Dear Community Manager,

by Lauren on January 23, 2012

Today is your day.

Today is your day to take responsibility.

Today is your day to stop thinking tactically and own a seat at the strategic table.

Today is your day because no one is going to hand you your dream role on a silver platter.

Today is your day to own what community management means to you, your organization and your community.

Today is your day to keep beating the drum and show your organization how the fluffy side of engagement aligns with business goals and objectives.

Today is your day to share the stories of community members with folks in your legal, human resources and IT departments.

Today is your day to understand and embody the needs, challenges and desires of those you represent.

Today is your day to begin mapping connections between the organization and the community to find gaps and opportunities for monitoring, observation and engagement.

Today is your day to educate your organization about what it means to be a community manager through your actions.

Today is your day to be what the community needs you to be at the time they need you to be it.

Don’t squander away the this day or any day. Own today for all todays.

{ 13 comments }

Give your words power. Live them. Breathe them.

January 3, 2012

I am not a big fan of resolutions, just as I don’t wait until the end of the year to evaluate success. I prefer to always be in a state of progress (towards perfection, of course). Last year, I was introduced to the concept of three words to live by instead of setting typical resolutions. [...]

Read more ->

11 Brilliant Reads in 2011

December 22, 2011

Books are not dead. If anything, they are more alive than ever now that we can read whenever and wherever on our smartphones, tablets and laptops. I started a vlog series this year featuring reviews of fiction and non-fiction reads inspiring me or aiding my temporary escapes from reality. I am never more happy than [...]

Read more ->

Being a conscientious online community tourist

December 13, 2011

Just over a week ago my husband and I took a whirlwind vacation to Istanbul with a stop in Rome on the journey to our final destination. Of course, you know me, the typical Type-A personality, I like having a plan and a process. This does not mean I cannot be spontaneous. Other than a [...]

Read more ->

Reflect Creativity

December 7, 2011

It may be hard to believe, but I am not, by nature, a social person. I enjoy public speaking (after A LOT of practice) and have no problem navigating a board room or Twitter chat, but a cocktail party gives me hives. This morning, as my daughter, the social butterfly, flitted from kid to kid [...]

Read more ->