A community manager’s job is no walk in the park.
Constantly a community manager must face expectations from both sides of a project: the organization and the community, and often needs to find a compromise between these two. It’s a tough job and a crucial one, as without it a large chasm can form between organization and community which can eventually lead to project failure.
From the get-go a community manager can be overwhelmed by the task at hand, but being effective at this job can start with just one simple idea: communication.
Communication is the Key
We’ve previously pointed out how crucial communication is in open source, and for community managers it’s even more so. Communication should be their specialty, as their job primarily involves communicating to both the organization and the community in levels and ways that these parties can understand. Community managers must communicate the organization’s interests to the community while also delivering community feedback and concerns to the organization. They must be able to understand fully the perspective of each party to find a balance that benefits both.
Communication is also the key to building trust, which is essential when it comes to handling communities. Without trust, communities will not listen to, let alone be directed by a manager.
Communicating to build trust starts with listening. Listening to the community means finding out what motivates them, what they expect, what they like and don’t like about the project. Listening should be done not to give communities a false sense of hope or security, but with the intent of truly addressing their concerns and making sure that the community continues to develop and grow.
After listening, the community manager may then speak. And just as in listening, speaking to the community should not be done insincerely. It must be done with respect, honesty and openness, and whatever is promised must be delivered. Only then can trust truly be established.
With trust established, the community manager’s job eases significantly. This does not mean however, that all challenges will be avoided.
Importance of ROI
On the organization’s side, the challenge that a community manager can face is proving his value. In many cases, organizations fail to see the importance of community support. Instead of viewing community managers as allies in protecting the reputation of the organization, the organization can sometimes view them as disloyal. This misunderstanding can be prevented if a clear method of measuring community support success is in place even before the community manager takes on his duties. These metrics should be based on the organization’s specific goals and expectations while also considering the nature of the community. They must also be achievable and measurable within a given period of time. With these metrics in place, it becomes easier for community managers to prove their value and the value of the community program.
Giving Recognition Where It Is Due
People may have different reasons for participating in communities, but each one of them looks for some kind of affirmation at one point or another. This is another aspect of community management that must not be overlooked. Community managers must find ways to encourage and appreciate community members, especially those who are top contributors. Doing so strengthens the community and consequently, leads to the betterment of the project as a whole.
Managing open source communities can be challenging, but it can also be one of the most satisfying jobs there is. Witnessing communities composed of different minds coming together to share, collaborate and grow is a beautiful thing, and being there as a guide is not only a serious responsibility, but a great privilege as well.