
TY Park that is. A gem in Hollywood, Florida with an amazing lake, paths and so many stunning, beautiful, huge, old Southern Live Oak trees. You can’t even attribute a value to the shade they provide here in South Florida, where during our 8-9 months a year of summer like weather, the shadows they cast are so very, very welcome.
In an effort to change the dynamic at my “day gig” we’ve released ourselves from the bondage of a weekly staff meeting, and replaced with a brief, weekly summary to the staff on Mondays, real-time, brief department meetings, AND a quarterly/seasonal ½ day staff retreat in a place of nature, beauty, awe or wonder.
We bring some tasty nibbles and usually good coffee. We start with an ice breaker for about the first hour. This most recent gathering each staffer was asked to express 3 moments of success from their past. Personal or professional, “big”, or “small” didn’t matter. Significance, impact…were key. This gave everyone a chance to reflect upon what those moments were, why they mattered, why they were successful etc. And, to allow everyone at the picnic table to see how the humanity in each of their peers, and the uniqueness of each individual. And how unexpected some of these moments to memories were. When you talk about team-building, there are a million different things that can mean. Here at THE Song Team, music, and songwriting are typically the means to an end. But there are a ton of cool things you can do. Axe throwing and a pitcher of beer? Great. Building bikes for under-served youth? Amazing. The list goes on and on. But one thing that all team-building has in common is that we are supposed to come out the other side of whatever program…with at least a small “pool of light” shining on better understanding of one another, improved communication chops..with BIG emphasis on true or active listening. This year, I am promising myself that I want to be the last in the room to speak as much as possible. Maybe that will help me learn more, and be a better leader.
Back at TY Park, I asked the team to look ahead 3 months to programs, events, initiatives, goals and ask questions, or express concerns wherever there is uncertainty about how certain things are set to unfold.
- What are the logistical hurdles
- Where do we stand with marketing
- Who plays what role
- Which opportunities for success on which to focus
- When/Timelines
- What is our vision looking ahead
We work intimately with one another, typically within the same four walls…and that atmosphere can get stale emotionally, mentally, physically…which can create a dynamic of inertia and acceptance. Even cynicism sometimes. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to me that we get OUT of that space together once in awhile…
One thing I’ve learned since this time last year, is that certain team members really and truly value their personal time away from work, and therefore any “team-building” programs need to be during regular business hours. So, I shut the office down for duration, or perhaps bring in a volunteer to answer phones. But I get it. While I’d love an occasional happy hour with the team after hours….that just doesn’t work for some of them. And for me, it’s got to be all or nothing. The entire team, or none of them.
I wish you a productive, happy, healthy, focused and grateful 2025.
Blessings, Jeff