The document provides 13 tips for successfully organizing groups and projects. The tips include knowing the goals and purpose of the group, conducting an inventory of available resources and strengths, establishing roles and milestones, having productive meetings, managing finances, sharing responsibilities, branding the group, continuously improving, and asking questions to learn from others' experiences. The overarching message is the importance of planning, communication, and teamwork to organize effective groups.

1. How to Organize
Successful Groups
Jamie Schumacher Summit No. 13!
Thursday, April 5, 2012

2. STUFF & THINGS
(that I do)
Thursday, April 5, 2012

3. But tonight..
13 things to keep in mind when organizing your project or group.
. .plus questions!
Thursday, April 5, 2012

4. No. 1 - Know what it is you’re doing.
What’s your idea?
You don’t need all the answers yet - but summarize what you’re looking for.
Oh - and know how to respond to: “Who cares?” “So what?” & “Why?”
(because inevitably, somebody along the way may try to discourage you.)
Thursday, April 5, 2012

5. No. 2 - Know what your goals are.
(this is different than knowing what you are doing.)
Figure out how you will define success.
- Making money?
- Completing a project?
- Having a lovely chat?
Image courtesy of Lupi
Thursday, April 5, 2012

6. No. 3 - Know what you’re working with.
Conduct a “resources inventory.”
- What do we need to accomplish our goals?
- Who is at the table? Image shamelessly taken from google images
- What do they bring?
(Money? Skills? Time? Amusing anecdotes?)
Thursday, April 5, 2012

7. No. 4 - Set milestones
Particularly important if you’re working with event-like projects.
- When will you be doing what? crappy clip-art courtesy of no one.
- How much time do you and your cohorts have to commit?
- Who will be the TASKMASTER?
Work your way backwards.
Thursday, April 5, 2012

8. No. 5 - Establish roles
(Doesn’t somebody want to be wanted?)
- Roles help people know what they are doing. kinda like this. (kinda.)
- It also helps them get engaged.
- It also helps with accountability and success.
Who will keep the project going? (probably you- but with help!!!)
Thursday, April 5, 2012

9. No. 6 - Know your strengths
Are you really organized?
Can you build websites?
Is somebody on your group a great marketer?
. .a great writer?
Knowing the strengths is an extension of your resources inventory.
It allows you to..
Thursday, April 5, 2012

10. No. 7 - Address your weaknesses
Are you exceptionally un-organized?
Horrible with dates and numbers?
While it’s good to get better and better, it’s unrealistic to
expect yourself to be good at EVERYTHING. Focus on your
strengths. Bring people on board to round out your team
and address any gaps (before they become a problem.)
Thursday, April 5, 2012

11. No. 8 - Have productive meetings
Your time is valuable (and so is everybody else’s. Probably.)
Have an agenda - and stick to it. Create a list of action items.
Take good notes. (and assign people to them)
Facilitation is key. Choose a good spot.
(8 tips for effective and engaging meetings: www.strongboards.org/?p=64)
Thursday, April 5, 2012

12. No. 9 - Get comfortable with numbers
Budgets and spreadsheets and expenses OH MY!
The bigger your project gets, the more important this becomes.
(and if you are comfortable with numbers, that makes cents!)
Will somebody get this for me for my b-day?
permits grants book sales sales tax
licensing sponsor funds donations . .future planning
Thursday, April 5, 2012

13. No. 10 - Share
awwwwww.
But seriously - share.
- Responsibility - with others in your group.
- Information - with those that need access to it. (wikis, etc)
- Words - with those that have alternative ways they like to communicate.
- When you’re done, pay it forward - with people that want to try something too.
Thursday, April 5, 2012

14. No. 11 - Brand yourself.
Because it’s not always who did it first that gets credit, it’s who did it better.
Branding helps with:
- professionalism
- building a creative identity
- loyalty
Thursday, April 5, 2012

15. No. 12 - Never stop improving.
b/c unless you’re Barney Stinson, there are always ways to be more awesome.
At the end of each project, I hold a discussion with the group,
- what worked?
- what didn’t?
- notes and things to remember for next time.
Thursday, April 5, 2012

16. No. 13 - Ask questions.
Somebody before you has probably done something like this before.
Learn from their mistakes.
On that note.. .
any questions?
Thursday, April 5, 2012

17. (Find J-me)
@purenoumena
jamie-schumacher.com
purenoumena.org
Thursday, April 5, 2012