Resolute Founders Workshop
Joe Greenstein & Semira Rahemtulla
May 9, 2017
Who are we?
Most recently…
• Co-founder/CEO of Flixster
(Acq by WB, 2011)
Previously…
• VP Product @ Edusoft
(Acq by Houghton-Mifflin)
• Co-founder @ CoreMetrics
(Acq by IBM)
• Co-founder @ QApro
(Failed completely)
Joe Greenstein
Cofounder of InnerSpace
Most recently…
• Co-founder/CEO of PlayTell
Previously…
• Director, Product Mgmt @ Guidewire
(IPO 2010, $2.5B+ market cap)
• UX Designer @ Vividence
(Acq by Keynote)
• Harvard Ed.M; Stanford Computer
Science
Semira Rahemtulla
Cofounder of InnerSpace,
Exec coach
Why are we doing this? (Part 1)
Why are we doing this? (Part 2)
Self-Disclosure
Will I be
less liked,
respected,
influential
(leader-
like)?
Is it
relevant?
Will it
further the
discussion
– the
relationship
?
Will others
use this
information
against
me?
How will
others
see/asses
s/ judge
me?
“What in
my ‘bubble’
should I
share?”
Self-Disclosure
“ VULNERABILITY IS
THE BIRTHPLACE
OF CONNECTION. ”
BRENÉ
BROWN
Authentic Leaders
“The single factor distinguishing top
quartile managers from bottom quartile
managers was strength of affection.”
--“Encouraging the Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Recognizing and Rewarding Others”,
Kouzes & Posner
Authentic Leaders
If You Really Knew
Me…
Exercise #2: If You Really Knew Me…
• Each person gets 2min to complete the
sentence “If you really knew me (right now)….”
• No responses except “Thank you”
Listening
A Thought Experiment…
On a quiet Sunday afternoon, when your partner says:
“I hate Sundays! I get so stressed on Sundays because Monday
comes next! I hate my job! I wish I could figure out how I could not
have to work there ever again.”
What do you say back?
3 Levels of Listening
1. Listening to convince
• Rejecting / tell her she’s wrong
(often nicely)
2. Listening to fix
• Adding new info, asking a question
3. Listening to understand
• Content
• Emotion
• Meaning
So work is so bad you’d rather not
even go? And you’re frustrated
because you can’t figure out how to
get around a thing you hate?
That’s not true! Sundays are so
much fun around here! We love
Sundays.
- You know, Sundays used to be
like that for me, too. You just have
to get over it.
- What’s going on at work?
Coaching
What is coaching?
Teaching vs Coaching
Benefits of Coaching
1. Give-a-Fish vs Teach-to-Fish
2. Coachee feels valued and believed in
3. Self-driven goals are more motivating
4. Manager gets valuable info
What makes a good coach?
• Deep Listening
• Presence & Mindset
• Powerful Questions
What makes a good coach?
• Deep Listening
• Presence & Mindset
• Powerful Questions
Ask powerful questions
Avoid advice hidden as a question – “have you
considered….”
Grow Model
• Goal = What do you want?
• Reality = What’s happening now?
• Options = What can you do?
• Will = What will you do?

Communication Workshop

  • 1.
    Resolute Founders Workshop JoeGreenstein & Semira Rahemtulla May 9, 2017
  • 2.
    Who are we? Mostrecently… • Co-founder/CEO of Flixster (Acq by WB, 2011) Previously… • VP Product @ Edusoft (Acq by Houghton-Mifflin) • Co-founder @ CoreMetrics (Acq by IBM) • Co-founder @ QApro (Failed completely) Joe Greenstein Cofounder of InnerSpace Most recently… • Co-founder/CEO of PlayTell Previously… • Director, Product Mgmt @ Guidewire (IPO 2010, $2.5B+ market cap) • UX Designer @ Vividence (Acq by Keynote) • Harvard Ed.M; Stanford Computer Science Semira Rahemtulla Cofounder of InnerSpace, Exec coach
  • 3.
    Why are wedoing this? (Part 1)
  • 4.
    Why are wedoing this? (Part 2)
  • 5.
    Self-Disclosure Will I be lessliked, respected, influential (leader- like)? Is it relevant? Will it further the discussion – the relationship ? Will others use this information against me? How will others see/asses s/ judge me? “What in my ‘bubble’ should I share?” Self-Disclosure
  • 6.
    “ VULNERABILITY IS THEBIRTHPLACE OF CONNECTION. ” BRENÉ BROWN
  • 7.
    Authentic Leaders “The singlefactor distinguishing top quartile managers from bottom quartile managers was strength of affection.” --“Encouraging the Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Recognizing and Rewarding Others”, Kouzes & Posner Authentic Leaders
  • 8.
    If You ReallyKnew Me…
  • 9.
    Exercise #2: IfYou Really Knew Me… • Each person gets 2min to complete the sentence “If you really knew me (right now)….” • No responses except “Thank you”
  • 10.
  • 11.
    A Thought Experiment… Ona quiet Sunday afternoon, when your partner says: “I hate Sundays! I get so stressed on Sundays because Monday comes next! I hate my job! I wish I could figure out how I could not have to work there ever again.” What do you say back?
  • 12.
    3 Levels ofListening 1. Listening to convince • Rejecting / tell her she’s wrong (often nicely) 2. Listening to fix • Adding new info, asking a question 3. Listening to understand • Content • Emotion • Meaning So work is so bad you’d rather not even go? And you’re frustrated because you can’t figure out how to get around a thing you hate? That’s not true! Sundays are so much fun around here! We love Sundays. - You know, Sundays used to be like that for me, too. You just have to get over it. - What’s going on at work?
  • 13.
  • 14.
  • 15.
  • 16.
    Benefits of Coaching 1.Give-a-Fish vs Teach-to-Fish 2. Coachee feels valued and believed in 3. Self-driven goals are more motivating 4. Manager gets valuable info
  • 17.
    What makes agood coach? • Deep Listening • Presence & Mindset • Powerful Questions
  • 18.
    What makes agood coach? • Deep Listening • Presence & Mindset • Powerful Questions
  • 19.
    Ask powerful questions Avoidadvice hidden as a question – “have you considered….”
  • 20.
    Grow Model • Goal= What do you want? • Reality = What’s happening now? • Options = What can you do? • Will = What will you do?

Editor's Notes

  • #3 who are we lucky to be part of a team that took this stuff seriously (communication & culture) fortunate to be involved in the early part of a company that was well run and had a successful exit and was the founder of a company that may or may not have been well run, but didn't have a successful exit
  • #4 “We believe these skills help founders build more successful companies”
  • #5 Our leaders matter In addition to being financially successful, we think the way we run companies matters -- wiser, more compassionate leaders who are skilled in their relationships w/ themselves & others are important to the world, & SV needs to lead the way - not just in the tech we develop but in how we develop people In our founder groups this where I usually talk abut how important building a team that brought out the best in each other was for me personally. But I will tell you guys, the real reason we are doing this work is because we believe that leaders matter. We believe we have entered a period where our biggest challenge as a species will be our ability to interact with each other wisely and manage the incredible power we are about to have. And in our corner of the world, you guys are the mentors for that next generation of leaders. So if anything we do here today is useful for you in your capacity as a role model and influencer of future leaders – that will make our day worthwhile.
  • #8 “…highest-performing managers show more warmth and fondness towards others than do the bottom 25%. They get closer to people, they’re significantly more open in sharing thoughts and feelings than their low-performing counterparts. Note that they also scored high on “thinking” and a need to have power and influence over others, but that didn’t distinguish them from the bottom quartile.
  • #10 I’d like everyone to pause for a moment.  In your 2-min introduction, think about what you chose to say… and what you chose not to say. Out of your entire life – your past, your future, your personal life, your hobbies, everything there is to know about you as a person…  what did you choose to share.  Why? pause  What decisions did you make about what was relevant or interesting or safe to share with this person in this context? Now you’re going to introduce yourself again… and this time I want you to step outside of your comfort zone and share something you didn’t the first time. Imagine my hand on your back gently encouraging you to challenge yourself a bit.
  • #18 Mindset: growth mindset
  • #19 Mindset: growth mindset
  • #20 Questions that expand the other person’s thinking