Even though the morning round, including the associated Facebook group, was moderated and organized by me alone, it would have been nothing without the small group of people who were particularly involved. A group of perhaps ten, at most 15 people, made the success of the morning round possible in the first place with their particularly strong commitment and personal presence.
The composition of the "hard core" has changed over the weeks: a few have been there from the beginning, some have joined over time. Even at the very end, people joined who have shown above-average commitment and involvement - while others have had to reduce the intensity of their involvement for professional reasons, for example. It is certain that some have simply lost interest or have never found a way to join in the first place.
Everything is okay. Almost everything.
Whether someone wanted to start their day in a virtual shared office or just gain knowledge on a very specific topic: That was all fine with me. Anyone who organizes a community does themselves a great favor by not judging the motivations of others. You don't even have to understand or know them. But it helps to keep your own focus. Otherwise it quickly becomes arbitrary.
It is also important to set boundaries. In the live morning session, the focus was always on personal exchange. That is why we did not record any sessions. Isolated complaints in the Facebook group that the valuable knowledge presented there could only be obtained if one was there at the appointment revealed an interesting attitude of entitlement - even though it was a completely free offer. Here it was important to communicate in a friendly but clear manner what the session was actually about.
The group regulates this. But it does not regulate everything.
Every community needs consistent moderation. You have to activate where necessary, but also put the brakes on when someone might be overshooting the mark. This is always a balancing act, because the people involved are autonomous, self-responsible people. But if the annoyance factor becomes too high for everyone, then a community can fall apart. The effort therefore lies primarily in constant attention and the art of balancing "too much" and "too little".
There was no sign of phenomena such as aggressive arguments or the rough tone that develops in some Facebook groups. This is certainly due to the strong influence of the founding members, who attracted other people who fit in with the group. But I don't want to rule out the possibility that other phenomena could arise as the group continues to grow. However, I have also strictly moderated certain things from the start, such as aggressive advertising for one's own offers. Experience has forex data shown that something like this quickly leads to a group falling apart or conflicts developing.
Appreciation, Appreciation, Appreciation
Anyone who responds negatively has lost. Appreciating each and every person in their own way and allowing them to be unique: that is the real secret if you want to moderate a very heterogeneous group live. I have been practicing this unconditional view of non-judgmental appreciation for many years in workshops and moderations. I practiced it again in the morning rounds. Only when the moderator largely leaves her private opinion aside in favor of an appreciative attitude of common interest and lets things unfold can something new and truly great emerge.
Focus, Focus, Focus
Four times a week, being fully focused on a group for a good half hour: I experienced this, especially at the beginning of the crisis, like a vacation from your own drama, especially in difficult times. The absolute focus on what is happening in the group does not allow for distraction or brooding. After that, fixed attention is released and the day begins much better than it might otherwise have been.
This is of course a personal experience. Can it be transferred to dealing with communities professionally? I suspect: Yes. Community building and management are particularly successful when they are more than just a job. All those who do it full-time will probably be able to confirm this.