Lōkahi Teams: When they are Virtual and Voluntary

As I have reflected and written about Lōkahi Teams this month, there is one particular team that has come to mind very often for me.

• It is a fairly large one, as teams go … they say the perfect team size is five to seven (which also works well for the Kākou Lesson of the Six Seats – MWA, page 119) and this one has numbered about nineteen of us, coming and going. We don’t consider our number very much, other than the more the merrier.

• Every single person on the team is a volunteer, not one paid position in the bunch, though that has not stopped their self-appointed leader from giving everyone work to do (um yes, that would be me... really should switch to our “we” language here!)

• A few of us have met each other face-to-face, but a very few when you consider our total. If we were in the same place, I confidently venture to say our meet-up would’ve happened long, long ago, but we live all over the globe and must be content (at least for now) with the fact that our meeting hasn’t happened. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter; we get some pretty cool things done in other ways.
  

• We don’t do the same work, and our reason why is not a selection issue, timing issue, or training issue. We came together, and remain together because of the values we share, particularly a strong, compelling one called collaborative learning. Well, come to think of it, that is the work we all do, because one does have to work at learning collaboratively.

I thought about this team an awful lot in my writing and posting of, Lōkahi Teams: Just how personal should they be? It was fascinating to think about how personal we get without personal meetings, and without needing them. Wanting them, yes. Imagining and wishing for them, yes. But needing them, no.

It was also fascinating to think about how the cultural differences we assume to have between our place-connected lives (whether or not those assumptions are right or wrong) make it totally okay that all things are not equal between us in our interpersonal relationships. Those who want to be personal are, and those who prefer not to be, aren’t, and it’s all okay.

Then I started wondering why

large, scattered, virtual and voluntarily chosen

can be so different from

smaller, up close and personal, conventional and hired into.

I concluded that it actually isn’t, or said another way, doesn’t have to be.

We have something that David Zinger has taught us to call High Quality Connections. He taught this to us in the vein of individual attention and presence, but it strikes me that when everyone does it the whole team gets infected ~~~ a good contagion, to be sure. As David explained:

In a high-quality connection, people feel more engaged, more open, more competent. They feel more alive. High-quality connections can have a profound impact on both individuals and entire organizations.

You might want to try joining a virtually connected team of all volunteers bound by common, universally held values. We’re loving it.

In fact, you can join our team: Get involved with us at Joyful Jubilant Learning. We tell each other stories, and take the time for the little things that can be so important. We read books and watch bad movies together. We help each other understand things, and do stuff we normally may not do, but are willing to try ...You can even help us write a song!

Here is the Here is the ‘work’ we’ve done this month, hardly feeling like any work at all: Compilation Page: Make A Difference.

How has your learning already made a difference, or how do you know it will?
What is the difference you are learning to make, and what are you doing to make it happen?

Read this snippet: From a recent discussion there at our team clubhouse:

Dave Rothacker: Lyrics and melodies from our past seem to be forever imprinted on our soul's dna. And just look how they influence our now! Great job Steve!

"I was beginning to panic on what I could add to this impressive discussion."

I am sure you are not the only one to make this statement Steve. There is so much talent within our community it is scary.

If thoughts like these creep into your head, (not talking directly to you Steve), take a breath and take comfort in the fact that we all appreciate you for who you are. I have written stuff here that, for a brief moment I thought shouldn't be here. You know, "that's not good enough to remain on this page with everyone else's work."

I just think that if we remain true to ourselves and write from the intersection of our soul, gut, heart and mind, we'll get more and grow more.

Steve Sherlock: Well said, Dave. With the deep breath, allowing the moment of reflection; the true self can arise. We can hear the inner voice, the authentic voice, and then putting it to pen or keyboard become the confident writer.

Karen Wallace: Dave - I think you've captured what so many of think about what we offer up here on JJL. It's like the sum of us all is so much greater than us individually that it is very daunting putting ourselves out there. But somehow, that also makes us dig so much deeper and really tap into our own authentic voices! I for one know I am a better person because of who you all inspire me to be. (says she, fingernails in mouth as she presses the button on her own Make a Difference contribution today...)

I dare you to tell me you aren’t tempted to get involved too!

Does it sound like I’m proud of this team, and that I was blessed enough to be part of it?

Good, because I am.

Comments

[Joanna Young]

Rosa, I am spooked.

I was thinking this afternoon about what I might write between now and the end of this month about how we can learn to write with the value or spirit of lokahi (you might recall this is one of my monthly writing objectives)

I was wondering if there was a way to link it to authenticity (my current theme) and the conversation at JJL came to mind - the conversation you have highlighted too, where contributors are chatting to each other and giving each other confidence to draw a deep breath, to say it how it is, and to write from the heart. I couldn't think of a better example of authentic writing - not least as moments later I saw Karen draw breath and publish her beautiful post on making a difference.

This to me was team work in action, and I wondered if I could highlight some of the language and words we use to show people what can happen when we use the language of we.

You have beaten me to it! but I might still choose to make this my focus as there are so many examples on JJL on how we can use words - often just a few, quickly and briefly from thousands of miles away - to make a difference to the way someone is working, writing, thinking, feeling, learning, making a difference...

It's no wonder you feel proud.

Joanna

[Karen Wallace]

Rosa, you should indeed feel proud of what you have worked so hard to create. Without the framework of JJL (that you provide), without your enthusiasm and drive, and without the amazing role model you represent for us - the team would not exist nor beat with its own heart like it does today.

Yes, we are all drawn together with common values and a passion for learning. But it is more than that. The leadership (sometimes subtle, sometimes a bit like hitting us over the head with a brick:) you provide is the glue that holds us together at JJL.

And I, for one, am immensely grateful to you for that. Thank you.

[Rosa Say]

Joanna, so much of what I feel we experience at JJL is about our intentions with being a part of it, and in my brevity with this posting I now see I completely skipped over the “voluntary” part of my title though I had meant to write more on that! When you volunteer there are different self-motivations at play where you revisit your intentions more often, asking yourself over and over again – maybe even sub-consciously, “now why am I here again?” As we are seeing at JJL, I think the effects can be profound with how our empathy grows with others on the team who might be thinking the same thing. Teamwork then becomes this double-whammy of team project or task shaped by team growth and development, and the harmony and unity of Lōkahi becomes the pleasing result.

I love what you subsequently wrote about how writing then plays into shaping our Language of Intention. The beauty of writing – and authenticity of it, as is your theme this month on Confident Writing – often gets revealed in the editing process I think; we consider more carefully what we are trying to say versus blurting it out impulsively, we have the opportunity to choose the right words, and when we do the connections can take on a life of their own.

Dear readers; visit Joanna for what she has written on “Lōkahi: the language of collaboration” at this link:
http://coachingwizardry.typepad.com/confident_writing/2007/09/lkahi-the-langu.html

A snippet: (Joanna, this is an exceptional summary!)
The language of collaboration

If you've time to follow the comments and the written pieces you’ll find some of the language patterns for yourself. You’ll find:

* Humour: it started with a song, and there are strands of humour, of shared experience, throughout the thread
* Affirmation: playing back some particular phrases and words. It shows you’re listening
* Specific feedback: paying attention to what people have said and done
* Personal experience: being open about how an experience has affected the team member
* Support: being quick to offer support, ideas, a comment, feedback
* Stories: taking one contribution away from the shared space and developing it in your own
* Authenticity: being part of a team allows each individual to dig a bit deeper, to say things they might otherwise be scared to say
* Openness: being willing to share doubts and fears. I think this is key – it allows the geese to fly in formation because we all know there are times when we’re strong, and other times when someone needs a bit more encouragement and support

It’s the best answer I’ve been able to think of as to what makes virtual relationships different. It’s something to do with the spirit of collaboration. A willingness to share. This is a team of people that come together virtually, that do not know each other ‘in person’ and may never do so given the distances that separate us. And yet we can write together, learn together, laugh, sing and cry together – connected by something intangible - and yet so real that we can sense it, feel it, take strength and comfort from it.

[Rosa Say]

Mahalo Karen, your thoughts on our team dynamic at JJL and generous affirmation on the role I may play there means a lot to me. Thank you.

Managers matter: The central, driving force in why I write this blog at all is so that those who are in the manager's role understand the difference they can and do make. Once we understand it, we can be more deliberate and proactive with the actions we take. I am very grateful that I have that opportunity and privilege with the team at Joyful Jubilant Learning.

[Joanna Young]

Rosa, thanks for the feedback on my piece.

I have found it such a useful exercise each month to delve deeper into my understanding of the value you are discussing, by looking at ways that we can and do use language to embody it.

The team talk at JJL this month was a shining example, and I enjoyed trying to break it down so that other people could 'see' what was going on and get some specific ideas that they could use and adapt in their own writing and working contexts.

Joanna

[Rosa Say]

Joanna, this is definitely one of your strengths.

I think I will repeat here what I coincidentally just wrote for you at your Rapid Fire Learning entry at Joyful Jubilant Learning:
"Together" makes the difference
http://www.joyfuljubilantlearning.com/joyful_jubilant_learning/2007/09/together-makes-.html

My comment:
You are such a strong concept connector. I so admire the way you repeatedly (here, and on your own blogs) can bring your reading and learning in blog-related activities back to your own core purpose (your Ho‘ohana!) writing and the language of intention.

I see this as a learning strength Joanna, one you truly model well for the rest of us - you quickly adapt and integrate what you learn directly into your Ho‘ohana!