Date April 8 & 9, 1999 Last Updated May 18, 1999

Key Community Topic Value of Community

Synopsis The value of community can be measured by the quality, either positive or negative, of its impact on the individuals within the group or community. The impact that a community has on an individual or group of people is related to the explicit and implicit purposes of the community.

Executive Summary Communities emerge where a common thread exists between people, whether or not it is based on location, belief, or recreation. These commonalties provide the basis for a community. The value of a community can be measured by the quality of both the community and its individuals. A functional community provides its members a structure to provide learning, support, and nurturing aspects. Members of a community provide and receive emotional and physical support from other members during times of crisis and in times of celebration.

Communities play a significant role in providing people with a wealth of resources. Those resources are both external and internal to the community. The attributes of community that are most easily identified are the ability of the members to share and appreciate each other's talents. When members' talents are identified, the group can appreciate those talents in its entirety. Through sharing and teaching others within the community the members gain a sense of oneness that fosters a sense of responsibility and trust for the other members of the group.

Teams or communities are able to produce a wider range of results more quickly than an individual, if the members of the team truly feel that they are connected in purpose. Many times communities are able to make more intelligent use of resources than an individual.

At A Glance i Talents & Gifts i Mature Members Raise others

i Problem Solving i Connected by Heart

i Opportunity to Learn i Growth aided through community

i Trust i Magic

i Support i Innovation

Important Notes Take Extraordinary care of self in order to give and expect

& Quotes extraordinary results

We're all in this Together

No throwing pearls to swine

Book: Syncronicity, Joseph Jaworsky

Book: Serveant Leadership, Robert Greenleaf

Book: The Art of Jamming

H/Intelligence Resource Group/Tara/KM/Value.doc