Part 2: Pre-Project Considerations

The Team

You’ve got an important problem to solve. The team is assembled. You hold your breath because you know the inherent challenges – allowing conversation to flow freely, not forcing a pre-existing idea on the group, and not getting stuck on one idea – that arise in bringing a team of unique individuals together. How do you structure your team to increase productivity and solve problems more effectively?

Although it seems obvious, it is best to construct the team around the problem. What special skills will be required to complete the project? Think outside the immediate scope of the problem: what skills could be relevant that would constitute a non-standard approach? Don’t select people solely based upon position in the company. Position doesn’t determine one’s desire or ability to create important changes. If people are more concerned with maintaining the status quo than driving the company forward, they will only hinder the progress of a team dedicated to making changes. Find the people with the broadest applicable knowledge base and the strongest drive, and make the team leader the person with the broadest knowledge base over all areas of the project. Make sure the leader is able to lead without being controlling.

The Enviroment

Environment plays a role in people’s ability to complete a project. The space should allow for efficient communication—proximity is power. Having to constantly travel long distances (even within a building) to get things done can hinder or even cut off essential communication. If your workspace is large, can you minimize travel distance between individuals that need to communicate directly on a regular basis?

If possible, the brainstorming or meeting space should take people out of their normal working environments. A change in scenery is very effective for breaking people out of their standard routines and for facilitating creativity.

The Stone Soup Story—Author Unknown

Many years ago, three soldiers, hungry and weary of battle, came upon a small village. The villagers, suffering a meager harvest and the many years of war, quickly hid what little they had to eat and met the three at the village square, wringing their hands and bemoaning the lack of anything to eat.

The soldiers spoke quietly amongst themselves and the first soldier then turned to the village elders. "Your tired fields have left you nothing to share, so we will share what little we have: the secret of how to make soup from stones."

Naturally, the villagers were intrigued and soon a fire was put to the town's greatest kettle as the soldiers dropped in three smooth stones. "Now this will be a fine soup," said the second soldier; "but a pinch of salt and some parsley would make it wonderful!" Up jumped a villager, crying "What luck! I've just remembered where some's been left!" And off she ran, returning with an apron full of parsley and a turnip. As the kettle boiled on, the memory of the village improved: soon barley, carrots, beef and cream had found their way into the great pot, and a cask of wine was rolled into the square as all sat down to feast.

They ate and danced and sang well into the night, refreshed by the feast and their new-found friends. In the morning, the three soldiers awoke to find the entire village standing before them. At their feet lay a satchel of the village's best breads and cheese. "You have given us the greatest of gifts: the secret of how to make soup from stones," said an elder, "and we shall never forget." The third soldier turned to the crowd, and said: "There is no secret, but this is certain: it is only by sharing that we may make a feast." And off the soldiers wandered, down the road.

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