Rebuilding Community in Organizations: The Power of Communityship
Has your organization lost its sense of community? Here’s how to rebuild it. In today’s ever-changing workplace, organizations often struggle with a sense of disconnect. Many leaders recognize the challenge of fostering collaboration and cohesion across teams. The answer lies in the concept of: communityship—a term coined by Henry Mintzberg to describe the collective responsibility and mutual support that binds people together in organizations.
Building communityship goes beyond traditional management practices. It’s about creating opportunities for individuals to connect meaningfully, share experiences, and work collaboratively toward a common purpose. Organizations can rekindle a sense of unity and shared responsibility, leading to stronger cultures and improved performance.
One highly effective way to nurture communityship and create organizational community is through peer learning group programs. These programs leverage the power of structured group discussions, enabling participants to learn from each other in an environment of trust and mutual respect. Using resources like the CoachingOurselves library of peer learning group discussion guidebooks, organizations can take practical steps to rebuild community and foster leadership at all levels.
The CoachingOurselves approach is simple yet transformative. Designed as bite-sized peer learning sessions using guidebooks tackle topics like accountability, managing conflict, and building trust. Peer learning groups use the guidebooks as a foundation for reflective conversations, diving into real-life challenges and collaboratively exploring solutions. The beauty of this approach lies in its ability to break down silos, bringing together employees from diverse roles, teams, and geographies.
By participating in peer learning group sessions, aspiring leaders and front line managers not only gain practical insights but also cultivate deeper connections with their peers. It increases employee engagement and workplace wellbeing. They begin to see themselves as part of a larger, supportive network—an essential element of communityship. Leadership development becomes more than an individual pursuit; it becomes a shared journey that strengthens the organizational fabric.
Organizations that have adopted this model report remarkable results: enhanced communication, cross-functional collaboration, and a greater sense of belonging among employees. Best practices and innovative ideas spread organically, creating a ripple effect of positive change.
Rebuilding community in organizations is no small feat, but with tools like CoachingOurselves, it is achievable. By embracing the principles of communityship and fostering peer learning, organizations can transform into thriving, interconnected communities where everyone feels empowered to contribute.
Are you ready to bring communityship to your organization? Start with a conversation—and watch the connections grow.
Schedule a demo to see how CoachingOurselves helps organizations rebuild community.




“… mid-way through the life cycle of any team, there is a “storming phase” in which conflict emerges. If, during this phase, conflict is avoided, team concerns are never surfaced and resolved. As teams expert Patrick Lencioni points out, there is a perpetual cycling back to unresolved issues, or else conflicts go underground. In either case, the team is blocked from getting past its “storming phase” and cannot become high performing. Moreover, managers or team leaders who avoid conflict themselves will inevitably serve as negative role models by unintentionally encouraging the same avoidance behavior.”
Warren is a pioneer in the field of peer learning with over 15 years of experience helping HR professionals think through how to use CoachingOurselves in all kinds of organizations: small and large, profit and non-profits included.
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