Gathering Structures

Wrote up some thoughts on structures and tactics for gathering people together in low-stress, high-payoff ways. Learned some of these lessons the hard way. Picked up others by being part of beautifully designed events with thoughtful hosts. https://maggieappleton.com/gathering-structures... See more

The work of building a great community goes much farther beyond simply moderating a Slack group. A great community needs regular events and meetups. They need ways for leaders to step up and invent their own traditions, create their own events, and run their own sub-groups. Leading a community requires making it easy for members to become advocates... See more

Not unlike the first stages of product development, the early phases of building community are highly collaborative, require iteration, and involve some upfront, hands-on work. With community, you have to prepare to be in the trenches with folks – learning about people and their interests, answering questions, and seeing where there’s a fit between... See more

Amateurs try to manage a community, but great leaders create more leaders. Nearly every challenge of building a community can be met by asking yourself, “How do I achieve this by working with my people, not doing it for them?” In other words, approach community-building as progressive acts of collaboration—doing more with others every step of the w... See more

At that scale, running a platform is more like hosting a dinner party than building a rocket. The distinct and valuable thing you’re building isn’t a new technology, it’s a community. The central tasks are recruiting people to join the community and keeping them involved once they’ve joined. The former requires outreach and the latter requires soci... See more