One can be very happy without demanding that others agree with them. ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
I’ve been thinking a lot about Chris Guillebeau’s insightful analysis of What Makes A Community? We all live, work, and play in a variety of communities, and I guess I’m especially interested because my efforts to contribute via speaking and writing essentially involve building an online community.
Using a metaphor from my friend Eric Larsen, I tend to envision a community as a circle. The circle has a defined boundary; you’re either in or you’re out.
I think that most worthwhile communities want to attract members and expand the circle. The trick is figuring out how to accomplish that without changing, blurring, or completely erasing the border and making the circle meaningless. If you bring folks into a circle without a clear boundary, you’ve just created an unfocused group with no clear vision, mission, or purpose.
Most communities face two boundary issues. The first is clearly defining the edges. What’s it mean to be inside the circle? Why does the circle exist? What are the shared values and common purposes?
The other problem involves eliminating extraneous and exclusive requirements. A clear boundary doesn’t imply that everyone inside must look, act, or think exactly alike. Within a vibrant community there’s plenty or room for diversity, discussion, and disagreement.
It’s a question of covenant, and no meaningful community can exist without one.
As a teacher, I really only had one rule in my classroom: Everyone gets treated with respect. There’s a lot of latitude for individual behavior and discussion within that boundary, but you can’t stay here if you consistently violate it. You choose, and you’re free to leave if you wish. But if you decide to stay (and I hope you do), that’s the boundary.
Some properties of covenant for a healthy community:
- It’s as inclusive as possible; it doesn’t unnecessarily exclude people.
- Membership is an individual choice, and it’s okay to enter or not.
- It defines the vision, mission, and purpose of the community.
- It’s open to discussion, clarification, or change that advances the community’s mission.
A covenant doesn’t inherently imply exclusion or elitism. It doesn’t mean that those inside the circle are superior; it simply means that we’ve agreed to a common vision. We’d love to have you join us, and it’s okay if you don’t.
What are other properties of covenants in healthy communities?
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