The Camino Way: Finding Leadership in a 500 mile walk across Spain
“Regardless of a pilgrim’s background, though, it is a deeply spiritual experience as you learn to connect on a new level with yourself, with others, with nature, and with whatever higher powers may be. Most importantly, though, it is a deeply HUMAN experience.” -Martine De Matteo, Swift Kick family member & El Camino pilgrim Whenever […]
Swift Kick’s 3 Steps To Creating A Culture Of Connection
A core value of Facebook is “Move Fast.” “Moving fast enables us to build more things and learn faster. We’re less afraid of making mistakes than we are of losing opportunities by moving too slowly. We are a culture of builders, the power is in your hands.” A core value of Apple is “Saying No.” […]
Under Pressure: Staying Cool When It All Seems to Go Wrong
Incorrect audio supplies…check. Main point of contact not in the office…check. Audience is less than a third of what was expected…check. Clicker sensor is too far to reach my position at the front of the room…check. Are you sensing a theme here? Sometimes, (all of the) things go wrong. As a leader of the team, […]
Applications of Culture: Lessons From a College Student at the End of the Swift Kick Internship
It’s time. My Swift Kick internship journey has come to an end. This was a 6-month endeavor that involved the challenging and informative processes of how a small company in New York can have such an impact on the culture of so many communities. Here is what I learned, how I used it, and what […]
Confusion is Good: Create Weird Moments to Increase Team Morale
In NYC, there are plenty of opportunities to be confused. Whether it be a Naked Cowboy – an NYC staple – or a reminder to Love Allways. [As a member of the grammar and spelling police, the latter example quickly captured my attention.] Strikingly, these opportunities for confusing are also a way to engage all those who […]
Gatekeepers of Culture: You Have More Influence Than You Think
Sometimes, I feel a little like a Disney princess. Let me explain. The SKHQ office is located in a building in the financial district of Manhattan, on the 20th floor. Every morning I sweep in, juggling my coffee, my phone, whatever book I am reading, and the rest of my life in my backpack. Good […]
What a Swedish Town Can Teach Us About Guiding Teams Through Stressful Situations
How would you react if you were told that your entire town had to relocate to an entirely new spot, two miles away? I’m talking buildings, homes, people, lives – boom, packing up and moving down the road. This is exactly what the residents of Kiruna, Sweden were told one day. Naturally, they were a […]
3 Ways to Foster Positive Cell Phone Use at Work
As I landed back in NYC at 11pm, nearly every person around me reached for their phones to turn off Airplane Mode. My biggest concern was booking my car to get home as soon as possible, but as I looked around, it was Instagram and Facebook that people were clicking on first. If we are […]
Should you be friends with your co-workers?
Not long ago, someone posted online, “If your only friends are your co-workers, then you have no friends.” I started thinking about different jobs I’ve had, and the office dynamics attached to each of them. And while my co-workers weren’t my only friends, I most certainly considered them friends. Some things can’t help but be […]
Using the Consistency Principle to Nudge Someone into Participating
Leading up to the national elections last year, I received a series of text messages on my phone. Most of the texts were informational regarding polling locations and deadlines. One text, that came the day prior to election day, caught my eye because it asked me if I was planning to vote tomorrow and asked […]