Everyone hates a show-off. At least, that’s what everyone says.
But show-offs are essential to most online communities.
First, we need to get past the pejorative connotation of the term “show-off.”
We generally think of a show-off as a boastful person, a person most of us would like to avoid. But a show-off is also one who recounts his or her accomplishments. And that’s where the value to online communities comes in.
Online communities depend on those who have special knowledge and are willing to share it. In a sense, we need people to be show-offs — to declare that they’ve accomplished something others have not, and to share their stories.
Consider the product support community. Somebody who posts about of how he or she was able to accomplish something notable with the product is creating terrific content (and marketing your product to boot). In a hobbyist community, say a community of woodworking enthusiasts, those who post messages about how they were able to complete some project in a new and innovative way are your star contributors. These people are show-offs in the best sense of the term.
Community managers need to come up with ways to reward these show-offs. Recognize those that share their best stories of accomplishment. Showcase content that others can learn from. Encourage the timid to discuss the notable things they’ve done.
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