Only the most privileged of community practitioners will make it to retirement without experiencing the stress of chasing growth targets at least once in their career. The majority of us have had a close relationship with engagement statistics at some point, and what a fickle friend they can be. During the early days of a community’s establishment, steady growth is tantamount to survival. Community builders all seek the holy grail of critical mass – that magical turning point where a community becomes self-sustaining.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://blog.discourse.org/2025/10/community-fragmentation-when-growth-becomes-your-obstacle