Building A Community Through Shared Experiences

Recently a colleague asked me, “Laura, how are you able to get a group of complete strangers to bond so quickly?” It made me pause and reflect on my approach. Creating a strong bond among individuals is rooted in fostering psychological safety, shared experiences, and vulnerability. Here are some strategies I employ: 1. Establish a Shared Purpose Early On: - Define the group's purpose clearly. - Focus on the intention behind the gathering, promoting authenticity over perfection. 2. Initiate Vulnerability-Based Icebreakers: - Dive beyond surface-level introductions by asking meaningful questions: - "What's a personal achievement you're proud of but haven't shared with the group?" - "What challenge are you currently facing, big or small?" - "What truly motivated you to join us today?" These questions encourage genuine connections by fostering openness and humanity. 3. Engage in Unconventional Activities Together: - Bond through unique experiences such as: - Light physical activities (get outside and take a walk) or team challenges. - Creative endeavors like collaborative projects or improvisation. - Reflective exercises such as guided meditations followed by group reflections. 4. Facilitate "Small Circle" Conversations: - Encourage deeper discussions in smaller groups before sharing insights with the larger group. - Smaller settings often lead to increased comfort, paving the way for more profound interactions in larger settings. 5. Normalize Authentic Communication: - Lead by example as a facilitator or leader by sharing genuine and unexpected thoughts. - Setting the tone for open dialogue encourages others to follow suit. 6. Highlight Common Ground: - Acknowledge shared themes and experiences after individual shares. - Recognize patterns like shared pressures, transitions, or identity struggles to unify the group. 7. Incorporate Group Rituals: - Commence or conclude sessions with grounding rituals like breathwork, gratitude circles, one on one share. In what ways have you been able to create cohesion quickly amongst a group of individuals in a training session? #fasttracktotrust #humanconnection #facilitatedconnection

Last week I shared how AI helped analyze our retreat feedback survey data in minutes. Today, I want to highlight the three elements that our team rated most impactful from our recent company retreat in Ireland... - [New addition] "Connection Court": We created a dedicated space in the castle with games, snacks, and comfy seating that was open throughout the day and late into the night. This gave people a relaxed place to connect in case of bad weather and removed the pressure to drink or socialize in high-energy environments. This was great for introverts and those who don't enjoy the bar scene and provided more inclusive evening activities that worked for everyone. - Doist Build (our company hackathon) hit different this year: We surveyed the team for "hack-worthy" topics ahead of the retreat, pre-selected the top 10 we felt could make an impact on the company, and revealed them the day before so people could start brainstorming. Morning of, it was first-come-first-serve with limited seats per topic, which created some incredible energy to start the day. Best part? The winning team's project was implemented right there at the retreat and immediately improved our onboarding metrics 🚀 - "Choose your own adventure" itinerary structure: Instead of forcing everyone into the same activities, we offered parallel options during free time. We balanced physical activities (hiking, sports), cultural experiences (castle tours, local music), and team building events (escape rooms, group games). This approach let people naturally form smaller groups around common interests, creating deeper connections through shared experiences. After organizing multiple retreats over the years, one principle stands out: create a flexible structure and trust your team to find meaningful ways to connect. When people have the freedom to choose activities that align with their interests and energy levels, authentic relationships naturally develop. Hope this is helpful and I'd love to hear what's working for other teams as well 👇

The world preaches loyalty, but how many brands actually live it? Last month, I got an invite to something called Summer Smash, 1st Phorm International's invite-only community event in St. Louis. Think three days of HQ tours, private pre-parties, high-energy workouts, rides, and live music from artists like Ludacris, Lil' Jon, Pitbull, and Steve Aoki. The whole thing sells out in under a minute each year. Pure community building at it's finest. I couldn't make it due to personal obligations, but here's what blew me away: they still sent me a surprise box packed with over 10 of their top products (proteins, apparel, energy drinks, protein sticks), plus a handwritten note that felt genuinely personal, not like a marketing ploy. We've gotten so caught up in digital tactics that we've forgotten about the power of high-touch moments that forge actual emotional connections. This kind of follow-through is almost unheard of in today's brand world. Most companies would've moved on to the next person on their list. But 1st Phorm gets something that a lot of brands miss: real loyalty isn't built through campaigns or offers, it's built through experiences that make people feel like they belong to something bigger. That's where lifetime value really takes off. Summer Smash is far beyond just an event; it's the kind of experience that flips the loyalty script entirely, where customers don't just buy, they simply belong. Here's what I think other brands can learn from this approach: ➟ Send unexpected value for no reason. A surprise product or handwritten note shows customers they matter beyond their purchase history. ➟ Build exclusive communities around shared values, not just products. Whether it's in-person events or virtual experiences, give your best customers something they can't get anywhere else. ➟ Create moments people actually talk about. A few hours with A-list talent or behind-the-scenes access beats another discount code every time. ➟ Lead with gratitude, not growth metrics. When thank-you moments drive your strategy instead of the other way around, authenticity follows naturally. The bottom line: loyalty is earned through emotion, experience, and belonging. If your brand isn't building that, you're just another transaction in someone's day. When did you last surprise your customers with something that wasn't even on your roadmap?

No matter your work structure—remote, hybrid, or in-person—connection is key. Yet, it can be hard to find these days. Connection isn’t a given, even when you’re in the same room with others. It’s an effort you have to cultivate and create with intention. I was reminded of this last week when our distributed company met for our annual all-staff gathering. If you feel disconnected, I want to share what we learned about building connections in our three-day extravaganza. Create shared experiences that aren’t only about work: We had a bowling night and a trip to a baseball game, which were huge hits. As cheesy as it sounds, having fun together creates memories and bonding moments. Our decision to honor Juneteenth together and learn from our guest speaker, Seena Hodges, impacted us all. Shared learning experiences expand our perspectives and ground us in community, which builds trust. Facilitate knowledge sharing that breaks through hierarchy and silos: Sharing what we know with colleagues can be a powerful tool, not just for business but for fostering respect and spotlighting pockets of expertise. Encourage personal storytelling to deepen relationships: I got a little emotional when sharing stories of Clockwork’s history. We can underestimate how much history is lost as people inevitably come and go from a team or an organization. The silly details we shared gave newer people a sense of the bigger story they are now a part of. Balance structure and spontaneity to allow for different patterns of behaviors: While we had planned activities, we also left room for impromptu interactions. This variety gives different people with different social styles opportunities to participate. We also made it really clear that rest and breaks are encouraged and supported. No one was forced to do trust falls or go bowling. Use technology wisely: Digital tools are great, but be mindful of “screen fatigue.” Don’t bring everyone together just to stare at a projection screen all day. Mix up how and where you all meet and share to keep things fresh and engaging. We had teams on boats, teams sipping margaritas, teams figuring out how to get out of an escape room, and teams playing whirlyball! The margarita folks were probably the smart ones. But I’ll never tell them that. Clockworkers feel the same things many folks are feeling these days: tired, overwhelmed, and on edge, but also grateful and committed. We discuss this in our Slack channels and are open about our struggles and successes. Being a human is hard right now, and I can’t fix that. No one can. But the connections we find through honesty and a little togetherness can be a bit of a balm. You cannot force connection. It’s in moments; letting everyone show up as they are, and seeing what happens. It’s in letting people find organic conversations and natural points of shared interest. It's in making space for chemistry. As we think about what is needed at work, it’s more of that.

70% of communities fail. Mine don't. Here's the framework I use to build them. Most communities fail because they start backwards. They build the platform first, then hope people show up. Here's the 5-step framework I've used to build thriving communities for both women leaders (nearly 2,000 members) and industry organizations (70+ companies): 1) Start with careful participant selection → Don't chase scale. Chase alignment. → One unengaged member can kill the energy. 💎Quality beats quantity every single time. 2) Define your unique connection point → "Professional women" isn't enough. → "Women navigating male-dominated cultures" resonates. 🎯The more specific your shared challenge, the stronger the bond. 3) Build structure that removes social anxiety → Assign teams before people arrive. → Create agendas for every interaction. → Remove the guesswork from "how do I fit in?" 🏠Introverts shouldn't have to act like extroverts to belong. 4) Set clear intention (and enforce it) → No sales pitches allowed. → No toxic positivity or negativity. → Vulnerability is rewarded, not punished. 🛡️Rules create safety. Safety creates connection. 5) Create rituals that build excitement → Annual moments that people protect on their calendars. → Exclusive access that feels special, not business-like. → Traditions that members look forward to all year. 🏆When people guard your event dates before you announce them, you've won. The result? Members who respond to each other's emails. Who refer business to each other. Who genuinely celebrate each other's wins. That's not networking. That's belonging. 👉 Follow Stephanie Eidelman (Meisel) for more ideas about how to increase your visibility and advance your career. 🎫 Stop networking. Start belonging. Join us at WCF 2025, where you'll build the connections that respond to your emails and champion your success. (https://hubs.la/Q03dYbHY0)