Since life online and social media mirrors reality – I’ve been thinking a lot about the essential differences between a community and a network.
Perhaps it’s my inherent skepticism in overt self-interest moved forward in a rapid sense. a.k.a. networking. Networking seems more like speed dating with binary outcomes based on superficial analysis (if you can call it analysis). Relationship building, on the other hand, is the basis of community. Grounded in the common interest and multi-dimensional variables, relationship building is less about amassing personal equity and more about the general good. It’ also based on complex variables – rather than gain vs. no gain. Variales lik compassion, understanding, etc. etc. and maybe even gain, and no gain. The point being it’s a lot of variables versus just the two.
"I don’t want to use up all my social equity", said a friend recently. For some reason, this really rubbed me the wrong way. It reduces the complexities of human relationships to the worst possible level – gain and loss. While simplification can be important to make a point – this is not the type of relationship building that trust can be built upon.
Relationships are based on interactions, experiences and outcomes. Things go well, go wrong, and sometimes just go. It’s the quality of these engagements that ultimately make up the relationship. Communities are made of like-minded individuals or groups. Our communities – real or virtual can be better places if we focus on relationships on adding value when possible, but more importantly – engaging. I’m interested in keepin’ it real (authenticity), I’m interested in storytellers, and I’m suggesting that we strive to make our overall engagement be made up of more good experiences than bad ones.
I’d rather have a smaller community of friends than a large network of people I barely know. To be continued as part of a bigger story on social media and our internet marketing strategy focus.
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