As learning experience designers move into the realm of social and informal learning, there’s a lot to be learned. This interview with Christopher Pappas, who has run many learning communities, offers insights into what it takes to be a community manager.
COACH: How long have you been a community manager?
CHRIS: I’ve been an online community manager since 2007. I always wanted to connect, interact and share knowledge with professionals that had similar interests with me. For example, in 2007, I created the Moodlers group at Ning. The Moodlers community was an extremely popular online community for sharing best practices and “moodle knowledge.”
In May 2008, I created the Instructional Design and e-Learning Professionals’ Group at LinkedIn, which has 14K+ members all over the world.
Recently, I created the Freelance in Instructional Design and e-Learning Industry Group for professionals and organizations that are looking to hire instructional designers and eLearning professionals on a project or temporary basis.
COACH: What large organizations have their own managed internal communities?
CHRIS: Nowadays, companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinational corporations, have created internal communities. For example, several large organizations that have their own internal communities are Adobe, Yahoo, Oracle, Virtual Trip Group, eLearning Guild and eFront. See How to Launch an Online Community at Your Organization.
COACH: What are the typical job tasks of an online community manager?
CHRIS: In my opinion, the primary role is to build an online community of professionals that are involved in the same field, have the same interests, and work in the same industry. My typical job tasks as an online community manager at the Instructional Design and e-Learning Professionals’ group include:
- Helping instructional designers and (or) e-Learning professionals find a project or a temporary job
- Sharing industry knowledge via blog posts, tweets, etc.
- Being passionate about e-Learning community building
- Being proactive, enthusiastic, organized and detail-oriented
- Writing short-form content, editing, and communicating effectively with the e-Learning community members
COACH: What personal qualities are important for being an effective community manager?
CHRIS: My top 10 personal qualities that make an effective online community manager are:
- Passion about the industry
- Knowledge about the industry
- Willingness to share and learn from the community
- Strong communication skills
- Multitasking
- Dedication
- Sense of ownership
- Strong social skills
- Supportive attitude
- Flexibility
COACH: What are the rewards of managing an online community?
CHRIS: I am indeed a social person who loves to share knowledge, listen carefully, and learn (life long learner). Thus, my reward is the continuing every day communication and collaboration with professionals across the globe. My role as an online community manager has helped me to develop a global understanding of the eLearning industry, find new friends, new colleagues, and new partners.
COACH: What kinds of rules must a manager establish for an online community?
CHRIS: Excellent question! In order to make an online community effective, the community needs the following from its members:
- Be a real human being: Encourage members to sign up with their email address and real name. Limiting membership to real participants keeps the conversations constructive and means no one has to deal with anonymous trolls.
- Aim for respectful, constructive conversations: Without constructive feedback and debate, a community won’t be able to achieve its collective goal. Without respect and civility, constructive feedback and debate is impossible.
- Be relevant: Ensure members keep posts on-topic and in the correct category of the group. Keep any other comments relevant to the content they’re attached to.
Here’s a list of behaviors I recommend that community members avoid. Do not:
- Harass or insult other members: Making personal attacks, insulting other members, or discussing a specific member in a negative way is not ok. The two golden rules are: if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all; and treat others as you’d like them to treat you.
- Post private information: Do not publicly reveal information like your email address, phone numbers or addresses.
- Spam: Spam is posting the same message repeatedly across online community. Spam is sending the same message to multiple members or promoting or advertising external services, websites or other products.
COACH: What are common mistakes that new community managers make?
CHRIS: I have joined several online communities as a member. Based on my experience, the top 5 common mistakes that online community managers make are:
- The aim(s) of the online community are not clear.
- The online community manager does not obey community rules or even worse he/she has not developed any rules at all.
- The online community manager promotes his/her company’s products or services.
- The online community manager is not respectful to the community members.
- The online community manager creates an unofficial community which eventually becomes an organization’s official community.
COACH: How do you think a person can best learn to become an online community manager?
CHRIS: My suggestions to a person that would like to become a community manager are:
- Take relevant classes, such as marketing, public relations and international business.
- Learn from the experts.
- Volunteer as an assistant community manager.
- Just jump in and create online community(ies) and start managing them.
Does your workplace have an internal online community? What do you think makes a good community manager? Respond in Comments below.
Hi Christina,
Thank you very much for your good words! I am sure that your contribution to the Instructional Design and e-Learning professionals’ group will be valuable to the eLearning community.
Do you agree with the order of the qualities? Do you have any other qualities to add? I would love you to share with me your thoughts!
If you want, lets connect and interact via the social networks http://ow.ly/5ovlr
Have a wonderful day,
Christopher Pappas MBA, MEd.
http://ow.ly/5ovlr
Hi Christina,
I’m glad that this interview helped you better understand the LinkedIn group that Christopher manages. Thanks for your comment.
Connie
Hi Christopher,
I really enjoyed your interview, as a new member of your community, it gives me a sense of belonging to a group and maybe I got to know the benefits of being a member to this community more that the explanations I got when I joined in few weeks ago. I am learning a lot and I hope to be contributing much in near future. I liked more the Qualities of an online community manager…anyone who at least have the 10 qualities you explained, cannot just be a good online manager but a good manager-anywhere.
christina
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you very much for your comments and questions!
Concerning my #2 suggestion I would encourage you join successful communities in your industry. Observe what the community manager does and what it does not. Think that you would do if you was in his/her position.
I cannot answer about other experts. My moto is “Share the Knowledge”. In my opinion, if you are an expert you have to answer questions and help professional develop new skills.
Excellent question. “How did you grow your networks?” I will say to you to words “interaction” and “social skills”. You have to interact with fellow members and at the same time to be social. Every day I spend about 2 hours to manage online communities. To exchange message, chat, and talk via skype with professionals in the eLearning industry. I am always there to help them with their concerns.
There are a lot of strategies to grow your network. However, if the members of the network gain from being members they will invite their colleagues and friends to join the network.
If you have any other questions do not hesitate to ask. If you want lets connect at LinkedIn.
Have a wonderful day,
Christopher Pappas MBA, MEd.
http://ow.ly/5ovlr
Hi Christopher,
Thanks for the very specific suggestions. It was very helpful to read your advice about setting up rules for a network, and your observations regarding the mistakes that network managers make.
I manage a very few, very small social networks, and I’m learning as I go. (I’m practicing #4 of your 4 suggestions on how to learn to become a community manager.) I’d like to learn more. Your #2 suggestion was “Learn from the experts.” Yes. Reading this interview was a good start, but where can I learn more? Are there other experts besides yourself you are willing to share their experience? Do you know of a network of network managers?
Another question, if I may be so bold. How did you grow your networks? How does a person start a network from scratch? Did you start with personal connections?
Thanks again for the helpful suggestions in the interview.
Cheers,
Becky
Hi Magali,
Thank you for the goods words!
If you lets content and interact via the social networks http://ow.ly/5ovlr
Have a wonderful day,
Christopher Pappas MBA, MEd.
Thanks for that generous offer, Christopher!
Hi Connie,
Thank you for the wonderful interview. It was an interesting experience.
For your audience that have questions concerning my answers or if they would like help concerning online community management I will encourage them to leave a comment! I will answer it asap!
Have a wonderful day,
Christopher Pappas MBA, MEd.
http://ow.ly/5ovlr
Dear Christopher,
I am agree with what you said and the way in which you explained it is, for me, very clear. I would like in the nearly future to do it too. Will have to learn from you. Hope that I will be a good student….Thank you for this. Very interesting.
Best regards,
Magali