First — thanks to those Friends who reached out and responded to last week’s preamble about the Super Bowl and Super Bowl parties. Glad to see it resonated with so many of you. Yes, my wife and youngest son and I had a great time at the NFL Experience in Phoenix — recommend going at some point if you can with a young football fan in your life. While the end result of the game itself was disappointing for our resident Eagles fan (we watched that on TV), I am pleased to say that my mom did not disappoint with the quality, variety and depth of her Super Bowl food spread. Anyone who knows her would not be surprised….
Next — the trip and accompanying disruption of my regular routine ended up breaking my Wordle streak. It now has me at a crossroads regarding my daily commitment to playing. I took to LinkedIn at the end of this past week to seek input from my network on their current commitment levels to the once ubiquitous past time. Click »HERE« if you would like to weigh in on the poll.
Okay, with that business out of the way, on to the intro….
For some reason, this week I found myself contemplating the impact that group dynamics has on performance.
Most teams have stated missions, goals or objectives. Usually, those in the group, by virtue of their willing participation, make an implicit (and sometimes explicit) commitment to working toward those objectives, whatever they may be.
That said, this commitment alone does not ensure success. It has been my observation that if you put anyone, even a high achiever, on a team or in a group with people that are not fully aligned with their interests, talents or values, the path to success will become significantly more challenging.
But when a team has both cultural alignment AND alignment on the mission — watch out.
To put it simply, something just clicks when there is chemistry amongst a group. It’s in those instances when we can say with confidence that we have found “our people.”
I’ve had the good fortune of having it happen on more than one occasion throughout my life and career. When you find your people, anything seems possible. There is a synchronicity that binds everyone — it’s like an unspoken force that enables a group of individuals to operate as one. Conversations seem effortless. Challenges are met with positivity and enthusiasm. Work is fun. Fun is fun. If there is any friction or disagreement, it is healthy and respectful and usually results in collaborative resolution.
What sometimes complicates matter is that I have found what makes a group “your people” is not a static thing. It can evolve over time and circumstance as you grow and learn.
Sometimes it takes a little bit of time and adjustment before you realize that you have found “your people.”
Sometimes “your people” today would not have been “your people” in the past.
Sometimes you change, or the group dynamics change, and what was once “your people” becomes “those people” and it is time to move on.
Sometimes you start out hoping you have found “your people” only to realize they are not your people at all.
I once took a job and realized on the very first day that I had made a mistake — I was qualified to do the job they asked me to do, I was up to the challenge, interested in getting things done, got paid well, but these were just not my people.
To be clear, they were not bad people or mean people. Just not my people. We were not aligned on so many levels and we never were going to be. It was a miserable time.
So what makes a particular group “your people?”
I’ve learned that it starts with alignment of values. Do you share the same set of core values and guiding principles with the majority of the group? Do you approach problem solving, communication, achievement and collaboration in a similar or complementary way? Do you share a similar level of intellectual curiosity?
If you are lucky enough to check all of these boxes, you are likely on the path to finding “your people.” If it is not immediately clear, you should try to figure it out quickly — are you open-minded enough to change or adapt? Could this be a growth opportunity? Or is it misalignment?
If you are pretty sure you are currently not with “your people,” it’s time to make a change, no matter how challenging it may be. Life is too short and you have too much to offer the world to spend it with those people.
Trust me, you need to find your people. You deserve it.
Friends, I’m grateful to consider you “my people.” Have a great weekend and check out the articles I curated below when you have a few minutes to spare (for you American football fans, ahem, I happen to know you have an extra 7 hours now open on your Sunday afternoon schedule). Nothing too long this week, I promise!
XOXO
Dave
Think on This…
Widely used in many disciplines, thought experiments allow for complex situations to be explored, questions to be raised, and complex ideas to be placed in an understandable context. Here are seven thought experiments in philosophy you might not have heard of, complete with explanations of what they mean and what questions they raise.
For Your Day Job…
Usage-based pricing (UBP) has been on the rise for a number of years now. Some companies reported actively testing UBP in 2022 and began to implement new pricing models. Even more SaaS companies became curious about UBP, so expect to see this trend continue to persist in 2023.
Get an authoritative picture of the trends, priorities, challenges, and best practices shaping Customer Success. This link takes you to an executive summary — once there you can click through to a link to the full study.
Your Weekly Dose of Randomness…
As price pressures rattle global markets, the above infographic maps inflation rates globally using data from Trading Economics, focusing in on the countries with the lowest inflation levels.
For those of you who happened to catch “The Banshees of Inisherin,” no confirmation that the patient’s last words were “Feck Cancer.”
A look at the drinks that have become regional obsessions—from the Midwest’s Beertini to West Texas’ Ranch Water.
If you want to leave transitional housing behind and fully take to life inside a fuselage you must be ready for challenges.