Why Communities Love When You Make Mistakes

Here’s the thing about communities—they love when you mess up. Truly. It might seem counterintuitive, but I’ve learned this again and again.

Your community doesn’t just forgive mistakes; they embrace them.

Why? Because communities are about connection, not perfection.

The secret to growth is in the power of “workshopping” in a community—the opportunity to experiment, learn, and grow alongside your members.

And the best part? It’s fun. It’s energizing. It’s where the magic happens.

Here’s what I’ve found to be true:

1. Mistakes Are Proof You’re Trying The beauty of a community is that it’s a forgiving space. Whether it’s a live stream with tech issues (been there!) or rolling out a new idea that doesn't go as planned, your members appreciate your effort. They want to see you experimenting because it signals that you care about their experience.
2. Your Members Are Your Best Advisors Communities are a goldmine of ideas and feedback. When you listen—really listen—you’ll find clues about what they need next. This is your “workshopping loop,” where you can test ideas, adapt, and iterate. You are finding those light-bulb moments.
3. Leading as a Host is Key Letting your members guide the evolution of your community doesn’t mean handing them the wheel. They want you to set the framework, provide the direction, and keep the momentum going. Think of it like planning a group dinner—nobody wants to be the one deciding, but they also don’t want uncertainty.

A Story About Evolution

When we launched Mighty Networks, online courses weren’t even on our radar. But as more creators joined, they made it clear: “We need courses built in natively.”

At first, we thought we could just integrate existing platforms. But our members said, “No, Gina. Build it.” So we did. And guess what? It took off. Today, we’re on our sixth version of courses, each one better because of feedback from our community.

This process—the listening, adapting, and evolving—isn’t just about features. It’s about trust. It’s about co-creating something valuable.

Resources

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