Intro to Community-Driven Consulting

As part of the launch this week of The Pollyanna Principles, we hosted a 90 minute teleclass, Introduction to Community-Driven Consulting.

The class touched on a range of questions, including these:

• What is Community-Driven Consulting and how is it different from the consulting I’m doing now?
• Will I have to learn all new consulting tools / approaches?
• How is the consultant / client relationship different?
• In these fearful times, how do you convince a group to take a community-driven approach?  Is this even realistic?

Dimitri and I were joined by Community-Driven Institute advisers Rick Carter and Elizabeth Sadlon for that conversation. Next week we will have the recording of the event streaming at our site.

For now, though, we wanted to at least share a bit of the conversation.  As the four of us were energetically covering all sorts of topics, the ever brilliant and ever capable Nick Perona was live-tweeting the event!

And so, below you will find not only Nick’s live-tweeted comments, but the comments of others – some of whom were on the call, and some of whom wished they had been there!  Enjoy this glimpse into both the call and the amazing world of Twitter.  And we’ll let you know when the recording is streaming at our site next week! (March 31 note: the full 75 minute recording can be heard here – scroll to the bottom of the page)

#CDConsult

	communitydriven: “Intro to Community Driven Consulting” has begun! http://is.gd/o2VV
	romioliverio: On the “Intro to Community-Driven Consulting” teleclass. Live tweeting follow @communitydriven or @HildyGottlieb)
	communitydriven: Great initial discussion about creating visionary change and ends v. means. What would you cmnty look like if you are successful?
	communitydriven: @HildyGottlieb says Community members care little about the internal effectiveness of orgs. they care about their communities
	romioliverio: “Orgs need to lift their heads up and look around.” Working in island-mode whilst wearing blinders isn’t conducive to thriving.
	communitydriven: Communities need an environment where they can engage the cmnty and each other, engagement is PRACTICE
	communitydriven: Cooperation vs. competition! Current systems teach competition, then complain when orgs. compete
	romioliverio: Engagement makes it “all us.” The mission is what you do: the vision is what you can DO as a community.
	communitydriven: Changing work means changing focus… community success = organizational success
	communitydriven: It’s not about exchanging one consulting “tool” for another. It’s about changing how we think.
	romioliverio: RT @communitydriven It’s not about exchanging one consulting “tool” for another. It’s about changing how we think.
	communitydriven: Forward thinking is number one. Look up from short term work and focus on the future
	communitydriven: Fear is a main cause of short term focus. A network of support is helpful in visualizing the future
	romioliverio: IMO, bleak and challenging times (as now) often provide a reset button for organizations to recalibrate their modus operandi.
	communitydriven: How do people react to a feeling of scarcity vs. a feeling of strength and support?
	communitydriven: Fear and scarcity breeds pessimism, strength and support = just the opposite
	romioliverio: instead of examining org’s weaknesses – ask ‘what are the strenghts of our community and how can our org contribute to these’
	communitydriven: Creating visionary community change can’t be accomplished alone! Find others who share your vision!
	romioliverio: Finding others who share your vision is mandatory. Leverage strenghts and passions of other orgs to accomplish change.
	romioliverio: Funny how if you ask the right questions, the answers will somehow fall into place. 🙂
	communitydriven: Problem: Orgs quantifying comm. change using benchmarks fall victim to scarcity model. Aim for complete success!
	communitydriven: Orgs. are not simply “government service providers”, orgs. exist to create community change.
	romioliverio: Don’t aim to solve the problem only. Aim to work backwards from a vision of a vibrant and resilient community. Bigger picture!
	communitydriven:Rather, the short term ought to be viewed as a continuous path to the future we want to create
	communitydriven: How does this change the consultant – client relationship? Consultant is no longer a “service provider”
	IrasciblyYours: #nonprofit Fantastic dialogue going on at #CDConsult. If you’re not reading it, you should be! Xtremely valuable 140 char tweets.
	communitydriven: Consultant is, instead, a trusted partner to client as they work towards creating community change
	romioliverio: Shift organizational mindset from the all-too-common ‘what will this cost us?’ to ‘what impact will we be able to create?’
	communitydriven: Getting some GREAT ?s from participants. Whatever we don’t get to in the class will be answered at @HildyGottlieb ‘s blog.
	WisdomKeepers: RT: @IrasciblyYours: #nonprofit Great dialogue going on at #CDConsult. If ur not following, u should be! Xtremely valuable 140 char tweets
	communitydriven: We can accomplish what we hold ourselves accountable for
	romioliverio: @WisdomKeepers are you on the call? I am. Fabulous stuff!
	communitydriven: How do you measure success? What outcomes are you looking to create?
	communitydriven: Consultant – client relationships are lasting and strong when you offer more than just the “widget”
	communitydriven: A board of directors is there not because they like balance sheets
	communitydriven: The board is there because want to change the world. Build excitement for change while focusing governance.
	romioliverio: Consultants and organizations should work in tandem, not as separate entities. Bring down the walls and extend trust.
	communitydriven: If you want a client to focus on collaboration and outcomes, shouldn’t you walk your talk as well?
	communitydriven:Why are we focusing on consultants first instead of boards and orgs?
	communitydriven: We share our vision with an army of consultants to bring visionary change to sector as a whole, instead of one org at a time
	communitydriven: As an independent consultant, it’s important to have ongoing relationships with others in your field
	mbopartners: RT @communitydriven: As an independent consultant, it’s important to have ongoing relationships with others in your field
	communitydriven: Hildy’s famous faith analogy: Faith is not about a one time set of commandments for governing
	romioliverio: Scale of the community work that needs to be done now is unprecedented. Consultants need to be fully supported within the sector
	communitydriven: Faith is about regular practice: weekly church, meditation, etc. Same idea applies to creating visionary change for this sector
	communitydriven:Creating visionary change is about regular practice and reaffirming. Remember, you’re not alone in this effort!
	communitydriven: What “yeah but” or “Aha!” questions/comments do you have? teleclass@communitydriven.org
	communitydriven: That’s an email address, btw!
	communitydriven: This process flexible and moldable, it is not a rigid series of rules and tricks
	communitydriven:When engaging a client, think of important questions you can ask about community potential
	romioliverio: Start thinking in terms of potential, not only in terms of the tools you have.
	communitydriven:Thanks to all who followed and participated! Please continue to follow us here, at Hildy’s blog, and at communitydriven.org
	communitydriven: We’re looking forward to working together with all of you to create an awesome future. Stay in touch!
	HildyGottlieb: Thx to everyone in ‘Intro To Community Driven Consulting’ call. Pls add ur thoughts here #CDConsult (HUGE “LiveTweet” Thx to @rawr_Nickzilla !)
	HildyGottlieb: Just read live tweet transcript of this morning’s Community-Driven Consulting #CDConsult. WOW we covered a lot! Pls read & add ur thoughts.