Yeah and it means they can bitch at me about leaving stuff unfinished despite me being the boss!
On Thursday, 21 July 2016 18:58:26 UTC+1, Alex Hillman wrote: > > ...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] > <javascript:>> 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] <javascript:>. >> 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. 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