TL;DR:
The podcast episode features an in-depth conversation with Yurii Lazaruk, a highly connected community builder who's always there to spark conversations and foster engagement wherever he goes. With a firm belief that true community involves people taking on each other's problems, Yurii applies his expertise in real life to help people nurture their communities. As fellow community builder puts it - Yurii is also a Community Psychologist, and you can listen to his enlightening sessions on his The Community Life podcast.
In this podcast episode Yurii chats to us about the essence of building and managing online communities, emphasising the importance of human connections and quality engagement over mere numbers. He critiques the superficial nature of some groups that masquerade as communities but lack genuine interaction and support. Yurii advocates for organic growth, where members invite others based on positive experiences, rather than mass recruitment strategies. He stresses the importance of structured interactions within communities, ensuring discussions are relevant and organised, enhancing the community's value. Yurii also shares his insights on engagement initiatives, highlighting personalized onboarding, targeted networking events like "Between Two Watercoolers," and the significance of in-person meetups to strengthen online connections. He touches upon the challenges community managers face in aligning with organizational goals and securing buy-in from higher-ups, sharing his own positive experience of autonomy and support at his current role.
Podcast quotes from Yurii:
"And after that day, after the 25th of February of 2022 [ the first day of War in Ukraine], I have this notion in my mind that no matter how much stuff you have, it's all about people. So you can lose all your stuff overnight. But if you have people, you know, you will thrive."
“Community building is a long journey. And I'm always comparing it to building relationships. You're not getting married the next day most of the time. So you have to meet a person, get to know each other, and then you can talk further."
"In a community you have to always guide people. Can you imagine if you were at the airport and people were just randomly going to different planes and just flying wherever?"
"I'm a strong believer that online communities have to have in-person meetings. Because the best connection you might ever have is when you are meeting people in real life."
Listen / Watch it now:
Connect!
Yurii’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yurii-lazaruk/
Helena’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenabrandist/
Olena’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaavramenko/
Season 1: Community Unlocked
Community Unlocked is an audio and video podcast where we, Helena Brandist and Olena Avramenko, have conversations with top-tier community leaders and growth experts. Our goal is to provide you with concrete and actionable advice to help you learn about launching, building, and growing your community.
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Episode #1: Community is the Glue with Yurii Lazaruk