Manager Tip - Affinity is Not Enough

Posted by Shaun Callahan Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:01:00 GMT

Starting today, each Monday, I will share a quick thought on how a manager of a Groupsite can help increase the amount of engagement they are seeing from members of their groups.

On Fridays, I will share a tip for Groupsite users on how they can increase their personal involvement.

Here goes:

When I was in grade school I first noticed a “secret club”. Sitting in the back of my parent’s car, whenever a Corvette driving on our side of the road passed a Corvette on the opposite side of the road, they would flash their headlights at each other. It was a secret handshake! Just last week on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David gave the secret “thumbs up” signal that (according to the show) is part of the secret society of being bald.

I wonder what would happen if two of those Corvette drivers met in person, when they were not driving their cars? Would they even talk to each other? If a put 50 Corvette drivers in the same room, would the conversations last more than 4 ½ minutes? Would they even get along?

Manager Tip: As a Groupsite manager, give some thought to not only what group members may have in common, but think about why they would want to communicate with each other. Why would they want to get to know each other on a deeper level than simply “We bought the same car” or the amount of hair on their heads. Once you establish the why, active participation in your group will take off. Without a why, you may simply find yourself with a list of a bunch of people with only one thing in common who would rather flash their headlights once and speed on by.

Feedback? Ideas? Tips of your own? Join our Champions Group at champions.collectivex.com and engage with a community of people who are focused on achieving a greater return on involvement by staying in the loop with their groups.