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5 Mistakes To Avoid If You Want Systemic Change
5 Mistakes To Avoid If You Want Systemic Change
This week, we'll build on the network approach by highlighting 5 ways you can kill momentum before your network gets off the ground...
There are many ways to build an impact network, things like:
Communities of practice
Directories or databases
Facilitated communities
Whether you're building a community or facilitating collaborative network building, you'll want to look out for the following.
Mistake #1:
Being the center of your network universe
Network builders usually have this infectious energy and collaborative spirit.
It's likely why you're drawn to network building in the first place.
But if everything revolves around you, what happens when you step away?
The entire system collapses.
To create lasting impact, you need to:
Empower others to take ownership
Build systems that don't rely on you
Design what's best for the long term
The most resilient networks thrive whether you're in the middle of them or not.
This is a mistake I'm currently living through with Good Fortune.
My impact network is strong and growing, but I'm constantly acting as the connective tissue, introducing people for partnerships, collaborations, etc.
To move away from this, I'm starting to test closed, curated working pods in April (starting with founders working towards systemic change).
If you're interested in joining, reply to this email and we can talk!
Mistake #2:
Monetizing too early
When your network is just finding its footing, it hasn't discovered its true value proposition yet.
People are still:
Building trust with each other
Learning how to navigate the network
Discovering what value they're actually getting
If you monetize before building genuine value, you risk coming off as inauthentic and break trust.
I'm really taking this to heart with Good Fortune, especially after polling the newsletter community on thoughts around sponsorships.
Although the majority of folks said they don't mind, there's a decent cohort that's not comfortable with sponsorships yet.
Honestly, I get it.
No one wants more ads, and I'm still experimenting with content and formatting until I find what works for me (and mostly, for you).
Mistake #3:
Growing too quickly
Most networks fail because they prioritize the wrong things.I'm in countless communities that are dormant because they either:Focus on growth instead of engagement, leaving the community to it's own devicesDon't have a clear audience so everyone's there for a different reasonWhen starting your impact network, you need to be super clear on:The specific problem you're solvingYour unique approach to solving itWho needs to be involvedThis is the exact approach I'm taking with my dear friend Angel as we build out these curated working pods.Clear problemsClear goalsClear rolesMore on this in the coming weeks...
Mistake #4:
Forcing a structure or platform
How many Slack communities are digital graveyards in your sidebar right now?(I just counted, I'm literally in 21 Slack workspaces, I probably check 3)Don't just create another Slack group because everyone else is doing it!Effective networks meet people where they already are.Sometimes the best "platform" isn't a platform at all, but a:Focused, facilitated discussionQuarterly in-person gatheringSimple open spreadsheet* Quick disclaimer here: this isn't to say all Slack channels are bad.In fact, I highly recommend the Humans For Good Slack, it's one of the few that is doing engagement right in my opinion.
Mistake #5: Measuring the wrong things
Member counts and event attendance might look impressive on paper, but they don't capture real impact.What really drives change:Problems solved because the right people found each otherCollaborations through trusted network connectionsRelationships that lead to tangible impactStories that inspire actionThese outcomes will sustain your network far more than vanity metrics ever could.
This week, we'll build on the network approach by highlighting 5 ways you can kill momentum before your network gets off the ground...
There are many ways to build an impact network, things like:
Communities of practice
Directories or databases
Facilitated communities
Whether you're building a community or facilitating collaborative network building, you'll want to look out for the following.
Mistake #1:
Being the center of your network universe
Network builders usually have this infectious energy and collaborative spirit.
It's likely why you're drawn to network building in the first place.
But if everything revolves around you, what happens when you step away?
The entire system collapses.
To create lasting impact, you need to:
Empower others to take ownership
Build systems that don't rely on you
Design what's best for the long term
The most resilient networks thrive whether you're in the middle of them or not.
This is a mistake I'm currently living through with Good Fortune.
My impact network is strong and growing, but I'm constantly acting as the connective tissue, introducing people for partnerships, collaborations, etc.
To move away from this, I'm starting to test closed, curated working pods in April (starting with founders working towards systemic change).
If you're interested in joining, reply to this email and we can talk!
Mistake #2:
Monetizing too early
When your network is just finding its footing, it hasn't discovered its true value proposition yet.
People are still:
Building trust with each other
Learning how to navigate the network
Discovering what value they're actually getting
If you monetize before building genuine value, you risk coming off as inauthentic and break trust.
I'm really taking this to heart with Good Fortune, especially after polling the newsletter community on thoughts around sponsorships.
Although the majority of folks said they don't mind, there's a decent cohort that's not comfortable with sponsorships yet.
Honestly, I get it.
No one wants more ads, and I'm still experimenting with content and formatting until I find what works for me (and mostly, for you).
Mistake #3:
Growing too quickly
Most networks fail because they prioritize the wrong things.I'm in countless communities that are dormant because they either:Focus on growth instead of engagement, leaving the community to it's own devicesDon't have a clear audience so everyone's there for a different reasonWhen starting your impact network, you need to be super clear on:The specific problem you're solvingYour unique approach to solving itWho needs to be involvedThis is the exact approach I'm taking with my dear friend Angel as we build out these curated working pods.Clear problemsClear goalsClear rolesMore on this in the coming weeks...
Mistake #4:
Forcing a structure or platform
How many Slack communities are digital graveyards in your sidebar right now?(I just counted, I'm literally in 21 Slack workspaces, I probably check 3)Don't just create another Slack group because everyone else is doing it!Effective networks meet people where they already are.Sometimes the best "platform" isn't a platform at all, but a:Focused, facilitated discussionQuarterly in-person gatheringSimple open spreadsheet* Quick disclaimer here: this isn't to say all Slack channels are bad.In fact, I highly recommend the Humans For Good Slack, it's one of the few that is doing engagement right in my opinion.
Mistake #5: Measuring the wrong things
Member counts and event attendance might look impressive on paper, but they don't capture real impact.What really drives change:Problems solved because the right people found each otherCollaborations through trusted network connectionsRelationships that lead to tangible impactStories that inspire actionThese outcomes will sustain your network far more than vanity metrics ever could.
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200+
thinkers, builders, and investors
Get Field Notes straight to your inbox each week
200+
thinkers, builders, and investors
Get Field Notes straight to your inbox each week
200+
thinkers, builders, and investors
