Fielding a 'dare to dream' team

We don't get our dreams done on our own.

We weren't meant to.

Which is why we need 'dare to dream' teams.

Like my 'dare to dream' creative team.

Brandon Jameson -- Brandon Jameson designed the logo and banner for 'dare to dream', everything Know Your Neighbor and my personal stationery. Brandon's design work visually captures what I try to convey in words.

LaNola Kathleen Stone -- In the first three issues of Organize Magazine, you saw Kathleen's images, as well as her work as Creative Director. Through her photography Kathleen captures the magnificence of people and places.


All rights reserved. LaNola Kathleen Stone, 2008.
Note: For those of you wondering where your 'Christmas 2007' card was, well here it is -- 'Spring 2008'. Will you make sure I have your correct mailing address?

Mallika Sundaramurthy -- Several years ago, Mallika brought a story I'd written to life through her painting; her latest feat is the myth of Psyche.

All images are copyright by Mallika Sundaramurthy and Whitney Johnson, 2008. 

As I analyze the dynamic of my relationship with this creative 'dream team', there seem to be some broadly applicable observations:

1. Start with short-term projects -- If you intend to start a business or non-profit, before expanding the scope of the relationship, work on a short-term project first, such as a benefit for the community or your children's school.

Lamentably, I don't always do this. Either because I'm too relationship-centered and/or overly excited about someone's dream, I sometimes impetuously move into a major project, without vetting my partner(s) and they me, only to find out later we can't work together: we have different timetables, different visions, different views on the give vs. get. That's when things become dicey. Take it from a sadder, poorer, but wiser girl.

2. Trust our collaborators' competence -- Once we've worked on a few limited scope projects and have fully worked out rules of engagement, it's important to trust our collaborators. If we're micro-managing, perhaps we just need to stop micro-managing. Or maybe we didn't pick our partners as well as we thought we did.

For example, after I broadstroked for Brandon what I wanted for the 'dare to dream' logo, he came back with something completely different which I didn't like. But because I'd loved his previous work, I was willing to 'live' with his vision for a few days, eventually realize that his vision was perfect, just perfect -- When we put our heads together, we experience systergy, and can accomplish our dreams.

3. Recognize that our collaborators will not be good at what we're good at - If we choose someone for a project because they can do what we cannot do (design, photograph, paint), the almost certain corollary is that we will be good at things they aren't.

It was not too long ago that I believed that if you couldn't spell you were dumb. Until. Until I discovered that there were some who thought I was dumb because I had (and have) a poor sense of direction (even after living in Manhattan for 10 years, when I came up out of the subway, and would begin to head east, you could be sure that I was heading west -- a true contrarian indicator). Am I dumb? No. Are people that don't spell well dumb? No. We are just smart in different ways - and when we can harness 'smart in different ways', we have the makings of a 'dare to dream' team.

4. Give people their due in terms of compensation and credit -- When our collaborators do good work, let's give them credit. Tell as many people as possible. Just because they don't ask for praise and/or compensation, doesn't mean they don't want or even need it. They may not know how to ask, or even what they are worth. What a gift we can give if we help our friends and co-workers to know their worth.

What 'dare to dream' project are you working on or thinking of undertaking? Do you have a 'dare to dream' team?

How are we helping our spouse/friends/colleagues with their dreams? Are we giving them enough information so that they can help us with ours?

To what extent are we as parents part of our children's 'dare to dream' team? Do we collaborate with them? We can't really do vet them, but we can trust their strengths, and not micro-manage.

What about the people that are part of the 'rearing our children' 'dare to dream' team? Their teachers, coaches, nannies, friends' parents? Do we trust and appreciate them?

Are we adequately compensating people for the work that they are doing whether via money, barter (an exchange of goods or services)? And if they ask not to be paid, are we insisting -- especially with women?

Related posts:
Hero of support
Getting gratitude
Asking for what we want
Valuing what women do

Comments

[Jaime]

Great post, Whitney. I've been thinking about this topic quite a bit as it's hiring season in the educational world. As I put together my founding team for this school, what are my non-negotiables? Am I willing to accept someone who doesn't have significant teaching experience if they fully embrace the mission of the school? How much can I teach and lead them along in the first year?

As I think about those who are helping to raise Little One, I think about my latest pet peeve. I've always been happy with the daycare, and Little One loves it-- but the company was just bought out. Another company is now running it. The nice, sweet director is gone, replaced by a more sterile corporate leader. The home-y friendliness is still there, but the children wear name-tags on their backs all day. It just baffles my mind, and it all came to a head when Little One tried to put a name tag on my back the other night.

Do I trust them and how much is the question of the day. I keep trying to keep the perspective of what's really important versus little things. It's important that my daughter feels loved, valued and safe. I can't convince myself that name tags are a "small" thing, but I can convince myself that I need to take a larger role in influencing the daycare's policy.

[Dana King]

I am so glad you came to the conclusion that people who can't spell are not necessarily dumb. You know I can't spell! But boy do I have a good sense of direction.

Love Brandon's work.

Great post. What I love about teams is they can be fluid...if someone is not meeting my expectations or the job discription, I don't try to change them...just repurpose them to another position playing to their strengths. Works very well in volunteer work...not sure how it would work in the workplace. Mitt Romney, in Turn Around, mentioned how he believes you can't change people, only move them around and play to their strengths. So I tend to keep options open and fluid when working with people...it works most of the time.

While I don't pay people for the volunteer work, I try to give them positions with pay-back. For instance, I have asked Amy to help with media for our Discover Your Roots conference. She is new to our area and building her public relations career. I let her get out front with the media and take her to meetings where I don't have to have her there, but invite her to come just so she can meet folks. I do give her a role when she comes and she appreciates it. The community is coming to know her and respect her. She can easily leverage this for her career.

[Janna]

Ways to additionally compensate a member of your Dare to Dream Team are a) write a recommendation for them on their LinkedIn page or website or b) offer to serve as a reference.

Related to #2: Trusting Your Collaborator's Competence, I had a similar situation to Whitney's during the development of my company's logo. My designer came up with 5 options, and only one of them was close to my vision. In the end, I chose the option least like my vision. I see now that not only did my designer really hear me, he had the professional chops to execute a logo that perfectly reflects the energy of my company.

Last thought. As I have dared to dream, I am moved by the emotional support I have recieved. When I decided to start my own business, most people exclaimed, "Finally!" While I would've started the company without others' approval, having it has been important in those times of doubt. I see all of these "cheerleaders" as part of my Dare to Dream Team.

[Stacey P]

Great post Whitney!

I think one measure of leadership is the talent they surround themselves with - you really do have a dream team!
S

[erinn]

trust our collaborators' competence...I am learning that. I fully admit I am a control freak but I had my cousin who is a really talented graphic designer give me some logo options for happy living. I would like to think I have the best vision for my own logo but I am not trained in the design field of graphics and I am very short on graphic computer skills. I gave her some loose/vague direction but really let her just do her creative work. I had to take a deep breath to send it off to her hands and the options she sent me today are gorgeous and I can't say "hey, I thought of that one" for any of them. Collaborations are great because they bring a fresh perspective I think. I am learning that I cannot do everything (i.e. I need help.) and to trust my instincts on who I bring to my collaborative table. Whitney, thank you for this post and getting me thinking about this.

[melanie]

Love this sort of discussion about the 'nuts and bolts' of dream building!!! warmly, -melanie-