8
Building Your Dream Team
“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.”
Epictetus
Now you have a life plan! Your next step is to enroll others in helping you make it happen. Quests are usually not small endeavours. A Big Top cannot be raised by just one person. They need collaborators who join, inspired by the aim and mission, who bring their unique talents to the party. This engagement with your Quest may come in many forms and at different times. Participation in the team may last just an afternoon when someone proves a perfect fit for a very specific task. Others may come on board for the duration, sharing an equal level of commitment for the Quest itself.
Harry Potter is perhaps the most well-known fantasy hero of our time. Each of the Harry Potter films focuses on a different battle, with the same enemy, Voldemort. Ultimately, the battle with Voldemort is Harry's gig. It's personal. They are uniquely connected. Harry's friends, Ron and Hermione, play very valuable sidekick roles and bring their own skills to bear. His mentor is Dumbledore the Wizard, who provides key insight into Harry's own abilities, reminds Harry who he is and helps him navigate the situations in which he finds himself. Along the way, Harry receives a lot of different support from varied and sometimes surprising sources.
Ultimately, as the hero in your own story, you may be on a Quest that will require you to face your Supreme Ordeal alone. But mentors, teachers, guides, gurus, friends, experts, volunteers, champions and partners, are all advisers that can play crucial roles in helping you to get to the point where you are ready to raise your lightsaber.
Many heads are better than just one. Even if there is a significant brain in there, you are limited by the way you see and experience the world. You will feel down, be lost and get muddled along the way. You will wonder why you ever started. At these times, the ability to draw energy and strength from others will be invaluable. Groups unleash creativity. Though the final decisions are likely to rest with you, having the input of others usually brings forth a much better result. It's time to find and establish your heroic dream team.
Better Together
Underneath the pinnacle on which a visible hero stands, are a large number of folk forming a strong base to the pyramid. Dexter is an award-winning TV drama about a serial killer. We might think that what makes the show so exceptional is its most visible parts, like the talent of Michael C. Hall, the actor who plays the eponymous lead role. Or we might attribute the success to the fabulous writing of James Manos, Jr. and his team, who adapted Jeff Lindsay's novels for TV. When I watched the “special features” section of the Dexter DVDs it became clear that what makes Dexter so special is that everyone, from sound effects to art direction, actors to writers, share a dedication to excellence. There was real pride at every stage of the chain, with everyone playing their part to make sure that what they passed on to the next stage of the process was as good as it could possibly be. More than that, there was real trust that within the team, the others could be relied on to do a great job.
The same is true of the book you have in your hands now. OK, I put the words down, scripted the idea and did my research. But in order for you to be reading this a team of designers, illustrators, editors, publishers, distributors, buyers and sellers needed to be in place to get these words to you. And before them came teachers, participants on workshops, coaching clients, patient other halves, friends and family. Everyone, consciously or unconsciously aligned to play their part and delivered to their best ability.
Teams Can Be Made Up of Competitors
Even seemingly competing elements or mortal enemies may unite around a common threat or opportunity in order to win big or to do together what they cannot do alone. There is a theory in international relations concerning collaboration across nations. It is called The Stag Hunt. In the stag hunt, four hunters come together to kill a stag. In order for them all to be successful, they need to work together. If one of them heads off into the woods to chase a rabbit, then everyone loses. A great team made up of competitors relies upon the individual team members sacrificing a degree of short-term benefit in order for everyone to win at a larger level.
In the film, The Magnificent Seven, a random team of seven gunmen pull together to defeat a group of bandits who are terrorizing an impoverished Mexican village. They are a diverse group of characters with a variety of motivations for taking part and share only their common skill set as gunslingers. Each member of the team goes through their individual Hero's Journey as they unite against the common enemy. However, things quickly fall apart once their immediate objectives are completed.
Collaboration takes trust and it doesn't always come easily. But when it happens, it is a beautiful thing to witness. In 2010–11, Manchester United commenced an extraordinary winning streak. Watching the early part of each match, they seemed disjointed, lacking in confidence and you would wonder whether this team were out of luck. Then, suddenly, something would click in, the whole team would function as a powerful, intuitive whole and magic would occur on the pitch.
What Kind of Support Do You Need?
In leadership speak, we talk about three ways of connecting with others. Through the heart, the hands and the head. These three categories can be used to help understand what help you may need to request at different stages of your Quest.
The Heart Team
Every hero needs some kind of emotional support at some point on the Quest, by virtue of being human. Emotional and spiritual support is given by team members who care for you and your wellbeing. They are the members of the team with whom you can most be yourself. They might be family and friends, pastors, spiritual advisers, coaches or counsellors. These team members help keep you balanced and spiritually healthy. They offer a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, hugs and tea as needed, and help pick you up when all you want to do is throw in the towel. Their love and support for you is unconditional. If you have a spiritual practice or faith, your Higher Power and congregational community come under this banner.
The All-Hands-to-the-Pump Team
These are the crew on the ship. Your partners in crime. Practical support comes in the form of hands on deck. These are the team members who provide day-to-day operational support for things you need help with. They could bring any number of different talents depending on the stage of the Quest you are on and the types of skills required for the project as a whole. They might be writers, thinkers, technicians, administrators, carers, fundraisers, marketeers, window cleaners, stilt walkers, the list is endless. They enable the Quest to get up and running.
I recently attended the Shambala festival, one of a number of wonderful festivals that have sprung up in the English countryside in recent years. I am particularly fond of Shambala because of the very special atmosphere it creates. This is a combination of a beautiful environment, a certain quirky and playful culture and, most of all, a ratio of one festival team member for every five revellers. That's a better ratio than most classrooms!
A team of people that straddle the Heart and the Head are your peer group. These are the individuals out there who are on a similar Quest. They may play the same role as you in a different industry. They may be striving for a similar goal. Your peer group can give advice, direct you to resources or help you plan your next step.
The Boffins, Experts and Gurus Team
Expert support takes the form of mentors, gurus, campaign specialists, advisers and technical specialists. These might be teachers, doctors, lawyers, strategists, designers or anyone with a particular skill set that you need filled for a specific and time-bound period. Experts tend to be like luxury chocolate truffles, you might have a little of them now and then and they are unlikely to be part of the day-to-day, but their knowledge and experience are crucial at specific points on the journey.
It's the moment to consolidate your thinking on your dream team. Below is a table capturing different stages of the Quest. Take some time to consider the type of support you may need at each stage.
- Which of the three types of support do you most need at the start of this Quest?
- Do you have people in mind to fill these team roles?
The Best Ways to Find Your Dream Team
The Heart of the Matter
The emotional support team search is a fairly simple one. You are going to look to the people in your life that you trust and who love you. If these feel in short supply, you may wish to reach out to a support group – either face-to-face or online.
Finding Your Peer Group
A heroic change in direction, focus or attitude is going to need reinforcing. Few heroes wake up suddenly with a different head on. If your Quest awakens in you a new possibility for how life can be, it will be important for you to have this reinforced by peers who support and believe in it. The internet has revolutionized our level of contact with others who share our experiences. If you are going to step into the unfamiliar, you will need to explore spending time with people who understand and support your Quest. No matter where you are in the world, you are likely to be able to get online and connect with others who share your new interest, passion and need, and can offer support, counsel and community. This doesn't mean deserting friends and family. It does mean investing in a network that will be able to help you take the steps into who you want to be rather than staying with who you have been. This can be fun and eye opening – as well as giving you a whole new peer group to call on when things get tough.
The Doers
You can find great doers in a wide range of ways. The first place to check is amongst friends and family to see if they know of anyone, or if they can lend a hand. A word of caution – sometimes working with friends and family can be more tricky than collaborating with someone a little more distant from your personal life. Both can work really well, but it is just something to be mindful of.
Alongside your personal networks, you might find support from people you currently or previously worked with. This network is often interested in your next steps and plans, so don't be afraid to let them know who you are looking for.
As well as asking friends and colleagues who they might recommend, remember to access the internet where forums on your area of interest such as www.moneysavingexpert.com, or related to your personal circumstances such as www.mumsnet.com, can extend your network globally and nationally.
Practical support also includes your “partners in crime.” In order for your Quest to get off the ground you may need to find yourself a key partner who is a yin to your yang. For example, many creative people will benefit from working with a more structured and strategic mind. A great way to find a Friar Tuck to your Robin Hood is through networking. The word may cause you to come out in hives with traumatic memories concerning nibbles and monologuing accountants, but nowadays peer-to-peer networking has become popular, with websites such as meetup.com providing mutual interest groups that are free to join. In addition, professional bodies relating to your areas of passion, such as the British Library UK Entrepreneur Network Group, the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) and the Association for Coaching often host their own events. These events are a great way to meet with people outside your normal comfort zone or from different industries. One event I went to, the Mini Bar, helped me to get to know experts in the tech environment really quickly, saving lots of time and energy.
If you are looking for part-time support with skills such as admin, childcare, marketing and accounting, you might consider using a free ads website such as www.gumtree.com or placing an ad in the local paper. There are many people out there seeking part-time work that fits around their other commitments. This can be a win/win for you both.
The Experts
“On many long journeys have I gone. And waited, too, for others to return from journeys of their own. Some return; some are broken; some come back so different only their names remain.”
Yoda, Star Wars
Finding an expert takes a little care and attention, particularly as experts tend to command quite high fees for their time. A great way to obtain expert advice on a subject for little cost, is to find yourself a mentor. You may have come across someone during your research who really inspired you and seemed to have what you are Questing after. Aside from your Quest research work you may also want to use online networking site, LinkedIn, to find inspiring experts with whom you can connect. I've found that a LinkedIn email to a person of influence tends to be more likely to receive a response than one to their standard email. By far the best way to get access to a great mentor though, is through an introduction or by meeting face-to-face. What's in it for them? The chance to pass on and share what they know and the opportunity to help someone grow. To impress them you will need to find a special and unique way to attract their attention letting them know that only they will do.
Who would be your dream-come-true mentor?
What heroic level of action would you be willing to take to capture their attention?
Ask the Experts
Experts are best found through personal recommendation by people you trust. There are also now a number of websites that enable you to check up on someone's credentials and expertise. Some are specific to a sector, e.g. the Life Coach Directory, while others relate to a wider range of trades and professions.
The democracy and transparency of the internet means there is feedback available on almost everything, from service providers, www.checkatrade.com, to venues, www.tripadvisor.com. You can even check out a potential employer, as reviewed by previous or current employees at www.glassdoor.com.
Advisory Boards
Expert advice can also take the form of an advisory board. If you are setting up a charity or small business, you may find it useful to bring together a board with a range of expertise to provide specific input on your strategy and direction. An advisory board is basically a collection of mentors related to a range of subjects. They may possess helpful levels of influence in the local area or in your sector. They can help you stay on track and build your understanding of specific subject matter, such as the law or finance.
Creating a Connection
There's an exercise I teach to help people evaluate the quality of their listening. People sit in pairs and one person begins speaking. The other is instructed to listen as well as they possibly can. Then at an appointed time, they begin to “turn down” their listening quality, until they reach a point where they are not listening to the other person at all. The poor speaker generally finds it quite hard to keep going. The fact that “no one is out there” literally stops them in their tracks.
When we are working on something we believe in, striving for a cause, the affirmation of what we are doing can be crucial. This can happen by design or by accident. The Sunday Assembly, www.sundayassembly.com, was set up earlier this year to provide non-religious Sunday get-togethers for the public. Recognizing the value of ritual and play and the importance of people feeling connected in their local community, Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans set up the event at Bethnal Green. The “service” includes songs and inspiring talks and gives people the chance to feel part of something. Sanderson says he knew it was a good idea when “I started to get criticism from both atheists and the religious.”
Dig Out Your Pompoms
If the above team categories are the heart, head and hands, your cheerleaders are the mouth. They speak on your behalf to a much wider audience. These guys feel a connection with your Quest and will help to spread the word about what you are doing. They may be buyers, customers, audience, promoters or advocates. They like what you are doing. On some level, they share your values and wish to encourage you to continue. If you are involved in campaigning, carrying out a sponsored activity or in a business with customers, you will need to find, encourage and support this influential group.
A fan base can range from a few personal cheerleaders to a worldwide network. Fans of your work or your cause act as promoters – they let people know what you are up to and help you to make things happen through their alignment with your cause. There are many ways to build up a committed fan base, many of which have been revolutionized by the internet. Remember old school methods too – calling a face-to-face meeting, using flyers and posters, writing articles in local papers are all great ways to get your message out there. There are many opportunities to offer free talks or workshops and lots of audiences – from schools to business networks to the Women's Institute, who are always looking for inspiring speakers for their members and students.
Artists and musicians provide creative examples of how to build and nurture this incredibly valuable set of team members. For them, if there is no audience, the performance is a meaningless exercise. Lady Gaga's fans are affectionately termed her “little monsters” and at a recent concert she told them: “I cannot breathe without you.” Politics is another arena in which we can learn much about bringing people along with you. The American Presidential campaigns offer a spectacular array of approaches to bring a huge range of people onside.
Social media has become a powerful force in the hero's arsenal. Websites such as Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, YouTube and Twitter let you share a point of view with as wide a community as you dare.
How can you reach out to your fans to help them feel part of something special?
Setting up a blog has also never been easier, with websites such as WordPress and Blogger having you up and running within minutes. This global reach has revolutionized communication, but it still flourishes through good old-fashioned word of mouth. A “share” of your information or latest video on Facebook or someone's blog is just a virtual way of saying, “I like this woman” or “This is a great campaign” or “I think you would like this.” If you are going to grow a network of fans for your work, you will need to provide regular, valuable communication that means something to them and adds value to their lives. In addition, don't forget the opportunity to meet people face-to-face.
Aim high- Do you need a spokesperson or influential supporter for your Quest?
- Who would that be?
- Who do you need to connect to in your “fan” or promoter base?
- Why would what you are doing matter to them?
Speaking from the Heart
“Look inside yourself Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life.”
Mufasa, The Lion King
Supporters and fans feel a strong connection with a Quester. I know, that for myself, there are artists who I will almost always go and see if they are performing, singing or exhibiting near me. There are organizations and teachers that I would travel a long way or invest significant time to get to see. There are magazines I love reading and products I rave about because I think they are brilliant. We enjoy being part of the community of people who love James Bond films, dance jive, follow a lifestyle blog, sponsored such and such a person etc. We like to belong. If your Quest causes people to wish to align or belong to a community, this is something to be celebrated, encouraged and treasured.
We are all connected. The hero knows and understands the interdependence between himself and all others. In the trials of the Supreme Ordeal, this sense of connection is a powerful ally.
Stop. Connect. Reflect. Close your eyes and breathe. Try to sink into yourself. Feel the connections between you and others radiate out like little threads from your middle.
Consider these key questions- How can I serve?
- How can I give this group of people the very best of me?
- How can I take care of them and be of use?
- What would they like that I can give?
- And how can I make it fun?
“I just think that attentiveness and politeness are so important. My fans love to know a bit about my personal life too and, though I have to be careful about boundaries, I do try to share in that way. I spend a lot of time tweeting and blogging because it is a great way of giving back to fans and including them in the adventure.”
Professor Elemental, on the power of online networks
If you need to raise funds for your Quest, you can try using crowdfunding websites such as www.buzzbnk.org and www.crowdfunder.com to build both a fan base and the money to make a plan happen.
These websites work through you telling a powerful story about what you want to do and offering an exchange of benefits or services with the public, in return for funding your endeavour. Sica, the young film maker, raised £2000 this way.
Many musicians, artists and start-ups have benefited from crowdfunding. If your cause is charitable, you can do much the same through websites such as www.justgiving.com which provide a good platform for your “call to action.”
You can help this process along by sharing a clear, simple vision.
Everyone in the team needs a simple and clear message about who you are and what you are about. This makes it easy for fans to pass on the good news and helps keep everyone working powerfully together.
Now you need to have a go at structuring your message. The following exercise offers an order for your key messages to cheerleaders, supporters or mentors.
Exercise- I (name)_________ am going to (name Quest)_________.
- I believe I am the person to do this because (explain the call) ___________. The benefit of this quest for myself/others will be (complete using inspiring adjectives) ___________________.
- My next steps are to (headlines of the plan) ___________________. I know there is no way I can do this on my own. To get to the end goal, I am going to need support in the form of (name needs) ___________________.
- I would like to ask you as (expert/friend/mentor) to help me (name task)___________.
- It would be great to have you on side and I would love you on my team because (name genuine reasons)_________________________. You might enjoy collaborating because (name what’s in it for them)____________.
- Whaddaya say?
Commitment: No Matter What
Ernest Shackleton, a polar explorer who undertook a heroic expedition in the early 1900s is still seen as the poster boy of people-centred leadership. His Quest began in October 1908, when he and his team began “The Great Southern Journey” to visit the furthest reaches of the southern hemisphere. With trials including near starvation rations, the loss of their ship and the extreme conditions, Shackleton was nevertheless determined that everyone would make it back safely. In a race against the clock and as supplies dwindled, he continued to keep his team cohesive and their mood determined and elevated. He often gave away his last piece of food in order to ensure the wellbeing and morale of his team. Shackleton continues to be remembered for his courage and endurance. Recent journeys attempting to recreate his expeditions have illustrated that what he did and enabled his team to do, was indeed truly extraordinary.
Secret Sauce
So the plan of action to grow a powerful team is in place. You know who you need and have some idea how to find them. You know who you need to be and the powerful story you will need to tell to win supporters.
Now that you have built up a profile of your dream collaborators and supporters, you need to sprinkle the magic. How do you do this?
By being open to the possibility of your wish being granted.
Think about it.
How often have you approached a situation with doubts and cynicism? How often have you found yourself thinking – “This won't work” or “They don't care about me.” Human beings love to share what they know. They love to be part of something. They like to connect with others. Allow yourself, in every interaction, to be curious and open-minded. To see what can come of the interaction for the benefit of everyone concerned. The secret sauce is to allow yourself to trust that it will work out, that you will connect with the right people. When you do, practice allowing yourself to receive their support, help, advice and love. This can be the hardest part. You cannot just give. You cannot just be the martyr – serving others and sacrificing endlessly. You have to learn to come with your arms open wide and receive good will and support graciously.
Your homework is to have a go at bravely asking for support in your Quest. Is there a person, a resource or an opportunity that would bring your progress on in leaps and bounds? Are you willing to be brave enough to ask for it? What is certain, is that if you don't ask, you will never get it. Write the letter to your role model asking to study with them, ask for the building, money, airplane, materials or whatever it is you need. See if you can make magic happen.
Chapter Summary- Most Quests will require the support and input of others – this is great news!
- There are a huge number of willing supporters, mentors and doers out there to help you.
- Many Quests will also need a voice – people who advocate or cheerlead the Quest into success.
- To win support you will need to learn how to tell a powerful story with a simple key message.
- Storytelling is a key skill for heroic endeavours and benefits both the speaker and the listener.
- The key to success in your Quest lies in learning to receive support and allowing people to get behind you.
- Challenging Quests demand the making of challenging requests.