The Power of Community
We often think of community as a group of individuals coming together around a common cause or purpose. Communities also give us as individuals a sense of belonging and connection.
Many of our members join Women in Data because they are looking to grow their network. We love helping our members connect with each other but we know that connections alone are not what makes our community great. We know that the true power of our community goes deeper than this.
Howard Partridge gave a TEDx Talk* a few years ago in which he shared the three components that make a community:
Support - helping others reach their goals and dreams
Encouragement - helping others do the things they are afraid to do
Accountability - helping others be who they want to be
We couldn’t agree more, and here at Women in Data, we strive to foster a community built around support, encouragement and accountability.
Women in Data offers members several programs to help them thrive in their data career. We structure almost all of our programs in a small group format, even our mentorship program. We know that everyone’s journey is different, but by placing our members in cohorts with other WiD members, we believe they are better able to harness the power of our community. They work as a team to lift each other up, to learn from each other, to provide the support, encouragement and accountability they each need to reach their goals.
So even if our members initially join WiD to network and bolster their LinkedIn connections, they often get so much more. Yes, they have access to a global network, but they also have courage built from knowing that this global community is in their corner cheering them on. They have the courage to apply for a job, the courage to speak up at work, or the courage to try something new.
That is the power of a community.
*P.S. During his talk, Howard frowns upon the false sense of community our digital world has created (this was filmed before COVID-19). We want to challenge this notion. While we agree that connecting with a community in-person can make harnessing its power easier, this can still be achieved virtually. And while we know nothing can replace a real hug, we’re grateful for the digital technology that allows us to engage as a global community, and that individuals around the world are finding their courage through being a part of WiD.