Best Onlinecommunities Podcasts (2024)

1
Shaping Tomorrow Together: Scott Smith and Susan Cox-Smith on the Dynamics of Futuring 38:24

16d ago38:24

38:24

In the Cohere podcast episode, hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas, along with guests Scott Smith and Susan Cox-Smith, delve into the shift from traditional forecasting to the dynamic practice of futuring, as explored in their works How to Future and Future Cultures. They discuss the importance of evolving strategic frameworks to foster antic…

1
How the Humanistic Values in Organizational Development Can Guide Communities with Dr Sharon Varney and John Hovell 46:49

1M ago46:49

46:49

In the latest thought-provoking episode of Cohere, hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas welcome two distinguished and returning guests. First up, we have Dr. Sharon Varney, a dynamic force in the realm of leadership and organizational development. With a rich background spanning complex organizations across manufacturing, utilities, travel, ba…

1
Art School Every Day with Dave Gray: Insights from School of the Possible 30:01

2M ago30:01

30:01

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas interview Dave Gray, Chief Possibilitarian at School of the Possible. They delve into being a "possibilitarian," exploring how this mindset fosters innovation and openness to new ideas. Dave shares the School of the Possible founding story, an experimental learning …

1
When an Online Community Pro Retires 56:59

3M ago56:59

56:59

Rebecca Newton is a legend of the online community profession. After 30 years, she has retired. But what does it mean when we retire from this work? Her career began AOL in 1994, building communities and managing a massive volunteer program. Among her numerous stops, Rebecca found a focus in child safety, leading such efforts for Sulake (the compan…

1
Teasing Out the Best Insights and Ideas From a Volatile 2023 47:48

3M ago47:48

47:48

As we begin 2024, Lauren and Bill would love to hear from you! Please send your suggestions, feedback, and ideas for topics and guests to . Welcome to our special year-end 2023 review of the Cohere podcast. This year, we marked a significant shift in our approach. We moved away from the constraints of seasonal formats, embracing topical series that…

1
Decoding Crypto Adoption with Reneé Barton: A CRADL Report Deep Dive 29:38

4M ago29:38

29:38

In the last episode of 2023 for the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas welcome Reneé Barton, Manager of Impact Research at the Crypto Council for Innovation. They delve into the CRADL report, the crypto industry's first in-depth ethnographic study, which illuminates the varied motivations behind crypto adoption and highlig…

1
Imagining Tomorrow with Rob Hopkins: Cultivating Community and Shaping the Future 41:02

5M ago41:02

41:02

In this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas interview Rob Hopkins, Ph.D., co-founder of Transition Network and author, on the power of community imagination in shaping our future. Dubbed a "guest from the future," Rob shares his insights on creating spaces for collective dreaming and the journey towards a hea…

1
Community Ecosystem Development: A Conversation on the State of Practice 32:45

6M ago32:45

32:45

In this episode of the Cohere podcast, hosts Bill and Lauren engage in a reflective conversation about the ongoing transitions and emerging trends in community practice. Drawing from their extensive experience, they discuss the evolution of community roles, exploring how a broader approach to community ecosystem development is taking shape.…

1
Navigating the AI Surge: A Conversation with Jeremiah Owyang on Tech Cycles, Community Engagement, and Sensemaking Tools for Business 42:13

7M ago42:13

42:13

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas sit down with Silicon Valley veteran Jeremiah Owyang to discuss the evolution of digital technology and the rise of AI. Owyang traces his career back to community leadership roles in tech, emphasizing the importance of transferable skills acquired over decades-long …

1
The History and Future of the Maker Movement with Dale Dougherty 43:35

8M ago43:35

43:35

In this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas welcome Dale Dougherty, the founder of Make: Magazine and Maker Faire, and a person who played a key and critical role in the launch of the Maker Movement. Dougherty shares his career journey and his belief that everyone is inherently a maker. The conversation takes…

1
Breaking: Online Community Consultant Discovers Brand New Concept (Again!) 39:06

9M ago39:06

39:06

Online community consultants aren’t unlike consultants for any other area of work. Some are ethical, smart, and talented, and some aren’t. Consultants also don’t often make great guests for the show because they view it as yet another lead generational funnel for them to shout generalities into. But hopefully an exception is this episode with commu…

1
Responsible AI: Appropriate Trust and LLM Fabrication with Mihaela Vorvoreanu, PhD 34:52

9M ago34:52

34:52

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas dive deep into AI ethics with Mihaela Vorvoreanu, Director of UX Research and RAI Education for Microsoft's Aether. The conversation primarily focuses on "appropriate trust" in AI, emphasizing the need for accountability in AI systems. Vorvoreanu boldly challenges l…

1
Evolution of Learning: Moving Beyond Communities of Practice with the Wenger-Trayners 42:09

10M ago42:09

42:09

Episode Summary: In the latest episode of the Cohere podcast, social learning theorists Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner delve into an engaging discussion with co-hosts Dr. Lauren Vargas and Bill Johnston. The guests explore the evolution of communities of practice, their forthcoming CoP Guidebook, and their unique workshops and retreats. They pr…

1
How Hopeful Stories Can Shape a Better Future with Ed Finn 51:54

11M ago51:54

51:54

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas chat with Ed Finn, the founding director of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University. As an associate professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the School of Arts, Media, and Engineering, Finn provides fascinat…

1
Kinks vs. Crimes and Gender-Inclusive Content Moderation at Grindr 27:04

12M ago27:04

27:04

Bodies aren’t moderated equally on the internet. Content moderation efforts, especially those at large, mainstream platforms, can suffer from policy-based bias that results in moderation centering a cisgender gaze. This reinforcing of heteronormativity can leave some of your most vulnerable community members – and potential community members – feel…

1
Navigating the Customer Experience Landscape with Esteban Kolsky 49:38

12M ago49:38

49:38

In this episode, Bill and Lauren engage chat with esteemed customer experience analyst and researcher Esteban Kolsky. They delve into the complex world of customer experience, discussing the importance of community, the hype around generative AI, and how to sift through the noise to identify critical signals, trends, and patterns. This conversation…

1
From human-centered social networks to the Plentiverse with Meena Palaniappan 31:31

1y ago31:31

31:31

In this episode, Bill and Lauren engage in a conversation with Meena Palaniappan, the Founder, and CEO of Atma Connect, as she discusses her journey of building Atma Go, a tool for community change that operates on a hyperlocal level in Indonesia, Puerto Rico, and Ukraine. Palaniappan introduces the concept of the ‘plentiverse,’ which contrasts the…

1
Safeguarding a Diabetes Charity Community and Knowing if You’ve Done the Right Thing 30:52

1y ago30:52

30:52

Safeguarding is a term used in Ireland and the United Kingdom that covers efforts to protect the health, wellbeing, and human rights of people, especially children and those who are otherwise vulnerable. At Diabetes UK, four people alternate by week as the safeguarding lead, helping to protect those that the charity comes in contact with. One of th…

1
Exploring AI as a Force Multiplier / Announcing AI & Community Research 23:21

1y ago23:21

23:21

In this podcast episode, Lauren and Bill revisit their conversation from the beginning of the year and discuss the trends, drivers, and forces they are paying attention to as they enter a new season. They dive into the recently released , which covers 14 different areas impacting technology. They highlight the generative AI trend, which is becoming…

1
Exploring Conversational Leadership With John Hovell 38:53

1y ago38:53

38:53

The convergence of knowledge management and organizational development with conversational leadership and ‘communityship’ As a leader in the convergence of Knowledge Management (KM) and Organization Development (OD), John Hovell is the Managing Director and co-founder of STRATactical. He is a practitioner, speaker, and author of OD/KM strategies an…

1
Examining Our Collective Relationship With AI - a Conversation With Venessa Paech 47:17

1y ago47:17

47:17

Venessa Paech is an internationally regarded online community strategist with over 25 years of experience building community online. Venessa is also a PhD candidate studying the intersection of AI and community, and a global authority on communities and community management. In the first Cohere episode of 2023, Venessa joins Bill Johnston and Dr. L…

1
Empowering Employee Resource Group Leaders With Your Internal Community Platform 38:01

1y ago38:01

38:01

Employee resource groups (ERGs) can do a lot to create a greater sense of belonging at your organization. But the folks who volunteer to lead these groups may find themselves in need of help when it comes to utilizing perhaps the greatest tool at their disposal: Your internal employee community platform. As a community strategist within large organ…

1
A New Home for the Cohere Podcast and an Outlook on 2023 17:39

1+ y ago17:39

17:39

Hi everyone, welcome to 2023, and Lauren and I are here today to give you a quick update on our plans for the Cohere podcast! This year we are breaking away from the concept (and constraints) of the idea of seasons. We will be pursuing topical series instead, which will help us cover a wider range of topics and synch more naturally with our work an…

1
The Chief Community Officer Hype Machine 46:08

1+ y ago46:08

46:08

As we celebrate Community Signal’s 7th birthday, Patrick takes questions from Community Signal listeners and supporters in this first ever “Ask Patrick Anything” episode of the show. Questions include: If everything had worked with CNN+, what would community look like for the platform? Would you rather be a working community professional or a commu…

1
The Role of Friendship in Enhancing Virtual Experiences with Joi Podgorny 39:32

1+ y ago39:32

39:32

Joi Podgorny returns to the Cohere podcast to discuss her unique perspective on the state of the Metaverse with hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas. In season 1, in the early stages of the pandemic, Joi and Bill explored the part communities, and in particular VR-based communities, might play during the lockdown and socially-distanced period …

1
Elon Musk’s Quest to Make Twitter Worse 55:12

1+ y ago55:12

55:12

Elon Musk’s presence has loomed over Twitter since he announced plans to purchase the platform. And for these few weeks that he’s been in charge, many concerns have proven to be justified. Musk laid off 3,700 employees, and then 4,400 contractors. He is firing those who are critical of him. The verification process, perhaps one of Twitter’s most tr…

1
Our Intention is Not to Obsess Over Twitter 40:27

1+ y ago40:27

40:27

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas talk about the state of social media generally and twitter in particular. Discussing twitter as one of the canaries in the social media coal mine, Bill and Lauren look back to the dawn of social media and discuss the concerns that early community leaders expressed when "soci…

1
Exploring Immersion with Ed Rodley 1:01:04

1+ y ago1:01:04

1:01:04

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas chat with cultural professional Ed Rodley about innovative experience design. Ed shares how his experience as a museum technologist has prepared him to explore and challenge the concept of ‘immersion’. This season, we are identifying the critical mindsets, skill sets, and to…

1
When Community is on 3 Teams in 5 Years 32:35

1+ y ago32:35

32:35

As Zendesk’s customer base and product offerings have grown, so has its community. The Zendesk community started in 2008, under the support organization, as a space for people to ask and answer questions about using the product. Since then, it has shifted departments multiple times, leading to changes in KPIs and core purpose. Nicole Saunders, the …

1
Why Community on the Product Team Works, From a Product Leader’s Perspective 49:14

1+ y ago49:14

49:14

Recently, community pro Danielle Maveal joined Community Signal to discuss her experiences reporting into the product organization at Burb. In this episode, we’re getting the opposite perspective from product leader Gitesh Gohel. Gitesh and Patrick worked together at CNN, where community reported into product. And while the product and community th…

1
Designing Comfortable Digital Spaces with Melanie Kahl 47:31

1+ y ago47:31

47:31

On this post-Summer break episode of the Cohere podcast, Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas welcome design and strategy leader Melanie Kahl to discuss how we might design more comfortable shared digital spaces. Using Melanie's recent article "" as a jumping off point, Bill and Lauren speak with Melanie about her career, her design and strategy pra…

1
Lessons in Building Safe, Inclusive, and Functional Spaces for LGBTQ+ Folks 39:49

1+ y ago39:49

39:49

If you’re wondering how you can more actively foster safety and belonging for LGBTQ+ folks in your online community, there’s precedent to learn and borrow from. In this episode of Community Signal, we’re joined by Samantha “Venia” Logan, the CEO and founder of Socially Constructed. Venia shares lessons from her decade of experience building communi…

1
The Pros and Cons of Community Reporting to Product 33:09

1+ y ago33:09

33:09

Which team or leader does your community organization report into? And which would you like it to? Community teams can be successful as independent pillars or as part of other verticals, like product, ops, or marketing. In this episode of Community Signal, Danielle Maveal, the CCO (chief community officer) at Burb, shares how community professional…

1
Bridging Continents and Countries in a Professional Association Community 25:19

1+ y ago25:19

25:19

Do you manage an international community? How do you thoughtfully foster community across different continents, languages, and norms? Mercedes Oppon-Kusi, the community manager for Europe for the International Legal Technology Association, is working to do just that for their community of technology pros working at law firms. With ILTA originating …

1
When Companies Sponsor Their Employees to Contribute to Open Source Software 48:15

2y ago48:15

48:15

WordPress, the popular open source CMS, powers a reported 43%+ of the web, including this site. It is backed by a global community of contributors who volunteer their time in all sorts of ways, from code to documentation to training. But did you know that many of the project’s biggest contributors are sponsored by their employer to provide that tim…

1
Exploring the Open Metaverse with Vincent Boon 47:35

2y ago47:35

47:35

Community pioneer Vincent Boon returns to the Cohere podcast to discuss his latest project with Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas - the OpenMeta DAO. The OpenMeta DAO is gathering a community to ensure the future of the metaverse is human-centered, fair, and interoperable. Both the overall mission of the OpenMeta DAO, as well as the OpenMeta DAO …

1
The Disappearing News Media Comment Sections 36:12

2y ago36:12

36:12

As the former director of community for HuffPost, where he led the management of an active, massive comment section, Tim McDonald has had a unique vantage point to the mass closure of news media comment sections. Patrick and Tim go in depth on that topic on this episode. Toward the end, Tim shares what he believes will be his greatest community ROI…

1
The Community Management Jobs You Turn Down 28:47

2y ago28:47

28:47

What are the reasons why you would voluntarily end the interview process for a community role? If you give it some thought, you’ll probably come up with some! Ryan Arsenault and Patrick share real stories from their careers, giving the reasons why they decided against continuing to interview with certain companies, including some you’ve heard of. T…

1
Building Up Your Community Members, One Phone Call at a Time 34:43

2y ago34:43

34:43

Is speaking one-on-one with your community members part of your community strategy? For Tosin Abari, when building paid professional communities, it’s an integral part. His phone calls with community members provide an opportunity to reset the tone and remind each member of what they can learn, share, and achieve with their fellow community members…

1
Making Sense of Crypto with Kent Langley 43:02

2y ago43:02

43:02

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, technologist and co-founder of OpenEXO Kent Langley joins Bill to discuss the current realities of crypto. Kent and Bill cover a range of topics, from the origin of blockchain, to how blockchains actually work, and current misconceptions about crypto. They then delve into questions about the relationship betwe…

1
Community Cycles and What's Different (and the same) This Time 51:50

2y ago51:50

51:50

This week Lauren and I take a side trip from our Season 3 theme of Metaverse to talk about the cyclical (at least to date) nature of online community investment. In this unfiltered episode, we share how this cycle has helped shape our careers and explore questions that seem to come up in every cycle: With each subsequent era, why do we have to rele…

1
Making Room for the Next Generation of Community Professionals 55:17

2y ago55:17

55:17

Which community leaders helped you grow as a professional? Who in the industry do you study from or reference? On the last episode of Community Signal, our guest Mohamed Mohammed mentioned how his former manager, Joe Pishgar, helped him feel welcome in the industry. “You belong here” were Joe’s encouraging words to Mohamed, and this phrase signifie…

1
Do DAOs Hold the Secret of Orchestrating Collaboration? 45:32

2y ago45:32

45:32

In this episode of the Cohere podcast, Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas discuss the early promise (and obvious issues) with DAOs (Distributed Autonomous Organizations). Bill and Lauren have an in-depth discussion to try and separate the value and future utility of the DAO model vs. the current hype. DAOs have been described as "digital flash mob…

1
Deepfakes in Your Community are Inevitable 48:55

2y ago48:55

48:55

This conversation with Mohamed Mohammed, a community manager and a PhD student studying deepfakes, is timely. Just last week, a deepfake emerged attempting to spread misinformation that the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, was announcing surrender to Russia’s invasion. In that situation, preparation and rapid response helped minimize the s…

1
What Role Might NFTs Play In Future Communities? 35:29

2y ago35:29

35:29

Do organizations have the digital competence and skills to distinguish between a short-term trend (that might turn out to be a scam) and a long-term iteration of its digital activities? In this episode, we discuss why NFTs are a phenomenon, and the information and questions community builders may want to consider, including: NFTs are all the rage -…

1
Providing a Safe and Functional Community for Cancer Survivors 34:06

2y ago34:06

34:06

Online communities are can be essential for people impacted by illness. For those directly affected, their families, and support systems, these communities can provide a much needed place to share experiences, to vent, and to learn about different symptoms, treatments, and the intricacies of navigating the healthcare system. For our guest, Amanda P…

1
Leveling Up Your Community Team With Specialized Roles 35:59

2y ago35:59

35:59

As community leaders, we’re responsible for people. The people in our communities and the people that serve them. In this episode, Chris Catania, head of community at Esri, shares how he approaches planning for growth and specialization for his community organization, for his people, and for his own role. Chris is currently hiring for three roles, …

1
Exploring a Betterverse 33:40

2y ago33:40

33:40

The current Metaverse is a mirage. The pursuit of the Metaverse vision could lead us to a better Internet. On the first episode of Season 3 of the Cohere podcast, we (Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas) frame of this season’s topic: the Metaverse. As they did with “community”, Facebook’s announcement of the company’s move to focus on the Metaverse…

1
Misuse of Community is Endemic in Web3 49:12

2y ago49:12

49:12

By now, even if you’re not super well-versed in the terminology of Web3, you’ve probably encountered some of the conversation around its relationship with community. Like with any innovation or change in technology, there can and should be conversations about how Web3 will empower communities. However, we should also ask questions and think about h…

1
Announcing Season 3 of the Cohere Podcast 4:38

2y ago4:38

4:38

Season 3 of the Cohere podcast is just around the corner. In Season 2, Dr. Lauren Vargas and Bill Johnston explored the role networks play in our lives - from the obvious to the subtle. In Season 3, Lauren and Bill focus on the topic dominating the discussion of our collective digital future: the Metaverse. The discussion will go beyond the hyperbo…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Onlinecommunities Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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