A grateful online community

Never underestimate the benefits that being a member of your community provides others.

As community managers we focus so much on our daily, monthly, weekly and even annual goals. We want to engage the masses,  get new members, increase the amount of content the community is producing and posting…you name it.

Our job is tough and never-ending and we feel that we can always do better.

That may be true. Perhaps we can do better, but we can also celebrate the things we do right. What we don’t take enough time to do, is reflect on the experiences of our individual members and how being a member of the community can and often does have a profound effect on their lives.

I am sharing this photo with you today so that you will take time time to think about all that your community provides to those it serves. Think about the thank-you’s you’ve received and the emails encouraging you to keep up the good work. Consider  the members who depend on your community for friendship and camraderie. Maybe they don’t have many close friends due to an illness or inability to leave the house and have found great refuge in your community.

I received this clock on the second anniversary of the launch of the online community I currently manage. It was a total surprise and I had no idea who left it for me downstairs in the lobby.  I learned just today through an email that it was a joint effort by a great group of members. Not  everyone could afford to contribute so he didn’t mention names, but here is what he said the email:

A lot of GOLO’ers wanted you to have the thank you gift. I hope you are enjoying it. You have thanked me (and hundreds of others) many many times already for your dedication to making us the cleanest and happiest group of members on the net.

Now do me a favor, and celebrate the successes of your community as well.

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