Community

1. Community is built through conversations that create belonging

Community occurs in part as a shift in context, the mental models we bring to our collective efforts.

Belonging through dialogue. Community is fundamentally created through conversations that build relatedness and a sense of belonging. This requires shifting our mental models and the context in which we engage with others. Rather than focusing on problems or deficiencies, we must create spaces for authentic dialogue about possibilities, gifts, and commitments.

Six key conversations. Block outlines six types of conversations that are essential for building community: invitation, possibility, ownership, dissent, commitment, and gifts. These conversations help create accountability, engagement, and a collective sense of purpose. By structuring our interactions around these themes, we can transform the social fabric of our communities.

Language shapes reality. The specific language we use and questions we ask have the power to create new realities. By changing our conversations from problem-focused to possibility-oriented, we open up space for transformation. The words we choose and the stories we tell shape the communities we create.

2. Shift from problem-solving to possibility-focused thinking

Possibility occurs as a declaration, and declaring a possibility wholeheartedly can, in fact, be the transformation.

Beyond problem-solving. While problem-solving has its place, an excessive focus on fixing what's wrong can be limiting. Instead, we need to shift our attention to what's possible. This involves imagining and declaring new futures that inspire and energize us. By focusing on possibilities, we open up creative solutions that may not be visible when we're fixated on problems.

Declare possibilities. The act of declaring possibilities is itself transformative. When we articulate a vision of what could be, we begin to shape that reality. This requires moving beyond incremental improvements to imagine fundamentally different futures. Some key questions to spark possibility thinking include:

• What crossroads are we facing?
• What declaration of possibility can we make that has the power to inspire us?
• What can we create together that we cannot create alone?

Possibility vs. prediction. It's important to distinguish possibility from mere prediction or goal-setting. Possibility is about creating a new reality, not just forecasting trends. It requires imagination, courage, and a willingness to move beyond the constraints of the past.

3. Invite diverse voices and embrace dissent

Dissent becomes commitment and accountability when we get interested in it without having to fix, explain, or answer it.

Value of dissent. Embracing dissent and diverse perspectives is crucial for building authentic community. When we create space for disagreement and doubt, we demonstrate respect for differing viewpoints and open up possibilities for deeper understanding. This requires moving beyond a desire for consensus to truly valuing the full spectrum of voices.

Listen without fixing. The key to working with dissent is to listen deeply without immediately trying to fix, explain, or counter opposing views. By getting genuinely curious about others' doubts and reservations, we create the conditions for true dialogue. This approach builds trust and often leads to more creative solutions.

Invitation over mandate. To foster diverse participation, we must extend genuine invitations rather than mandates. This means:

• Clearly articulating the possibility we're convening around
• Allowing for refusal without consequence
• Making invitations personal and specific
• Naming what will be required of participants

4. Small groups are the unit of transformation

The small group is the bridge between our own individual existence and the larger community.

Power of small groups. While large-scale change is the ultimate goal, transformation happens most powerfully in small groups. These intimate settings allow for the kind of authentic connection and dialogue that builds real community. Small groups provide a bridge between individual experience and larger collective shifts.

Design for connection. To leverage the power of small groups:

• Use circles rather than lecture-style seating
• Encourage people to connect with those they know least
• Structure time for sharing personal stories and insights
• Move between small group work and large group harvesting

Scale through networks. Large-scale transformation occurs when enough small groups shift in harmony. By creating networks of small groups working towards shared possibilities, we can catalyze broader change while maintaining the intimacy and accountability of small-scale interactions.

5. Leadership is about convening and asking powerful questions

Leadership begins with understanding that every gathering is an opportunity to deepen accountability and commitment through engagement.

Redefining leadership. Rather than seeing leaders as visionaries or decision-makers, Block reframes leadership as the act of convening people and facilitating powerful conversations. This involves creating the conditions for engagement, accountability, and collective action.

Art of asking questions. Leaders can shape transformation by asking the right questions rather than providing answers. Powerful questions:

• Are ambiguous and open-ended
• Evoke a personal response
• Create some level of discomfort or challenge
• Focus on possibility rather than problem-solving

Three key tasks. Block outlines three essential tasks for this type of leadership:

1. Shift the context within which people gather
2. Name the debate through powerful questions
3. Listen rather than advocate, defend, or provide answers

6. Accountability comes from ownership, not control

Accountability is the willingness to acknowledge that we have participated in creating, through commission or omission, the conditions that we wish to see changed.

Beyond control. Traditional approaches to accountability often rely on control, oversight, and consequences. However, true accountability comes from a sense of ownership and choice. When people feel they have co-created their reality, they are more likely to take responsibility for changing it.

Ownership questions. To foster accountability, ask questions like:

• How valuable an experience do you plan for this to be?
• What have you done to contribute to the very thing you complain about or want to change?
• What is the story you tell about this situation, and what are its costs and payoffs?

Inversion of cause. Block suggests inverting our usual notions of cause and effect. For example, consider how citizens create leaders, children create parents, or audiences create performances. This shift in perspective empowers people to see themselves as agents of change rather than passive recipients.

7. Physical spaces shape community interactions

Every room we occupy serves as a metaphor for the larger community that we want to create.

Intentional design. The physical spaces we inhabit profoundly impact our interactions and sense of community. Thoughtful design of meeting spaces, public areas, and buildings can foster connection, creativity, and engagement. Even small changes to existing spaces can shift the dynamics of how people relate.

Key design elements:

• Arrange seating in circles to promote equality and connection
• Ensure all voices can be equally heard and amplified
• Bring nature and art into spaces to create aliveness
• Design flexible spaces that allow for both intimacy and larger gatherings
• Create welcoming entrances that signal belonging

Beyond aesthetics. While aesthetics matter, the most important aspect is how spaces enable or constrain the types of interactions we want to foster. Every design choice should be evaluated based on how it supports or hinders the community we aim to create.

8. Hospitality and welcoming strangers are essential

Hospitality is the welcoming of strangers, is the essence of a restorative community.

Culture of welcome. Creating a sense of belonging requires actively welcoming newcomers and strangers into our communities. This goes beyond mere politeness to creating a culture of genuine hospitality. It involves seeing the gifts and potential in every person who enters our spaces.

Practical hospitality. Some ways to embody hospitality:

• Personally greet people as they arrive
• Create rituals for welcoming new members
• Share food and break bread together
• Design physical spaces to be inviting and accessible
• Extend invitations broadly, especially to those on the margins

Transformative power. When we practice radical hospitality, we transform both ourselves and our communities. Welcoming strangers opens us to new perspectives and possibilities. It creates the conditions for authentic connection across differences.

9. Focus on gifts and capacities, not deficiencies

Citizens become powerful when they choose to shift the context within which they act in the world.

Asset-based thinking. Rather than focusing on problems or deficiencies, we must learn to see and cultivate the gifts and capacities within our communities. This shift in perspective unleashes new energy and possibilities. It moves us from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance.

Naming gifts. Practices for focusing on gifts:

• Ask people to share their unique talents and skills
• Celebrate small acts of generosity and creativity
• Create opportunities for people to contribute their gifts
• Reframe challenges as opportunities to discover hidden strengths

Beyond problem-solving. While addressing problems is important, an exclusive focus on fixing what's wrong can be disempowering. By balancing problem-solving with gift-oriented thinking, we create more generative and sustainable change.

10. Commitment without expectation of return builds community

Commitment is a promise made with no expectation of return.

Beyond transactional thinking. True community is built on commitments made without expectation of direct personal benefit. This moves us beyond transactional relationships to a more generative and interconnected way of being. It requires a leap of faith and a willingness to contribute for the sake of the whole.

Making promises. The act of making and keeping promises is fundamental to building trust and social fabric. Key aspects of commitment:

• Publicly declare promises to increase accountability
• Make commitments to peers, not just to leaders or institutions
• Allow space for people to say no or postpone commitments
• Regularly revisit and renew commitments

Virtue as its own reward. When we make commitments without expectation of return, we tap into intrinsic motivation and a sense of shared purpose. This creates a more resilient and meaningful basis for community than external rewards or punishments.

Last updated: August 7, 2024