Essential Connections

Private Practice Success Newsletter, August 2010

by Lynn Grodzki, LCSW, MCC

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The Storm

Late Sunday afternoon, after two weeks of a record heat wave, we had a violent thunderstorm. The bad news: electricity went out and 400,000 homes and businesses went dark. The good news: once the storm passed, the sun came out and so did the neighborhood.

I get so busy with my life, it seems it takes an act of nature to remind me that I have a neighborhood of people I appreciate. I sat on my deck for hours as the afternoon waned and the sun set, and waved to people as they walked by, people I hadn’t seen in years.

I reflected on the topic of community and its importance.

During this time of economic uncertainty, I am reminded each day of the scarcity of resources.

But the resource of connection — with community — is free. Having a strong professional community can build your practice, but sometimes attending a professional group feels like a waste of precious time.

So I wondered: What is the best strategy to finding or creating a community that really supports your life and your work?

Communities of Practice

Since time and energy are precious resources,  I only join communities that offer me meaningful opportunity and learning. This type of community is defined as a Communities of Practice (CoP.)

According to cognitive anthropologists Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, a Community of Practice is a group made up of like-minded individuals who share an interest, a craft, and/or a profession. Key to the success of these communities is the process of sharing information, learning, and developing opportunities.

In order to be a CoP, the group needs to accomplish the three criteria. (If you have been attending a professional group or association that feels like a poor use of time and energy, chances are one of these criterion is missing.)

1.    Commitment

A CoP requires commitment from its members. This devotion and willingness to show up is based on a deep interest in the topic or experience delivered at each meeting.

When a CoP is focused around  an area of passion or intense interest, it  provides value for all. As members develop a deep connection to the group and get a lot, they give a lot in return — sharing their thoughts, ideas, and even talents with each other.

Too often, we belong to professional groups that are superficially interesting or we think should be important, and then end up disappointed and bored.  The  group lacks dedication, or the topic is not one we feel passionate about, and too little learning and sharing occurs.  CoPs are exciting and inspiring to attend.

2.    Competence

CoPs are groups of equals who are skillful and talented. They have something to offer each other. You join to learn, help, and share — not to compete. As a result, the members often develop longterm relationships that matter.

While members of a CoP do not necessarily work together on a daily basis, when they do meet it is often memorable: They discuss, challenge, wonder, argue and usually laugh together.

A classic example of a CoP might be Parisian artists in 1870’s, the Impressionists, who formed loose associations of café communities to talk, share, learn from, paint with, and inspire each other.

3.    Practice

CoPs are places of learning because the members are implementing ideas, not just ruminating about concepts.

As Wenger explains, “A CoP is not merely a community of people who like certain kinds of movies, for instance. Members of a community of practice are practitioners. They develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems—in short a shared practice. This takes time and sustained interaction.

“A good conversation with a stranger on an airplane may give you all sorts of interesting insights, but it does not in itself make for a community of practice.”

(http://www.ewenger.com/theory)

CoPs in My Life

If you would like to find or create a CoP, you might use this article as a blueprint to create a group that meets this definition. Let me offer you a few examples of CoPs to which I belong, so you can understand how they work for a me — and can be a resource for you, too.

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One CoP I attend is the faculty forum of a coach training organization.  (Some CoPs exist within associations and organizations.) We (the faculty) meet by phone for an hour, once a month. The group is led by our creative training director who is explicit in her respect and appreciation of the faculty who call from around the globe.

Each month she poses a different, thoughtful, open-ended question for us to consider and discuss. This group has been meeting for years and I am continually motivated and engaged. It keeps my coaching skills on the cutting edge and gives me a virtual connection to a group of very accomplished colleagues.

* * *

Another CoP is one I helped create years ago – a group of women therapists who met monthly for 8 years. Our sharing was intimate and supportive, often more personal than professional, but always fascinating. It generated longterm  friendship, shared collegiality, new ideas, and of course, the occasional referral.

* * *

A third CoP I eagerly await each month, is an intuition study group. A half-dozen doctors, healers, and therapists meet for 2 hours a month, in person, to work together in our pursuit of better understanding and utilizing the way we apply intuition in our practices. We experiment, do blind readings, practice, read and research — sharing our results and questions. We have met for years and each meeting is inspiring, has benefited me personally, and enhanced my professional work on many levels (including becoming a rich resource of referrals for all involved.)

Where to begin

If you are looking to create a Community of Practice, here are some tips:

•    Start with a clear area of personal or professional need (What would you love to learn, practice and share with a special group of others?)
•    Start small and grow over time (it’s easier to manage)
•    Define clear goals and boundaries for the CoP
•    Invite others who can commit to its success
•    Celebrate contributions and appreciate each other regularly
•    Be prepared to adjust the group and goals as you develop and learn