Alex Hillman and Adam Teterus discussed about how Indy Hall’s team works together and the importance of leading by example.

What is the Voice of Indy Hall?

As Indy Hall has grown, there is a notion that communication may need to become more effective.  Effective meaning increased clarity, less sounding like a friend and more professional. However,  Indy Hall tries to hold onto the tone they had when they were a smaller community. It takes a lot of effort to hold onto that.  It slips out of grasp quickly if the team does not communicate within themselves.

People in charge are often afraid of saying “I do not know.”  It is okay to not know. Instead, admit you do not know the immediate answer but follow-up by offering what you do know.  Give options based on what you know, but allow room for other ideas. Saying “I do not know” is not the same as saying “I do not care.”

Culture Club

There is a group of older members within Indy Hall that has been recognized.  These are people who step up to help when new people come in. They also help the team members by being able to tone check communication on their behalf.  This is helpful because it comes from a member’s point of view.

Lead By Example

Your community and culture is always going to follow the people who are running the space.  Communities are full of people who are not actively seeking someone to give them solutions. It is the job of those running spaces to help members help themselves.  Asking questions can help them reach the answers themselves. Responding to ideas with questions is a subtle form of leadership. It makes members of the community more willing to lead with curiosity.

Make sure people are not just viewing the space as a venue.  Mindfulness in team members brings out mindfulness from members.  Asking and showing people how to pause and think through what they do can be really valuable.

Effective Over-Communication

Effective over-communication is essentially narrating what you are doing so none of it gets forgotten about.  This fills in the gaps that appear when you assume what you are doing is not going to affect anyone, people already know what you are doing, or that other team members would not care.  Assumptions can lead to breakdowns in communication.