As community builders, we know the power of authentic 1:1 human connections. But how can a company scale these connections without hiring an army of community managers? Drawing on my experiences at Lyft, I propose the power of rituals as a way to scale culture through meaningful 1:1 interactions. Talk delivered at CMX Summit, February 6, 2014.

1. Crafting a !
Self-Sustaining
Community Culture!
!
The Power of Ritual, Purpose, and Shared Identity
!
!
!
Emily Castor!
Director of Community Relations, Lyft
@emilycastor

2. As community people,
we’re passionate about
1:1 connections

3. Authentic 1:1 personal
connections are meaningful,
emotional, and sticky.

4. How do you scale this
without hiring an army?

5. I have a confession.

6. I majored in
Women’s Studies.

7. I studied feminism and
other social movements

8. I never thought it
would get me a job.

9. Neither did my
parents.

10. I learned radical
ideas about where
identity comes from.

11. Identity is something
we perform

12. Every day, through
thousands of tiny
actions, we create our
identities.

13. Identity is produced
by rituals.

14. We learn by watching
others, then repeat
what we see.

15. Our rituals also
shape our
emotions.
!
(Smile and try not
to feel happy!)

16. No puppet master is
making it happen.

17. Rituals scale culture
organically.

18. In P2P communities,
culture matters a lot.
It forms the user
experience.

19. How can we change
how people feel about
riding with strangers?

20. How can we change
how people feel about
riding with strangers?

21. How can we change how
people feel about
giving rides to strangers?

22. Create a different
ritual.

23. Create a different
identity.

24. Create a different
emotion.

25. The mustache is a smile.

26. Sit in the front seat.

27. Fistbump.
(Don’t flump!)

28. Hang out.

29. Be creative.

30. Build a strong culture
based on rituals your
community can repeat.

31. Powerful 1:1 interactions
can happen without you.

32. Let community leaders
be the shamans.

33. (They’ll come up with
better stuff than you do!)

34. But why should
they care?

35. You’re doing this
because you want to
change the world.

36. Ask your community to
join you in that mission.

37. Give them a sense
of purpose.

38. Meaning. Impact. Recognition.
More than material rewards.

39. Remember:
Identity and emotion
stem from our rituals.

40. Rituals people observe
and repeat.

41. Learn the Ritual
Repeat it
Identity & Emotion

42. Teach rituals to
build a meaningful
shared identity

43. An aspirational identity
that lyfts people up to
who they want to be

44. Where do !
rituals start?!

45. Where do rituals start?!
Your product.
Your CRM.
Community platforms.
Communications.
Events.

46. Connect your community to
each other.

47. They will perpetuate
and enrich your culture
through 1:1 interactions
on their own.

48. Let the magic happen.

49. Crafting a !
Self-Sustaining
Community Culture!
!
The Power of Ritual, Purpose, and Shared Identity
!
!
!
Emily Castor!
Director of Community Relations, Lyft
@emilycastor