Monique Melton is an author, mentor, speaker and community builder. She specializes in growth strategies for leaders and fellow community builders and will be joining us at Reset 2017 from the east coast. We can’t wait to hear her encouragement and ideas at this year’s conference!
There’s Power in Community
We’ve heard it said that there’s power in numbers, but there’s more to it. It’s not that there’s only power in numbers, but instead there’s power in community. By community, I mean there is power in people from all different backgrounds that do not look and act the same, that come together in an effort to support one another and support a shared mission. We are made to be in community and we also desire to have a sense of belonging. Being in community allows us to feel like we belong, it satisfies that desire, but only when we are treated with respect & dignity and only when we are embraced in that community.
There’s power when we cheer one another on and encourage one another to go for greatness. We can uplift one another and we can be there for one another; and this all because of the power in community.
There’s power in community and there’s power in unity. When we combine our skills, talents and abilities to support one another and support a mission, then we can really bring about some serious change. I love community and I love it when we focus on building real community. It’s exciting to support others as they achieve their greatness and to be supported as I achieve mine. Community is life giving, but we must also give to community. We must engage and make a commitment to build unity in community. We must be active in community or else it doesn’t benefit anyone.
If we want to reap the true rewards of community we have to remain committed to serving and supporting one another. We can serve in many ways, but celebrating one another is certainly a very powerful way to build community. A party is so much better when there are people there who are celebrating with you. And there’s more you can to do to actively engage and build community.
Here’s a few things to think about when building community.
Extend grace
People are people. We mess up and we have our habits that can really bother others. That’s why we need more grace. We need more grace with others and with ourselves. When someone doesn’t do something the way you like, instead of immediately disregarding that person, consider extending a little grace. It doesn’t mean you have to become best friends, but you can definitely extend grace so you can work along side one another.
Give it time
It takes time to build trust in relationships. When you’re building relationships you’re deciding if you want to let your guards down with the person; and that can take time. We all come to relationships with different experiences and some of us take more time than others to build that trust. So give it time.
Celebrate one another
Look for ways to congratulate one another. It can be something as simple as noticing that they have accomplished something or to share a compliment with them on a new project or business success. Celebrating one another is a great way to build community.
Extend the invitation
When you’re in a community it can be intimating to reach out to make connections, but this is where the goodness happens. However, don’t wait for someone to extend the invitation because you may end up waiting a long time. Instead aim to invite others to connect with you. You may not get a “yes”, right away, but that’s okay. Because someone will say “yes”, so don’t give up.
What does community mean to you. Are you involved in a community where you feel supported? How do you support the community you’re involved in?
If you want to learn more about building relationships check out my book EntrepreFriendships. It shares the step-by-step process to building meaningful business relationships.
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