The Path May Not Be Clear, But It’s There!

When I started in community management in 2013, I had no idea what an online community was. I didn’t belong to any online communities and I certainly did know the first thing about what it meant for a community to provide business value. And in the 6 ½ years that I’ve been a part of this magnificent profession, there remains to be a true career path where community management is concerned. But it’s not for lack of trying!What I’m starting to see is that, even though organizations understand why it is important to hire a dedicated community manager when considering a community program to give it the attention it needs to grow, the real value that they themselves bring to the organization as a result of the work that they do is not always as clear. This leaves some community managers scratching their heads and wondering “what’s next?” when thinking about career growth and professional development. There’s a lot that goes into managing an online community program and so much that these programs offer that considerations for career advancement and what that looks like needs the attention of people who care, will listen, and understand that value. Not only do they need to care, but they need to be invested enough in the value the community offers that they want to do something about it. But what do you do until then?Don’t box yourself inI think community managers get stuck in “I manage community” mode sometimes. I know I did for a bit. Yes, you manage community, but it’s not all that you do. If you really sit down and break out the work that goes into getting people to engage online AND connecting them back to the information and resources that your association offers, you don’t just manage an online community. It’s worth the work to get people to truly understand exactly what goes into managing a thriving online community. It doesn’t happen by magic (however, YOU are magic so don’t forget that little tidbit). Distilling the conversation around what you can/are doing can box you in so much so that you can’t see the forest for the trees and neither can anyone else. And I get it – it’s exhausting trying to explain to people what your work really entails only for them to then come back and say “oh, like Facebook!” when that’s not what you are trying to convey AT ALL. Your manager or other leaders within your organization can’t see what you’re capable of on a larger scale if you limit the dialogue because it’s just easier. At the end of the day, you’re a strategist, a content wizard, a data analyst, and an event planner all rolled up into a beautiful package called community manager. When you have conversations with others across the organization, speak about your work like it matters. Because it does. That is the only way others will understand exactly what you bring to the table.Socialize your vision Managing an online community forces you to think bigger and broader about the work that you do. It can be tough for community managers to socialize value until people really start to get it. Part of that is because they don’t understand fully what an online community is meant to deliver. However, you do. The thing is it can’t be your best kept secret. You’re not doing yourself or anyone else any favors by NOT socializing your vision for how your community program can help move the needle. One of the things that I always tell my co-workers or anyone else who works with me is if you give me an opportunity to talk about community, you’ll wish you hadn’t. Why? Because I love to talk about it. All the time. To anyone who will listen. And I have a clear vision around what the community can do to bring tangible business value to the rest of the organization. So I schedule meetings, draw diagrams, create pitch decks, and explain until I’m blue in the face that community is a larger program that stretches across the organization, clearly articulating and illustrating where things fit. You have to be that visionary and that vocal in order for you to be able to chart a path for growth. Erica Kuhl wrote a great piece about her dream of the next Chief Community Officer. If you haven’t had a chance, I suggest you give it a read. That hard work could very well put you on the path to bring the dream that Erica speaks about to life.Expand your thinking around what community isI’m not the only one in the profession who has said this – community managers should not be afraid of letting other people into the community. And by other people I mean your marketing team or anyone else who is not community staff. Yes, community is for your members to connect with one another and feel a sense of belonging. However, if you stop there you are limiting the potential of your program and any possibility for growth. Any leadership role requires that you think beyond what is currently in front of you and see the bigger picture. We sometimes tend to get stuck in an SME/individual contributor mindset and it prevents us from being able to think bigger when it comes to our communities and all the potential that lies within them. This does not mean that you hand over the keys to the kingdom to anyone who asks. What it means is that you have deliberate, strategic conversations across your organization to figure out ways that you can work together to bring value to the business and to your members. This positions you as a strategic partner across the association and prepares you for greater responsibility.ConclusionWhile I have yet to carve out the ideal community manager path for myself, I am in a position where I can try to help shape it the best way that I can. I have six staff members that report to me and am looking for ways that I can ensure that, when it’s time for me to move on to my next adventure, one of them is ready to take the community program to the next level. But, if you don’t have staff that reports to you, that doesn’t mean that the road ends there. I believe that if you take the time to ACT like a CCO, you have the opportunity to at least open up conversation around what a well-supported community program looks like, where it fits within the organization, and how it should be led. And shaping the future of the program at your organization means that, while not guaranteed, YOU might just be the next Chief Community Officer.