Communities that made us

In this episode, Si and Neil talk about the communities that helped shape their careers and perspectives as engineers and leaders. From grassroots meetups and agile communities to internal workplace groups and side project collectives, they explore how the right people in the right space can accelerate learning, create opportunities, and build lasting friendships. They also discuss what makes communities thrive or fade away. Sometimes scale changes the dynamic, sometimes life simply moves on, but the impact often stays with you long after. Along the way they share personal stories about meetups, online communities, internal workplace groups, and why feeling like you belong somewhere matters more than people often realise. If you have ever wondered whether it is worth joining a meetup, starting a community at work, or creating a small group around a shared interest, this episode might give you the nudge you need. Because sometimes the community that changes your career is just one conversation away. ⸻ CHAPTERS 00:00 - Friday preamble and why we record at the end of the week 02:00 - What do we mean by “communities that made us?” 06:30 - Early communities and how they opened doors in our careers 12:30 - When communities scale and start to lose their grassroots feel 17:00 - Building a side project community during lockdown 22:30 - Small communities and why intimacy matters 27:00 - Internal communities at work and communities of practice 31:45 - Leadership support and funding for communities 34:00 - Neurodiversity networks and safe spaces in organisations 39:00 - Private vs public communities and finding the right balance 48:30 - Advice for anyone thinking about starting a community 52:00 - Why joining a community can change everything ⸻ USEFUL LINKS The Multipack - https://multipack.co.uk Cambridge Agile Exchange - https://www.meetup.com/cambridge-agile-exchange/ Building Successful Communities of Practice - https://emilywebber.co.uk/books/building-successful-communities-of-practice/ UK Government Community of Practice Guide - https://communityofpractice.gov.uk/ ⸻ Connect with the hosts Si Jobling - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sijobling/ Neil Younger - https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilyounger/ Podcast archive https://podcast.managingengineers.net Support Managing Engineers by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/managingengineers This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Read transcript