My Community Collective Cohort #2 Story
“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes.” — Richie Norton
One of my goals for this year was to gain more knowledge, grow as a community manager, and meet and connect with more community professionals in the industry.
In this article, I’d be sharing the impact of the 8 weeks I spent learning, unlearning and relearning about community management with The Community Collective run by Paz Pisarski on me.
Community Strategy Made Simpler!
Before my time at the Community Cohort, writing community strategies always seemed like a Herculean task requiring so much brain power from me. Don’t get me wrong, I love writing community strategies. For me, it’s one of the first steps to building a community that would thrive independently of you.
When I attended the community strategy class during the cohort, I was blown away at how Paz had simplified how to create community strategies. This method was all-encompassing and I must add more fun!
Do you want to have a glimpse of this Community strategy? Express your interest in the next cohort here!
Public Speaking; Easy Peasy!
The lessons and tips shared by Emmy Singh helped me in the subsequent events I had to speak at. For All Things In Moderation 2023, I employed the lesson of using icebreakers and maintaining eye contact despite it being a virtual event.
For Open Source Festival 2023, I learnt how to prepare and adapt to unforeseen events and also make your listeners make the most of the time you share. I have become bolder at speaking at events, more intentional in crafting my message and also implement these tips when planning events for the communities I manage.
Memorable Community Rituals
Through my acceptance into The Community Collective, I had a warm invitation to the Australian and New Zealand communities. The ritual of greeting us and welcoming us on behalf of the ancestors of the land was powerful and thoughtful.
As someone who loves culture, I had a glimpse into the rich history of the people and we were constantly reminded of this at the start of every event.
This is a ritual I hope to emulate in the communities I build. Despite being a virtual member and many kilometres away, I could feel the warm pull from the land and I really look forward to visiting Australia and New Zealand someday.
A Community for Community Professionals
Who says you can’t have both worlds? The members of The Community Collective’s community are made up of some of the kindest people I have met. The time difference was a huge challenge for me but everyone was supportive and understanding.
Whenever questions were asked, members were always ready to provide solutions. For someone who wasn’t able to attend any of the physical events, I was almost there in person based on how my check-in mate Desmond John looped me in on what went down. It was such a memorable feeling.
I also want to give a huge shout-out to Gospel Sokwo and Chinwendu Nwazoije for being amazing team members. Thank you for the calls and texts. The time difference had nothing on us!
A Reinvented Me!
At the end of the Cohort, I had gained all that I had wanted to learn at the start of the cohort and more. The clarity needed to navigate the community space and the goals I need to achieve in the coming years became clearer than ever.
I became more open to meeting and knowing more community professionals, especially in my local community. This growth is gradual but every day, I am open to embracing myself more.
I learnt how important it was to have a playlist. As someone who works remotely, it sets you in the right frame of mind and ensures you kick off your day with the right zest. Now, I have a playlist for different activities even down to the events I organize! Cool right?
Conclusion
There’s no end to learning. There’s no limit to what the mind can do especially when one is determined to overcome all self-doubts and embrace the unknown.
If you’re new to community management and looking to learn more about the field you’re venturing in, indicate your interest here and you’d be notified when the application for the next cohort kicks off. If you’re also looking to brush up your knowledge, you should consider being a part of the next cohort.
Did I mention you get to have live sessions with some of the best in the community industry? David Spinks, Emmy Singh and Jenny Weigle were some of the community professionals who shared their knowledge with us during Cohort #2. You too can be a part of this. Take that bold step today!
Thank you for reading my Medium post! I am a Community Manager with expertise in event planning and management, project management and partnership relationship management.
Looking to organize memorable community events for your members? Hit me up at maggiegbuchulam@gmail.com. I look forward to rendering my services!
