To Ponder: Community Inferred Credibility

Later this year I’m collaborating with the fantastic Leanne Hughes on an event that I’m really excited about: Beyond Bureaucracy

Shameless plug aside – the culmination of the event is a story that’s quite interesting.

It may surprise you, but a month or so ago, Leanne and I were effectively strangers. We had never spoken or interacted. Yet we knew of each other through a high performing, fairly niche, consulting community. A community that attracted a specific type of person – an entrepreneurial expert.

It was that shared community membership that ultimately created the bridge for us. A ‘credibility bridge’ strong enough to overcome any initial scepticism for both of us. Within an hour of meeting we had both agreed and started to design our collaboration on Beyond Bureaucracy.

This, under most other circumstances, would be crazy. Leanne and I were essentially strangers – but we knew the standards of the community, and that credibility was inferred onto each of us respectively.

It’s an interesting thing to reflect on – and it’s something for us all to consider moving forward.

How can you create a community around your change that creates inferred credibility for its members?

My suggestion – embrace the principles of a Valuable Community: Exclusivity, Reputation and ‘Edge’.