Chapter 7
Sustaining the Momentum
Growing up I heard "if you have a store, manage it; if you can't, get someone else to." And that is exactly my take away from Chapter 7, that sustaining momentum when building a connected learning community takes time and effort. It is all about staying consistent and up to date with what is currently happening. Think of these online connections as in-person relationships and network, they require time and effort to become strong and continue to grow.
The reality of managing connected learning communities:
When mentioning that you have to take care of learning communities, many think it requires them more than 10 hours daily; which may scare away many people with the interest of building their online communities. The reality is that in order to be an effective community leader or member, it is not the quantity you spend, it is all about the quality. If we scale it, everyone gets the same 24 hours in a day, however what changes is the purpose, intentionality and effectiveness of individuals pouring it into something they are passionate about.
Chapter 7 focuses on not time, rather it takes the perspective on what to think about and how to maintain the momentum of the growth participants are getting within their online networks. The book emphasizes the importance of understanding the behind the scenes and how the process carries out. This approach equips readers with the understanding on how to approach the sustenance of the momentum while providing deeper insight on what entails to do so. If a community leader is able to sustain the momentum while keeping a stable foundation of the platform then they will see success.
Reaching Equilibrium
While many attribute equilibrium to economics or biology, I want to take this concept and apply it to connected learning communities. A state of equilibrium to me is understanding the foundation in which the platform was built upon and leveraging the appropriate tools to efficiently lead and oversee the community. As in the picture, learning communities need a middle-man to keep the foundation, but need others to keep the balance of the platform. Applying the reading to my personal experience and future, it means that in order to have effectiveness sometimes there may be a main focus in an area while keeping the other constant to ensure there is a balance and the platform remains intact.
I don't mean remove key pieces from a specific place to make sure the other side will go under, if anything it would be, understand the power in a community and allocate it accordingly. For example, in the picture we see two bigger rocks on the right and four smaller ones on the left. Apply this concept in a team and you will see that the areas that need reinforcement have the additional support, and the areas that are already strong, maintain it by ensuring that the weight they carry is not too much for them.
As a future brand manager, it is important for me to understand if anything needs to change and what areas just need improvement. In being able to do so it captures some of the content from the book and attributes it to what is working, what is not and how my team would react to that change. Change can be scary and may be faced with opposition, hesitation or for some it may be an indication of growth and will embrace it. Regardless, it takes the whole team to sit down and figure out the different moving pieces to ensure there is a common goal and that everyone is on the same page of the future. After implementation then you shift into management and adaptability, which ensures that if something was not executed properly, the team can pivot and change the course of a specific are if it is not working. Being able to maintain the equilibrium at the end of the day will be the utmost importance to ensure the momentum and growth is an organized and steady one that provides a sense of security in the midst of growth.
Now tell me: In the state of momentum, how do you manage yourself and others around you?
What is your go to practices to ensure you remain consistent?
Let me know in the comments!
Happy sustaining!
Genesis Ramos Piris
The Genny Diary | College Student Edition
Citations: Nussbaum-Beach, S. (2011). The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age. Solution Tree.
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