How to Build Communities Like a Master Connector - Luca Buchholz

Super Powered: Leadership, Strategy, Decision Making & Peak Performance - Stories & Strategies from World-Class Performers for Executive Success

Ever wondered why some teams feel like family while others feel like strangers sharing an office?

Luca Buchholz is a global community architect who has scaled communities from local meetups to worldwide movements. Her counter-intuitive approach reveals that true communities aren't accidental - they're intentionally designed around shared purpose.

From scaling international tech communities at Camunda to building nonprofit organisations, Luca's expertise in creating environments where people genuinely belong has made her a sought-after business coach. She openly shares how a painful childhood experience of exclusion sparked her lifelong mission to ensure everyone feels valued and connected.

Key Talking Points:

• The critical difference between a group and a community: intentional design around a shared purpose that people feel is worth investing their time and energy into
• Why psychological safety, co-ownership and recognition are the three non-negotiable elements needed to foster genuine belonging
• How a community must evolve as it scales, adapting communication channels while never compromising on core purpose and values
• The surprising insight that successful communities should actually transform both their members and purpose over time, not remain static

Links & Resources:

• Luca's LinkedIn: Luca Buchholz
• Business coaching website
• Book Recommendation: "The Art of Gathering" by Priya Parker
• Book Recommendation: "Dare to Lead" by Brené Brown
• Book Recommendation: "The Fearless Organization" by Amy Edmondson
• Podcast: Dare to Lead with Brené Brown

Today's Exercise: The Check-In Question

This simple practice creates psychological safety and builds deeper connections within any group by opening space for authentic sharing beyond just work topics.

1. Start your next meeting by asking everyone "How are you feeling today?" and giving space for genuine responses
2. Listen actively without judgment to each person's answer
3. Alternatively, send a direct appreciation message to a colleague highlighting something specific you value about them
4. Notice how these small moments of connection strengthen relationships and build trust over time