Community Is a Cornerstone of Hope in Uncertain Times

by Jason A. Wolf, Ph.D, CPXP

In November 2014 I authored an article, The power of community in Patient Experience Journal (https://pxjournal.org/journal/vol1/iss2/1/) in which I shared a simple thought, “Gathering places will remain central to our movement.” This was just a few years into our journey at The Beryl Institute as a global membership community, and early in our run of coming together as a community starting with Patient Experience Conference 2011 and leading to our 15th annual community gathering – Elevate PX 2025 – in Las Vegas in just over two weeks.

[Author note: I would be remiss if I did not take a moment here to invite you to join us for this amazing global community event, built by members of our community, for our community. You can join in person, or virtually from anywhere around the world. You can learn more or register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/0d70490a-7de4-470d-b6ec-8ab438d5e22e/summary]

I believe when I wrote that article then, as I do now, that the foundations of what makes our work strong – our work being a commitment to transform the human experience in healthcare – is not driven by someone sitting in a room thinking about what we should know. It is inspired by the contributions of so many willing to be vulnerable in sharing lessons learned. It is catalyzed by a willingness to ask questions and push boundaries. It is sustained by the power of listening, commitment, and action that leads to outcomes that truly impact lives around the world.

That is the power I speak of now. That in coming together, through the numerous ways we can via the Institute and beyond, we create sparks of possibility around what we know to be right and good. But where is that power generated and why does it matter?

In a second article I wrote on the topic in April 2022 (https://pxjournal.org/journal/vol9/iss1/1/), I was reflecting on just how incredible the power of community was as we navigated the pandemic. It provided support and comfort. It generated practical ideas and critical solutions. It picked us up and carried us through. It was a cornerstone of hope in an uncertain time.

In that piece I shared an idea from Peter Block’s book, Community: The Structure of Belonging, where he speaks to community not from its definitional base, but from the experience it creates. As he wrote, “Community is about the experience of belonging.” The key word here “belonging” takes on two essential meanings, the first to be a part of something, and the second is to be an owner and co-creator of it.

A community is fostered through the realizations of people who want to be part of something together – an idea, a hope, a purpose, a possibility – and who know that in coming together they can create something greater than they could have alone. That is the essence of community of which I speak. That is the community we have built together at The Beryl Institute. And I believe it is when we recognize that community is not just an incubator of ideas, but an engine for action, that significant things can happen. So, what can we do about it if we believe in the power of community (and specifically, our global experience community):

1. Show up. Communities are built on the choices people make to be there (wherever the “there” is.)
2. Be vulnerable. The strength in communities does not come from only shining a light on the big successes, but rather in the subtle moments when lessons are learned and then, and this is the “must” part, they are shared for the insights they provide and the value they will bring to others.
3. Engage Consistently. The ability to build knowledge and support, to push movements forward and drive lasting change is not often built on fits and starts, but rather through intentional and consistent effort. This willingness to be in, engage, contribute, learn, share, and invite all become part of the momentum a community can build together.
4. Acknowledge there is no ultimate end. This may be the hardest part for people committed to experience work. We want to see outcomes, results, impact, but we too must acknowledge that this work requires a relentlessness as the next people we care for or work with will also need all we have to give, as we will need it from them. I call our work joyous and enlivening exhaustion. It is not easy work; it is good work. In fact, it is not truly work at all, but a living commitment to something greater than ourselves that we must continuously pursue.

What recent moments in history have taught us, be they from pandemics, economics, or politics, is that even when we face uncertainty, our community remains a cornerstone of hope. It is a friend to call, a shoulder to lean on, a new colleague who fills the gap we have been searching to fill. And all of this starts with one step – a personal choice to engage. Literally tens of thousands of you now do that for one another. And in doing so you have together changed healthcare and impacted humanity around the world.

Many of us have heard the African Proverb, “If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” Community is just that, it is going together, and we can never stop. I hope you will join us for the journey.

With gratitude.

[By way of invitation, if you are looking for your global experience home, The Beryl Institute community stands ready with open doors for you. And don’t forget the chance to come together in just a couple weeks or Elevate PX. I hope to see you there or online. Please join us.]