This is the third in a three-part series by Quint Studer, author of Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America. Read the first part here and the second part here.

It’s really easy for communities to get down on themselves. When they do, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. What you believe and say about yourself determines how the rest of the world experiences you. It creates your culture and, ultimately, your brand.

“As businesses turn on their “open” signs and folks emerge from their homes, leaders need to already be in culture-building mode.”

I’ve seen this truth play out again and again in my work with communities across the U.S. And it’s probably even more pronounced in the current crisis. Once lockdown is lifted and the country begins to reopen, it’s going to be more important than ever to create a positive culture.

Just as the culture of a company determines its success, the culture of your community will determine what you look like on the other side. It drives how people feel, which drives how they talk about things, which drives what they do.

Do you have a culture of optimism or one of hopelessness and negativity? Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t—you’re right.” We want our communities to strongly believe they can.

Optimism helps us change the conversation. It gets everyone aligned and rowing together toward the same hopeful vision. If the people aren’t with us, it won’t matter how bold our vision is or how great our plans are. It takes engaged and activated citizens to make a bright future happen.

We need to rally our communities and this is a job that begins with leaders. Actually, it might be our top job right now. As businesses turn on their “open” signs and folks emerge from their homes, leaders need to already be in culture-building mode.

Remember, a culture of optimism, energy, and engagement has always been the fuel that moves communities toward vibrancy. Use the crisis as a springboard to create that culture in yours. It will feel good to people to focus on something positive…so harness that energy to create a stronger, better, more vibrant version of yourself.

Here are some tips for creating an engaging and positive culture in your community.

1. Get a solid leadership infrastructure in place.

Hopefully you’ve already laid some of this groundwork. There needs to be more collaboration than ever as communities will rely heavily on local leadership as we start to come back from the pandemic. Create a guiding coalition that involves leaders from all sectors including business, government, healthcare, media, non-profit, etc. Chambers will be vital in rallying the troops and providing the framework for alignment.

2. Put together a come-back plan with well-articulated, measurable goals. Communicate it regularly.

Put some thought into this. Don’t fall back on what you’ve always done. As world famous hockey player Wayne Gretzky said, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” Try to go to where the puck is going.

Provide regular status updates to citizens. Always be up front and transparent. Trust is vital. When people see that goals are being met it will go a long way toward building confidence.

3. Create a deliberate messaging campaign.

Keeping people informed is key to keeping them engaged. Constantly reiterate your plans and make sure community stakeholders are doing the same. Find bright spots and focus on them. Pay attention to what’s going well. Are there opportunities where you can cheerlead? Whatever it is that makes you great and different, talk it up. You’re building community pride and that has a huge multiplier effect.

4. Celebrate small wins.

Be where the people are. As small wins occur, make a big deal out of them in the moment. This gives people hope and keeps them going in tough times. Use each success to grow more enthusiasm and more support. Once you start having success, everyone starts feeling good about the community. Momentum increases and more wins will follow.

5. Balance optimism with realism.

Vice Admiral James Stockdale survived for eight years as a POW in Vietnam.

Be positive where you can, but be careful to balance optimism with realism. While you have long term goals, be sure to communicate with a focus on the short-term. In talking about timelines, for recovery, keep the Stockdale Paradox in mind. This is a concept that was popularized by Jim Collins in his book Good to Great. It was named after James Stockdale, former vice presidential candidate, naval officer and Vietnam prisoner of war. During this horrific period, Stockdale was repeatedly tortured and had no reason to believe he'd make it out alive. Stockdale tells the story that other prisoners would get focused on a release date (perpetuated by the guards.) They were told thing like you will be out by Easter, or out by Christmas, etc. When that didn’t happen, the overly optimistic prisoners would give up and eventually died from a broken heart. He found a way to stay alive by embracing both the harshness of his situation with a balance of healthy optimism.

Optimism must be balanced with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.

6. Stay focused on creating a healthy business community.

As we discussed last week, small business is the backbone of a strong community. Chambers will play a key role in bringing owners together, yes, but they can also take the lead in this messaging. Hammer home the fact that strong local business presence is the foundation of vibrancy. Shine a spotlight on small businesses and urge citizens to support them.

7. Economic development is paramount. Focus on opportunity, affordability and vibrancy.

More than ever, it will be crucial to attract private investors and talent. These are the things both groups look for in a community. Make sure every action you take connects back to these benefits.

8. Accelerate some projects you’ve been thinking about anyway—just make sure they still make sense.

Here’s where you can really use the current crisis as a springboard. Approach your projects with an eye toward future realities. For example, it’s easy to think “build infrastructure” but focus on the kind that yields ROI. For instance, you might consider creating a solid digital infrastructure (high speed broadband) instead of building more roads. This will set you up to attract a virtual workforce and provide online learning opportunities for people—both of which will be really important in a future economy.

9. Now is not the time to be hesitant. Hit the gas, not the brakes.

In the 1940s, U.S. Air Force officer and test pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier because he was able to override the natural reaction to back off when the plane started to shake. He kept the throttle down. All communities face turbulent times. Those who power through the discomfort and fear are the ones who meet their goals.

10. Never declare victory.

The work of building a vibrant community is never done. Hopefully you will come back strong but don’t let the momentum stop. Keep moving, improving, and growing.

These are hard times but also extraordinary times. In a way, we’re about to rediscover America. We’re about to remember, revive, and celebrate the principles that built our nation: optimism, boldness, risk-taking, hard work, and innovation. As we do so, let’s not forget that America is not a collection of “rugged individualists” but a network of close-knit communities whose citizens are strongly connected and interdependent.

We the people need community now more than ever. This is a time to be proud of who we are—and to work together to become the best we can be.

Cover image via Unsplash.

About the Author

Quint Studer is author of Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America and Wall Street Journal bestseller The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive. He is founder of Pensacola’s Studer Community Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the community’s quality of life, and Vibrant Community Partners, which coaches communities in building out a blueprint for achieving growth and excellence. Quint speaks and works with communities across the country, helping them execute on their strategic plans, create a better quality of life, and attract and retain talent and investment. He is a businessman, a visionary, an entrepreneur, and a mentor to many. He currently serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of West Florida, Executive-in-Residence at George Washington University, and Lecturer at Cornell University.

For more information, please visit www.thebusyleadershandbook.com, www.vibrantcommunityblueprint.com, and www.studeri.org.

The Culture of Your Community May Determine Your Success on the Other Side