> > ...which I created as a blame free space for any of my team to share > issues/ideas/gripes- whatever we put in there no one else is allowed to > take personally.
This is genius - while I try (and won't stop working) to make this our *default* on the day to day basis, it never occurred to me to create a designated "home" for it. Love it. ------------------ *The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.* Weekly Coworking Tips: http://coworkingweekly.com My Audiobook: https://theindyhallway.com/ten On Thu, Jul 21, 2016 at 1:17 PM, Tom Lewis <[email protected]> wrote: > Our operating manual is on our Podio system. Here's a screenshot > http://screencast.com/t/jaC8rqu9s > > Here's a specific process http://screencast.com/t/qvQ2GXdxp - note that > every item on Podio has a chat next to it, which means we can discuss any > item as we go, or any member of the team can seek clarification > > If you look at the icons at the top (ie these > http://screencast.com/t/fIBi2tb98V ) you'll see that we've got similar > items for processes and stuff like fixed assets too (see > http://screencast.com/t/L52YHhGm ) > > One of the most useful apps/items on there is 'thoughts', which I created > as a blame free space for any of my team to share issues/ideas/gripes- > whatever we put in there no one else is allowed to take personally. It's > really useful, and tends to drive change, as thoughts become projects, and > projects get ratified at Town Hall. Podio can handle the journey for these > thoughts throughout these stages, even spitting out an agenda for Town Hall > based on all the thoughts, and a list of outstanding issues which I discuss > with my team every Friday. Here's some thoughts from the system > http://screencast.com/t/TPtegrByp and one specific thought > http://screencast.com/t/cxIVKGHb > > This is all back office, but we have a similar setup for our member-facing > part of Podio, and indeed the way Podio works is that we can share stuff > from back to front or vice versa (the latter being useful for when a member > reports a problem and it's logged in the back office part of the system) > > And if that's not enough, here's a picture of a cat in a flowerpot > http://screencast.com/t/8T0Dg9lU5G1 > > On Thursday, 21 July 2016 16:17:04 UTC+1, Alex Hillman wrote: >> >> Totally :) glad this resonates. >> >> One thing to keep in mind - we go out of our way to apply these same >> guidelines to our internal, back-office processes too. >> >> I see a lot of places burn through lots of "community management" staff >> because they just hire cogs to run their SOPs, but the net result is that >> those people have very little actual buy-in for making the place better, or >> making the processes better. >> >> Our hiring promise is: you help make Indy Hall better, Indy Hall will >> help make you better. >> >> So don't forget to include your staff in that sense of ownership I'm >> always talking about for community building. When I'm hiring, a big part of >> what I'm looking for is someone who wants to look for ways to *improve* >> the space, the community, and our processes, not just keep things the way >> they are. >> >> -Alex >> >> >> ------------------ >> *The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.* >> Weekly Coworking Tips: http://coworkingweekly.com >> My Audiobook: https://theindyhallway.com/ten >> >> On Thu, Jul 21, 2016 at 10:44 AM, Brian Fisher <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Alex >>> >>> This is great info! Thank you for sharing. This is more in tune with >>> what I am thinking. The SOP was more for behind the scenes items. NOT for >>> the community and interacting with members. The SOP as far as members will >>> how to enroll new members or dis-enroll, administrative stuff. >>> >>> I know we will have some "ground rules" for the community. But the >>> things will organically develop as far as handling things that come up in >>> the community. >>> >>> We are more geared towards your way of thinking. >>> >>> >>> On Thursday, July 21, 2016 at 8:50:40 AM UTC-5, Alex Hillman wrote: >>> >>>> This is something that we've slowly been getting better at, and we're >>>> trying to stay thoughtful about it while we do it. >>>> >>>> I don't have a problem with rules, I have a problem with creating an >>>> environment that creates rule-following machines.* I see a LOT of >>>> coworking spaces where staff and members alike are more worried about >>>> following the rules than looking after each other. * >>>> >>>> So about 5 years ago, I started this by trying to write down the >>>> fundamentals about how *I *make decisions, so that our community could >>>> better understand why things work. The result has been live on our >>>> public website <http://www.indyhall.org/purpose> for quite a while, >>>> broken down into a sort of "plinko board" of actions that we always strive >>>> for, and actions we try to avoid. It's sort of like a hybrid of a SOP and a >>>> living breathing action-oriented version of our community values, >>>> documented: >>>> >>>> *We always:* >>>> >>>> ...help unlikely groups of likeminded people form relationships. >>>> ...focus on people and their interactions, and the formation of >>>> relationships. >>>> ...help people tell the stories of the experiences they have in >>>> Philadelphia. >>>> ...trust people to do the right thing. >>>> ...guide people to being good citizens of Indy Hall and of Philadelphia. >>>> ...support people in their goals of building businesses to last, in >>>> Philadelphia and for Philadelphia. >>>> >>>> *We never:* >>>> >>>> ...do anything against our community’s interest. >>>> ...focus on desks or square footage. >>>> ...create something only because we think we’re supposed to. >>>> ...accept the status quo. >>>> ...accept a "no" at face value. >>>> ...compromise our core values. >>>> ...prioritize a transaction before a relationship. >>>> >>>> *Every day, we:* >>>> >>>> ...keep people at the center of every action, interaction, and decision. >>>> ...welcome new community members, and make it clear that Indy Hall is >>>> theirs, not just ours. >>>> ...always look for a way to say yes. >>>> ...teach others in our immediate and neighboring communities how we >>>> operate. >>>> >>>> I literally use these guidelines for decision making 100x a day, and >>>> it's awesome to watch my team and even members use and reference this when >>>> figuring out how to make things work. >>>> >>>> A simpler version that we put on our welcome one-pagers, and include as >>>> a major part of our tour, is to: >>>> >>>> - Look after yourself >>>> - Look after each other >>>> - Look after this place >>>> >>>> In all cases, we're SUPER careful in our language choice to make it >>>> clear, before providing SOP documentation, that anything documented is >>>> meant to help, but not constrain. Any "rule" is open to being adjusted, >>>> adapted, or rewritten to help us better achieve our goals working together. >>>> >>>> I'm curious how others have found balance between SOP and >>>> handbook-style documentation, and still allowing/encouraging people to >>>> "color outside of the lines" and trusting people to do what's right? >>>> >>>> -Alex >>>> >>>> >>>> ------------------ >>>> *The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.* >>>> Weekly Coworking Tips: http://coworkingweekly.com >>>> My Audiobook: https://theindyhallway.com/ten >>>> >>>> On Thu, Jul 21, 2016 at 5:38 AM, Vaibhav N <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hey Brian, >>>>> >>>>> We've been doing the same, except didn't term it as SOP, but rather >>>>> created a FAQ Document where we had several questions about coworking and >>>>> coworkers being answered. And keeping it on Google Docs make sense so that >>>>> you can make edits and additions while on the go. You never know when the >>>>> right idea might just pop and you would want to make that necessary >>>>> addition to it on the phone or tab. >>>>> >>>>> Vaibhav N >>>>> NQube Inc. >>>>> New Delhi, India >>>>> >>>>> On Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 11:26:01 PM UTC+5:30, Brian Fisher >>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> I am close to opening my new space and our investors are already >>>>>> looking to the future! We are 90% pre-sold on dedicated offices (doors >>>>>> open >>>>>> August 15). Anyways, I have been the operations manager for other >>>>>> businesses in the past and have had to set up SOP manuals. Has anyone >>>>>> else >>>>>> done this? Are these common in the coworking world? It would seem to make >>>>>> sense, especially for larger spaces or multi-location spaces. >>>>>> >>>>>> Brian Fisher >>>>>> T-Werx Coworking >>>>>> Cedar Park, TX >>>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com >>>>> --- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "Coworking" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>> Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Coworking" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >> >> -- > Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
