Building Community: Part Four – Starting Community
It would be great if there were a ready-made community that you could join. However, this opportunity is not always available. So, how do you start a community?
It would be great if there were a ready-made community that you could join. However, this opportunity is not always available. So, how do you start a community?
Community doesn’t just happen; it’s not the same as a network. Nurturing a community requires intentionally finding opportunities for groups to come together. Whether online, through specific social media platforms, or in person, the value of one-to-one contact cannot be overstated.
As you enter the second half of your working life, you may naturally transition from seeking success to seeking significance. In that context, finding a community of purpose can be a powerful way to build relationships with others who desire to deliver a similar purpose, creating a sense of belonging and value.
At one level, these terms—fractional Director, Fractional Executive, Fractional Leader and Portfolio Executive—could be seen as interchangeable. Still, with the rising popularity of fractional, I am keen to preserve the term Portfolio Executive as different from a Fractional Executive.
When you step out as Portfolio Executives, you risk becoming isolated. Often, you are recommended to go out and ‘do networking’. Networking is a valuable business development activity, but I believe there is a much richer way of thinking about what we need.