What 2 Community Meetings Taught Me About Building for People
Why direction and behavior need each other
Last April 14th, I participated in a library focus group. The following day, I sat in a school strategic planning meeting.
I walked into the second room with notes from the first. I wanted to bring real community input into a structured planning conversation.
I love our local public library! I love what it does for its patrons.
When I moved to New Jersey, I did not know where to go during the day. I had questions and a need to feel a sense of belonging in a new place. The library gave me a starting point. I could walk in without an appointment. I could sit, read, observe, and learn how things worked in this community.
As a mom, I saw another side of it. I watched my son find his own rhythm in that space. He would look around, pick a spot, and settle in. I saw other middle schoolers do the same in the YA room. No one told them to be there. They chose it.
That choice says a lot.
That is why I paid attention in that first session.
Listening to the community
The facilitators asked direct questions about the community and the library's future.
They asked what challenges we see as residents. I shared what I notice when I walk through town. The main street has many closed shops. I think about how it used to be a place where families could stay, where kids could go after school, and where residents did not need to leave town to find activities. I walk there from my house, so access is personal for me. When basic services and programs are nearby, it changes how a family moves through the day.
They asked what could impact residents in the next few years. I answered with AI. Technology is advancing rapidly, and students need guidance. Schools will cover part of it, but the community needs to support that learning. The library can play a role by offering programs that help students understand how to use these tools and how to stay safe.
They asked about the role of the library. For me, it is a safe space. It is where I found volunteer opportunities. It is where I see middle schoolers gather without pressure. It offers services people rely on, from reading programs to passport support. It meets people where they are.
They asked if I see a future for the library. My answer was 100% YES! I see it as a place where small business owners can work and take calls without having to leave town (to pay for shared office space). I see it as a place where moms and their small children stay and spend time together. I see it as a catalyst for connection and growth in the community.
What the community made clear
The conversation moved into participation.
Parents talked about internship opportunities, career exposure, and mentorship. They want students to understand what work looks like before graduation. They want access to real-world environments, not only classroom instruction.
They also spoke about what brings students in. Programs need to feel easy to join. They need to fit into a family’s schedule. They need to feel worth the time.
That became my filter. The library has to be worth the trip.
Inside the school planning meeting
The next day, I walked into the school's strategic planning session with those notes in mind.
The structure was strong.
The mission focused on helping students become self-directed learners, succeed in college and in the workplace, and build strong citizenship. It emphasized a safe and supportive environment, preparation for a changing world, and partnerships across the community.
The group worked through goal setting using a clear process. Define what you want to do, explain the impact, and describe the outcome. The focus area I worked on was student, family, and community engagement.
I respect that structure. I use it in my own work.
“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”
- Winston Churchill
A plan, no matter how well written, only works when people respond to it.
Connecting both rooms
When it was time to draft goals, I started with simple words, writing down well-being, fun, belonging, and engagement. Then I added action words like create, imagine, enhance, develop, and transform.
I did that because of what I heard the day before. I could not think about goals without thinking about experience.
When the school discussed engagement and community connection, I thought about personal examples from the library conversation.
Student-led activities (e.g., high schoolers leading programs for elementary school kids)
Hands-on learning
Opportunities where parents and children spend time together
Services that bring people in and give them a reason to return
These are the entry points that make a plan real. The school defines where students need to go. The library reflects how people move through that path.
To me, that is one system.
“People support what they help create.”
- Peter Block
When the community sees itself in the programs, participation follows.
What this looks like in practice
In my work, I see this pattern across teams and organizations.
—> a strong plan creates direction
—> a strong experience creates participation
You need both.
“Vision without execution is hallucination.”
- Thomas Edison
Execution, in this case, is designing experiences that people choose.
The library conversation also surfaced another important idea: partnerships. Instead of building every program internally, the community can engage local businesses and professionals. That expands access, keeps programs relevant, and connects students to real work. It aligns with what schools are aiming for.
The school builds the foundation. The library extends the experience. Both contribute to how students learn, grow, and connect with each other and with the community.
Where this stands for me
I did not leave those two meetings comparing them. I left with a deeper respect for both institutions.
The school is doing important work: defining what students need to learn and become takes structure, discipline, and long-term thinking.
The library plays a different role, but it is just as important. It reflects how people live day to day. It shows where families spend time, what students choose, and what draws them back.
That connection happens in everyday decisions. A parent looks at the evening and decides what is worth the time. A student decides where to go after school. Those decisions determine participation.
If the plan and the experience are aligned, people return. They make it part of their routine. If they are not aligned, even a well-designed plan struggles to gain traction.
When I think about the Bergenfield community, I think about what becomes possible when both sides work together. I think about a main street where families bond, rather than leave town. I think about students getting exposure to work through the active participation of local businesses. I think about the library continuing to serve as a place where people are welcomed, empowered, and included.
I have seen what that kind of environment can do. And that is what I hope we continue to build.
Before you go
If you’re creating and building for a team or a community, whether it’s a system, a process, or a program, take a step back and look at how people are responding to it.
Did people choose to be part of it?
Did they come back?
Did they bring someone with them?
If the answer isn’t strong (yet), no need to rewrite the plan right away.
Instead, go closer to the people you’re building for.
When you need support with this…
Pattern recognition, deep analysis, and long-term strategic thinking are part of what I do for clients.
I also support teams and organizations in simplifying their processes, automating their workflows, and designing user-friendly systems so that workflows run more efficiently and decisions move faster.
The same way I connected what I heard in the library to what I saw in the school, I help teams connect plans to real behavior so their work doesn’t stay on paper.
If you’re working through a plan and want a second set of eyes, you can book a 1:1 session with me here.
Share this
If this resonated, let me know what you think, and feel free to share.