Blog by Email
- February 2012 (2)
- January 2012 (9)
- December 2011 (15)
- November 2011 (11)
- October 2011 (10)
- September 2011 (13)
- August 2011 (10)
- July 2011 (15)
- June 2011 (19)
- May 2011 (8)
- April 2011 (9)
- March 2011 (10)
- February 2011 (9)
- January 2011 (9)
- December 2010 (7)
- November 2010 (9)
- October 2010 (10)
- September 2010 (11)
- August 2010 (11)
- July 2010 (14)
- June 2010 (23)
- May 2010 (8)
- April 2010 (9)
- March 2010 (9)
- February 2010 (8)
- January 2010 (8)
- December 2009 (8)
- November 2009 (8)
- October 2009 (7)
- September 2009 (4)
- August 2009 (8)
- July 2009 (10)
- June 2009 (11)
- May 2009 (8)
- April 2009 (3)
What Can Small Business and Nonprofit Leaders Learn From Teenage Girls?
Who knew that teenage girls could teach entrepreneurs and nonprofit CEOs a thing or two about sharing?
I don’t mean sharing those oh sooo embarrassing secrets or playing-truth-or-dare like I did at sleep over parties of yesteryear. I mean sharing stories so others can learn from your experience.
According to the British Journal of Psychology, sharing personal experiences with others is critical to handling change effectively. It helps entrepreneurs and nonprofit CEOs to reflect on what they have learned, gaining insight and broadening their perspective.
Sharing your experience also helps others learn by breathing life and instilling greater meaning into a teaching. Rather than telling people what to do or not to do the story provides an example on how to do something.
Web 2.0 tools and technologies are making a profound impact on the way entrepreneurs and nonprofit CEOs share with colleagues, employees, business partners and customers.
So share a little. It’s good for others and it’s good for you. Got a tip, how to, some advice or solution to a problem, do tell.
-
- Comments (8)
I think this is a great
I think this is a great point. Often I have found that sharing an experience from my past with newer staff members helps illustrate the fact that we all grow in our careers and that we all had to "start somewhere". It also makes them realize it is okay to share their experiences with me, or another staff member.
Sharing Stories Illustrates
Leslie --
Thanks for giving a specific example of when sharing has worked for you. It really illustrates the point.
very true
This is so very true. Sharing and hearing your ideas out loud, makes room for the ideas to evolve. This is especially essential when ideas become stuck or stagnant. I had an idea break through yesterday by sharing and also listening to a friend.
Ideas Are Improved Through Sharing
Azadeh, you've improved my point. Sharing helps the speaker as well as the listener. Thanks!
how do you create a business culture conducive to sharing?
I've recently been involved with a social enterprise, but found that staff is reticent to share their insights and opinions with senior management--maybe concerned about a negative reaction? How do you foster a culture of collaboration and open exchange of ideas in an organization, particularly if that culture hasn't been in place in the past?
Monkey See Monkey Do
Stephanie --
Unfortunately, you can’t change culture by clicking a switch. What you want to do is foster a climate of healthy collaboration through activities that get people working together, and possibly even combine these activities with brainstorming so ideas start being generated and shared. It’s just like the girls I spoke about, they are more willing to share their secrets when trust is built over time, and in your environment this can be done in many ways.
A friend can say to another, “I’ll never tell,” but it isn’t until they keep this promise that they can be trusted to be told an even bigger, juicier secret. Show your staff again and again that their insights are valued and that senior management can be trusted to not negatively judge even the most unfeasible ideas and they will slowly but surely feel a climate of trust being built. Keep this up long enough and it will become engrained in your culture and today’s fear of negative reactions will be a thing of the past.
Another thing we can learn from young girls is the “I’ll tell you, if you tell me first” mindset. When others provide constructive criticism to your ideas, show how valued their comments are. Leaders should always be setting an example by being collaborative themselves, and with all levels. “Monkey see, monkey do” holds true even with today’s professionals.
Very interesting and very applicable!
This is great stuff... very interesting, particularly from both an educational as well as social service programming model. Some very creative, inventive possibilities. Organizations can and should utilize this model for staff-client-public education/product(program) development. Nice work Geri!
http://www.erreauk.com
Web 2.0 tools and technologies are making a profound impact on the way entrepreneurs and nonprofit CEOs share with colleagues, employees, business partners and customers.
erreauk
Post new comment