Communities Unpacked

Contents

• WHY COMMUNITIES?

• GETTING ORGANISED

• JUGGLING ACT

• BONUS POINTS

1. Social Skills and Social Capital:

   • Sath emphasises the critical role of social skills and social capital in delivery and leadership.

   • Effective product delivery involves not just technical expertise but also the ability to understand and motivate people.

   • Building strong relationships and understanding stakeholders' needs are essential for achieving desired outcomes.

   • Sometimes, achieving success requires compromise and collaboration, which can lead to stronger long-term relationships.

2. Community and Its Impact:

   • Sath is passionate about the power of community and its role in increasing collaboration and knowledge sharing.

   • Community is about creating a sense of belonging and shared goals among like-minded individuals.

   • Successful communities require continuous nurturing and active participation from their members.

   • Inclusivity and openness are key attributes of great communities, allowing anyone with motivation to contribute and benefit.

3. Human-Centric Approach:

   • Sath advocates for a human-first approach in leadership, celebrating diversity and inclusion.

   • He believes that organisations can differentiate themselves by creating inclusive environments where people feel valued and connected.

   • The pandemic underscored the importance of maintaining relationships and community, even in challenging times.

Examples of community impact:

• Within organisations, communities of practice help connect people to subject matter experts.

• The Future of Work Scotland Meetup pivoted to virtual events during the pandemic, providing a crucial space for people to stay connected when isolated.

• This community grew from 800 to a global membership by offering weekly events with thought leaders.

Key aspects of effective communities:

• They should be welcoming, open and inclusive.

• Focus on creating informal spaces for human connection.

• Celebrate diversity and inclusion, which can differentiate organisations in competitive talent markets.

Benefits of community engagement:

• Enhances information and knowledge sharing.

• Supports career development by connecting people with experts and opportunities.

• Can directly contribute to project/program delivery success by encouraging collaboration and shared learning.

Ideas for creating a professional community of interest:

1. Creating the right environment:

   The importance of creating a space where people feel comfortable to connect, get inspired and learn. This environment encourages people to return and participate consistently.

2. Role of organisers:

   The organisers' role is to create and hold the space, allowing others to make connections and find inspiration. They act as catalysts rather than direct leaders.

3. Empowering participants:

   Instead of telling people what to do, focus on creating a space for people to work things out together. This leads to better ideas and more engagement.

4. Freedom and collaboration:

   Giving people the freedom to think, disagree, and collaborate results in brilliant ideas and actions. This approach is liberating and sparks interest in otherwise uninspiring or challenging topics.

5. Applicability to smaller settings:

   The principles used in building this large community can be applied to smaller settings, such as delivery teams or project management.

6. Creating a "feel":

   Every community or group has a certain feel that connects people and encourages them to return. This emotional connection is crucial for sustained engagement.

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How Sath manages his busy schedule with speaking engagements, Community leadership, work life and personal life…

Kanban boards are useful for visualising work:

• Sath uses Kanban boards for various projects, including his meetup organisation.

• They help see where things are in the workflow and minimise work in progress.

Daily planning ritual called "Prep the Day":

• He allocates 30 minutes each morning to write down tasks for the day.

• This stream-of-consciousness approach helps prioritise important tasks.

Starting the day with structure:

• Having a structured, intentional approach to starting the day is important.

• Some people plan the night before to know their priorities for the next day.

Building momentum with quick wins:

• Start with something easy and quick to set a positive tone for the day.

• The "make your bed" philosophy. Reference to a famous speech about starting the day by a small task such as making your bed.

• Starting with a simple task can help build momentum for the rest of the day.

Benefits of mentoring and helping others:

• Creates a sense of gratitude and satisfaction

• Improves the greater community

• Helps unlock potential in others

• Provides a feeling of creating value for others

• Can be intrinsically rewarding, even without tangible returns

Motivations for helping others:

• Natural progression from receiving help earlier in one's career

• Desire to "pay it forward" and give back

• Improving others' lives

• Demonstrating right motives by giving without expectation of return

Importance of attitude and habits:

• Having the right attitude informs behaviours and habits

• Discipline underpins effective use of time

• Habits are key to managing multiple commitments effectively