We’re looking forward to co-hosting tonight’s #BEaLEADER Twitterchat as @PrPinkPonies/@PrettyPinkPro and our networks from Meetup.com, Etsy, USC et al…
As you may know, Pretty Pink Ponies has a successful and accomplished team of over 100 small local merchants with online shops.
Take a step towards your biggest dreams..with the expectation that you will inevitably stumble during your journey. #prettypinkponies
— prettypinkponies (@prettypinkpro) March 13, 2012
If you ask people who’ve met me in passing somewhere out in the scene, you might hear my personality described as “dramatic”, “loves attention”, “loves the limelight”, etc…
Love this post on how to recognize ineffective behavior in ourselves as members of teams.
Image source
Terrible teams are easy; great teams rare.
Great teams do two things. First, people working together achieve things individuals can’t; they achieve more together. Second,
Teams that work – work at working together.
Performance:
I was a good player on my high school basketball team, not great. We always competed with each other for playing time and starting positions. It was the ultimate performance-based environment.
Winning:
We shared passion to win and we frequently did. We won our way to the elite eight and the final four my junior and senior years, respectively. Even though I wasn’t the best player, I was the captain my senior year.
Internal competition:
Begrudging and belittling the achievements
of others destroys teams.
Too much competition within teams cripples competitive advantage. Great teammates celebrate each other’s success. If you outplayed me I was glad for the team and you. But, your great play…
View original post 166 more words
“How do you manage people who are better than you?”
There Is An I In Team: HBR Presentation w/ Mark De Rond and Angela Herrin
Marvel comics, team, Xmen
I listened to a recent web presentation provided by the Harvard Business Review titled, “There Is An I In Team”.
I’m fascinated by collaboration among team members as a result of having had a couple of long term boyfriends who played Division I sports (Hot!).
It made very little sense to me in college that men can experience anger and frustration with a teammate or rival, duke it out, then grab a beer and hang out as friends the following day.
They seemed to be able to separate their roles on their teams from who they are off the team. But, how?!?!?
These abilities — a) getting over setbacks and moving forward, and b) separating one’s role on and off his/her team — are paramount to one’s chances of success in large organizations (i.e. Professor Xavier’s school for the gifted, or if you prefer reality, large world class corporations).
Marvel comics, team, Xmen
The HBR presentation I mentioned is one of the better studies on how the best teams function, what makes teams effective, and how to manage teams to accomplish wins. De Rond takes his observations of university rowing teams and boat races to examine coordination between team members.
One insightful observation De Rond discovered in the results of team surveys is that high performers typically underestimate their own teammates**. And, as we all have experienced, this makes high performers or those who are highly intelligent dismissive of others.
If this is true, what can we do to exploit the value high performers can provide while mitigating the risks these high performers’ behavioral tendencies often cause?
Surprisingly, the answer isn’t found by forcing all team members to get along. It turns out that expressing emotional experiences and venting to teammates create winning performance***.
While most of us define team harmony as an absence of competitiveness between members, this is only half of the story. Competition (“lack of harmony”) cannot truly be forced out of individuals because it is innate. If suppressed, competition resurfaces in more destructive forms under the radar of team leaders and creates more dysfunction than if they were acknowledged, accepted and resolved in a psychologically safe and moderated space.
My favorite take away from this presentation is this:
Harmony cannot be forced in teams. Harmony is created naturally when teams experience wins and achieve great things through collaboration with one another.
Metropolis II (Installation by Chris Burden @LACMA).
“How to build an innovation factory”
Great article in downloadable (.pdf) format from Stanford.edu about how to “…systemize innovation…” (Hargadon & Sutton).
The article makes suggestions about how organizations can benefit from a constant flow of new ideas by implementing and efficient “idea-generating process”.
I agree that brilliant ideas are worthless if one cannot implement them to benefit anybody. An individual’s genius is irrelevant without the strong collaboration of those who can help implement it and translate it into a valuable commodity to benefit others.
All the best,
Meg
Bios:
Andrew Hargadon is an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the Warrington College of Business Administration at tbe University of Florida, v/here he studies and teaches technology management Robert I. Sutton
is a professor in Stanford’s Department of Management Science and Engineering, where he is also codirector of the
Center for Work, Technology, and Organization. He is the coauthor, with feffrey Pfeffer, of The Knowing-Dwing Gap:
How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action, published by Harvard Business School Press in 1999.
Despite Coca-Cola’s several collaborations with designers and artists to produce fresh bottle images, it’s preeminent brand signature — the shape of its bottle — is never out shined.
I’ve always been a little bit, shall we say, irrational, devoted when it comes to my Sunnies. Like certain women from Texas who have a thing for bouffants, I’ve always believed that bigger is better. Or, in the words of Magdalena de la Cruz, the protagonist of my novel So L.A. “As long as you have a good purse and big enough sunglasses you can get away with anything in Los Angeles.”
Case in point? See “Post Exhibit A” (archived by my mother) wherein I rock a gingham chambray jumper and fashion a pair of red sunglasses in perfect “Sunnies-Quite-Possibly-Bigger-than-my-Face” style. I was maybe two.
—
Come to think of it, it could be said that the best part about Los Angeles is the fact that you can wear Sunnies anywhere, anytime, always. It matters not that you’re indoors. Nor does it matter that it’s after dark. I’m going out on a glamor limb here, dangling dangerously from a date palm tree, but I’m going to admit that in addition to sporting Sunnies to match my dress, I may even have sunglasses for different qualities of light. I mean, doesn’t everyone?
—
My best pair of Sunnies, by far, were a vintage pair of off-white Dior glasses (see “Post Exhibit B”). They were HUGE in the best possible way. And they died a tragic death in the hands of my daughter, who, when she was two, went on a spiteful sunglass busting bender. She just snapped every pair she could find: crack, pop, burst, like a wishbone the week after Thanksgiving. I was devastated. In fact, I still am.
—
In the hours after, when I was in shock and unveiled disbelief, I rushed out of the house with my puffy eyes exposed and drove them to three (yes I said three) certified optometrists, an ophthalmologist, a jeweler and a patio-glass repair man (that was when I was really desperate) but all six told me the same thing: Ma’am I’m sorry but…
—
Even still I couldn’t part with them. I keep the left “arm” as well as the right “three-quarters” of these glasses (of these tinted, broken dreams) on my desk as a reminder of who I used to be. They are joined by four other, less meaningful pairs, that were also busted by the baby. It’s a variable vintage sunglasses graveyard.
—
My current (favorite) Sunnies are newer and slightly smaller (not by choice) and much less fabulous, but in quintessential Didion fashion, they are about three-and-one-half inches round and a muted grey (perhaps because I am still in mourning?)
—
Bridget Hoida’s new novel, So L.A. must be read poolside with a floppy hat. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or buy it from the publisher, Lettered Press.
You can reach Bridget, typing behind oversized sunglasses, here: www.bridgethoida.com
I’m often cut off mid-sentence and asked, “But..what do you wanna do?”.
Fair enough question.
(SPOILER: There are no images in this post)
I suppose operating from the gut can make sense to one’s self but not necessarily to others.
It isn’t as if I responsibly mapped out my professional trajectory like I was taught to do…Instead, I followed my heart (whatever that means) and learned important lessons along the way. But, that doesn’t help clarify things, does it?
Unfortunately, passion can lack the efficient jargon demanded by those who wish to make a quick assessment of another’s perceived added value.
How silly was I to add “passion” to the bulletpoints on my resume? The entire Dalek population would explode attempting to grasp this concept.
Passion is tough to quantify. Just ask any successful entrepreneur.
That said, using a wordcloud tool has failed to capture the essence of the value I can add to any organization – instinct, experience, heart, loyalty, intuition, perserverance, empathy, connection, et al…These terms are not trending on LinkedIn — Google alerts would’ve informed me, and I just checked.
So, since my unorthodox list of accomplishments are invisible to search engines (and, incomprehensible to Daleks), I decided to explicity define “success” for myself as a courtesy to my new friends and acquaintances.
Here is what my point B looks like:
*You’re having your A.M. coffee while reading about the biggest networking event of the year on a page in the WSJ.
(Blurb for one of many well-known international events)
The text reads:
Notable Speakers include:
Abby Joseph Cohen one of the most respected figures in investing circles and is the chief US investment strategist for Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue
Carrie Fisher, Actress best known as Princess Leia
Meg Gomez, Makes handmade stationery & sells them on Etsy
Sarah Blakely, CEO & Founder, Spanx
Genevieve Bos, Founding Publisher, Pink Magazine
Sheila Kahanek, former Accountant, Enron.
*end scene
I hope that helped clarify some things for you.
Have a great weekend!!!
Best,
Meg
*end scene
;P(SPOILER: To be continued…)
“The beauty [of Los Angeles] is the beauty of letting things go; letting go of where you came from; letting go of old lessons; letting go of what you want for what you are, or what you are for what you want; letting go of so much—and that is a hard beauty to love.”—Michael Ventura, “Grand Illusion”Letters at 3 AM: Reports on Endarkenment
Bridget is a friend, mentor, inspiration, advisor, twitter follower, confidante, et cetera…
I learned a lot about self-acceptance from Bridget’s writing advice during my years as an undgrad (and afterwards).
As it turns out, writers view words as instruments by which individuals connect to others. I learned that writing can be formatted in any way as long as the message and the spirit of the message are successfully transported to another — carrying with it the essence of its source.
Writing is a vehicle.
And, unlike perfectly formatted bullets on a memo, the musings of a good writer isn’t only concerned with getting you to point B –– she wants to take you on a ride!!!
Congrats on your beautiful book, B. And, thanks for the ride.
Love,
Meg
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@prettypinkpro @4KM @padma8376 @sanchezjb We’ve quoted you on our #HBRchat Highlights page – thanks for joining in! s.hbr.org/MNHjdX
@prettypinkpro @4KM @padma8376 @sanchezjb We’ve quoted you on our #HBRchat Highlights page – thanks for joining in! s.hbr.org/MNHjdX
— HBR Exchange (@HBRexchange) May 25, 2012
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HBR Twitter chats: #HBRchat
Host: @HBRexchange
Last night, I came upon a blog with a recent article on productivity and time management.
I LOVED the post.
The blog was well-written, had a fantastic layout and provided great tips…
However, it seemed to have missed something…it occurred to me that what it missed, that ‘something’, was actually nothing.
Huh? You ask…Well, the best productivity tool we can all learn to use more effectively is simple, free and 100% effective:
Saying ‘no’.
No…not quite…empty…nothing…no value…negative.
This brilliant two-letter, mono-syllabic word is a great solution to common ailments such as:
1. Running late to the dozens of appointments you have on your calendar last week;
2. Not getting enough rest;
3. Failing to maintain the productivity system you set out to implement at the beginning of the year;
4. Extra weight;
5. Not having anything to wear;
6. Missing your loved one’s game, play, birthday party, wedding, et cetera…
7. Missing meals….
This list continues forever.
The gist:
What I’m saying is, perhaps creating better boundaries and freeing ourselves from commitments and obligations will provide the time we need to regroup, prepare and re-assess what we want to spend our lives doing.
For instance, what are you doing right now? How does it help you get closer to your dreams and life’s purpose?
Sending my very best to you.
Meg
Without cheating (and, without any jokes about Deep V-neck shirts) please share with us the contents of your purse right this second….
Can you tell a lot about someone’s personality based on what they tote around in their handbags???
Thanks everyone!
3P
So you still think style’s just a bunch of fluff?
Katy Perry’s photographs by Jannson in Interview mag beg to differ.
When you’re in the media’s eye and every step you take is scrutinized, publicized and tweeted, it’s tough to create a brand without your audience’s approval and agreement. It could be even harder to break out of your teeny-bopper persona … unless you’ve got the right tools and strategy to to make your desired new message clear.
The photographs of Katy Perry below successfully reposition the celebrity and communicates a clear message. What’s the message???
Take me seriously; I’m a talented and professional performer.
3P
(Blk/Wht Photography by MIKAEL JANSSON)
If you follow LinkedIn and/or collect great apps, you’re probably already using your iPhone to *automatically* capture + digitize + connect to the professionals whose business cards used fill your handbag like a struggling restaurant’s attempt to market itself by strategically placing a “win-a-free-lunch” entry box on its counter…
Never heard of it (CardMunch)? Here’s some backstory:
LinkedIn acquired the company last year and it’s the only iPhone app I’ve ever recommended to friends — so far.
I. What’s great about CardMunch:
1. It helps connect with acquaintances immediately without having to manually enter and sort through piles of business cards; (hours and hours saved!)
2. It automatically (if given permission) sends a LinkedIn invite to said acquaintance.
3. Sync…
II. Instructions for the new user:
STEP 1. SNAP* A PIC OF CARD.
STEP 2. RID YOUR NEW 😉 BOTTEGA VENETA (<<< See what I did there? I look forward to my new purse, BV! 😉 OF CLUTTER TO MAKE ROOM for essentials like — the new BOBBI BROWN Spring kit (<<< Hi, Bobbi Brown *winks. See how clever I was there?!).
Step 3. Randomly choose a card from the pile you’re about to toss and take the winner to lunch!
Anyhoo, below are links I’ve included in case you wanna get geeky about CardMunch… Also below are links to my current Bottega Veneta & Bobbi Brown wish lists (Hello?!?! Your appearance and style are valuable networking tools! Didn’t you read our previous posts?!?). Xo!
Best,
Meg + 3P
As promised…Links:
Bottega Veneta – A beautiful leather case — my iPhone deserves it!
Bobbi B. – Foundation stick shade range: 3.5 > 4.5
Source: Uploaded by user via Pretty on Pinterest
HBR Exchange@HBRexchange
Pretty Pink Ponies 