CH. 5 A COOL COMPANY NEEDS HOT GROUPS

1. CH. 5 A COOL COMPANY NEEDS HOT GROUPS

2. I. HOT PROJECT TEAMS • Have clear goal and serious deadline • Infused with purpose • Bad group? – preserve group’s status • II. THE MYTH OF THE LONE GENIUS • Great projects are achieved by great teams • Thomas Edison • Generated 400 patens in 6 years • Had team of 14 • Michelangelo • Team of artisans • Lone inventor – usually afraid to let go of idea

3. III. MAKINGS OF A HOT GROUP • 1. Totally dedicated to achieving the end result • 2. Faced down a slightly ridiculous deadline • 3. Group was irreverent and nonhierarchical • 4. Team was well-rounded and respectfully diverse • 5. Worked in open, eclectic, flexible space • 6. Felt empowered to get materials needed • IV. HOT STUDIOS • Hollywood-like system • Assign project to team (like new script) • Studio leaders describe how they like to work • Designers sign up with leaders • Reshuffle after a few years

4. V. GENERATING YOUR OWN ENERGY • Create a mind-set of fun • Make the project exciting • Focus on what is appealing to you • Challenging technical task • Positive social impact • Public visibility • Impress competitors • Mention at a party • VI. THE PASSION FACTOR • Inspired by a cause or search for excellence • Paul Newman and Ben&Jerry’s: social causes • Individuals pick groups they work with

5. VII. OPPORTUNITIES IN OBSTACLES • Adversity can bind team together • Ex: IDEO found quality flaw • Worked at night to test all 10,000 products • Ex: working on improving air flow in office • Dissected dash of car to see air flow there • VIII. ON A MISSION • Hot teams love a challenge • Ex: IDEO worked on electronic product, Visor • Developed idea to add camera • IDEO decided to do it themselves • In less than 60 days, designed and manufactured it • Encountered many problems, but passion propelled them

6. IX. TEAM PROBLEM SOLVING • Teams find ways to leap barriers • Ex: company wasn’t giving contractors money • IDEO team leader went to bank • Withdrew $18,000 from own account • Turned in reimbursement form • X. TEAMS IN CLOSE QUARTERS • Close quarters can charge the energy of a group • Too much space, too much budget can dissipate energy • Ex: small group very successful • Got money, bought large, new offices • Became disconnected • Lost money • Hot teams carve out their own space

7. XI. THE RIGHT MIX • Sameness is not the goal • Cull people from across the spectrum • Establish neighborhoods to get teams close to hardware they’re working on • Do not stick electrical engineers together, etc. • XII. ABOLISH “THEY” • Do it yourself • Set your own rules

8. XIII. TEAMS AND TRUST • Trust your workers and show they can trust you • Be generous • Provide materials, drinks, food • Create an abundance mentality • Pick projects and clients that excite you • Zen: the less you strive for control and to receive credit for your ideas, the more you pour your ideas into the mix and create something wonderful • XIV. WHY TEAMS BEAT INDIVIDUALS • Team approach works • Ex: Academy award screenwriter Ron Bass – 6 writers • Work up ideas, research, brainstorm, outline, scenes

9. XV. HOT TEAMS PERFORM • Build momentum in energy and enthusiasm • Believe your team will be successful • Give people a chance to have failures • Give responsibility when succeed • XVI. HOT TEAMS GIVE • Give gifts and awards • Reward success • Give prizes • Helps teams bond • Give awards that make fun of failures • Ex: paper handling problems, give a “fan” • Ex: superman doll holding a grocery cart

10. XVII. HOT TEAMS SHARE • Clubhouse: weekly, monthly meetings • Share latest advances and technologies • Get out of routine • Remind people of their passion • Builds camaraderie • Sense of belonging • Tours and build pride • Seminars help you refine your own methodology • XVIII. TEAM MORALE • When people feel special they will perform high • Let them play hooky

11. XIX. HOT TEAMS MEET • Field trips, off-site parties • Ex: blimp hanger; gingerbread house party • Meet for lunch • Discuss projects of other teams • Cross-pollinate • Plan next fun activity • XX. HOT TEAMS LOOK THE PART • Use things like t-shirts to create solidarity • Could be sweatshirts, names on products • Names in code

12. XXI. HOT TEAMS NEED CHARACTERS • Celebrate differences • Eccentrics can make a big difference • Ex: Atari engineer lost apt., moved into office • Would work all night, leave works on conference table • Couldn’t talk to him until he awoke in afternoon • Ex: one of Amazon’s first reviewers • Had books piled to ceiling • Sleeping bad tucked under desk • Hardly went home • Hot groups have 1 or 2 certifiableweirdos • They round out your company

13. XXII. 8 CRAZY CHARACTERS FOR HOT GROUPS • 1. The Visionary • Most likely to figure out what’s next • 2. The Troubleshooter • Clear thinking and quick actions saveprojects • 3. The Iconoclast • Challenges status quo, spots key trends • 4. The Pulse Taker • Provides personal connection for everyone • 5. The Craftsman • Workers who make the stuff

14. 6. The Technologist • Reads the latest journals, technical expert • 7. The Entrepreneur • Experiments with how to brainstorm, prototype, and communicate • 8. The Cross-Dresser • Trained in one field, likes to work in another field