Jeremiah Owyang posts on the things that make a good technology evangelist and community manager.

        1) Community First

Puts the community or the customers as a priority over the company.
This person is an advocate for the customers, and will often go ‘join’
the community, rather than try to build it. (I learned this from Tara)

2) An Educator, two-ways
Teaches the community about the company and it’s products, often in a non-invasive manner.

3) Uses the tools and communication style of the community
In 2007, this is primarily blogs, online pictures. I see this moving to Video, Twitter, and a vast array of emerging tools.

4) Puts a Human Face on the company
This person actually shows their real face, both online and at events.
Forget those stock images of the pretty Asian woman at the computer,
and use a real person, who can relate to the community.

5) Not just a Marketing Role
This is not just a PR or marketing role, this role actually extends to:
Customer Support
Product Marketing and Engineering

6) Knows when to get out of the way
Sometimes this role is to connect the right people in the
company (who know more about the product details) with the right
customers. Also this role will connect prospects with customers, in a
new form of “customer references”.

7) Pushes the “Membrane”
Scoble told me about this in 2005, he pushed the corporate membrane at
Microsoft, which is a pliable movable invisible wall. Once he felt he
pushed it, and was just about to poke through, he would back off. If
Corporate Comms and Management gets uncomfortable with the community
manager, then you’re doing the job right.”

Some other things I have seen from other good community managers:

1. Understands and communicates back to the company (that sponsored the community) the value of the community.

2. Facilitates discussions among community members / participants so
they can feel free to discuss issues outside of the community.