includes the leader and members. A physical space is not necessary for the formation of the community. There are also communities that can develop and operate online.

What is community management?

Community management is the process of listening to the opinions and wishes of a group of people gathered for a common purpose and ensuring that they are in development in line with that purpose. For a better community management, someone from within the community should be a leader. This leadership can take place in different ways. But the sustainability of the community is about how it is managed.

How to manage a community?

There are some steps to follow while managing the community. These steps are; the leader, the members, the purpose of the community, and the growth. Of course, each community can determine these steps according to itself. However, innovative steps should be taken as the needs change over time. Growth and development take an important place in community management.

The following items contain details to clarify how the community will be managed and how the community will grow:

Community Manager– Leader

One of the key parts of community management is the leader. The leader may be in charge of an election within the community or may already be in that community as the leader. What is important here is how the communication with the community members takes place. A stureveals that when leaders communicate with motivating language, they increase members' loyalty and willingness to work.

The leader should also not to give orders to the community members. The leader should approach the community with a language that emphasizes cooperation. It should work as a role model for the members by fulfilling its own duties and responsibilities.

Members

Members within the community enable the community to carry out activities together. Communication between these members is very important in terms of maintaining the activities. The attitude of the leader is effective in the development of communication. Particularly when an idea is discussed, members should be respectful to each other, if the idea is accepted, reference is given to the person presenting the idea, and passive members should be approached constructively so that they can take the floor; improves and enhances communication between members.

The purpose of the community

Within the community, the leader and members focus on a common goal. It is necessary to work for this purpose and to maintain interpersonal communication around the purpose. How adequate the activities of the community are and how well they serve the purpose should be discussed at weekly and monthly meetings. In particular, the members present reports on their own work, explain what they have done and improved that week; will be valuable in terms of process and progress.

Growth

Sometimes, growth can be made in accordance with the needs of the community. There are some points to be considered during this growth. It is important whether the people to be included in the structure will be compatible with the team. After people are included in the community, new members should be active in a short time with integration studies, community management should be realized by supporting the process of getting used to them.

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Source: Leader Communication Strategies Critical Paths to Improving Employee Commitment, 2002.