Caitlin Bentley's Profile

As CoP moderator:

1. 
   Wrap up findings at end of a discussion project, put the wrap-up back into discussion and make sure it gets archived
   
2. 
   Create a culture of KS through role modeling (e.g. asking questions, emphasizing useful contributions, acknowledging member participation).
   
3. 
   
   Pick up the “what this CoP did for me”-issue within the CoP – strengthens motivation, trust and supplies success stories for further promotion.
   
4. 
   Create (virtual) rituals (e.g. celebrations to mark completion or kick-off of work, new members, end of group) to create a sense of identity.
   
5. 
   Create opportunities for trust building (smaller group meetings, opportunities for informal meetings).
   
6. 
   Reduce the information overload by breaking down into thematic areas (working groups) or subject topics (e.g. in the GKP).
   
7. 
   Use success and failure stories for ‘lessons learned’, and include continuous M&E and feedback to ensure you are still relevant and on the right track.
   
8. 
   Address the life-cycle! Allow the CoP to disband or ‘hibernate’ when the objectives have been achieved: long-term sustainability is not always necessary. Set time delimitations for online discussions.
   
   
9. 
   Start small (bite-size pieces), scale up from there; e.g.: Plan International uses a monthly email in which people can request help in 3 lines or less; this brings people together in mini-CoP’s on a demand-driven basis.
   
10. 
    Regularly and variably use different forms of events, face-to-face meetings and virtual communication to foster sustainability and dynamism of the CoP.