Many of us go to work and assume that our work relationships should fall under the realm
of “professionalism.” However, recent thinking focuses on the importance of connecting
with others at work on a more personal basis. This paper reviews the most recent thinking
on this topic as well as insight into how interpersonal relationships can be strengthened by
building effective communities at work.

OVERVIEW
This paper is divided into the following sections:

What is community?
Organizational Learning

Innovation and Creativity
Morale
Loyalty
Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Leadership
Organizational Change
The Current Value of Building Communities in a Recession
Peter Block‟s Approach to Developing Effective Communities
Community Building Example
Possibilities for Continuing Organizational Development
Conclusion
Defining Community and How to Build It Within Your Organization


Allison M. Lizzadro, Maria Szczech, Valerie Landron, Susan Cain, LCSW, and Tim Buividas
Corporate Learning Institute

Page | 2



ne
of
the
most
important developments
an organization
can
strive for in order to promote
growth is establishing a sense of
community. Mintzberg (2009)
illustrates the significance of
community building by stating
“We are social animals who
cannot
function
effectively
without a social system that is
larger than ourselves (141).” He proposes
that the idea of community insinuates being
dedicated when it comes to work, caring
about other people and being thoughtful
about the environment. This paper will
define community building. It will share
methods to building community based on
Peter Block‟s book Building Community.
In general
terms, the fact that
community
building
has
numerous
advantages is not a novel idea. However,
community building is also advantageous in
terms of organizational development. In
fact, when it comes to organizational
effectiveness,
community
building
is
particularly
important.
A
successfully
developed
community
enhances
organizational learning, elevates innovation
and
creativity,
strengthens
employee
morale, increases a sense of employee
loyalty, increases organizational citizenship
behavior, develops leadership, and helps
implement organizational change.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY?
Let us consider further what is entailed in
the idea of a „community.‟ According to Bray
(2006),
the definition of
„community‟
evolved a great deal over the past several
decades. In fact, it originally described the
common people, or non-nobility. Afterward,
it was used to depict a group of individuals
that share common interests or similar
experiences, such as „Hispanic community,‟
or „professional community.‟ Since about
the middle of the twentieth century, the
term „community‟ came to describe a
manner of uniting, or individuals coming
together
in order to work toward a
noteworthy goal. In the present context,
community means relationships that are
based on trust and respect, a sense of
O
Page | 3

belonging, and individuals working together
toward a common vision and understanding
how their individual goals align with that
vision.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
Much focus has been recently dedicated to
the idea of organizational
learning. Now more than ever
before, organizations have to
promote learning in order to
create
a
competitive
advantage (Argyris & Schon,
1996). Learning helps
to
attain higher quality products
and services, as well as drive
productivity.
Learning
is
critical
in order
for an
organization to keep up with
the
rapidly
changing
technology (Senge, Kleiner,
Roberts, & Smith, 1994). In
order
to
develop
the
necessary competencies, individuals have to
engage in continuous learning.
A strong organizational community
facilitates learning. A community serves as a
means for individuals to share cognitive,
emotional,
and
material
resources
(McAlexander, Schouten, & Koenig, 2002).
Individuals are more comfortable asking
questions when
the
environment
is
supportive and collaborative as opposed to
frigid, stiff, or uncooperative. This promotes
the sharing of
information. Likewise,
individuals know each other and know who
to go to for specific information. This saves
time and increases efficiency. Orell (2006)
describes feedback as “the cornerstone of
all learning.” Providing specific, timely, and
honest feedback is an essential part of
learning. People are more
likely to give honest feedback
when
the
organization
establishes
a
sense
of
community. The
individual
providing feedback is less
compelled to be polite and
more willing
to provide
constructive comments that
help
improve performance.
The
individual
receiving
feedback is more likely to be
open-minded and receptive.
The bottom line
is
that
individuals with a strong
sense of community are likely
to work and communicate in a collaborative
manner, which helps to create a learning
organization.

INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY
In addition to increasing organizational
learning, a sense of community increases
creativity and innovation. This means that
the members of the organization are more
likely to come up with new and useful ideas.
They are more likely to find innovative
Top 7 Reasons to
Build Community

------------------------

1) Enhance organizational
learning
2) Elevate innovation and
creativity
3) Strengthen employee
morale
4) Increase a sense of
employee loyalty
5) Increase organizational
citizenship behavior
6) Develop leadership
7) Help with organizational
change efforts

Page | 4

solutions to problems. As Harvey Firestone,
founder of Firestone Tire Company, stated,
“Capital and experience aren‟t so important
in business. You can always get these. What
are important are ideas. If you have ideas,
you have the main asset needed, and there
isn't any limit to what you can do with your
business and your life.” An organization that
is focused on building community facilitates
learning and sharing of ideas, which in turn
increases
creativity
and
innovation.
Members of the organization are more likely
to form high performance teams. When
compared
to
working
individually,
employees in a well functioning, cohesive
team make better decisions and work more
efficiently (Osland 2007).












High performance teams allow innovation
and creativity to skyrocket. Individuals are
able to brainstorm together and build on
each other‟s ideas.

MORALE
Boosting employee morale is beneficial for
both
employees
and
employers.
If
employees are satisfied and happy with their
jobs, the organization is more likely to
profit then if employees are discontent
(Schoeff, 2006). Schoeff writes that a study
conducted
in 2005 by Sirota Survey
Intelligence reported that during one-year
period
stock
prices
of
high-morale
companies increased significantly more than
those of medium or low morale. David
Sirota, the founder and chairman of Sirota
Survey Intelligence, says, “The success of an
organization
is dependent upon
the
competence of senior management and the
morale of the workforce.”
How is high morale a factor in the
profitability of the organization? According
to Griffith (2001), satisfied employees are
likely to satisfy customers. Young and
Gutner (2005) state that morale is negatively
related to turnover, with high morale
resulting in lower turnover. Additionally,
employees with high morale are likely to be
more committed and less likely to engage in
social loafing (putting in less effort during a
team project), which results in increased
efficiency. Morale increases trust, which
means that employees are also less likely to
engage in adverse behaviors, such as
absenteeism, tardiness, or theft. There is no
doubt that having high employee morale
creates a pleasant place to work. Most
Page | 5

importantly, however, having high
employee morale creates a successful
organization.

Building community strengthens
employee
morale
by
creating
camaraderie among members of the
organization. Individuals bring in a set
of expectations about what they want
out of the job as well as the
organization. Mischkind, and Meltzer
(2006) say that majority of employees
seek
equity,
achievement,
and
camaraderie. Camaraderie means that
members of the organization feel a sense of
friendship and trust toward one another.
Likewise, building community strengthens
morale by building trust. Community also
strengthens
morale
by
promoting
teamwork. One can
look at building
community as being parallel to building
morale. Building morale means, among
other
things,
instilling
a
sense
of
community.

LOYALTY
On a similar note, an organization with a
strong sense of community helps foster
loyalty. Each year, companies spend millions
of dollars on the recruitment and training of
new employees. The cost of turnover for
one employee can easily surpass 150% of
the employee‟s annual compensation (Bliss
n.d.). This includes direct costs (such as
cost of advertisement, training a new
employee) and indirect costs (loss of
productivity, loss of skills and knowledge).
Organizations with a strong sense of
community are more successful at retaining
employees, which can drastically reduce
costs. Employees are more motivated and
more committed to the organization‟s
success. They understand the organization‟s
vision and are able to see how their
individual
goals
align
with
the
organization‟s goals. It is suggested that the
most effective form of advertisement is
word of mouth. Loyal employees that are
dedicated to the organization will have
positive opinions about the organization,
which is a powerful (and free) form of
advertisement. Likewise, one of the best
methods of recruitment is through personal
referrals.
Employees
that
were
recommended for the position by a friend
who already works for the company are on
Page | 6

average more successful than employees
recruited using other methods. Employees
are likely to refer individuals who are
competent and qualified for the position.
However, the first step in encouraging
employees to refer their friends is to give
them something to brag about. If they love
their job, they will be more likely to tell their
friends about it.

ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP
BEHAVIOR
Furthermore, building community increases
organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).
This is positive employee behavior that is
not formally required by the organization.
Organ (1988) defined OCB as “individual
behavior that is discretionary, not directly or
explicitly recognized by the formal reward
system, and that in aggregate promotes the
effective functioning of the organization. A
positive, cohesive organizational culture
supported by community building efforts
results in its members going above and
beyond to get the job done. Employees are
more willing to put in extra effort to get a
task accomplished even without additional
compensation. A relevant example is an
employee who takes the time to help
familiarize a new hire and serve as a
mentor. Mentoring has numerous benefits
for an organization.
It
increases the
mentee‟s
performance
and
supports
development.
It
also
increases
job
satisfaction, which helps with retention.
Mentoring allows new employees to
gain the necessary knowledge and
skills in a shorter amount of time. The
employee who puts in time and effort
to help a new colleague will also benefit
by developing stronger
leadership
abilities and enhancing communication
skills.

LEADERSHIP
Building
community
helps
with
leadership development. As already
mentioned, employees in a strong
community environment are likely to
engage in organizational citizenship
behaviors such as mentoring, which helps
develop
leadership skills.
In addition,
Page | 7

employees are more likely to demonstrate
certain behaviors that are essential for
individuals in leadership positions. Such
behaviors include communication skills,
conflict resolution skills, and team building
ability. Communication
is easier
in a
cohesive, positive environment. People are
also more willing to discuss problems, give
constructive feedback, and
work together in order to
overcome obstacles, all of
which help with resolving
conflict. People learn how to
effectively work
together
which
enhances
team
building.
In
addition,
supervisors that engage in
community building efforts
with their teams become
better leaders. They have
the opportunity to develop
many leadership abilities,
such as people skills, ability
to effectively coach/mentor, and team
building. Gary Hoover says, “Nothing is a
more powerful agent for attracting and
keeping talented people than a clear vision,
especially if the organization is living that
vision and achieving its goals.” A strong
community advances the organization‟s
vision and helps
individuals become
committed to the vision. A team becomes
easier to manage and lead when everyone is
striving towards the same goal. Individuals
are willing to take ownership of projects.
They are more motivated and determined.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
Finally, one of the biggest reasons to
engage in community building is the fact
that
it helps implement organizational
change. Change is inevitable. In order to
hold
a
competitive
advantage, an organization
has to be willing and able to
change (Osland 2007). Both
economic
and
strategic
circumstances
compel
organizations to seek new
approaches
and
new
solutions.
However,
the
disheartening fact is that
most organizational change
efforts fail. According to
American Productivity and
Quality
Center
1999‟s
Organizational
Change
white paper, there are five conditions
necessary
for successful organizational
change: committed and active participation
of leadership, culture change, and energetic
involvement of an educated and empowered
workforce, effective communication, and
aligning human resources systems with
goals and objectives of change. A strong
organizational community helps fulfill these
conditions
in
the
following
ways.
Individuals are more committed and willing
“Nothing is a
more powerful
agent for
attracting and
keeping talented
people than a
clear vision,
especially if the
organization is
living that vision
and achieving its
goals.”

-Gary Hoover
Page | 8

to actively participate in new endeavors. A
culture that values growth is established
which helps promote change. High morale
creates
empowered
workforce.
Communication is easier and more effective.
And lastly, individuals have goals that align
with objectives of change. Successful
change
is what will differentiate an
organization that is thriving from one that is
merely surviving.
As an employee,
the sense of
belonging
to a
community
in
your
organization is crucial. Plenty of times
companies will have what they call a “false
start.” A member from the organization will
get this idea for a change effort and then
the momentum slips away quickly. Seventy
percent of change efforts fail. These efforts
can fail for obvious reasons such as lack of
motivation, no support, other priorities, etc.
Those who have created a successful change
effort can tell you that the benefits are
worth the challenge.









The Importance of
Building Community


THE CURRENT VALUE OF BUILDING
COMMUNITIES IN A RECESSION
During these economical times, employees
are stressed out. They are stressed with the
workload they gained from layoffs, the fear
of being laid off, etc. This time more than
ever is a time to build a community. When
companies foster engaging environments
where workers feel connected to their work
and co-workers, employees will put in more
effort to produce outstanding work. As
such, creating a feeling of community
among workers
is key
to
increasing
employee engagement and productivity
(Nolan, M. 2009).
People need a sense of belonging;
otherwise, they can be chickens running
around with their heads cut off. We are
social
animals who
cannot
function
effectively without a social system that is
larger than ourselves, hence community, the
Page | 9

social glue that binds us together for the
greater good. Community means caring
about our work, our colleagues, and our
place
in
the world, geographic and
otherwise, and in turn being inspired by this
caring (Mintzberg, H. 2009).

Building community in your company
will not be easy, but the good news is that
you don‟t need to reinvent it, just recreate
it.
Humans‟
social
nature
virtually
guarantees that they will create community
on
their
own,
with
or
without
encouragement from management. (Nolan,
M. 2009) When a community has already
been built what is the next step, to recreate
it so the culture of your organization is for
the good of the employees, customers and
the organization as a whole.
Peter Block represents one of the
most important voices in understanding the
value of building community within an
organization.

PETER BLOCK’S APPROACH TO
DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE
COMMUNITIES
In his book, Community: The Structure of
Belonging, Peter Block (2008) proposes that
there are six key elements to building
effective communities. The author lists six
conversations that need to take place in an
organization
in
order
for
positive
transformation to occur. The conversations
are
as
follows:
Invitation, Possibility,
Ownership, Dissent,
Commitment,
and
Gifts.

Instead of
focusing
on what
went wrong in the
past, Block‟s approach
is to look at future
possibilities and the
organization‟s potential. The conversations
serve as a foundation for building an
organization that will not only survive
through tough economic times, but thrive.

The 6 Conversations
Invitation
The invitation is the call to create an
alternative
future.
Start
by
creating
conversations around the organization. An
invitation should be by choice and should
not be mandate. This way the ones that will
be accepting the invitation will be those who
want to be there not those who have to be.
After a group of people, doesn‟t matter the
number, has been established, it is time to
start rebuilding community.

Possibility
The group that has been established in the
invitation stage will start looking at the
possibilities for your organization. More in
depth conversations should be taking place
Page | 10

by collecting thoughts and ideas around the
possibilities
that
can occur
in
the
organization. To create a common goal and
vision is important in this stage. After
creating a vision, the team will be able to
brainstorm ideas and figure out how make
that vision successful. These conversations
aren‟t
always
the most
pleasant. Open and honest
opinions are essential to
make any change happen.
Stating what crossroads you
find yourself at and what
your group members are at
is imperative. By finding out the crossroads
you and your group members are at, you as
a group will be able to move through them.

Ownership
Ownership is a common word you will hear
when starting a change effort. The
importance of owner is crucial. Those who
take responsibility and ownership are more
likely to succeed then those who don‟t. To
create ownership within your group, ask the
group what they have done to contribute to
the very most thing that they complain
about. That being said, by having everyone
admit to what their current state is and what
they have done, the group is thinking
outside the box individually yet as a group.
After
that has been
identified,
the
individuals can start making positive
changes within themselves.
Dissent
The dissent conversation is about allowing
people to say no. Block says, “If we cannot
say „no‟, then our „yes‟ has no meaning.”
According to Block, people need space to
express their doubts and reservations.
Leaders need to gain an understanding of
what people do not want in
order to be able to create a
shared vision and to assure
that people are committed
that
vision. This process
begins with doubt.
One
cannot
acquire
genuine
commitment from individuals if they do not
posses the ability to say no.

Commitment
The two questions that Peter Block poses
are as follows: “What promise am I willing to
make? And, what is the price I am willing to
pay for the success of the whole effort?”
Block says that in order for successful
transformation to occur, a promise is
needed from fewer individuals than most
people believe. However, the important
factor is to demand authentic commitment
from those individuals that do decide to
make a promise. If an individual does not
want to commit, he or she should be able to
say no and pass. In order to create
accountability, promises need to be made
public.

“If we cannot
say „no‟, then
our „yes‟ has
no meaning.”
-Peter Block

Page | 11

Gifts
In most situations, people tend to focus on
deficiencies. Block says that it is more
valuable to focus on our “gifts” and
capitalize on our strengths. This is probably
the least common occurring conversation
among organizations. We should focus more
on our potential and all the positive aspects
each person brings into the organization.

The following case example represents the
use of Peter Block‟s model in action.


COMMUNITY BUILDING EXAMPLE
In June 2009, Susan Cain, CEO and Founder
of the Corporate Learning Institute ran a
Community Building session around Peter
Block‟s Six Conversations
that Matter with C/D/H.
Mark Becker, from C/D/H
explained
that
“As we
worked
through
the
conversations
the group
began to open up and share
from
the heart. Many
conversations
were
enlightening but the one
that really seemed to open
up the floodgates was on
dissent.
Initially no one
dissented and we almost
moved on. But Susan Cain
wisely helped out for the
last dissent and soon one consultant
dissented and then another. Soon we were
having a real conversation about people‟s
reservations about commitment and trust.”
Mark continued to say that the group
learned how to solve issues that were
expressed through the conversation that
was started in the session. The conversation
was begun and is still going on. C/D/H team
members‟ conversational performance has
improved since that conversation. Mark
said that the context of the community
building session, the six conversations and
the commitment of the members of staff to
be willing to expose their dissent and
concerns was a breakthrough for C/D/H.
Mark also said “We have had two additional

Corporate Learning Institute offers
Community Building Workshops

Build your community at work with
our high-power session. Your group
will walk away with a new direction
and renewed commitment to shared
goals.

Contact
Susan
Cain
at
Corporate Learning Institute
to
learn
more
about
our
Community
Building
Workshops.

scain@corplearning.com
630-971-5074


www.corplearning.com
Page | 12

conversations at our Friday All Day meetings
and the results were good, and the
atmosphere and sense of community was
restored. I think we are moving forward
again with regards to firm culture and team
atmosphere.”


POSSIBILITIES FOR CONTINUING
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
After attending a community building
session, the facilitator will help the team
develop an implementation and evaluation
strategy. Through follow up workshops and
group proposals agree on a roll out plan
that will communicate the implementation
of the change effort throughout the entire
organization. By developing an evaluation
strategy it is important to think about how
success will be measured.

CONCLUSION
This paper has defined community as
relationships that are based on trust and
respect, a sense of belonging, and
individuals working together toward a
common vision and understanding how
their individual goals align with that vision.
This paper has also reviewed the seven
reasons to build community which include:

1. Enhance organizational learning
2. Elevate innovation and creativity
3. Strengthen employee morale
4. Increase a sense of employee
loyalty
5. Increase organizational citizenship
behavior
6. Develop leadership
7. Help with organizational change
efforts

We also examined the importance of
building community in this recession. We
concluded with Peter Block‟s approach to
developing effective communities and an
example. With all the information, one can
see why building a community is extremely
important during these times.









Corporate Learning Institute
1195 Summerhill Drive, Suite S500
Lisle, IL 60532
630-971-5074
800-203-6734
www.corplearning.com
corplearning@corplearning.com



Page | 13



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