If you're a football fan like me, then you're probably pretty excited about the new season starting -- both in college and in the pros. Even though my Tennessee Titans didn't come out on top against the Chicago Bears this week, I couldn't be happier that football is back. Then there's Fantasy Football, which is a different article altogether.
I know it seems like I'm getting into weeds right off the bat here (or should I say "kick-off"?), but I've been thinking lately about how two of my favorite things -- football and community -- are connected in some ways.
A few mornings ago, while walking my dogs, I started thinking about how community managers are like head coaches, creating strategies and game plans. But something about the comparison didn't grab me. Yes, community managers are like coaches in some ways, but many other qualities don't mesh. For example, CMs are absolutely in the trenches every day, not sitting on the sidelines. Sorry to any coaches who may be reading this. That's not meant to sound how it probably sounds. I just mean that CMs get their hands dirty in ways that coaches might not. However, the person on the field who absolutely gets their hands dirty, needs to have a mind for strategy, and usually has to take their marching orders and find a way to win is the Quarterback. Once I found the Quarterback comparison, things started to make a lot more sense.
Since I feel like I'm a great list-maker, here's a few ways your Community Manager is the Quarterback of your community efforts:
Knowledge and Preparation -- One way that a Community Manager is like a Quarterback is the need to have extensive knowledge, not only of their role and how to do their job, but also of the community they're managing. This requires lots of study and observation, to say nothing of the lessons that years of experience can teach. Being an expert on your community isn't enough though. Community Managers also need to have a knowledge of the role itself and how to best create an execute a plan of action every day.
In the trenches -- As I said above, your Community Manager is in the trenches with your community every day. They know the names of the people who most positively (and negatively) contribute to the conversation. They know the current pain points the community is feeling and, most of all, they probably know what your community's feedback will be on a given issue before even asking. Now that's getting your hands dirty.
They know the playbook -- Experienced Community Managers are familiar with the playbook. Is the community upset about a change the team made? There's a play for that. Is there someone in the Discord making threats? There's a play for that. Is there something people are worried about internally and maybe they want to address it preemptively, even though the community seems to know about it, but doesn't seem to be upset about it? There's definitely a play for that. Community Managers know the playbook and trusting them to know when to run the right plays is everything.
Post-game mindset -- One phrase you hear about Quarterbacks is how they're "never too high, never too low". This means that they don't get so excited after a win or disappointed after a loss that they get off track and get distracted, causing problems for themselves or their team. Every Community Manager's personality is different, but one thing we should each strive for is a balanced and even-keeled way of looking at the daily wins and losses that we all experience. Not only does this show maturity, but I've found that it helps my mental health to some degree too.
I could come up with a lot more here, but I think four is an appropriate number. The point is that Community Managers play an important role on any team that shouldn't be taken for granted. When it comes to your community, customer base, or audience, they may be the most important player you've got.
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