brittan bright - interactivity is interpersonal - real work requires #realtalk
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Brittan Bright, iAcquire Interactivity is Interpersonal - Real Work Requires #RealTalk Presented at Seattle Interactive Conference 2013 How often do we discuss what it requires to get the incredible work presented at conferences to happen? Presentations don’t often include details of the sleepless nights, politics, dropped balls, creative differences, differing work styles and obstacles certain to pop up in even the most amicable of collaborations. Let’s get real about navigating the red tape, red lights and red faces and talk about what it really takes to overcome what is holding back our work.TRANSCRIPT
@iPullRank
REAL WORK REQUIRES #REALTALK
Interactivity is
interpersonal
BRITTAN BRIGHT DIRECTOR OF CLIENT STRATEGY
@ibrittanbright
@BrittanBright
www.linkedin.com/in/brittanbright/
“What is your go-to tactic for interviewing people you don’t like?”
“Ever heard of Xanax?”
Over the last 10 years I have worked with, and for,
a lot of brands and agencies.
WHAT WE DO NOW
TOUCHES SO MANY THINGS
strategy creative
sales legal Customer service
HR
IT ops
@brittanbright
Iacquire.com @iacquire
PEOPLE...
@brittanbright
Well actually, touches so many
Iacquire.com @iacquire
Usually Not people we’ve chosen
Iacquire.com @iacquire
@brittanbright success In any collaboration the goal is
@brittanbright
Iacquire.com @iacquire
@brittanbright challenging Collaborations are often
@brittanbright
@brittanbright
How do we collaborate successfully? I am not here to present a case study. I am here
to talk about what happens on the road to the
case study and how to get there.
Let’s discuss overcoming the challenges to our work.
OBSTACLE #1: GROUP DYNAMICS No matter who you are collaborating with, there are some common challenges you will likely run into. People not being able to work together effectively is one of the biggest challenges to great work.
@brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com
If we aren’t involved in the action, we often have front row seats for it.
@brittanbright
@brittanbright fighting @brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com @brittanbright
Finger-pointing
@iPullRank iacquire.com @BRITTANBRIGHT
Dropped balls @brittanbright
@brittanbright We’ve all been there
@brittanbright
Problems can be due to individuals
POLITICS AMBITION BRILLIANCE LEADERSHIP PERSONALITIES COMPETITIVENESS
@ibrittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com
Office Politics
Can Breed distrust & distraction
@brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com @brittanbright talent @brittanbright
Personality can overshadow
@iPullRank iacquire.com
Leaders can lose touch and sometimes
hinder more than help
@brittanbright
@brottanbright iacquire.com
Ambition can
distract us from our
purpose and cause lines
to blur
BRILLIANCE DOESN’T GUARANTEE EASY TO WORK WITH
@brittanbright iacquire.com
@BRITTANBRIGHT iacquire.com
Not everyone’s
competitive side is their
best side
@brittanbright
Problems can be
cultural
FOCUS TALENT STRUCTURE RESOURCES COMMUNICATION ACCOUNTABILITY
@ibrittanbright
Leadership plays a key role in setting the tone for collaboration across an organization or project. The culture of a team is often defined, intentionally or not, by its leaders. Those of us in leadership roles have a responsibility to actively promote problem-solving and teamwork in a collaborative environment.
@BRITTANBRIGHT iacquire.com
LEADERSHIP: SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION STARTS AT THE TOP
@brittanbright
Effectively communicating when there are so many styles and methods of communication in today’s world can be immensely challenging. Breakdowns in communication can come in many forms. The most successful people are versatile and deliberate in their ability to communicate.
COMMUNICATION: MISCOMMUNICATION IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL AND THE PRIMARY REASON COLLABORATIONS FAIL.
@BRITTANBRIGHT Outweighs the strength of being right @brittanbright
Being outrageous when communicating outrage often
OBSTACLE #2: OTHER DEPARTMENTS Can’t get anything through legal? It have a backlog through memorial day 2014? In business there are many areas to consider and although we may be separated into silos, that does not make for effective collaboration. The ability to build bridges throughout a company is an incredibly valuable skillset.
@brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com @brittanbright
legal @brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com
Dealing with red tape is part of
getting anything innovative, or
inventive, accomplished.
@BRITTANBRIGHT
@iPullRank iacquire.com
Legal professionals are people too. Respect and try to
understand what they do if you want them to do the same
for you.
@BRITTANBRIGHT
@brittanbright
Don’t ignore the rules, even if you need to break them.
Ask for guidelines & tips
@brittanbright
Plan ahead and include your legal team, and their turnaround times, in your planning.
Take the time to educate and excite legal on your project
Time invested in understanding how the situation you are facing came to be is time well spent. Walls generally exist in an effort to protect and preserve. Understanding how they are built will help you figure out how to scale the obstacle they represent.
@BRITTANBRIGHT
Education and context
@iPullRank iacquire.com @brittanbright
it @brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com @brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com
IT professionals are people too. Respect and try to
understand what they do if you want them to do the
same for you.
@brittanbright
Don’t ignore the rules, even if you need to break them.
Ask for guidelines & tips
@brittanbright
Plan ahead and include your it team, and their turnaround times, in your planning.
Take the time to educate and excite it on your project
@BRITTANBRIGHT technology @brittanbright
Never underestimate the problem solving ability of
Time invested in fully understanding what you are actually asking for and how it affects others within your organization is time well spent. Walls represent structure and before you change a structure, you must understand it..
@BRITTANBRIGHT
Education and context
OBSTACLE #3: GETTING BUDGET
Teams are just a smaller version of an organization. To succeed, Employ the skillsets of a business to be effective including the revenue driving functions.
@brittanbright
@brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com @BRITTANBRIGHT
opportunity @brittanbright
Money represents confidence and
@brittanbright
You must believe in your ideas, you must believe in yourself.
Know what something is worth to you before you ask.
@brittanbright
Ask the right person, at the right time, the right way.
Make sure you can answer “what’s in it for me?”
@brittanbright
Know what you will settle for and what you won’t accept. Then stick to it.
How much would it cost not to do?
@brittanbright
Do the most you can do with the budget you have but don’t cut corners.
Patiently Stand your ground.
@iPullRank iacquire.com
Sales skills are tremendously useful in almost every situation in life. Invest time in mastering the art of knowing what you can ask for and what you must relinquish. You must be able to sell your ideas and yourself in a collaborative environment.
@BRITTANBRIGHT
negotiation and salesmanship
@brittanbright
@iPullRank iacquire.com
If no one in your group has these traits, find them in what you are working on and make them shine.
charm and charisma
@brittanbright
OBSTACLE #4: YOU
The key to better teamwork is to make sure you are the best team player out there. Have you really tried everything? What do you contribute to the group, both good and bad.
@brittanbright
@brittanbright
@BRITTANBRIGHT iacquire.com
@BRITTANBRIGHT rapport @brittanbright
Difficult circumstances are always easier when there is
@BRITTANBRIGHT camaraderie @brittanbright
Do not ignore the need for
@BRITTANBRIGHT What motivates you @brittanbright
Understand what
@BRITTANBRIGHT Moves you @brittanbright
Understand what
IN SUMMARY: A PEP TALK
Having energy to get through the rough parts of doing real work is incredibly essential. When you, or your team start to get discouraged, frustrated or down, try to remember....
@brittanbright
creativity @brittanbright
Working within & around the confines of what you are given requires imagination, determination &
@BRITTANBRIGHT Try harder @brittanbright
Challenges can inspire us to
@BRITTANBRIGHT Power of our minds @brittanbright
To believe in the collective
So Don’t give up
@BRITTANBRIGHT @brittanbright
@BRITTANBRIGHT
Because you never know
@brittanbright iacquire.com
ThankYou Q&A