It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the need for growth. Especially when growing your organization is a priority for you. There’s lots to do and not enough time to do it.
So, make things easier on yourself.
Figure out what you most need to do to grow your community.
Then, make a list of what you need to do to sustain the community you have.
Find where those two overlap – because they often do.
Incorporate a growth mindset into regular maintenance activities, integrate the two.
Being overwhelmed by all there is to do can lead to inaction. People don’t know where to start.
You also can’t grow your organisation all by yourself.
So, start by getting others on board. Get your audience on board. Make it part of their vision too.
A growing community has an active energy about it. People enjoy being part of something that is looking, planning, and moving to the future. It’s engaging.
The more you share the excitement of growth with others the more they can be a part of it. And the less it all rides on your shoulders.
If growth isn’t in the cards for your community right now, that’s fine. If maintenance needs all your time, then focus there.
Strengthening the core of your organisation needs to happen first. Then it can grow out from there.
So, try not to be overwhelmed by the need for growth. Change rarely happens all at once, at least not sustainably. And you want sustainable growth, which happens little by little, day by day.
A community grows effectively when the core of the community is engaged, has an active energy, and is committed to inviting new people in, trying new things, and adapting along the way.