our sprint retrospective<\/a> and how it creates a regular opportunity for openly sharing feelings of gratitude.<\/p>\nLooking back at these past reflections, trust is the common element<\/b> that enables the things for which I\u2019m most thankful: the collaboration, the flexibility, and the open sharing of feedback and gratitude.<\/p>\n
But how is the trust created in our team? My answer won\u2019t be surprising to you because our mutual trust is built in the same way that all human trust is.<\/p>\n
By being vulnerable. By being transparent. By owning our mistakes.<\/b><\/p>\n
In opening ourselves up in these ways, we remind ourselves that we\u2019re works in progress, and we demonstrate to our colleagues that personal growth is a priority.<\/p>\n
This year, as I reflect on the 12 months since last Thanksgiving, I can think of numerous examples of my teammates exhibiting vulnerability. In each case, I can see how that vulnerability created personal growth and a positive outcome for our company.<\/p>\n
And, these acts of openness that come to mind aren\u2019t grand gestures. Rather, they\u2019re simple expressions of a willingness to invest in self improvement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to get better at\u2026can you give me feedback on\u2026?<\/b>\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t feel like that went well. Can you help me think through it?<\/b>\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not sure what to do in this situation. Can you help me think through what to do?<\/b>\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry I\u2019m not getting this as quickly as I\u2019d like. Can you spend more time teaching me?<\/b>\u201d<\/p>\n
As a leader, there\u2019s no set of questions I love hearing more than those. They let me know that I\u2019ve done a good job of creating trust in my relationships with the people around me. So much of what I love about Rival IQ centers around the honest collaboration and flexible, fluid way in which we work.<\/p>\n
For this positive environment to continue, it requires ongoing investments in our mutual trust. Part of my role as a founder and a leader is helping to create an environment in which everyone feels comfortable being open.<\/p>\n
There are many facets of that trust-building, such as equity and inclusion, whose scope extends beyond this post. (Please note: I\u2019m not declaring that we have succeeded in creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable being open. As the white, male founder, that wouldn\u2019t be a valid declaration from coming from me.)<\/p>\n
One way in which I\u2019m consistently working to create trust is by being open and vulnerable myself. As someone who spent too many years in graduate school, I\u2019m aware of how much I don\u2019t know. Fortunately, I\u2019m also most interested in putting myself in situations where the potential to learn is high. These two things, when put together, make it both easy and common for me to say: \u201cI don\u2019t know. Let\u2019s figure it out together.\u201d<\/p>\n
This Thanksgiving, I\u2019m thankful to be in an environment where we, as colleagues, can be open and vulnerable with one another. I see the positive collaborations and personal growth that results for me and others, and it\u2019s one of the reasons I love coming to work every single day.<\/p>\n
Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Each year, I take a few hours to reflect on the elements of my work at Rival IQ for which I\u2019m most thankful. Last year, I wrote about how trust unlocks deep collaboration and flexibility. Previously, I\u2019ve written about our sprint retrospective and how it creates a regular opportunity for …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17922,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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