The Community Roundtable

Empowering global community leaders with research-backed resources, training, and tools.

Connect 2020 – Changing the Way the World Works

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Our 6th annual community conference, TheCR Connect kicks off today.

It is not the event I thought it would be, or wanted it to be. At The Community Roundtable we each try to find the work that energizes us, and for me it’s always been Connect. I love the planning, fitting all the puzzle pieces together, designing meaningful experiences, helping the right people find each other, creating a safe and dynamic space for our members and participants. I love watching everyone come together, watching first-time participants light up when they realize they’ve found their people, looking around as a speaker sparks dozens of ah-has in the audience.

But, this spring it became clear that Connect would not happen this year the way it had in the past. Scrapped were my plans for elaborate 20/20 vision-themed puns. So, no this event is not the event I thought it would be, or wanted it to be. As it turns out, it’s more.

Without the constraints of times zones or trying to jam everything we wanted to do into three days, new possibilities opened up. We could connect speakers from around the world on one panel; members who couldn’t even attend before due to time or budget constraints could take on active roles. Finally, we could explore multiple tracks and more specialized content.

Welcome to Connect 2020

Just a few of the 74 Connect 2020 sessions. View all sessions.

Over the next month, we’ll host 74 sessions on 17 days. We’ll feature 101 speakers from around the world, from New Zealand to New York, Boston, Austin, and so many places in between. Our nine tracks range from inspiration to wellness to technology – encompassing the whole person a community manager is, not just their job.

We’ll host virtual chocolate tastings (though trust me, the chocolate will be real), live demos from technology partners, internal and external community strategy sessions, fundamental, advanced, and executive case studies from community experts, keynotes from thought-provoking leaders like Mia Birdsong and Priya Parker – all anchored by an interactive event community filled with AMAs, discussion threads, a wellness challenge, and yes – a pet thread.

And the secret ingredient? Our incredible members, clients, and partners, who trusted us enough to make this major pivot with us. We could not have done this alone. We built a framework, planted the seeds, and I am so excited to see what grows this month.

A year ago when we started planning Connect 2020 I could not have imagined the event we have created and we are just getting started. I hope you will join us for this month-long adventure. More than ever we need to connect – I hope to see you there.

Welcome to the 2020 Connect Technology Track

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This is a guest post by Technology Track Chair, Jillian Betjlich.

If there was ever a year for technology to demonstrate its reach, 2020 has been that year. Amidst chaos and confusion, technology has been a common denominator allowing us to connect, engage, and collaborate with individuals around the world. It has allowed us to transition to virtual workplaces and educational institutions, get the information we need instantly, or simply just spend time with a familiar face and voice.

We knew technology had changed how we work, play, and interact, but this year it has truly proven its immense impact on how we live and thrive. Technology is here to stay. (The pandemic and 2020 are not. Phew!)

Some of the sessions at the Technology Track 2020.

Behind the scenes of all that chaos, confusion, change, and transition are community professionals harnessing the use of technology to bring about the environments we need and want. We’ve created digital worlds, changed behaviors for the better, dug deep into code and data, and leveraged every last drop of functionality. And we’re so ready to share our experiences, lessons learned, best practices, and more with you.

This year’s technology track will feature live demos, interactive panels, and practitioner-led case studies on can’t-miss topics, covering everything from online community platforms to community analytics and vendor roadmaps. Whether you’re a full-on techie, community nerd, or just getting started, this year’s track is sure to leave you feeling like a platform expert.

We look forward to nerding out with you!

Jillian Bejtlich
2020 Technology Track Chair

Connect 2020: Changing the Way We Work

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Note: We’ve reimagined our annual community conference, TheCR Connect, to be a month-long community celebration. To learn more about Connect 2020, and our nine community-focused learning tracks visit the Connect 2020 page.

Unsurprisingly, executive support is a huge factor in building and maintaining a successful online community program.

This year, online communities and digital engagement are taking on dramatic new relevance. We have made considerable progress in translating the generative business model of communities into financial benchmarks, which are critical for organizations as they consider using community approaches to transform their organizations. We can now communicate the generative creation of value in financial terms. But how do you use those financial benchmarks to secure the support and resources you need?

Join Rachel Happe, Principal and Co-Founder of The Community Roundtable, and a panel of global community experts as they explore ways community changes the way we work – and how to leverage community success into increased resources, support, and recognition.

Rachel will be joined by Erik Meyers, the former executive sponsor of community initiatives at BASF and Hilti, Celine Schillinger, an international expert on engagement leadership and former head of Quality Innovation and Engagement at Sanofi Pasteur, and Michael Merk, former executive sponsor for online community programs at Steelcase.

Learn more about TheCR Connect here.

Introducing our Connect 2020 Track Chairs

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For the last five years, we’ve run increasingly dynamic and engaging Connect conferences. Over the course of the years, there was one piece of feedback that we heard over and over – but had a hard time implementing: “We want tracks!”

Believe me, we got it. It’s a bummer to settle into a session only to realize ten minutes in that it’s just not for you. Connect has always been intentionally small, and tracks just didn’t make sense. Until now.

Connect 2020 has changed the way we can think about our content, and by moving from a two-day in-person event to a month-long community celebration, tracks now not only make sense, but they are also a heck yes.

With over 50 online sessions, we’ve reimagined what it means to Connect in 2020. To help attendees find the sessions that will be the most valuable, we have divided all activities into nine tracks. Tracks also give us the opportunity to work with Track Chairs for the first time. Each Chairperson holds deep expertise in their track, and will serve as the member voice and face for Connect 2020.

I’m thrilled to announce our 2020 Track Chairs:

You can learn more about our nine community tracks, and read about our 2020 track chairs here.

Connect 2020 Update: A Reimagined Online Experience

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Virtual Community Management Conference

When we started the Connect series in 2015 it was because our members asked us to create a way for to meet in person with the people they rely on in TheCR Network. Our members are, and always have been, the foundation of Connect. Whether as a speaker, lightning talk facilitator, Advice Desk attendant, or an engaged participant, we rely on them to make Connect meaningful, and this is even more true this year. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted us to explore how to design Connect 2020 in a safe way that fulfills that desire to deeply connect with peers. Moving to a virtual experience isn’t simple, at least in the way we’re thinking about it. We can’t imagine a virtual two day Connect… Zoom fatigue is real and we want to avoid trying to jam too much content into a limited time frame.  

We’ve reached out to some of our members and noticed several themes in their feedback:  

  • Connect is as much about the side conversations and one-on-one knowledge sharing as the formal learning and collaboration sessions. 
  • Hearing how community technology platforms are evolving is important to many of you right now.   
  • Including sessions for executive stakeholders on the agenda would help you continue to advocate for community at your organizations. 
  • Running sessions about internal AND external community use cases would be a great way to help you focus on the people and topics that matter to you.  
  • Running Community 101 AND advanced community talks at the same time will help you and your team pick what makes the most sense for you.  
  • Even with more spaced out content there will still be live sessions that you want to attend, but can’t, so we’ll be recording and sharing sessions back in the community.  

In order to make this event everything we know it can be, we need our members to raise their hands and agree to be part of Connect 2020. There is a role for everyone, whether it’s as a speaker, panelist, a session facilitator, or an engaged attendee.

Based on member feedback and guidance, we have reimagined Connect as a month-long community celebration, with sessions running at regularly scheduled times on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week. Keynotes, case studies, product demos, show and tells, and unique networking opportunities will weave into a comprehensive agenda – spanning time zones and transcending distance.  

Our goal is to keep Connect 2020 a “members-only event” and make it an extension of existing membership for TheCR Network, meaning that unlike in the past, ALL Connect sessions will be free for members to attend. If you are not currently a member of TheCR Network you can learn more or join today.

You can view what a sample week might look like for Connect 2020 and download a flyer that provides more details here.  More details are here.

Jim Storer and Kelly Schott,  Connect 2020 Co-Chairs