How do you help your coworking community members best?

One of the most valuable things you can do for the people in your coworking space, Makerspace, Flexible Workspace, or Neighbourhood Workspace—however you are ‘self-identifying’ this week—is to connect with them.

You must be genuinely curious about other human beings, actively listening to them and asking thoughtful questions.

So you know when to say:

“Oh, look, Maddie over here does this, Bob is working on this, and Sangeeta is looking for this.”

Making an event out of connecting:

Instead of focusing on pitching or collecting contact information, create events that encourage people to connect.

This will create a more positive and valuable energy in the workspace.

While it may have worked in the past to fill a room with people and try to sell them something, the most effective way to build a community is by connecting people with similar interests and goals.

To do this properly, you must be genuinely interested in the people around you.

You must also notice who is NOT there – go out of your way to invite and include people.

If you run an event and the room is 90% full of people who look like you, ask for help changing that for next time.

Building a community takes time, but it is worth the effort.

By generating an environment where people can connect, you’ll create a space that is more than just a place to work – it’s a community.