Community Managers:The Ultimate Improv Artists

How DO THE BEST COMMUNITY MANAGERS THINK ON THEIR FEET?

Show Up

Be Vulnerable

PASS THE BATON

Juggle

USE PROPS

GET FEEDBACK

BE A TROUPEIf no one shows up to participate, there won’t be much of a community. The community manager must in�uence members to show up and bring their best.

Community management is on the rise as business communities are increasingly linked to business bene�ts. But community management requires a special set of skills more akin to improv theatre than traditional management. Let’s take a look at the skills required for community management success.

By being vulnerable and admitting upfront that they don’t know the answers, managers helps build trust and get other people to participate.

When someone asks a question, give someone else an opportunity to contribute – and if the conversation gets stuck, get creative and entice someone else to step up.

While ideally no balls get dropped, realistically the Community Manager must know the difference between a must-have and a nice-to-have - which means letting

some things go for the health of the community.

Proactive programming spurs discussion, increases

opportunities for collaboration, and relationship building, and

brings previously silent people into the conversation.

A community manager must always be on the lookout for

feedback from members of the community, as well as actively

solicit it.

While you represent the interests of the community and

the company simultaneously, they should ultimately be

aligned.

Happy community manager appreciation day 2014!