I think a key part of community is also having some real world contact- conferences, calling someone on the phone, making a connection beyond random words on a screen- it gives people that additional sense of trust and helps build relationships.

As you said, there’s a lot of fragmented, lonely digital islands out there, but it’s always the mashups that make the magic. I may not be a marketer, but I learn a tremendous amount from my marketing friends; I am not a full time teacher, yet the educators I know always bring a different perspective to my thoughts. The overlap of what you might consider smaller communities is the area where the most interesting stuff occurs.

For example, I may be a Mommy blogger and a podcaster, but I find more interesting ideas in the business and science section of the bookstore than in the parenting section. Looking beyond our niche both expands perspective and community reach, and you can hook people into a wholly different world of people they might not know otherwise.

Convincing Jeff this week to go take a peek at a new progressive school was one of these moves- we’ve taken a telecomm and internet giant, who is interested in communication in general, and had him look at how communication is changing and evolving within education- that’s what sparks ideas, innovation. and expands the reach of both communities. And nothing’s more exciting than watching people really groove on ideas and possibilities.

When I suffer or flail is when I am not as focused on giving, or when I go into my little hole.

My big mantra for 2006 was “ASK. DO. SHARE.” One way I did that was to ask for help when I needed it, ask others if I could be helpful, and then do the most I could to be helpful over the year. You know that 2006 was the start of most every significant thing in my new professional life, so it must’ve worked well.

Thanks for the post, Chris. Great to see it.

The concept is actually a little different from how you describe it. I tell people to give first and without any pre-conceived idea that anything will come back. Do it because you can, and it’s the right thing to do.

It’s a great first step to providing value and creates energy around helping others.

Zig Ziglar’s classic line: “you can have everything you want in life if you just help other people get what they want first.”