The Community Roundtable

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

The Community Roundtable’s 2018 Research Agenda

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Research has always set The Community Roundtable apart.

We’ve always believed that to get the attention and support of stakeholders for the strategic role of community management, we needed to invest in research. Our research is also a key shared value with our members, clients, and our broader community. Collaborating together, we have taken a niche discipline that was seen as an implicit art in 2009 to a structured, repeatable set of approaches that can be taught, followed, quantified, and communicated easily.

What this means for us, is that our research agenda needs to pivot. We no longer need to understand and document how to build a successful community program – we know that. Instead, the challenges we face are more about navigating current organizational environments, out-dated thinking, and market shifts.

It is now critical to translate what we know about community management and its effectiveness at addressing strategic opportunities to a broader audience. Executives have been slow to see and invest in community management skills. Because it is one of the key enablers to digital transformation, this lack of investment is keeping many organizations from fulfilling its potential.

TheCR’s 2018 Research Priorities

While our conversations with TheCR Network members have always informed and contributed to our research and, in turn, that has always informed the topics we discuss in TheCR Network and the content we publish, we have not made those themes explicit. This year is the first year we are publishing a research agenda.

This agenda is structured around four themes we are championing in 2018 and include:

  • Communities Get Down to Business
  • Communities As Change Agents
  • Community Roles Evolve
  • Strategic Measurement of Communities

These topics will be explored through programming in TheCR Network, virtual training workshops, research, and advisory work.

Interested in these discussions? Join our Facebook group for free or sign-up for our monthly newsletter to follow along.

 

 

Community Engagement Resource Bundle

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If I had a nickel for everytime someone said, “Really, I didn’t know you could find THAT in TheCR Network!” I’d have a really big pile of nickels. So, in an attempt to peek behind the proverbial curtain I wanted to share a look at one of the most used parts of the Network – our resource bundles.

We’ve been working with community leaders from global organizations for almost ten years. As a result, we’ve compiled the industry’s largest and most respected library of community content. Of course, you can google any question you have, but how do you know you’re getting the best answer? (Spoiler alert: you don’t know.)

Enter TheCR Network Resource Bundles. 

Our team has compiled a living library spanning 13 of our most frequently cited challenges, including crisis management, launching a new community and gamification. Each Resource Bundle includes reports, case studies, discussions threads, blog posts, research, models and real-world examples of successful plans.

And every resource bundle is available for free to all members of TheCR Network. 

Below is an overview of what members can find in the Engagement Resource Bundle – this particular one includes resources on different forms of engagement, how to better engage, as well as definitions of engagement for different communities.

ROUNDTABLE REPORTS

DISCUSSIONS

CASE STUDIES

BLOGS

OTHER THECR RESOURCES

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • Redacted
  • Redacted
  • Redacted

This section includes books, blogs, example engagement playbooks and templates for members to use tactically. The Network team told me this was top secret, member’s only stuff!

Each resource bundle is a living library, with the content constantly being updated by our community team to ensure our members have access to the most current and valuable information available.

If you’re interested in access to the Engagement Resource Bundle, or any the other 12 resource bundles currently available you can join TheCR Network, or drop us a line. We’re always happy to chat with community professionals!

TheCR Network Year In Review 2017 Infographic

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It’s the most wonderful time of year. 

The candles, and the lights and the festive drinks and tasty food. And celebrating your traditions with loved ones. That is all very wonderful.

Also pretty wonderful? Getting to look back at the amazing year we had inside TheCR Network. Our members are incredibly engaged (no outdated 90-9-1 rule here!) and have collaborated on some pretty cool projects this year.

I’m excited to share our annual Year in Review infographic for 2017. I couldn’t be happier to be heading into 2018 with the dedicated community leaders in TheCR Network.

TheCRnetwork YearEnd Infographic 2017

 

Want to leverage the resources, tools and experts in TheCR Network in the new year? Join now!

Graduation, or Three Things I Learned as a TheCR Fellow

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Note from Hillary: I’m thrilled to share this guest blog post from one of our current community management fellows who is wrapping up her training time as a TheCR Fellow and looking for a new community management role. 

thecr fellow

Rachael Silvano, TheCR Fellow 2017

On my first day as a TheCR Fellow, the team asked me to take a quiz to determine my Holy Grail character (King Arthur for those interested). This quickly led to nine months of learning, training, and exploring every nook of community management, with some fantastic thought leaders at the helm. For those of you unfamiliar with TheCR Fellowship program, it’s a one-year contract designed to intertwine real-world experience with a training environment. For me, that meant working on dashboards, reading the last four years of The State of Community Management Research, and making connections in TheCR Network where I helped manage the day-to-day workings of the community.

With my year coming to a close, I’m walking away with a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunities I’ve had at TheCR, as well as excitement over what my next role could be. I’d love to continue honing the skills I’ve established in building dashboards, collecting and analyzing community metrics, and training (if you have a position that fits those descriptions, feel free to drop me a line!).

Below are just a handful of some of the most important takeaways I’ve learned from all the teachers I’ve had at The Community Roundtable:

1.) Community (and Community Management) Is Not Linear

Working in community means being agile, flexible, and comfortable with the unknown. Maybe you start building out an engagement program and end up reviewing your governance in the process. Or perhaps you begin exploring a metric and you wind up waist-deep in your analytics dashboard finding new reports you didn’t know existed. By approaching your work with a loose grip, you can be ready to take on rewarding (if unexpected) challenges.

2.) More Data Does Not Equal Better Data

Much of my work with TheCR was focused on wrangling TheCR Network data. As such, “more =/= better” quickly became my golden rule. Putting your community maturity narrative first, and then telling that story with data is a valuable lesson for community newbies and veteran pros alike. Saying that your “likes” have gone up 120% doesn’t speak to the dynamic complexity of your community’s journey – detailing who is liking, why, and in what context gives a better (and more important) picture.

thecr fellow

3.) Always Be You

There is something to be said about the virtues of being cookie cutter, but the biggest I took away from my time at TheCR is that the things that make you unique are not only important but vital.  I’ve learned to not only be authentic but to craft my authenticity with intention. Chances are if you read an email from me, it had something about video games, robots, or my cat, Walter- which is all thanks to TheCR letting me be me.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from amazing community practitioners and I’m excited to move onto my next career adventure. You can connect with me on Linkedin.

TheCR’s Community Platform Requirements Library & Vendor Comparison Tool

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Vendor Comparison

Do you need to evaluate community platforms?
Are you being asked to justify your existing platform?
Are you looking at platform gaps but are not sure you are thinking of everything?

The Community Roundtable has collaborated with our members to develop two new tools to support this work:

  1. The Community Platform Requirements Library
  2. Community Platform Vendor Comparison Tool

The Community Platform Requirements Library

The requirements library is everything you might want to include in an evaluation – and probably a lot more, categorized by primary and secondary themes and, when applicable, the behaviors they support as defined in TheCR’s Community Engagement Framework.  While many IT groups treat community functionality as one big feature, community managers know better. This tool, which includes over 400 features, helps IT and other stakeholders understand the complexity of a robust community platform.

Vendor Comparison
Community Platform Vendor Comparison Tool

This tool is a high-level comparison tool. It allows the assessment to be weighted by primary and secondary requirements categories (which align with the requirements library), depending on the specific priorities of the organization. This is a great tool to use with stakeholders to help them understand how different vendors address needs.

A note of thanks: This tool was developed by TheCR team with a lot of input from our members – in particular, a set that participated in a requirements workshop at TheCR Connect. Collaboration like this is at the heart of what makes TheCR Network so valuable.

Would you like access to this and other tools that save you time and make you work smarter?

TheCR Network FAQs, or Why Should I join TheCR Network?

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I field a ton of questions about TheCR Network, and while it’s easy to point people to our awesome descriptions on the site, there is a certain je ne sais quoi that is lost in a link. I sat down over the weekend and wrote up five things that make TheCR Network an unparalleled community management resource. I hope this list answers some questions you might have had.

If you have a question I didn’t answer – ask me! Seriously, tweet at me, email me or drop us a line!

1. What are Roundtable calls and how do they work?

TheCR Network

Each Roundtable call is assigned to one competency of the Community Maturity Model.

Roundtable calls are at the heart of TheCR Network. Calls are scheduled about once a week on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday at various times to account the diverse locations and time zones of our members.

They are live video conference calls with community peers on topics pertaining to the various elements of community management and social business. Calls take various forms including case studies, working groups, peer reviews, and interactive expert presentations.

Members tell us all the time that these calls are as valuable as you make them. The more you invest your time and expertise, the more you’ll get out of the experience. We encourage our members to show up with questions and to bring their stories and experiences to the table to learn and grow your career and skill set.

We keep the vibe as fun and casual as possible while maintaining a high integrity of quality of information.

Note for Members: You can find all upcoming roundtable calls on the Events page inside the Network and we encourage you to RSVP and upate your RSVPs according to your availability. We spend time prepping the call to meet the needs of participants and it’s helpful to know who is coming.

2. I want to learn more about community analytics (or gamification, or internal adoption strategy or content management). Why is TheCR Network the best way best way to approach my interests?

If you are looking research a specific topic we have a treasure trove of high-quality resources inside TheCR Network for you. One of our goals is to help manage the firehose of information our members face on the internet. Our resources are highly-vetted, research-backed and proven to be successful.

There are literally hundreds of reports and case studies in TheCR Network Library.

Members have access to all our research, articles, and reports curated by topic tags as benefit of membership. And our special interest cohorts and working groups help members dig deep into specific topics in a collaborative way.

Another way to learn is to start a discussion around the topic you are interested in learning about. If enough members are interested in the topic we help shape the conversation into a Roundtable call. Or if there is a specific author, industry expert, or topic you would like to see on the programming calendar just give us a shout! Many of our calls are sourced directly from our members’ interests, challenges, and requests.

Note for Members: You can use the Library in the main Roundtable group to browse reports from the past 10 years of Roundtable calls with industry experts and experienced peers.

3. Where does community happen at TheCR Network? TheCR Network

TheCR Network’s member site is our home base. It’s where our member-only information and content lives. But the network’s best value is in its relationships and your peers live in a wider world than our network home site!

We also use Slack for more real-time conversations, and our weekly Happy Hour chats are wonderful places to make casual connections with other members, but we encourage you to take the next step. If there was a member you met on a roundtable call or in a Happy Hour chat go check out their profile, follow them on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn and continue the conversation.

And since nothing beats in-person connections we host our annual member conference- TheCR Connect every Fall in Boston.

Note for Members: Use the member directory to identify members you want to connect with and either reach out on your own or request an introduction. We do it all the time and are always happy to coordinate a meeting amongst members. Want help? Let me know who you want to connect with and I’ll make the intro!

4. Where can research, reports, & other resources help my work?

Even though it can sometimes feel like it, you are not the first person facing community management challenges. Our members have designed community surveys, built community playbooks, organized social media training programs for employees, and run community maturity gap analyses. That’s the beauty of the network – it’s full of people like you.

The resources in TheCR Network make it so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Lean on the Network and work out loud. You might be surprised at how much more efficient you can be!

And don’t forget to share your work, too. The resources mentioned above are all here for you because other members graciously made their efforts and expertise available for the rest of the network.

Note for Members: Have something you want to share? We have an easy case study template to help you share your community story back with your peers. Get in touch and we can help make it happen. 

5. What is Working Out Loud and how can it help me?

It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of the work out loud concept. We believe working out loud helps you define and articulate your goals, identify challenges and find support in an organic and productive way. Every week we encourage our members to work out loud by sharing their top priorities for the week and asking the Network great questions to help them solve problems. Working out loud enables member-to-member support and collaboration and helps us connect members with resources they need to succeed.

Note for Members: Work out loud with us here. 

I hope this gives you a better idea of the magic that is happening every day inside TheCR Network. I’d love to chat and answer any specific questions you have. I hope I see you inside the Network soon!

What are you waiting for – join TheCR Network now!  

Announcing the Winners of TheCR Awards 2017

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Last week I had the honor of announcing the winners of TheCR Awards 2017. TheCR Awards recognize excellence in community management across four categories including, Outstanding ROI, Best Community Design Element, Winning Welcome Wagon, and Best Recognition & Reward Program. Members of TheCR Network –the world’s premier resource for community professionals – were recognized in five categories. One additional award, Community MVP was awarded based on peer nominations.

Every day I get to see the amazing community our global network of community professionals is doing. Today, I’m thrilled to share the winner of TheCR Awards 2017 with you.

 

TheCR Awards 2017 winners are:

TheCR Network Detective: Cassandra Chin, Impact Analytics Operations & Community Specialist, City Year

“TheCR Network Detective” awards the member who helps source group knowledge and expertise by regularly asking thoughtful and meaningful questions in TheCR Network.

Cassandra Chin drives valuable discussions and resources inside TheCR Network by asking valuable and thoughtful questions weekly. Her inquisitive nature encourages participation and supports others work.

TheCR Network Journaler: Patty McEnaney, Director of Knowledge Management & Social, Envestnet Asset Management 

“TheCR Network Journaler” awards the member who works out loud the most regularly and with the most depth.

Patty McEnaney is an active member of TheCR Network who regularly shares back her work with members of the Network, providing support, behavior-modeling and guidance to her peers. Patty’s commitment to working out loud has made a lasting impact in the Network. 

TheCR Network Explorer: Heather Ausmus, Director of Community, Ciena 

“TheCR Network Explorer” awards the member who charts new territory in the community management industry. They take best practices, research, and community models to experiment and advance the industry.

Heather Ausmus uses TheCR’s models, including the Community Maturity Model and the ROI model, to build and adapt her community programs, providing actionable examples for other members.

TheCR Network Pack Leader: Ted Hopton, Director of Social Business, McGraw-Hill Education 

“TheCR Network Pack Leader” awards the member who consistently leads the most discussions, online, in-person, and on virtual calls, and shows leadership around a topic or initiative in TheCR Network.

Ted Hopton is a leader in TheCR Network around a variety of topics, and is being specifically recognized this year for his outstanding work planning, managing and ensuring the success of the Enterprise Platform Review Working Group.

TheCR Network Power User: Lori Harrison-Smith, Enterprise Community Manager, Steelcase

“TheCR Network Power User” awards the most active member in TheCR Network who contributes on a regular basis in a wide variety of ways, from sharing their expertise to supporting and encouraging other members.

Lori Harrison-Smith is an active member in TheCR Network, contributing and collaborating in a wide variety of programs. Her participation supports the success of countless members, and makes TheCR Network a more valuable resource for many community professionals.

Outstanding Community ROI: Carbon Black

 The “Outstanding Community ROI” award recognizes the community that best demonstrates significant ROI for their organization/business unit through innovative community management practices. Carbon Black’s community-based social support provides outstanding ROI for their organization.

 

 

Winning Welcome Wagon: Autodesk

The “Winning Welcome Wagon” award recognizes a new member welcome/onboarding program that increases participation, encourages enthusiasm and incorporates innovative community management ideas. Autodesk provides necessary information to new members following their registration in the community via a series of three concise, visually-appealing, informative and marketing-free welcome emails.

 

 

Best Community Design Element: American Express

The “Best Community Design Element” award recognizes a community program that shows the most impressive and engaging UI or design element. These submissions should show how the element encourages participation, increases engagement and/or contributes to overall community success. American Express’s mobile-responsive community homepage provides their employees with the information they need at their fingertips, connecting them with their colleagues around the world, and enabling them to access the tool on any device, wherever their day may take them.

Best Recognition + Reward Program: Electronic Arts

The “Best Recognition + Reward Program” award recognizes outstanding community recognition, reward, and gamification programs that increase engagement, drive participation and contribute to the overall positive health of your community. Electronic Arts hosts a gaming network that is home to millions of players, with Answers HQ right in the middle. Answers HQ allows players to be recognized for their efforts by turning community participation into a game. Each action a user takes in the community is validated through a variety of recognition rewards.

Community MVP: Jerry Janda, Manager, Community Communications, SAP

The “Community MVP” award recognizes excellence in community management – including outstanding efforts, willingness to share with peers, achievements and excellent community results. Although Jerry has only been with the SAP team for a year, he has quickly gained acceptance from even their most vocal critics. Their respect for him is evident in their responses to him, where they thank him for his swift, informative replies and show appreciation for his sense of humor!

His contributions include:

  • A steady stream of blog posts and conversations written to engage and educate community members.
  • A sense of humor that can turn negative feedback into a fun conversation which leads to positive change.
  • “Member of the Month” profiles that earn high praise from the community, helping to build morale and improve overall sentiment.

Ensuring Consistent Brand Voice through Community Governance

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When we talk about the eight competencies of the Community Maturity Model people tend to get really excited about the work they do for culture, or content and programming. There are even those among us (Jillian, I’m looking at you!) that get super fired up about metrics and measurement. Policies and governance tends to get overlooked, which is crazy since our research shows that paying attention to the policies in place in your community has a big impact.

This case study from Aetna illustrates how having a comprehensive governance strategy for your community can ensure a consistent brand voice. You’ll learn how Aetna uses a community playbook, comprehensive social media training, and regular social media audits to achieve their community governance goals.

Download the free case study now. 

Are you our next community management fellow?

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I am thrilled to announce that we are hiring a new community management fellow for TheCR Network. “What?!” you’re saying, “But you just hired, not one, but two back in January!” Well, dear reader, you’re right, and spoiler alert: they were so awesome they have both moving onto full-time roles on TheCR team (yay!) While onboarding, training and mentoring our new fellows each year is a lot (A LOT!) of work, I am always delighted when they find their true spot on our team.

So, now we’re on the hunt for another aspiring community professional to join TheCR team and learn by doing, right alongside our community managers. Our fellows are always neck-deep in the Network from day-one, so it truly is an unparalleled learning experience. Our fellows do everything from planning and eventually running programming, drafting content, managing working groups, diving into metrics and analytics and yes, some of the ho-hum admin stuff that goes with any community management job.

You might think I’m overselling it, so let’s hear from two of our most recent fellows who are still on the team at TheCR (nb: did you know I was our first fellow, all the way back in 2011? It’s true!)

“The fellowship program is an incubator of knowledge – you are given space to test and explore, in a real time environment, with the support of experienced mentors who want to see you succeed.” – Rachael Silvano, TheCR Fellow 2017

 

“It was great to learn more about community and community practitioners while actually being one myself. You do valuable work and get a lot of experiences that internships and fellowships don’t usually offer.”

– Kelly Schott, TheCR Fellow 2017

 

Our application for TheCR Fellowship role is now open! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Why Attend TheCR Connect? Attendees Share Their Stories.

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It’s easy for me to tell you how special TheCR Connect is, but you already know I’m biased, right? So, don’t take it from me, or Rachel or Hillary. Take it from past attendees from the event. I’m excited to share five perspectives on TheCR Connect from past attendees!

Check out the video below and hear why community practitioners think TheCR Connect is a community event worth attending.

TheCR Connect 2017 is October 2-3, 2017 in Boston, MA at the Revere Hotel.

The event kicks off at 10am on Monday morning (October 2) and concludes at 5:30pm on Tuesday evening (October 3). There is an optional welcome reception on Sunday night (October 1).

Your ticket to TheCR Connect 2017 includes a welcome party on Sunday night, lunch, snacks and a cocktail reception on Monday, and breakfast, lunch, and snacks on Tuesday.

Still have questions?

Check out more info online, or drop us a line.