I confess to having spent the last week as an Olympic Torch groupie; dashing around Calgary to catch a glimpse of the torchbearers, peering up the bobsleigh track for a torch sighting as it careened down the course at Canada Olympic Park and, finally, playing hooky from client demands to follow it to Lake Louise.  I couldn't get enough!  Maybe it was the crowds, or the glow on the face of every torch bearer running past family and friends.  Perhaps it was the buzz in the Calgary air as an entire community recalled their Olympic experiences from the 1988 winter games.  Everyone in the crowd had a story to share about their Olympic experience. That legacy is alive and well in our venues, our volunteers and in the long list of athletes who train in our city. It seemed as though everywhere I went I knew a person in the crowd or an athlete running the torch. 

It's exciting to be part of a community that is large enough to be heard but small enough to allow individuals to stay connected with each other.  Having lived in large and small communities I recognize the benefits to both. A large community has a collective energy big enough to tip the scales of change at lightning speed.  The  response to the crisis in Haiti is an example of this power.  The power of a smaller community lies in its ability to be flexible as it responds to change.

This year, we're working with an exciting group of entrepreneurs to build a small and flexible online community (BizWhiz.com).  A place where members can take their time getting to know one another and connect in ways not available in larger communities such as Facebook or LinkedIn.  It's my hope that we'll grow large enough to be heard but stay small enough to be connected with one another. 

• What are your thoughts about Community?
  
• When does "big" turn into "too big?
  
• Is there a point when a Community loses touch with individuals?
  
• How do you maintain a connection to members of your community both online and offline?

Registered members are invited to post comments to this blog and share ideas about Community building with me! Your feedback is always welcome!

Cheers!
Linda G.CEO
BizWhiz.com