How do you build and lead a team for your social impact project?

In my opinion. Lets look at the 2 scenarios- Team A has their OKRs dedicated to social impact project. Here the approach of conventional team building and leading applies. Tough one- Team B has a good to achieve OKR on social impact project. In this scenario- you are asking the time to work additional hours with lesser comparable direct returns. Here the key is- "Story telling" The story that we tell the team - about what we achieve with this social impact project has to be strong enough and most importantly appealing to their personal belief system. Only then the team will be motivated and performing. Else the team may die out after initial hype fades.

In the real world, though, we rarely have the option to build a team from scratch. When working with an existing team, these principles still apply - get to know the individuals better, assess their skills, and find out where they want to improve their skills or learning. You can also ask to borrow someone from another team for a limited amount of time to help fill a gap.

Before you launch activity on your project, create a plan. This will help identify the info, tools, and resources that will help them work effectively. Build in coaching time - both individually and as a group. Make it safe for people to contribute wild and wacky ideas by doing that yourself!

To foster a culture of collaboration, you can do several things: - setting ground rules for ideating so that ideas are not judged and all voices are equal - reviewing your mission and vision so everyone is on the same page - coaching (individually and as a group) in communication skills and mindset, to build a positive environment for collaboration.

One thing that's missing from this list is learning from mistakes. Mistakes provide valuable feedback and further opportunities for learning. Thomas Edison made 10,000 attempts before finally coming up with the light bulb!

Embracing diversity, as mentioned in this article, is important for social impact programs. What most leaders often overlook when problem-solving, though, is diversity in the way we think and in how past experience guides future choices. When planning an ideating session, consider inviting voices outside your team - the receptionist, finance people, external stakeholders such as vendors or regulatory bodies. When ideating, you're looking for quantity and out-of-the-ordinary contributors can often see things that those in the thick of the issue can't. Also, since past experience often dictates future choices, it's important to shake up the brain by using ideating tools.

Connect on a personal level with your team. Show empathy and interest for their personal and collective value. Be there for them and if needed dont be afraid to show some vulnerability and the strategies used to overcome adversity. Lead by example, be empathetic. Value feedback and respect differences. If possible enjoy time outside the work schedule. Be clear that loyalty and commitment of each member to the common goal and to you will occured after you build a safety space, a sense of belonguing and a meaninful work environment where every persom feels important and valuable, where purpose acts as a personal and collective drive.