Increase your confidence, influence, and impact (through a Professional Community)
Summary
Doing good service design is hard. You know what makes it easier? Having a supportive community of smart and generous professionals who are rooting for your success. In this session, we'll explore the power of professional communities, what makes them thrive, and help you decide if joining one is the right move for you. Plus, we'll share how to start and grow your own community based on the lessons we’ve learned from designing the community for in-house service professionals.
Key Insights
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49% of service design professionals do not feel connected to their peers, impacting their confidence and productivity.
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Feeling connected doubles the likelihood of individuals perceiving that they make significant impact at their organizations.
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The Circle community started from a simple email invitation and grew intentionally to 20 countries with a focus on quality over size.
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A curated and selective admission process helps build trust and ensures community alignment and safety.
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Regular, structured sessions with a familiar rhythm (biweekly meetings, themed quarterly seasons) enhance commitment and participation.
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Slow, intentional communication avoids overwhelming members with constant notifications, encouraging presence and focus.
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High quality personal connections, including one-to-one video calls, foster deeper trust and peer support.
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Interactive session formats like Water Cooler (open topic, voting-based discussions) and Dinner Table (hosted, thematic, story sharing) enrich learning.
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Active member involvement in governance through councils and working groups sustains community relevance and continuous improvement.
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Community design is an ongoing prototype that evolves with member feedback and changing professional landscapes.
Notable Quotes
"Half of the service design professionals do not feel connected to their peers, which is significant."
"If you don’t feel connected and you’re standing alone, the challenge looks much bigger."
"Respondents who feel very connected are twice as likely to say they’re making a significant impact."
"We design a community that would be missed if it were gone for our service design leaders."
"Everyone goes through quite an extensive application process, but it was stress-free and informal."
"A regular heartbeat and familiar structure are really important principles to keep a community alive."
"Slow and intentional communication allows you to be fully present rather than distracted by constant notifications."
"High quality personal connections mean you can engage on a level playing field with serious professionals."
"We encourage one-to-one video calls to build rapport and feel comfortable reaching out for advice."
"The community is an ongoing prototype; members have a strong, frequent voice in shaping what good looks like."
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