Is Batman in Your Organization?: Creating Affinity Groups
A common practice of mine during my trainings to greet as many of the participants ahead of time. During one training, a guy walked in wearing a unique looking Batman shirt, so I made a comment. His face lit up, and he excitedly said to me, “Did you know that today is International Batman Day?” […]
Work is More Than Your Next Deadline: How to Create High Quality Connections in the Workplace
Fun fact: I knew Sam before she came to work at Swift Kick. She and I are cast members of an on-demand online workout show called Daily Burn 365. We would wake up early to have a trainer beat us up. On camera. In full makeup. Along with another friend Jen, these early mornings led […]
7 Little Tricks to Build Better Connections With Your Team During Conversation
In every team I have been in, the number one thing that sets a good team apart from a bad one is their level of communication. I’m not talking about keeping in touch with your team members about your projects. I’m talking about whether or not you feel a connection with your team at the […]
So, this one time, in an Uber…
As I opened the passenger door to the Uber, the first thing I heard was, “Hi Melissa!” To be completely honest, I was tired and really looking forward to a quiet, awkward silence type of drive home. Not this time. The two women, Lisa and Karen, in the backseat of this very fancy, black Mercedes […]
Creating Moments of Kindness At New Student Orientation
Ryan Pugliese’s middle school experience was a collection of negative moments, leaving him ostracized with barely anyone he could call a friend. Being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at age 2 didn’t help, as it made it difficult for him to establish relationships like people normally do. Needless to say, when he graduated from 8th grade, […]
Dance Floor Theory on Facebook
In Dance Floor Theory™ we outline four steps it takes for a student leader to move a group from a “bad dance” to a “good dance.” They are… Introduce Yourself Introduce People To Each Other Make Small Relevant Groups Get Out Of The Way As more schools and student groups build an online presence for […]
I Got DFT’ed…And I Didn’t Like It.
Last week I was part of a panel discussion for TiE on the New York startup scene. I was invited to talk about my experience as both a TechStars Alumnus and founder of Red Rover and AlumniChoose. Before the event officially started, everyone was casually networking around the room. At one point, a lady popped […]
The Why Behind FREE HUGS
In our Dance Floor Theory™ program, we divide member engagement within a community into six different stages… Technically it’s seven, but that’s another story for another time. We call these six stages The Engagement Pyramid™. Each stage is defined by a different set of characteristics for an individual. Fully engaged members display different characteristics than […]