Team Formation ABC

1. How to Succeed at
AIA?
It’s All About
The Team!
© Rick Rasmussen 2020

2. Which is More Powerful?
The most
amazing
world-beating
product
An amazing
world-beating
team

5. Team Formation at AIA

6. Team Formation at AIA
Different Competencies

7. Team Formation at AIA
Different Competencies Different Universities

8. Team Formation at AIA
Different Competencies Different Universities
Gender Diversity

9. Team Formation at AIA
Different Competencies Different Universities
Gender Diversity National Diversity

10. The Best Teams are
Diverse
Divergent thinking
Attacking problems from different angles

11. Diversity is Hard
It’s natural to be
with people like you
Get out of your
comfort zone
End results will be
MUCH better

13. Building your team
You can’t do it alone
The people you join sets
your “corporate culture”
Work Ethic
Early or late
Precrastinators or
Procrastinators

14. SELF EVALUATION
WHAT ARE YOUR
STRENGTHS &
WEAKNESSES?
WHAT SKILLS DO YOU
BRING TO THE TABLE?
HOW DOES YOUR
EXPERTISE FIT IN WITH
THE TEAM?

15. The Three Hs
Hacker = Builder Hustler = SalesHipster = Designer
Which are you?

17. Choosing the Right
Teammates
The right team
rather than the
right idea..!

18. Choosing the Right
Teammates
Find teammates
whose strengths
overcome your
weaknesses

19. Choosing the Right
Teammates
Don’t choose
members because
they are “Agreeable”
Learn to fight fair
Agree to Disagree

20. Choosing the Right
Teammates
Ask Questions
Dig in
Are these people you
want to work with?

21. Today’s Team Formation Process
Networking
Lunch &
Games
Problem Expo
and
Form your
Teams
Team Approval
& “problem”
feedback
11:30 – 14:00 14:00 – 18:00

22. Today’s Team Formation Process
Networking
Lunch &
Games
Problem Expo
and
Form your
Teams
Team Approval
& “problem”
feedback
11:30 – 14:00 14:00 – 18:00

23. Talent Identification Pins
Software Developer (Tech Savvy)
Designer (Design Wizard)
Marketing (Marketing Pro)
Business People (Business Guru)
Science and other (Industry Talent)
Multi-talented?
You can have
more than
one pin
Plus.. A pin if
you
were an
Idea Generator

24. Team
Formation
Rules
It’s Five per team. Not Four. Not Six.
Diversity
No more than two
From the same University
From the same Country
Software Developers
No pre-existing conditions
Can’t be friends, couples, married or divorced
Can’t have worked together on a project before
Can’t work on an existing company

25. Why do we
do this?
AIA is an Educational Program
Want everyone to gain equally
Therefore everyone starts at the same level
No advantages or disadvantages
Equal teams of 5

26. Team
Formation
Tips
It’s team over idea. Don’t worry as much
about the problem being solved or the
solution. Those will change.
Don’t sit back. Good people go quickly.
Problem Generators:
If you’re not getting traction, circulate..
Ask a lot of questions. Look for similar
passion and interests.

28. Day 2: Set formal team roles

29. A team in real life
Investors
Board of Directors
You
Co-founders
Your executive staff
Board of Advisors (optional)
Service Providers
Attorneys, Accountants, Recruiters, PR firms,
Outsourcers…
Employees & Contractors
Shareholders
Board
Advisors Exec Staff
Employees &
Contractors
Service
Providers
You Co-founders

30. Your Team at EIA

31. Chief Executive Officer
Not ego driven. Team Driven...!
Not always the idea person
Has strong organizational skills
Not always the pitch person
Has strong communication skills
Busy through entire cycle

32. Great EIA Company?
Boss

33. Great EIA Company
Great EIA Company?
Boss Collaboration
Team
Approval
Committee

34. Chief Business Officer
Turns an idea into a business
Business Plan and Revenue plan
Unit Economics
Final plan deliverable
Heavy lifting starts second week

35. Chief Marketing Officer
Responsible for marketing and go-to-market
strategies
Helps drive customer discovery
Designs customer success metrics
Drives launch program
Drives the customer sign-up metrics and process

36. Chief Technology Officer
Strong Technical Skills
Responsible for
product spec
prototyping process
landing page
Works with Software and IT Mentors
Drives toward Product Sprint..!!

37. Chief Design Officer
Design to impress
Customers
Peers
Investors
Landing Page, Product Design, Pitch Slides
Design tools make this easier
Help out all other team members

38. Everyone Working Together

39. © 2017 Ken Singer
Informal Roles

40. © 2017 Ken Singer
Clutch Brake Accelerator

43. Pivots and Breakups
Pivots are good
Micro-failures
Adopting through learning
Learn to pivot with grace

44. 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10
AIA Daily Stress Level
AIA Daily Stress Level
What am
I doing?
Can I find
a team?
We’re
pivoting!!
Will we
ever have a
product?
Final
presentation

45. Mentors –
Your key to
success
They are your guides
Now you have Chief Mentors
&
Life Coaches

46. Life Coaches – Here to Help
Trained industry authorities
Get you over the bumps
Someone to lean on

47. Succeeding
Pick a problem that you believe in
Do your customer discovery well
Define your metrics and nail them
Rally all your resources
Team
Mentors
Potential Customers
Outside Supporters
Passion wins..!!!

48. Now You Know
Team formation is a critical part of your success
Diverse thinking will make your project stronger
Think about formal roles and informal roles
There will be stress
You will pivot
Life coaches are there to help
Work Hard. Have Fun..!

49. Arab Innovation Academy
It’s not all about the
product
Not about Winning
Educational Process
Impact and Shared
Experiences
Everything starts
with your Team..!