This document discusses strategies for building vibrant communities. It notes that whether growing a company's culture or customer base, communities are needed. The science section explains that belonging is important for human well-being and longevity. Belonging releases feel-good hormones and boosts health. The art of community building involves crafting shared beliefs and values through stories. Authenticity is key to building trust. The document provides examples of attracting, engaging, and retaining community members over time with consistent, value-driven content. It emphasizes that true belonging only happens when presenting one's authentic self.
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NOT FOR MARSHMALLOW EATERS
Credit: CBS News
Evelyn Rose, 4 of Brighton, N.Y., participates in a reenactment of the marshmallow experiment used in a University of Rochester study published in the
journal Cognition. The study was conducted at the University of Rochester Baby Lab. J. ADAM FENSTER / UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
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“The real difference between humans and all other
animals is not on the individual level;
it's on the collective level.”
– Yuval Noah Harari
Cueva de las manos, , Argentina. The art in the cave dates from 13,000 to 9,000 years ago.
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– Susan Pinker
“Building in-person interaction (…) bolsters the
immune system, sends feel-good hormones
surging through the bloodstream and brain and
helps us live longer.”
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Live partner interactions show higher engagement of
brain areas that are associated with attention, social
intelligence and emotional reward.
Study by Neuroscientist Elizabeth Redcay (University of Maryland) mapped our brain to understand the difference between online and offline interaction.
online > offline
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– Susan Pinker
“Simply making eye contact with somebody,
shaking hands, giving somebody a high-five is
enough to release oxytocin, which increases your
level of trust and it lowers your cortisol levels.”
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– Yuval Noah Harari
“Humans use their language not merely to
describe reality, but also to create new realities,
fictional realities.”
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“As long as everybody believes in the same fiction,
everybody obeys and follows the same rules, the same
norms, the same values”.
Yuval Noah Harari
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Figure 1: Centralized, decentralized and distributed network models by Paul Baran (1964), part of a
RAND Institute study to create a robust and nonlinear military communication network .
Most sustainable, efficient and chaotic
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The Turkey
“Community building is like the
Turkey in the Thanksgiving
dinner. People get together
because of it, but what really
matters are the conversations
around the table”
- Hugh Mason
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ATTRACT ENGAGE STAY
First Impressions
What is the first point
of contact with your
community?
Come Again!
Give them a reason to
come back.
Win Their Hearts
Make them feel like
they belong with you.
(aka an offer
they can’t refuse).
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Build Effortless Trust
“Because true belonging only
happens when we present our
authentic, imperfect selves to
the world, our sense of
belonging can never be greater
than our level of self-
acceptance.”
Brené Brown
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1. Create a safe space;
2. Build it over an authentic belief;
3. Communicate value through content, including
brand, design and events.
And don’t eat the marshmallow until done!
Credit: CBS News
Evelyn Rose, 4 of Brighton, N.Y., participates in a reenactment of the marshmallow experiment used in a University of Rochester study published in the
journal Cognition. The study was conducted at the University of Rochester Baby Lab. J. ADAM FENSTER / UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER