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A tip for leading members in the community
A thought on successful community. Atul Gawande reports how an "anchor tenant" (a leading member) can make or break the network:
The anchor tenants that set norms encouraging the free flow of ideas and collaboration, even with competitors, produced enduringly successful communities, while those that mainly sought to dominate did not.
Collaboration - even with competitors present - allows a community to thrive. If one member tries to dominate, though, the community withers.
This is much to the point of our Executive Councils, where members help each other, even in a context where competitors are present - and no one member owns the network.
Quote above is from The Cost Conundrum, from the New Yorker recently. I've listed it in the Gel Health recommended reading page, though I'd say it's required reading for anyone interested in health care.
There's an interesting conversation on how one specific problem - the "Living Room Problem" as Khoi Vinh puts it - could use this exact philosophy right now, today. Just thought you might be interested in a real-world situation, that's very real to every American these days, related to your topic.
http://www.subtraction.com/2009/07/06/the-living-room-problem