Digital ID Coach

Home > history, records > Membership as an Identity

Membership as an Identity

February 1st, 2009

Being a member of a group is a form of identity. A group has an identity which is made up of the collective attributes of its group members. For example, a community that experience a natural disaster such as the 2004 Asian (Indian Ocean) Tsunami share an identity. From that group, during the disaster, some group members were recording what they saw.

In this video from the 2005 TED conference, speaker James Surowiecki starts out with a couple of letters from people on the ground at that time. (Note: please adjust your speakers. TED videos always start out–and end–loud.)

Coaching moment: I have experienced groups at their best (when a conversation among colleagues energizes and compels the group to do something extraordinary) and at their worst (a staff meeting which has no agenda and no desired outcome, for example). Some groups allow and promote leaders, explorers, questioners, and thinkers, including those groups that might allow later convening based on continued thought and exploration. These are groups that people want to be part of.

Do you find that you are a member of a thinking group? If not, is there a way to inspire or create dialog outside the group? Sometimes it’s possible, and desirable, to break away from the circle.

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites / Bookmarks