The Outward Facing Clique

Well, hey there, Cadre. Happy Tuesday. No matter where you are, no matter what's going on, you are a part of this wonderful Cadre community, and we are so glad that you are here. My name is JC Lippold, and on Tuesdays, we talk about building community. And with all there is space. Or you may go and say, what do you mean by building community? That may be one on one relationships, that may be one on many. That may be you being in the space of a follower or a beginner. Or you being in the space of leader and having influence.

Hey, Jules. Nice to see you, my friend. But on building community today, I always jump in and talk about the outward facing click. The outward facing click is a concept of when you are a part of something special. Hey, Beth. Nice to see you. When you are a part of a community, I always love saying, the longer you're a part of a community, the less it's about you and the more it's about those people who have yet to become a part of it. And I mean that with great, great love and great respect. Because sometimes we go, huh?

Wait a minute. If I've been a part of a community for a long time, it should be about me. And I go, well, it depends on if you want that community to grow. Communities stop growing when the focus becomes internal. Portland, Maine. Jules, what are you in Portland, Maine, for today? I love Portland, Maine, one of my favorite cities. I love both of the Portlands, the Oregon and the Maine. If you want that community to grow. Cindy, nice to see you. If you want that community to grow, we need to not be an inward facing clique, but an outward facing one.

So my idea for you today is to assume connection. You know, I'm from Minnesota, and there's a phrase in Minnesota called Minnesota Nice. And sometimes Minnesota nice gets. Gets defined as something that I don't agree with. I see it sometimes, right? Sometimes Minnesota nice is attached to this passive aggressiveness. Now, what Minnesota nice is is, at least in definition, the way that you're walking down the sidewalk and you see someone and you smile at them, or you hold the door open for someone, or you go, oh, you're from.

You're from Chicago. Oh, I have an aunt who lives in Chicago, and all of a sudden you start to go, how are we connected? Gabby Gabs, nice to see you, my friend. As we think about the potential connections that we have. My invitation for you today, if you're going, well, I'm a part of this community, and we've been working on trying to make this community grow, how do we do it? Assume connection. Maybe we use Cadre as an example. If you run into someone and you go, you know what? I feel like there's something for you in this Cadre sphere.

Let me get to know you a little bit. Tell me about you ask people about themselves, and all of a sudden what happens? You go, you know what? Thank you for sharing. Thank you for teaching. Thank you for giving perspective. And all of a sudden, you can say, I feel like you belong here. And you want to know why? Because you are making me feel more a part of this community that I'm already a part of. Part of a community. And all of a sudden, you meet someone who's not a part of that community yet, but because you assume connection, then all of a sudden you go, wow, I feel more part of this community that I've already been a part of because you, who are not a part of this community yet, are willing to be connected with me.

Community feels more like community when we let it grow. So no matter where you are today, and Jules,