Fun Is The Easiest Way To Change Someone’s Behavior
A group of psychologists seated themselves between a staircase and an escalator in a U.S. shopping mall to run a study. They set out to answer two questions: What percentage of people choose stairs over an escalator when given the choice between the two? How would behavior change if people were made aware of the […]
Party for One – The Value of Social Proof
Sylvia is the kind of person that wants to make a difference. When she sees an issue, she takes action. So when it was finals week at her university and she knew everyone was going to be stressed, she woke up early and drew the words “Free Hugs” on a large poster board. Then, she […]
Even Top Talent Needs Their Manager – 3 Things You Need to Do as a Team Leader
“First, I stopped canceling meetings 10 minutes before the start time because I felt too “busy.” I previously had thought my employees would understand because I am the CEO and had a lot on my plate. Now, instead of hiding behind that excuse, they are my priority.” Excerpt from The Fast Forward Mindset* by David […]
Our Tried and True Schedule for a Quarterly Strategy Retreat
Handing out pennies in Union Square, seeing a show on Broadway, riding an aquatic themed carousel, playing board games, eating bugs, and visiting a cat cafe. At some point in time, Team Swift Kick has done all of these strange things during a quarterly strategy retreat. But strategy retreats are more than just surprise activities; […]
Throw Away Your To-Do List: Using Core Values to Navigate the Unexpected
Melissa’s TEDx talk was on Saturday. It was Thursday. We were discussing back and forth over whether the word “love” was the appropriate word for her closing line. We were on the verge of a nervous giggle fit, as the English language got less and less concrete in our minds. I was supposed to be […]
Using Spring Fever to Make Your Team More, Not Less Engaged
A few years ago, I saw a funny post on Facebook that said if you leave the office in the middle of the day to go outside, and someone asks where you are, you can say you are “Out-Standing.” Ha ha – get it? OUT? STANDING? So maybe this isn’t hilarious to you, but to […]
Your Graphic T-Shirt is Begging for Connection
My brother and I were visiting a relative in the hospital. When it was time for me to go home, my brother offered to walk me to my car. As we walked down the shiny corridors, we passed a room that had the door open. We noticed a younger man straight up staring at us […]
Johnny Appleseed – The Ultimate “Party Keeps Going”
Unless you’re in second grade, you probably don’t know this, but today, March 11, is Johnny Appleseed Day! Yes, I was seven the last time I talked about him. But I did some research for this post, and I realized that he is a great example of the following Dance Floor Theory tip: The (Apple) […]
What Stories Are Your Forward-Facing People Telling?
Imagine expressing to someone that you are excited to see them, and they respond with, “Why are you here?” That’s basically what happened to me at a job and internship fair in college, though maybe not in so many words. I had always admired the MTA for their marketing on their own trains and buses. […]
Using Slack to Build a Culture of Connection Within Your Team
By now, you probably know that the “quotes board” is a beloved Swift Kick tradition. In fact, we love it so much, we started using the hashtag #SKQuotesBoard to share these quotes with you on social media. Working in a coworking space, however, means that there is no physical master list of these team quotes. […]