Time well spent = B (bravery) + I (intention) + C (curiosity)

Fortune favours the brave

Bravery in a tech community context doesn’t mean you’re running into a burning house to save people! Instead, you’re walking into a house with unfamiliar spaces hoping they become familiar. A good tech community is friendly and welcoming. Head to the kitchen where people gather. Grab yourself a tea, coffee or water. Meet some people, share an idea, ask a question. Find out what’s happening, take some notes. They’ll help you later. Safely step into a new room to see what happens. Do something you’ve never done before. This is bravery.

Energy flows where intention goes

Intention in a tech community context is a conscious decision to show up and be present. Intention is a mode to make the most of every minute. Intention helps us assess how we’re showing up. Intention is us deciding we want to make a positive difference and working out how to make that happen.

Special talents? Nope, just passionately curious

Curiosity in a tech community context is opening ourselves to possibilities. Curiosity is self awareness, understanding our biases and committing to empathy. We listen and we ask questions. Judgements left at the door, ready to soak it all up and learn from our fellow community members. We choose to give back. Learn to share and share to learn. It’s multidirectional. Curiosity is care.

Why do all three matter?

Without bravery you have great ideas and goals yet stay quiet in the corner. Without intention you have fun and connect with people, but struggle to make tangible progress. Without curiosity you come across as someone who only wants to talk about themselves. When bravery, intention and curiosity meet, we admit we’re stepping into the unknown. We accept that we don’t know what will happen. We realise we don’t need all the answers. We simply want to learn, help and contribute.

Examples of B (bravery) + I (intention) + C (curiosity)

Example 1

Arjun has just joined a tech community. He’s overwhelmed and unsure where to start. He spends a week intentionally observing what goes on in the community, identifying the sort of resources available and taking note of who’s active. He messages one of the active members and asks where the best place is to introduce himself. He posts an intro video with an open invitation to book time to chat on a call.

Example 2

Sofía has taken on a leadership position and has ideas about her career goals. Instead of keeping them on her personal notepad, she decides to share them in public with one of the tech communities she belongs to. She worries they sound too grandiose, ill-formed and incomplete. Yet the act of posting in public might just be the thing that keeps her accountable. She’s pretty confident that her fellow community members will encourage her and provide support. She finds someone with similar goals and they decide to buddy up to make the journey that little bit easier. Sofía enjoys asking her buddy questions. They both agree to share the key takeaways of their discussions with the wider community.

Example 3

Alex attended a local tech meet-up. They met several people and took selfies, making sure to note the names of everyone they met. Over the next week they post and tag each photo and include a helpful reflection from each conversation. They set a goal of reconnecting with at least three members over the next month. Alex thanks the meet-up organisers, sponsors and venue host. They ask the organisers how they can help promote the next meet-up.

Try this community confidence exercise

• Pick one of these challenges:
• Challenge A: Find the place to introduce yourself to your the tech community and post a video introduction. Tell a story about yourself, why you’re there and how you might help.
• Challenge B: Book a call with one of the community managers of your community. Ask if they’d be up for recording the call and posting it somewhere in the community.
• Challenge C: Focus on one fellow community member. Share gratitude for what they are up to. Amplify them in public. Ask if they’re up for collaborating on something.
• Get perspective. Wait a week and reflect on the experience. Answer the following questions and take notes: What happened? What surprised you? What did you learn about yourself? What’s next?
• Using your notes as a guide, and a scale of 1 to 5, capture a score for B (bravery) + I (intention) + C (curiosity). Where 1 = I did not demonstrate this, 5 = I demonstrated this to its full potential. For example, B4 + I4 + C3 = 11 out of 15. Be honest, yet be kind to yourself.

Each time you step up to try something new in your tech community, take a moment to score yourself again. Over time, your notes and “time well spent” reflections will reveal meaningful patterns. It will show you where your community confidence is growing.

The next time you participate in a tech community, think t (B + I + C).

You’ve got this!