Define your community values

"What makes a great community? Great communities are aligned around value and values. Value - members get some utility that helps them solve a core problem. Values - members build their identity around common mission or interest and bond w/ others who share it" -Erik Torenberg

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The best communities evoke a feeling of shared emotion or belief within their members. Members resonate with each other when they care for the same values, live by them and make it their identity.

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Take for example, On Deck. Here are the shared values we live by as part of the On Deck community:

• On Deck is bigger than any one person. We're all driven by a spirit of service to others.
• Everything is off the record and we respect each other's privacy.
• Have a spirit of curiosity and gratitude.
• Be inclusive, stick together and respect one another.

"Connection is not an abstract intellectual exercise, but an experience that orients us to the values that provide us direction." - Farnam Street

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When thinking about values, it is important to understand what behavioural traits or characteristics will help the community members be themselves and help each other bring out the best versions of themselves.

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"Community values aren't fluffy. They're the key to scaling community. Because they teach others the formula for recreating your community's magic." -David Spinks

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