But, let me try.Yesterday I spent time with some of the people in the incredible SharePoint Community. Before you stop reading … this is not a post about SharePoint.
This is a post about Community!
It’s about a few of the things that make for a great community. Ultimately a community is NOTHING without people. The people make it all possible. The people keep it going. And, the people are the ones that (when done right) get to shape, define and develop the community as they see fit.
How do you go about the points mentioned below?
- Will your community be around when you are gone (maybe not from this earth, but from the community itself)?
- Is your community self-governed?
- Is your community able to grow and adapt with the times?
I was involved in the early days when there really wasn’t much of a partner play. But, through the hard work, dedication and commitment from a lot of people the community continues to grow and to give back.
The SharePoint Fest Community
As I posted on Facebook yesterday I was stoked that David Wilhelm allowed me to drop in on the SPFest Seattle event. It was a great chance to catch up with some of the people that make the SharePoint Community great.
Some of them are listed below on the FB post and a few are shown in the picture block below too.
Is your community built to last?
The SharePoint Community is going on 20 years and … is still growing. Sure, it has changed. Much like the questions I posed above the community has adapted.
SharePoint as a product has continued to grow too. The Father of SharePoint, Jeff Teper, is still actively involved in the effort as are quite a few industry partners. Many of these partners have been there since the beginning. By itself SharePoint the product would have never made it this far.
It’s the Community that keeps it growing.
| Hot Topic – Need More SharePoint? |
Sign up for a local SharePoint Saturday
in your area here.
Either to attend … or better yet …
to give back what you have learned.
Together we are all part of the community.
Some of the smiling faces that keep me coming back for more include the following people, but there are so many more. Many of them work behind the scenes to keep the events running and to keep the community thriving.Many of them travel long distances and commit their own resources to share what they know. For that I thank them.
Enough about Me … How about you?
As mentioned … this is not a post about SharePoint. Rather it is a post about community. I continue to be really excited about the vibe and energy of the SharePoint Partner community. The SharePoint community is alive and well. How about yours?
What’s your Community Vibe?
What keeps your community growing?
What will your community be in 20 years?
Drop a comment here. I’m sure there will likely be a few smirks and snarks (at least in a few people’s minds), but please share your thoughts here. Good and bad in relation to communities, community development and community vibe.
Jeff is business advisor, mentor and community engagement expert. He has spent most of his career in the Enterprise Content Management industry. He brings over 20 years of Channel Sales, Partner Marketing and Alliance expertise to audiences around the world in speaking engagements and via his writing. He has worked for Microsoft, Kodak, and K2. Tweet him @jshuey or connect on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Google+ He is active in the Microsoft Partner Community and is the co-founder and President of the IAMCP Seattle chapter.
He is a contributing author to Entrepreneur, Elite Daily, Yahoo, US News and to the Personal Branding Blog
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