. . . Of A Feather Your community needs you, but what-and-where is it?

As personal and corporate "giving" continues to grow,1999 was another record year for philanthropy. That breakthroughgives me cause to consider entrepreneurs' role in the future ofcommunity. Business has always had a role in community building,but it'll be both different and more important in thefuture.

As we should expect, the post-industrial society definescommunity differently. For example, there's clearly less, ifany, geographic constraint. Communities of interest are beingcreated-and dissolved-every hour of every day on the Net. Smartcompanies recognize that the people who post messages ofdissatisfaction are parts of the community every bit as much as thesatisfied customers. These people should not be shut up as theywere in the Industrial Age but rather celebrated for theircontributions to our improvement. Community has never felt asexclusionary as it does now.

Think of it this way: What do Bill Gates and Larry Ellison havein common (besides being the two richest people in America and notnecessarily liking each other)? They both saved Apple Computer.Community today has a tribal feel to it-or, as I like to call it, a"neo-tribalness." Community is a participatory sport. Youhave to be in it. You can't just say "Where's mycommunity?" You must engage. More than ever, community needsbusiness insights, efficiency and passion.