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Ever wonder why certain TV shows become instant obsessions while others fade into the background? It’s not just the plot or the production budget—it’s the personality. That distinctive vibe that makes a show unmistakably itself.

The same is true for your community. In a digital world full of generic spaces that all blend together, having a distinct personality isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential for survival. It’s the difference between a community people check occasionally and one they can’t stop thinking about.

Why Your Community Needs a Personality

Have you ever joined a community that felt… forgettable? The kind where everything feels so generic that you could literally swap it with any other community in the same niche and barely notice the difference?

We’ve all been there. You join excited to connect, but everything feels sanitized and corporate. No distinct voice, no memorable experiences, just another place to scroll through that fails to capture your attention.

Here’s the reality: In a world where people are bombarded with content and connection options, generic doesn’t cut it. Generic gets ignored.

Your community’s personality is that special sauce that makes your space different from every other community out there. It’s how you communicate, the experiences you create, the inside jokes that develop, and the overall feeling members get when they interact with you and each other.

Think of it like a dinner party. If you go to a party where the host is bland, the conversation is stiff, and everything feels formal and uncomfortable, are you going to be excited to go back? Probably not. But if you go to a dinner party where the host is warm and quirky, the conversation flows naturally, and there’s a distinct vibe that matches your own personality—you’ll be checking your calendar to make sure you’re free for the next one.

When your community has a strong, defined personality:

1. Members self-select. The right people are instantly drawn to your vibe, while those who wouldn’t enjoy your community naturally move on. This means fewer lurkers and more engaged participants.
2. Consistency builds trust. When your community’s personality stays consistent, members know what to expect. This predictability creates a sense of safety and belonging.
3. Decisions become easier. When you’re clear on your community’s personality, it becomes your North Star for every decision—from the content you create to how you handle conflicts.
4. Members become advocates. People don’t just share generic experiences; they share memorable ones. A distinct personality makes your community more talk-about-able.

I worked with a client last year who was struggling with engagement in her wellness community. The content was solid, the topics were relevant, but something was missing. When we dug deeper, we realized her community had no distinct personality. It felt like every other wellness space out there.

So, we made a shift. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, we leaned into what made her different—her slightly sarcastic humor, her real talk about wellness fails, and her pop culture references. Basically, we stopped trying to be Goop and started being more like Shrill.

The result? Engagement tripled in just a month. Members finally felt like they found their people. They went from passive observers to active participants because the community’s personality resonated with them.

The TV Show Framework: Finding Your Community’s Personality Match

TV shows are perfect for thinking about community personality because they’re designed to attract and retain specific audiences. The tone, dialogue, visuals, and character interactions all work together to create a distinct world that viewers want to return to episode after episode.

Let’s break down some popular TV shows and what they can teach us about community personalities:

The Office: Casual, Relatable, and Humor-Focused

Imagine your community with the personality of The Office. What does that look like? It’s casual, a bit awkward at times, humor-focused, and deeply relatable. The content isn’t overly polished—in fact, its authenticity is what makes it appealing. There’s room for inside jokes, celebrations of small wins, and a sense that everyone’s just figuring things out together.

This personality is perfect for communities that don’t take themselves too seriously but still deliver meaningful value. Think creative entrepreneurs, parents, or anyone who appreciates seeing the humor in everyday challenges.

In an Office-style community, you might:

• Have a channel dedicated to wins—no matter how small
• Celebrate work anniversaries or membership milestones with personalized “Dundies”
• Use GIFs and memes as a regular form of communication
• Allow conversations to wander occasionally (like Michael’s tangents)

Ted Lasso: Optimistic, Supportive, and Growth-Oriented

A Ted Lasso community is optimistic to its core—focusing on belief, support, and seeing the best in people. There’s a warmth to every interaction, plenty of encouragement, and an emphasis on growth over perfection.

This personality works beautifully for communities focused on personal development, overcoming challenges, or learning new skills. It’s about creating a space where people feel safe to try, fail, and try again with a cheering section behind them.

In a Ted Lasso community, you might:

• Start each week with a motivational message or belief statement
• Have a “Believe” wall where members share their progress
• Implement a buddy system for accountability and support
• Focus on progress over perfection in all aspects
• Teach through stories and metaphors rather than dry instruction

Succession: Strategic, Ambitious, and Results-Driven

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, we have Succession. A community with this personality is strategic, ambitious, and premium. There’s an air of exclusivity, direct communication, and a focus on results above all else.

This works for high-end business communities, investing groups, or any space where members are driven by achievement and expect a certain caliber of conversation.

In a Succession-style community, you might:

• Have blunt, no-holds-barred feedback sessions
• Celebrate big wins prominently
• Create tiered access with exclusive benefits for top contributors
• Use more formal, sophisticated language
• Focus on strategy and results over emotion

Bridgerton: Elegant, Aspirational, and Aesthetically-Focused

A Bridgerton community embodies elegance, aspiration, and visual beauty. There’s attention to aesthetic details, a blend of tradition and modernity, and a certain societal structure that everyone understands.

This personality works wonderfully for lifestyle, design, or wellness communities with strong visual elements. It’s perfect when your members appreciate beauty and form alongside function.

In a Bridgerton community, you might:

• Pay extra attention to the visual design of your space
• Use slightly formal but warm language
• Create seasonal “events” that feel special and exclusive
• Have clear community “etiquette” guidelines
• Emphasize the aspirational elements of your niche

Yellowstone: Straight-Talking, Practical, and Tradition-Focused

Finally, we have Yellowstone. This community is straight-talking, no-nonsense, and built on loyalty. There’s a respect for tradition, practical wisdom, and direct communication.

This personality works for communities focused on practical skills, traditional values, or industries where straightforward talk is valued. Think trades, certain sports, or communities where members appreciate getting to the point.

In a Yellowstone community, you might:

• Focus on proven methods rather than trendy approaches
• Value experience and results over theory
• Have a strong code of conduct that emphasizes loyalty
• Use direct, concise communication
• Create clear hierarchies based on experience or contribution

The beauty of this framework is that there’s no right or wrong personality—it’s about finding the one that authentically represents you and resonates with your ideal members.

Finding Your Community’s TV Show Match

How do you figure out which TV show personality fits your community best? Here are several approaches:

Quick Personality Quiz

Pick the statement that sounds most like your ideal community:

A. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take our results seriously. We love to laugh while we learn.”

B. “We believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself. Everyone deserves a champion in their corner.”

C. “Excellence isn’t optional—it’s expected. We’re here to win, strategize, and dominate our goals.”

D. “The details matter. We believe in creating beautiful experiences and elevating everyday moments.”

E. “Cut the fluff. We’re here for practical, proven advice that works in the real world.”

If you resonated with A, you might have an Office-style community. B sounds like Ted Lasso, C is pure Succession, D gives Bridgerton vibes, and E is straight out of Yellowstone.

Deeper Exploration Methods

Survey your existing members. Ask them about their favorite shows and why they connect with them. Look for patterns in their responses. You might be surprised to find that many of your most engaged members share similar taste in shows.

Sample question: “If our community were a TV show, which one do you think it would be and why?”

Analyze your own content. Look at your most engaging posts or events. What tone did they have? Were they funny, inspirational, strategic, elegant, or practical? The content that naturally resonates most is often aligned with your authentic personality.

Imagine your community’s pilot episode. If your community were turned into a TV show, what would the pilot episode look like? Who are the main characters? What’s the setting? What happens in the first scene? This can help you visualize your community’s personality in action.

Look at your personal preferences. As the community leader, your own taste often informs your community’s personality. What shows do you love? Why do you connect with them? Often, your community will naturally reflect elements of what you enjoy.

Remember, you’re not trying to copy a show’s exact format—you’re identifying the essence of its personality to guide your community’s development.

Bringing Your TV Show Personality to Life

Once you’ve identified your community’s TV show personality, it’s time to implement it across every aspect of your community:

Your Welcome Experience

Think about how your “show” introduces new characters. This sets the tone for everything that follows.

• Ted Lasso community: Personalized welcome highlighting what you already admire about the new member
• Succession community: Formal welcome outlining expectations and highlighting exclusive resources
• Office community: Quirky, slightly awkward but warm welcome that makes people feel immediately part of the team

Content and Discussion Formats

What types of “scenes” happen regularly in your show? These become your content formats.

• Office-style: Weekly “conference room meetings” (group calls with loose agendas)
• Yellowstone-style: “Bunkhouse” conversations (practical troubleshooting sessions)
• Bridgerton-style: “Social season” events (elegant, structured discussions with clear etiquette)

Visual Elements and Language

What’s the “set design” and dialogue style of your show? This becomes your visual identity and communication tone.

• Bridgerton: Elegant graphics, slightly formal language, seasonal visual “refreshes”
• Yellowstone: Straightforward design, direct communication, strong visuals
• Ted Lasso: Warm color palette, encouraging language, emphasis on growth

Community Rituals

What are the “recurring episodes” in your community? These become your rituals and traditions.

• Office-style: Monthly “Dundies” to celebrate member contributions
• Ted Lasso: “Believe” boards where members share goals and progress
• Succession: Strategic planning sessions or “board meetings” for key decisions

Conflict Resolution

Even the best communities face challenges. How would your show handle a plot twist or character disagreement?

• Ted Lasso approach: Private conversations focusing on growth and seeing the best in intentions
• Succession approach: Direct confrontation with clear consequences
• Yellowstone approach: Loyalty-based resolution with clear boundaries

When to Evolve Your Community’s Personality

Communities, like TV shows, sometimes need to evolve. Here are signs it might be time for a personality evolution:

• Declining engagement: If your once-vibrant community is getting quieter
• Member confusion: When members seem unsure how to interact
• Your own discomfort: If maintaining the current personality feels forced
• Market or audience shifts: Sometimes external factors require adaptation

The key to successful evolution is to preserve your core values while adjusting how they’re expressed. Think of it as a “new season” rather than a complete reboot.

Final Thoughts: Your Community’s Personality is Your Superpower

Finding your community’s TV show personality isn’t just about being clever—it’s about creating a space where people instantly feel like they belong. When someone joins your community and thinks “Ah, these are my people,” that’s when you know you’ve nailed it.

Think about what happens when you find a TV show you love. You don’t just watch it—you look forward to it. You talk about it with friends. You join online discussions about it. The same happens with a community that has a strong, authentic personality. Members don’t just participate; they anticipate. They don’t just consume; they contribute. They don’t just show up; they bring others along.

So, what TV show best represents the community you want to build? Is it the warm encouragement of Ted Lasso? The quirky relatability of The Office? The strategic ambition of Succession? The elegant aspiration of Bridgerton? Or the straight-talking practicality of Yellowstone?

Whatever personality fits your community best, lean into it confidently. Your community’s personality is your superpower—use it wisely!

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