Project Exponential

Month: May 2013

  • The best opportunities

    Most really talented people are never discovered. Most will never make it onto the Best Sellers list, won’t speak at TED, won’t be contacted by NPR.

    Chances are you may never find yourself on the big screen. That manuscript? It might end up in more trash cans than hands. And your promising business venture? You’ll be lucky if you get funded within the first ten pitches.

    So you have a choice: you can sit back and wait to be called upon…

    Or you can claim ownership of your own success.

    Don’t wait for the best opportunities to find you. Create them.

    Steps can you take to build your tribe, ship your art, design a viable solution — today:

    • Start a blog and schedule a regular publishing calendar.
    • Organize monthly roundtables with speakers of varied and interesting content.
    • Record a series of podcasts on subjects you’d like to learn more about.
    • Make sure your plan doesn’t include a stroke of luck or a winning lotto ticket.
    • Pitch your mentor, pitch your friend, practice your pitch on the stranger in the elevator.
    • Plan a film festival in a friend’s backyard (or rooftop).
    • Set a recurring alarm and write for twenty minutes each day.
    • Gather three friends and meet every other week to discuss challenges and progress.

    Note: This blog post may sound harsh, but I want you to realize this is your life, your career, your dreams, your goals. No one else will take responsibility for them.

  • 5 steps to great team dynamics

    Set up a ping pong table and buy as many board games as you like — positive rapport doesn’t happen overnight. Employees naturally travel through phases of exploration, challenge, acceptance, and performance. Recognize that all teams move through stages of development, and some individuals require more time to assert their skills and integrate into preexisting units.

    1. Encourage interdepartmental collaboration.

    The opportunity to work together can significantly contribute to an employee’s ability to relate to others and feel a sense of loyalty to their team. Introduce colleagues thoughtfully. Generate new ideas and unexpected outcomes by pooling together individuals who don’t typically share projects. The best solutions arise from a variety of sources and inspiration.

    2. Provide leadership opportunities for all.

    All employees should be given a chance to shine, regardless of role and level within the company. Create environments in which everyone’s feedback is respected and make training available to all members of the group. By shaking up responsibilities and expected performance, you’ll give employees the opportunity to appreciate their colleagues’ talents.

    3. Creatively encourage relationship building.

    The best connections rarely form inside of the office. Bring employees together in unique environments; schedule company outings, host dinners in your home, arrange group trips, encourage brown bag lunches at the nearby park. Promote a culture that provides opportunities for individuals to create and bond outside of daily tasks, enabling deeper feelings of satisfaction and connectedness.

    4. Shared experiences unite teams.

    Challenges can serve as teaching moments and unite individuals within a given project. Ushering teams through trying times will reinforce competence and trust among each team member. Alternatively, working towards a shared goal and focusing on mutual success can help keep your team’s energy positive. Celebrate triumphs together.

    5. Model constructive communication.

    The best way to encourage positive communication is to demonstrate and conduct the types of interactions you’d like to see. Effective communication and empathic listening doesn’t come easily for everyone. Your verbal and non-verbal cues will be imitated by staff. Be aware that your clarity and expectations regarding communication, trust, respect, and honor are an integral component of determining the communication patterns of your team.

    It’s up to you to create the time and space for employees to connect meaningfully. Equip your team with what it needs to succeed: support, clear objectives, effective means of communication, strong leadership. When the right roles and responsibilities mix with a carefully selected group of individuals, great team dynamics will follow.