Community Is Not Something You Find. It’s Something You Build.

What a week... 

As you read this, I'm standing on stage at our annual Entrepreneurs' Organization conference, sharing a deeply personal story with 200 of my peers (I like to think of them as peers, but to be honest… it’s imposter syndrome generating company). It's a strange way to finish a week that started in a completely different place. Earlier in the week, I was teaching a group of entrepreneurs about the lessons small businesses can learn from the tech giants. We explored how companies like Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon create clarity around vision, execution, and the systems that allow scale. The conversations were practical, strategic, and focused on building better businesses. A few days later, I found myself preparing for a very different conversation, one centred on presence, transition, and how we remain grounded when life changes around us. Different audiences, different topics, different outcomes. Yet despite the variety, one theme kept showing up throughout the week, as it did last week. 

Community. 

The real highlight of the week didn't happen on a stage. It happened over the weekend as we wrapped up three months of work on our school's annual fundraising auction. Together, an extraordinary group of volunteers helped deliver a record-breaking event, raising a substantial amount of money for the school. This money will go directly to a new infrastructure project (the school pavilion, designed by one of the parents) that will significantly enhance the learner and community experience. While the result was remarkable, what stayed with me most wasn't the amount raised. It was the people who made it possible. 

I was once again reminded why my favourite recruitment agency remains Recruit My Mom, who facilitates and advocates for moms re-entering the workforce on a fractional and often remote basis. Heather, in our safari team, came from this channel and has, in turn, recruited more A-players for us. What a win! 

Moms are remarkable. Their ability to juggle priorities, manage complexity, solve problems, organise chaos and still somehow keep family life moving forward never ceases to amaze me. Many of the women I worked alongside have stepped away from traditional corporate careers, yet the skills they bring into their families, schools, charities and communities would put many executive teams to shame. Over three months, I watched them coordinate donors, manage suppliers, solve last-minute crises, rally support, sell tickets, secure auction items and keep countless moving parts aligned. It was a masterclass in leadership without title, influence without authority and execution without ego. These women are mostly my high-performing wife’s buddies, but man, did I enjoy spending time with them. As Sonia said: It’s weird. This level of competence is not normal…

What struck me most was how much I enjoyed being part of it. Stephen Covey's work has always resonated with me, particularly his belief that our deepest fulfilment often comes through contribution. For years, I have believed that one of the ways we feed the soul is by serving something bigger than ourselves. Although, if I'm being honest, I'm not entirely sure selfless contribution really exists. 

After all, I got so much out of the experience myself. I met incredible people. I strengthened relationships. I became more connected to my community. I had the privilege of contributing to a cause I care deeply about. The event will help create facilities that benefit my children and future generations of learners. The community gained something, but so did I. 

And… Perhaps that's exactly how it should work. Maybe contribution isn't about sacrifice at all. Maybe it's about participation. Maybe the healthiest communities are those where people willingly bring their talents, energy and experience to a common cause, and in doing so discover that they receive as much as they give. The transaction is not one-sided. The volunteer gains purpose. The community gains support. Everyone leaves richer.

Talking about talent… I watched MC (that is his name, he just happened to be the MC too) lead the auction. A pro in the fullness of his power (this is his profession, though he volunteered his time for the auction), I was witness to a pleasant dude that I knew from standing by the sports field on Saturdays transform into a conductor, orchestrator and people-manipulator of the highest order. He got all of us to joyfully dig deep in honour of a good cause, fully blowing the family budget… and loving it. What a trip! What a night! 

This built beautifully on the theme of last week's newsletter, where we explored how excellence is contagious and how the people around us influence who we become. Spending time with high performers lifts our own standards. We see it in business, in sport, and in life. This week reminded me that contribution is contagious, too. When people see others stepping forward, giving their time and sharing their gifts, it creates a ripple effect. Others are encouraged to do the same. 

Looking back across the week, whether I was standing in front of entrepreneurs discussing systems and scale, sharing personal reflections about navigating change, or working alongside volunteers to build something meaningful for our school community, the common thread was remarkably consistent. In every setting, progress happened because people chose to show up. They brought their talents. They shared their experience. They contributed what they could. Together, they created outcomes that no individual could have achieved alone. 

The older I get, the more convinced I become that community is not something we find. It is something we build. It is not defined by geography, membership or attendance. It is defined by contribution. Community becomes stronger every time someone raises a hand, volunteers an hour, shares an idea, mentors a colleague, coaches a team, serves on a committee or simply chooses to help. 

Perhaps that leaves us with an important question: Which communities are you part of today? Your family, your business, your industry, your neighbourhood, your school, your sports club, your faith community, or your friendship circles all represent opportunities to contribute. The question is not whether you belong to a community. The question is what you are bringing to it. You’re not part of a network, not really, if you’re a passive member, right? 

If you gave just a little more of your talent, your energy, your wisdom or your time, what shift could you create? What problem could you help solve? Whose burden could you lighten? What opportunity could you unlock? 

And perhaps, in the process, what part of your own soul might be fed? 

PG's Pro Tip:

Spend twenty minutes this week mapping the communities that matter most in your life. For each one, ask yourself what unique strengths you bring, where you are currently contributing, and where you could increase that contribution by just ten per cent. Then choose one small action and commit to it this week.

You may discover that the greatest return on investment isn't measured in money, status or achievement, but in connection, belonging and meaning. 

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a community impact coach. Help me identify the key communities I belong to across my family, work, social, sporting, educational and charitable life. For each community, assess my current level of contribution, identify the unique strengths and talents I could offer, and suggest practical ways I could increase my contribution by 10% over the next 90 days. Then, recommend which community would benefit most from my increased involvement and create a simple action plan to get started. 

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