Dave Evans

The reason there's a thing called formative community.

It's a technical term that we invented.

is in the book, is that through this DCI program, this Distinguished Career Institute program that I teach in at Stanford, I'm on my 10th cohort, these really thoughtful people, 35 to 45 of them a year, get thrown together in a room, and then in no time at all, say not only is the community the best part of the program, but I'm having relationships with these people like I've never had before in my life.

And I debrief them collectively, and I'll go,

justify your answer.

I'm not buying it.

I mean, these people have formed corporate cultures and have huge professional networks.

Most of them are married with happy families.

How many of you, while you're here, you're getting calls constantly from these huge networks of relationships like, oh, we miss you.

Please come home because they're gone for a whole year at Stanford.

And they go, oh, yeah, it's a din.

I kind of go, and you're telling me

That some admissions officer on this program throws you in a room with 35 yahoos you never met before, and suddenly they're the best friends you ever had.

Uh-huh.

Justify your answer.

And what that conversation has revealed is what I ended up naming as formative community, which is there are three reasons to gather.

One is a social gathering, a social community, get together to have a good time, which is lovely.

You know, enjoy being people together.

A collaborative community, let's get together and get something done.

And getting something done together with another person, you know, is really wonderful.