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Help! Three Questions Community Managers Need to Ask When They’re Struggling

May 26, 2022 By Lindsey Leesmann

Asking for community help

Community managers are burnt out. And they’ve been that way since before the COVID-19 pandemic began — in the 2019 State of Community Management (SOCM) about 50% of respondents reported they were highly burnt out, in need of community help, or frustrated overall.

Some of the reasons cited as contributing factors may sound familiar:

  • Lack of resources
  • Community platform difficulties
  • Not enough time in the day to think both strategically and operationally (no balance)

The good news: Executive perception is shifting. Respondents in the not-yet-released 2022 SOCM reported more executives are seeing the benefit in all the hard work community managers do (and how it can positively impact the organization’s bottom line). Great! So what? 

So now’s the perfect opportunity to ask for community help.

How to define your community needs

While we wish it were as simple as marching up to your executive’s office with a list of demands, that’s not quite what’s needed in this instance. Instead, in order to properly make your case for community resources — whatever they may be — you’ll first want to consider three things:

  1. The what
  2. The who
  3. The obstacle

The questions themselves are fairly straightforward, but we’ll look at them in more detail just so we’re on the same page.

What’s the ‘What’ in Community Help

When it comes to narrowing down the “what,” it can be hard to determine where to start. So, the best place to start is right here, right now: What is it — at this moment — you need the most? Also, what would help you solve it?

Determining your “what” can be a vulnerable situation to put yourself in, which can be intimidating, but an honest assessment is the only way to approach this. After all, the only way things can get better is by determining the true issue. So really get in there, and look at your community (and your management of it) from a granular level. 

Who are you looking for?

Hello, is it me you’re looking for? Sorry, really bad joke. Anyway, after you’ve named the problem(s), it’s time to start looking for a solution.

The best way is by examining your sources — subject matter experts, superusers, leaders, etc. — and determining who will best be able to help you. Having a name (and some knowledge of who the person is and how they can help) will make it easier to actually ask for help. 

Unsure of who that might be? Then who do you turn to for help currently? They can either help you determine who might be the right person for you to talk to, or they might have a solution themselves. Either way, seeking help from outside sources isn’t a sign of weakness. As Amanda Palmer explained in her TED Talk, “The Art of Asking,” people are keen to help out, but they’ll never know you need it if you don’t say something first. 

Don’t let your ego be the reason your community’s issues don’t get solved – ask for community help.

‘Move [obstacle], get out the way’

Speaking of getting in your own way and other obstacles — the last question you need to ask yourself dovetails with the previous two nicely: What’s keeping you from what you need? It may be policy, budget, or any other number of things, but the important thing here is to name it.

By addressing these three questions you’ll be able to effectively layout your ask for community help in a logical way that makes it hard to turn down (especially if you remember to tie it back to the organization’s business goals). Stakeholders and C-suite executives will want to know the quickest path to getting ROI, so knowing who to ask for what — and when — will be key to a successful ask.

Community Management Self Care

Need more community helpYou can find more tips for taking care of yourself in our CMGR self-care guide. Download your copy here.

The 2020 Community Manager Gift Guide

December 14, 2020 By Jim Storer

Gifts they’ll actually want. (We know because they said so!)

Self-care was the theme for CMAD 2020 and we had no idea how much we’d actually need it (2020, amirite?). During Connect, we dove head-first into self-care again with the Wellness track, which included: journaling prompts from the amazing Tara King, yoga from the incredible Linh Le, a “Mental Health for Community Managers” roundtable from the one and only Peter Broadley, and a soul-searching session that helped us unlock our inner superpowers by the quiet-but-mighty Laura Portalupi.

With everything *gestures wildly* that happened in 2020, we thought this year’s gift guide should be a mix of business and pleasure, wellness and fun, naughty and nice. This post isn’t sponsored and it doesn’t have affiliate links, we just really, really like them and know you will, too. When you can, shop small this year. When you shop small, you support a person, a family, and a community.

For the person who loves to-do lists, post-it notes, and checklists:

The Productivity Planner takes advantage of the Pomodoro Technique (beloved by TheCR team member Emma!) empowering you to focus your mental energy on the most meaningful tasks ahead. So, you can take advantage of every moment of every day. Get it here.

Image source: Intelligent Change (intelligentchange.com)

Notes for the Daily Struggle will keep you company on the Mondayest of Mondays. “If all else fails, scream into the void” is a sticky note message we can get behind. Use these sticky notes to help you get through the day or as a cry for help. Whatever helps you get through the day! Get it here.

Image source: Emily McDowell (emilymcdowell.com)

For the person who loves a good snack attack:

Universal Yums gift boxes. Try unique snacks from around the world. Sweet, salty, savory, and sometimes downright weird, your tastebuds will go on an around-the-world-trip even if you’re stuck at home. Choose your own adventure on their website.

Image source: Universal Yums (universalyums.com)

Ollipop – the soda alternative that’s sneakily good-for-your-gut prebiotics. I discovered this soda in California and I’ve been hooked ever since. I don’t know if this defeats the purpose or not, but I’ve been known to use the Orange Squeeze and Vintage Cola as a mixer for an *adult* beverage. Get it here.

Image source: Olipop (olipop.com)

For the person who could use some help unwinding after a long day/week/year. 😂

We love new workout gear as motivation to move. Yoga With Adriene has hundreds of free yoga videos. Use the money you’d save on classes to upgrade your mat and equipment (and then maybe make a donation to your favorite nonprofit!). Get it here.

Image source: Gaiam (gaiam.com)

If your hips are tight from sitting at a desk all day, this meditation pouf provides enough lift and stability so you can bring your awareness to something other than how uncomfortable you are during meditation. Get it here.

Image source: Brentwood Home (brentwoodhome.com)

We hope these gift ideas inspire you to give a unique gift to your favorite community manager this year. Have a small business or special gift you think our community managers would love? Share it in the comments!

Happy holidays from all of us at The Community Roundtable!

Managing Job-Related Stress: Meditation

February 10, 2020 By Jim Storer

Managing job-related stress is important for everyone, but for community managers, in particular, it is especially critical. 50% of community professionals report feeling burnt out by their jobs.

If burn-out rates are high, how can you make sure to take care of yourself?

We asked for advice from 25 community leaders for practicing meaningful self-care. You can find all their advice, and data about community management roles that may surprise you, taken from our Community Careers and Compensation 2020 report. You can download the full ebook here.

Here are tips from two community leaders: Elizabeth Uva and Lisa Tallman.

Name: Elizabeth Uva
Title: Community Manager
Years in Community: Four
Favorite Self-Care Tactic:“Walking my dog, practicing yoga, and cooking!
I love to unwind by sharing content and connecting with other people in my food blog community, Vivi e impara, which means live and learn.”
Advice for Managing Job-Related Stress: “Taking deep breaths, thinking before responding, and giving myself space if necessary.”

Name:Lisa Tallman
Title: Senior Director, Knowledge Management
Years in Community: 15+
Favorite Self-Care Tactic:I practice meditation on a daily basis.
The Calm app has been my go-to for a number of months now. I also go to a massage therapist regularly as well. Lastly, I’d say travel is my most favorite self-care tactic. I love to go to new places and experience new things (and get away from the daily grind). I make sure that my travel plans include downtime, like beach time in California or a great wellness spa in New Mexico.”
Advice for Managing Job-Related Stress: “The most important thing for me to remember is that work is not a life-and-death matter and it will all still be there to tackle tomorrow.
Work is important, but my health, happiness, and sanity are more important!”

Want even more ideas for practicing self-care?

Download our free ebook with advice from 25 community leaders.

Self-Care Tips for Community Managers

February 3, 2020 By Jim Storer

Self-care is especially important for community managers because they’re often carrying the emotional load for multiple worlds – your work world with a community and colleagues, and your personal life with family, friends, and everything in between. With all of the empathy, strategy, and tactical execution required around the clock, it’s no wonder community managers feel burned out. Let’s talk about what self-care is and what self-care isn’t.

Self-care is whatever recharges your physical, mental, and spiritual battery.

Self-care isn’t all bubble baths, rosé, and spa visits. Self-care isn’t prescriptive – what works for someone may not work for you. It’s important to know yourself and understand your unique needs (without judgment – there’s enough of that in the world already).

When we asked the community for their self-care tips, we noticed some themes and we want to pass them on to you so you can get to the good stuff – taking care of your most important asset: you.

Physical Self-Care

Many of TheCR Network members identified movement as a key piece of their self-care routine. Yoga, running, and long walks were the most frequently mentioned and it’s easy to see why – they can be done anywhere, any time, with minimal equipment. Yoga is my go-to for physical self-care, especially during the cold Kansas City winters. I love Yoga With Adriene. Her videos are FREE (my favorite price point), challenging (in a good way), and they vary in length. I don’t always have time for a 90-minute class. Rather than skipping yoga altogether I can sneak in a 25-minute class in the comfort of my living room. No chanting required.

Mental Self-Care

Community is key – even for community managers. As the folks behind TheCR Network, we’re more than a little biased in thinking that our community is great, but it was nice to get some outside validation from our members who said that having a place they could go to for advice, mentorship, and an occasional vent session is priceless. You can’t put a price on feeling seen and being understood, but if you could, it would probably look like TheCR Network membership. I’m a lurker in TheCR Network – I don’t participate much, but I regularly check in to see what’s going on – and I’m always floored by how generous our members are with their time, expertise, and guidance. All the heart emojis for our members.

Spiritual Self-Care

Is owning a pet a spiritual experience? I say “YES” because I have three sweet fur babies at home and I’m pretty sure they’re angels, which automatically puts them in the spiritual realm for me. Jokes aside, lots of our members said that spending time with their four-legged friend is one of the most soothing things on the planet. Meditation was a close second and it’s hard to argue with all of its scientifically-proven benefits. When I’m not at The Community Roundtable, I teach meditation and love helping folks take a breather. Feel free to reach out with any questions about meditation.

How Do I Start Practicing Self-Care?

Just start! Pack a nutritious lunch for yourself, take a walk during your lunch break, cuddle your pet, find a quiet corner and meditate for 8 minutes. Pro tip: aspiring teachers are always looking to practice teaching in front of people. Reach out to a local yoga or meditation studio and see if any of their teacher training graduates or trainees are interested in using your organization as a guinea pig. They’ll often do the first session for a reduced (or free) rate.

I hope this gave you some ideas. Share your favorite self-care tip in the comments section or drop me a note. Until next time, see you in TheCR Network!

CMGR-SelfCare-eBook-FinalDownload
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