Unlocking the Power of Community – Keynote Summary

This keynote address was presented by Dan Ulman, one of the founders of Pelotonia.org and LiveStrong.

He defined communities as the lifeblood of humanity, but claimed that there is a disconnect between technological connectedness and real community connectedness.  There is a difference between a community and a crowd.  In a crowd, each person is trying to get ahead of someone else.  But in a community, everyone must work together to succeed.  So, how do we build community?  Here are some points that stand out to me.

• “Just do something.” People have a hard time asking for help.  We have a responsibility to help those who are going through the same thing.  This is “obligation of the cured” and is a quote from an oncologist.
• People are looking for a community.  They want to be surrounded by people who understand the journey.   They want to participate in a long-standing community that allows them to accomplish something that they cannot accomplish alone and provides a constant routine where you can feel a part of something bigger.
• People want to share their story.  All you need to do is ask.
• Fear of failure stifles creativity.  No one remembers the failures.
• If you can provide someone a personal benefit, it drives activity and consistency rises over time.