Community: The Structure of Belonging | Peter Block | Huge Implications for Business and Online...

Community: The Structure of Belonging | Peter Block | The most Excellent Book that I have read

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Community: The Str...

	Community: The Structure of Belonging Peter Block Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2008 - 240 pages average customer review:based on 17 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Modern society is plagued by fragmentation. The various sectors of our communities--businesses, schools, social service organizations, churches, government--do not work together. They exist in their own worlds. As do so many individual citizens, who long for connection but end up marginalized, their gifts overlooked, their potential contributions lost. This disconnection and detachment makes it hard if not impossible to envision a common future and work towards it together. We know what healthy communities look like--there are many success stories out there, and they've been described in detail. What Block provides in this inspiring new book is an exploration of the exact way community can emerge from fragmentation: How is community built? How does the transformation occur? What fundamental shifts are involved? He explores a way of thinking about our places that creates an opening for authentic communities to exist and details what each of us can do to make that happen.

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Huge Implications for Business and Online Communities

I bought this book expecting to learn something about online communities. I wasn't disappointed. While Block only mentions them in passing, he has a lot to say about what makes them work. He spells out what makes communities work in a real world--it is the sense of belonging.

People (customers) are engaging in online communities at phenomenal rate and this is impacting their relationship with the companies they do business with. In short, businesses are losing influence as communities and online networks increasing influence what people value and how they make purchase decisions. Block talk about a new future or possibilities for real-world communities. In the business world, the problem solving approach won't cut it anymore. The context for customers has shifted and businesses need to get in sync. As Block puts it, this will require a shift in thinking before one worries about methodology and techniques. If you come with an open mind, this book will help you make the shift.

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The most Excellent Book that I have read

Wow! What a book. I didn't want to put the book down. I kept telling myself when does he get to the specifics. I'm a program director at a non profit and we are currently working on a new partnership with a low-income property management corporation. We are trying to create a self-sufficient community within these properties. I'm going to use Peter Block's Community suggestions he has in the book. He has an excellent view of how America rewards the the leaders (CEOs).

Angela

Re-inventing leadership

I like this book because it allowed me to see the power of community. I am an entrepreneur and I saw that what this book offers is also what businesses must start focusing on and that is creating the structure for people to experience belongingness. There is so much an individual can do provided that the structure of the enterprise is focused on what people can do and offer.

It made me reflect on my own way on relating with people. I became aware of myself, how am I being with others. It made me focus on what people can contribute to me and their gifts rather than noticing their mistakes. I became reflective after reading this which I like because I felt power, freedom and peace of mind knowing that what I can only control is the environment/structure where people operates and not the individual. I realized as well the power of conversation. I saw how it can truly transform an individual. I became more intentional and more aware of what I have to say to a person. I learned to relate with difficult people especially those I really don't like. I saw that they have a lot to say about me, about things I can tolerate. I learned to give space for people's garbages (including mine) and really listen to what they can contribute. Funny how this book made me become reflective. I'm giving this 5 star because it talks about context which I believe is truly decisive in creating organizations and communities, and not to mention that only few books talks about context. I got it that what makes successful organizations a success is because they have a context and from there on, they create the structures that gives space for people to convene, take ownership, take responsibility which in the end benefits the entire members of the organization and what the organization wants to accomplish.

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College-level libraries strong in social science need this survey

Most communities are fragmented in their structure and purposes, but communities can emerge from such fragmentation strong and purposeful. How are stronger communities built? COMMUNITY: THE STRUCTURE OF BELONGING tackles this subject, considering shifts in perspective, the impact of leadership choices, and what a healthy community looks like. College-level libraries strong in social science need this survey which considers changing ideas of community structure and the dynamics of transitions.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

what the world needs right now!

Peter Block has given us a blueprint for building community on all levels, local, national and even global. And the world can use more of it with all the incivility and violence! Cudos to Mr. Block for the timing and the wisdom in the pages of this book.

-John Renesch, author, Getting to the Better Future; compiler, Building Community anthology

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

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