On Task Delegation and Self Compassion
Musings with Ibi Fiberesima (Fibi), founder at Community Squad Africa
Behind every thriving community is a a human with emotions and things to deal with. This is Community Musings: Conversations. — a series dedicated to navigating the mental and emotional rollercoaster of building a career in community.
Meet Ibi Fiberesima!
Ibi Fiberesima, preferably called Fibi, is a super amazing Community Manager who is building communities and also thriving as a tech content creator. She pours herself into whatever she does and you can see that evident in her community, the events she puts togther and the content she creates. Building in public, helping other people thrive, supporting Open Source, baking… that’s Fibi and of course a lot more.
Here is her story
I didn’t know what I was doing was community.
Fibi: In 2017, as a student, I decided to monetize my passion for baking. I started building in public and came up with this content strategy called “Cake Edu Monday “, and before I knew what was happening, it was garnering attention. I then decided to create a community of practice for bakers, but I didn’t know that what I was doing was community.
Using that content strategy, I organically grew my community from 0 to 20,000 active members in 3 years. I never ran ads, people were just very interested in what I was sharing. Offering courses and ebooks also helped me to attract more people and even clients; I connected with people in different countries like Uganda, Ghana, Cameroon, and some other African countries.
When I decided to delve into tech I first started as a Product Designer but I had to tell myself the truth that product design was not something I’d be invested in in the long run because at that point I was doing it because it was in trend. When it was time to switch, I researched various non-technical aspects of tech and came across community. I read about it, did a thorough research on it and I realized that it was something I already had a skill in, then I made the switch. That experience with building my community as a baker helped me land my first job with Gruve Tickets because that’s what I pitched when I was asked about my prior experience.
Getting rejection mails doesn’t define my worth, as a person or as a community manager
Fibi: I’m currently in a season of job hunting - looking for bigger opportunities where the impact of my work as a community manager can be more felt and an industry where I’ll thrive exceptionally well plus make more money.
How I’m able to navigate negative feelings that pop up here and there is knowing that everyone faces the same thing. Everyone who has gotten their big break in tech has had times where they applied over 100 times and got rejection emails, and just that one big YES paved the way for them. I’m privileged to have the mentorship of those kinds of people; who have gone through this season and their encouragement & advice let me know that it is normal.
Getting rejection mails doesn’t define my worth, as a person or as a community manager; it doesn’t mean that I cannot do the work. It just means that they know what they are looking for which could be in terms of location, etc.
I don’t beat myself up, I just keep on applying. Also, upskilling because learning never ends. I keep on putting my work out there because I know that I’m good at what I do and you can see the impact of my work, it’s evident in terms of my personal brand and other communities that I manage. Any company would be lucky to have me!
I keep on building in public; sharing my wins and fails, letting people know that I’m job hunting in this season. Though there are times when I feel down but then like I said I’m privileged to have access to people who have been through this season and get to hear their advice.
Task delegation has been very pertinent in helping me deal with burnout
Fibi: I usually tell members of the Community Squad Africa, a community for community managers, that as a community manager, you should not expect members of your community to be active or engaged at all times because they are human beings. When you begin to see from that perspective, you’ll find that you’ll begin to have more time for yourself and focus on other things for the community.
Know that your community doesn’t have to be active every day. That’s why you must create some sort of community culture so that members know what to expect at different times.
Delegate! Task delegation is really important. I have realized that most times members are looking for areas to contribute but those areas are not being made known in communities so the community manager has full autonomy which at the end of the day leads to burnout. At Community Squad Africa, I come up with a list of tasks and ask who would love to do it. As you’re doing this you have to make sure that you’re acknowledging your members for those tasks that they do. Also, at Gruve Tickets, I’m privileged to have two other community managers working with me and we get to delegate tasks among ourselves. Empowering members to take up various tasks and opportunities in the community has also been very pertinent in helping me deal with burnout as a community manager and founder of a community.
When you show up, do your best work! There’s this quote that drives me daily, it says “ Do not postpone doing great work”. So every time that I show up, I show up as my best self and do the work. But then times when I feel down or burnt out, I acknowledge that I’m a human being and stay down but the days when I’m at a 100%, I show up and do my best work.
There are days where I also feel stuck with my creative juice, say I want to create content for my community and nothing is flowing. I always say that there are tools to help you as a community manager to increase your productivity; AI being inclusive.
On weekends I do things that benefit me personally
Fibi: I don’t think I have attained that state where I’d say I have a healthy work life balance but I think for me it’s just knowing when to take a break. On weekends I make sure that anything that I’m doing is something that benefits me personally; I go out, have fun, spend time with family and loved ones, and all that. I do not open my laptop except it’s something that is beneficial to me like my personal brand.
I also ensure to stay organized. I don’t have a perfect routine but I try to stay organized with my to-dos, clearing tasks and knowing that I can take a rest when important tasks are done.
Taking breaks in between is also very important and that’s why I appreciate remote work a whole lot. I could just be working and when I’m tired I could take a nap or something, and rejuvenate.
Imposter Syndrome is just a feeling
Fibi: I battle with imposter syndrome, but over time I tell myself that it’s just a feeling. It’s a feeling of fear that makes you think you’re not good at what you do because you’re probably seeing people or you’ve put yourself at a particular pedestal. This feeling of inadequacy sometimes could also come from unhealthy comparison, “this person is better than me”, “this person works at a particular company”, “this person is doing this or doing that”, and because you feel that you have not attained that particular height then it means you’re not good. Or you’ve been applying for jobs and you keep getting rejected, it makes you question yourself.
One way that I’m basically able to come out from that, like I said, I have people in my life who I talk to and they remind me of the amount of value I bring to the table.
Another thing that helps me get off from this feeling is documenting my work. I tell people that your portfolio, asides using it as a proof of work during your work search also serves as a way for you to introspect. Even documenting feedback from people, these are things that reminds you of the value that you bring to the table, for times when you feel down.
Also, practicing self compassion. Because one of the reason this feeling of fear happen is because we place ourselves on some particular pedestal but you discover that when you become more self compassionate, you will get there. My partner tells me every time that so far I’m consistent and focused and consistently doing something that I’d begin to see results.
It’s something that everyone deals with, you’re not alone.
What sets me in the right direction when managing communities
Fibi: First of all knowing that community is not the platform that you use rather a network of people that you’re able to bring together. And I think this just changes the whole perspective when you realize that, it makes you know how to better manage your community, in terms of active listening, looking for feedback from your community members and also granting them some sort of autonomy. It doesn’t matter the platform you are on.
Another tip would be knowing that the best way to keep your community engaged and active is to empower your members with opportunities. So that’s why you have communities like Superteam Nigeria- the reason that community is active is because this community is in itself empowering the members. There are a lot of earning opportunities, there are acknowledgments where their members feel seen and heard. Same thing with CM Squad Africa, if you go through our page you’ll realize that at every given point in time we make sure to celebrate our members. When you empower members with opportunities, you keep them active and engaged.
Connect with Fibi on X and LinkedIn
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*Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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Beautifully Documented 👏🏻
My two favourite women in community did a collab... I'm elated 🥹