Realistic Expectations for Community

In the last few months we have discussed workplace community and its advantages and disadvantages.  The next question we can ask is, “What are realistic expectations for creating community?”

What Are Realistic Expectations?

“It’s not realistic” can be used as an excuse not to do anything regarding your establishing community in your organization.  Too often, people say something is not realistic to avoid engaging the fears and resistance their organization may face regarding the formation of community.  They may use the words “not realistic” as a justification for not following through on their goals because they challenge the assumptions they have always held about the way organizations “always work.”  For example, a person might say, “This organization will never support the formation of community.  It expects people to put their noses to the grindstone, and it doesn’t care about how or whether people get along.”  If you don’t explore this assumption, you may end up stuck in the same old place of self-limiting assumptions, with nowhere to go.

If your assumptions appear as barriers to creating community, you’re better off facing them directly.  As a learned man once said, “Sometimes roadblocks are springboards to success.”  He meant that you can use the energy behind or contributing to barriers and transform it into a positive energy for change.  Once you review your own assumptions, and what you think will be the assumptions of others toward community, you’ll be better prepared to explore community formation in your organization.

 How Do People Define Community?

Now you’re ready to gather people together to explore their ideas about community.  First, you need to form a small group that has a clear understanding of what you are trying to accomplish and who are prepared to support it with zest.  This managing group (which may or may not include managers) will organize the overall process for defining community in the organization, for overseeing decision-making, for mediating conflicts and for keeping the process moving.

One of the proven ways to define community is to organize groups of 15-30 people at a time and brainstorm the what community means to them individually and what it could mean for the organization.

To begin the process, these groups can establish ground rules for how they want to have his discussion and how they want to work together.   It’s best to have each group define its own ground rules because they are more likely to honor them and hold each other accountable to them.

Additional agenda items could include brainstorming the following information:  (1) a vision for what a community would be like; this would be a big picture of general ideas for the organization as community, ideas that excite and move people.  (2) the values that would drive the fulfillment of the vision and clarify the expected actions and behaviors of employees; values would not only be understood, but be meaningful only if acted upon.  (3) actions and behaviors that would actualize the vision and values; these would be defined not to limit the performance of employees, but clarify the wide range of behaviors and actions possible, based on job duties, temperament and dedication to the community process.

What Difficulties Can You Anticipate?

This process is not an easy one, and you’ll be better prepared to conduct it if you anticipate some of the difficulties you may encounter.  Here are just a couple of obstacles that are likely to arise:

-        Brainstorming can be difficult without clear agreements:  Be certain that you don’t skip the “ground rules” step of the process, and also make sure to explain the guidelines for brainstorming.  These include limiting the explanation of an idea until the brainstorming of an area is complete (when you can then explain your idea in more detail); not interrupting or criticizing a person for his or her idea; not insisting that an idea be dropped for any reason, unless it is clearly a duplication (and even then you may leave it in).

-          Confusion between community and family attributes:  Although there are similarities between community and family, they are not the same.  Sometimes participants try to re-create their families of origin, suggesting a specific or narrow list of acceptable actions and behaviors.  These discussions need to be handled delicately, not by having a psychological analysis of the person’s family of origin, but rather by determining whether everyone understands the differences between family and community, and inquiring whether the scope of acceptable behavior can be broadened.  The most important factor is to genuinely listen to the person’s concerns, let the person know that you thoroughly understand his or her point of view (although you may not agree with it), and that the person’s expectation may not be in concert with the path the group is trying to take.

-          Coping with paradox and change:  Inevitably, these change processes are rife with paradox.  You may find your efforts both exhilarating and frustrating.  You may find that you are both afraid and courageous as you move forward.  Rather than try to eliminate these paradoxical feelings and attitudes, recognize and accept that they are normal and appropriate, in yourself and others.

What Happens to the Information?

Once brainstorming is completed (and this may be done over a number of sessions), the information will be submitted to the managing group that will review all of the data.  It will decide the overarching ideas for community that could be brought into the organization, and steps for realizing the vision for community in the organization; whether it will be pursued organization-wide; whether certain work groups or departments will develop community in their own areas; the kind of mentoring or support that could be provided for people implementing these ideas; and what other next steps should be taken. 

If your work group is selected to pilot the making of community, you can take these ideas back to your work group and ask them how they will actualize the wider vision for the specific culture of this group, hold each other accountable for honoring these steps, and create their own unique community.