Community Engagement

What I love about writing our blogs is the chance I get to reflect and reengage with topics that affect our leadership. Today I’ve been reflecting on community and why I engage where I do. If I asked you to name your communities, how would you reply? And if I then asked you what part you play in your listed communities, what would you say? 

Richard Milligan, founder of FeverBee, noted that communities can be classified by the purpose that brought them together — interest, action, place, practice and/or circumstance. We can easily identify with sweeping statements, such as “I am an American”. Let’s dig deeper, however, and identify our communities by our level of involvement in them.  

“If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” 

For me, this quote encapsulates the spirit of community. It encourages active participation; creates social connections and support systems; encourages individual contributions and personal growth. And the beauty is that it can happen at any juncture in your life — at home, in the office, in the neighborhood, wherever you choose to engage. 

Early in my career, I was an “it’s easier to do it myself” person. Over the years, I learned that collaboration, teamwork, and collective effort led to more significant and enduring accomplishments. The added bonuses were all that I learned from others to broaden my skills, knowledge, and perspectives.  

If we want our communities to thrive, we need to get involved. Become thoughtful about how and when you are engaging and what motivates you. Together, we can achieve a lot.  

This week: Take stock of where you are actively involved in community. Examine what your drivers are. Are you actively involved? If not, what is holding you back?