Communities thrive because of their contributors.

people only contribute to communities if they trust that their time and energy are going to be put to good use.

Over time as community members contribute, and are increasingly validated and rewarded for their work, they become increasingly more willing to increase their commitments to the community — whether time, effort, or resources.

Underpinning these positive behaviour cycles is trust.

People need to trust that…
Their contributions are going to be put to good use
The intentions behind the community are earnest
The community is capable of achieving and making progress on its goals
The people in the community share the same values as they do

Communities only become real when they achieve their first win.

Enthusiasm is not enough to keep a community alive.

Why this community? What do people want to achieve and how is the community going to help them do so?

By empowering those around you to have an influence on what matters and what is to be executed, you prove that the goals of the community matter.

Real trust is only formed when you put the interests of others over your own.

Why do really smart people fail to build communities?
Unrealistic expectations of the process required to build a community
Trying to copy what other existing communities are doing
People want to play house more than they care about creating value