It can be lonely at the top. It can be lonely as a business owner. It can also be lonely when you are physically present but don’t have powerful emotional connections with those around you. 

Last month I was working with the Trust X Alliance Executive Council as they kicked off their strategy and planning for the year. What an incredible community they have built and nurtured for Ingram Micro’s top-performing solution providers around the world.  

When talking to the Trust X Alliance executive council members about why they joined and why they keep coming back, they fall into six areas that are essential for evaluating any community you are part of:

* Get excited and look forward to not dread attending. 

* Grow your business in ways you can truly track: profit, revenue, market share, customer satisfaction. 

* Garner candid feedback on your mistakes. 

* Gain cheerleaders when you need it most. 

* Giving and receiving advice in equal measure. 

* Glean big crazy ideas that you would never have thought of. 

I always like to ask the “So what?” question as to what exactly does someone get from being in a community. Holly Niedzielski, Director of Event Marketing and Partner Communities at Ingram Micro, gave a brilliant tangible example of Trust X Alliance:

"Individually, the 340+ organizations within our community are among the strongest in our industry, and working together as the Trust X Alliance they are extraordinary. Members of this collaborative community are always learning, and trend toward faster and more profitable growth. By focusing on their business, and working together to share and adopt best practices, we’ve seen the Return on Working Capital (ROWC) of our Trust X Alliance members increase—surpassing that of peers outside of the community."

Ask other executives in similar roles to you what communities they are part of and evaluate them against what matters to you in a community. 

Is it time to step away from communities you are part of that no longer are giving you what you need?

If you are a leader responsible for a community in your business I’d be happy to discuss some personalized ideas for how you can grow the size and impact of your community, let’s talk.  

What are your favorite communities you belong to? I’d love to hear recommendations so I can pass them on to others who could be a good fit. 

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

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