Dear Bri: Community Strategy, Fiascos, and Drama

In this episode, we’re hearing from Toxic Member in Toronto. Our letter today deals with a toxic community member stirring up trouble to revolt against the community manager.To better help Toxic Member in Toronto, I invited Andrea Middleton **as my guest expert. She is a seasoned veteran of the community space who loves finding paths to productive and powerful collaborations with opinionated and skeptical communities, which is perfect for our letter today.So, tune in for a lot of wisdom from someone who’s dealt with a toxic community member or two and some really practical tools on what to do when your community turns against you.In this episode:(03:34) When Andrea fanned the flames without a gameplan(06:21) 3 strategies for conflict de-escalation in online communities(11:57) The communitea: Toxic Member in Toronto’s letter(15:08) How to protect yourself against toxic community members(17:49) Having a strong code of conduct in place and tips to get there(28:32) The diagnostic phase and possible plans of action(34:44) Fighting fire (conflict) with a vacuumExpect: Community management best practices and community strategy for conflict resolution.Resources Mentioned:❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.💛 Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.Noteworthy quotes:“You don't need to agree with someone to understand where they're coming from. But without understanding her goals and motivations, you're never going to be able to form a strategic plan for how to address her behavior.“ - Andrea Middleton“You don't need to arm yourself with all of these rigid guidelines and rules when really, as “the protector” of the community, your job is to bring forth the spirit of the community, not to just enforce the things people aren't supposed to do.“ - Bri LeeverAndrea MiddletonAndrea is a veteran community organizer who loves finding paths to productive and powerful collaborations with opinionated, skeptical communities. She spent 10 years working in community efforts in the WordPress open source project, and joined Reddit in 2021.🖥️ Website📱 LinkedinBri LeeverBri got her start building a community and growing it to a multi-million dollar revenue stream for a social enterprise in Portland, OR. Now, she supports folks used to running their business on content, coaching, and consulting to create their community offer. She's a Community Strategist by day and a Campervan host by night on the Big Island of Hawaii and you'll usually find her on, in, or under the water.🖥️ Website📩 Newsletter📹 Youtube📱 LinkedinHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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Ami Defesche, Community Director at Wildcard Alliance with a rich background in Intuit and Blackbaud, shares her expertise on managing critical community feedback. She dives into the emotional challenges faced by Discord community managers and offers practical strategies for handling negativity. Ami emphasizes the importance of clear mission statements and setting boundaries while encouraging self-care practices to aid community managers. Tune in to discover effective moderation techniques and how to transform criticism into constructive dialogue!

Noele Flowers, a community strategy consultant based in New York's Hudson Valley, dives into the intricacies of community platform selection. She discusses the chaos of online interactions, touching on the pros and cons of using Slack and Facebook versus all-in-one platforms like Heartbeat. With insights on intentional onboarding and the learning-to-connection ratio, Noele emphasizes the importance of choosing the right platform for genuine engagement and connection, offering a roadmap for effective community building.

Taylor Harrington, Head of Community at Groove, shares insights on avoiding burnout as a community leader. She emphasizes the importance of setting clear boundaries to protect your time and energy. The conversation touches on navigating tough decisions, managing community expectations, and releasing the need to be everything for everyone. Taylor also discusses practical strategies like the 'Yes, and/No, but' concept to help assert limits while still fostering meaningful connections. It's all about giving yourself grace and making smart choices!

Marie Schacht, CEO of Akimbo, discusses the evolving landscape of online communities, highlighting her pioneering work in cohort-based learning. She dives into the strengths of both cohort-based and membership models, emphasizing the need for adaptability. Marie shares her practical experiments to determine the future of online education and the importance of aligning community strategies with organizational values. Listeners gain insights into effective transitions, embracing experimentation, and fostering open communication within community structures.

In this discussion, Evan Hamilton, the Director of Community at HubSpot, shares over a decade of insights into community building. He emphasizes the importance of testing concepts before launching and highlights vital questions to address during the discovery phase. The magic of connection becomes a key topic, showcasing how it drives outcomes. Evan dives into monetization strategies and explains how to curate communities with the right members. He also offers tips on navigating the transition from free to paid models while maintaining engagement.

Explore the chaotic world of community management, where real creators share their confessions. Discover the pros and cons of building on Slack versus membership models. Uncover strategies to overcome burnout and turn your struggles into growth opportunities. Engage with expert advice on fostering active discussions and testing new ideas. Join in for a mix of support, practical marketing tactics, and heartfelt community gossip that makes you feel less alone in your journey!