Get Timers Now!
X
 
Mar 29 - 14:00:06
-1
Page:  1 
Spanning the Gaps - Building Bridges 102 Started by: TsuDhoNimh on Feb 13, '17 12:15

So you've made your way through Building Bridges 101 and you've figured out you can't go it alone as a leader. Well done. That's a start.

Even with a fantastic family behind you, you know you need to build relationships with your peers and those higher up the food chain. Hell, you probably even need to build a few bridges with your, hopefully evil, minions too. Even when you're the top dog you realize you need support, so you still need to keep building and repairing those damn bridges. So what happens next?

 

"Shit. We need to talk to people".

Scary, I know.

 

This is where things can start to get real messy. People don't have calculations we can plan for, statistics we can track or set mechanics on how they'll respond. Each person is unique. Each person is different. Thankfully. Can you imagine if we had two Bonkers in this world? Or three? There would be a lynch mob at every door in panic *winks at a not so subtle inside joke*.

However, these are also the reasons our world needs real leadership and not just people that know how to follow standard operating procedures. There's no rule book for life and we're all making it up as we go along. That's why it's amazing. That's why it's tough. That's why we need smart people that make smart decisions and know how to lead. That's why we need you.

 

"It's ok, I haven't got a bold suit yet. I don't need to worry about leading".

 

If you're one of the, I'd imagine many, people that said that... I hate you.

That's not a funny comment and I'm not joking here. I really dislike you.

You're a big part of the problem with this world. You're the reason so much shit goes wrong. Your flawed understanding of the world and your place in it, or any of our places in it, is a large part of what's wrong with our world. You don't decide to put on a bold suit one morning and suddenly start leading, that's now how shit works. You lead now. You lead right here. You lead from this second until your final seconds.

Whether you're wearing a bold suit, a slanty suit, have a hidden position within a family or have no position at all, leadership starts here and now within yourself. Nobody should have to ask you to lead. It comes from every word, every action and the way you carry yourself in front of others. Even if you're new to these shores and have limited knowledge or experience, you can still provide a shining example of how to carry yourself in how you interact and deal with people. Everything any of us does leaves footprints in the sand for others to potentially choose to follow, make sure yours are going in the right direction. If you're sitting back waiting for shit to be handed to you before you decide to start leading, I've got a wake-up call for you... you'll never be a fucking leader. You're a sheep.

Now, don't get me wrong. Many of you shouldn't feel too bad about that. The world needs sheep. 90% of our population will be sheep. It's not that there's anything necessarily wrong with it, but I'm not trying to talk to you. The only thing that's worse than a sheep is a sheep that thinks it's a shepherd, so figure out your place in the world and know where you stand. Leaders are rare. Leaders are special. Leaders have a drive and a determination that is unmistakable. If you're not sure if you're a leader, guess what? You're not. It's not something you ever have to wonder about. It's something you do each and every day of your life regardless of your rank, your position or anything else some might use as an excuse to shirk responsibility and take the easy way out.

*Realises he's on a completely unrelated rant and decides to get back to the main focus of today's class* 

 

 

So yes. We were talking about talking to people... about talking perhaps?

We need those damn bridges and we need them to be strong. So how do we build them?

 

Top tip coming right up....

 

There's no right way to do it.

 

What? You want your money back? 

Firstly, you didn't even pay to hear this damn speech you ingrate bastard. Secondly, that's damn good advice right there. Don't belittle it just because you wanted a silver bullet or an easy answer. That's not how life actually works.

We'll often hear people come out and give speeches about how important a strong street presence is and that it's vital to being a good leader. Guess what? They're wrong or they're lying, or both. 

Now, don't get me wrong. Having a strong street presence is a huge advantage for a leader. It allows them to speak to the largest volume of people in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of effort. That's an amazing benefit and something that every leader should consider each time they need to get their message out there.

A leader NEEDS to be ABLE to step out onto the streets at a moment's notice and be able to quickly, clearly and effectively get a strong message across. They need to be able to do it in a way that creates enough trust, fear or respect, or even better if it's a combination of all three, in order for the message to get the hell across. But needing to be able to do it and having to actively do it frequently are two different things. The former is certainly essential and is a good indication that the leader will be well able to handle themselves in private discussions and one on one negotiations too, the latter is optional in this thing of ours.  

To think or suggest an active street presence is the only way is a fallacy. It's efficient and effective, it has all sorts of crazy positive impacts across the board, but there are numerous ways it can be done each with multiple pros and cons. The most important of which, without any question, will be what a specific leader is most comfortable and competent in doing. That's the piece of the jigsaw that is most often ignored but the one that is most vital to success.

So let's take a look at some of the options we have for building those bridges and compare and contrast:

 

 

The Private Mailer

 

First up we have what we here in Chicago like to call the Borkers.

This tends to be a relatively quiet leader that doesn't seek or need the limelight for fulfillment. It can be illustrative of a leader that lacks confidence, so hugs the shadows trying to stay under the radar, or one with great confidence who simply doesn't give a flying fuck (top tip: Borkers is the latter in case you wondered). So the first step when dealing with one of these is to figure out which of the two extremes they veer towards so you can tailor your approach accordingly.

Often keen on direct and short interactions, these are people you want you to get to the point (or pint) and be succinct in your dealings. If you spend the day faffing about with your hair before finally to something approaching a point they'll most likely have walked away having already formed the opinion that you're an idiot.

If you find this is your personal style you should know you have your work cut out for you. Focusing on one on one interactions via mail means you have to do more legwork to get those bridges built. That doesn't mean it can't work, though, once you put in that work it can end up being one of the most consistent and sustainable styles of all. The inherent limits tend towards these people keeping a smaller, closer inner circle. With that tighter group closer bonds tend to form. With those bonds, genuine respect, loyalty and trust can flourish. These folk tend to be reliable, honest, packed with integrity and, allowing myself to generalize wildly to the point of falsification here, can be some of the most long-term successful leaders of all.

The biggest risk with this group is that where flaws do exist, they can take a long time to surface. 

 

Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue - Proverbs 17:28

 

 They tend to build the biggest bridges. The strongest bridges. The bridges that last the tests of time. They look weak for anyone with a myopic view of the world, but when considered with even an inkling of strategy they are a major force to be reckoned with. 

 

The Chatty Cathy

 

Next up we have what we often call the Reggie.

This tends to be a relatively quiet loud leader that loves the limelight. It can sometimes be illustrative of a leader over-compensating for other shortcomings but is most often just a confident (or often times drunk) bastard or bastard-ess.

They sometimes hang out in the coffee shops on IRC Avenue and sometimes just hang around their headquarters, but they're always chatting wherever they are. This is far more scalable and allows them to reach a much bigger audience in a short time than sticking to private one on one conversations. 

The interactions are less deep, less trust building, less intimate and less bond creating than private mails, but supplemented with all of the advantages the private mails have it does allow for a more efficient use of time in many situations. These guys often tend to be the jokers and entertainers, always looking to crack a smile in the many onlookers they have within their reach. 

Trying to read these guys is a little more difficult than with the private mailers. The public facade they put on may not be 100% in sync with the private person behind it. It can take time and a number of interactions with these individuals before you can get a true read on their actual nature and how best to interact with them so they'll be comfortable with it. They are nearly always witty and tend to be on the more intellectual side of the scale, so wit and banter will always tend to work well.

The major downside for anyone who finds themselves in this area is that it's probably the weakest technique on its own and needs to be heavily supplemented by the others. Having said that, combined with strong one on one skills or a significant street presence it does dramatically scale the reputation, awareness, and benefits of those other skills so it can dramatically increase effectiveness and efficiency in parallel with other skills.

This one is almost a catalyst. It makes all around it perform slightly better, faster, and on a more scalable level.

 

 

The Street Cheat

 

Next up we'll look at what we refer to as the Daniella.

This is the one you'll find either gracing our street corners with this latest talking points or else furiously preparing their next speech back in the family headquarters. They can vary wildly from exhibitionist extroverts to timid but thoughtful introverts, so it's always best to approach this type of character assuming at least some level of ambiversion and limiting assumptions.

If they're prolific you'll get very strong hints into their character from their speeches. Their passion, their beliefs and their entire views on life will spill out onto the streets every time they mount that soapbox. They often wear their hearts on their sleeves and have unshakable views on the world that have been shaped and molded from experiences.

It is often argued that every leader needs to be an active street speaker. That's incorrect. They don't. It's better for them if they can be, don't get me wrong, but it's not essential. Every leader does need someone with these skills in their back pocket, so if it's something you lack you need to be aware you have to fill that gap quickly. This thing of ours isn't just crime, it isn't just killing and it isn't even just strength and power. It's politics. Plain and simple. If you can sway the masses. If you can capture the hearts and minds. If you can use the streets as a weapon, it's more powerful than any gun. It can save lives and it can take them, in an instant.  

 

 

 

There are numerous other ways you can split up the various personalities and techniques people will use, but this method illustrates a number of the points I wanted to raise so fits nicely. No one area can ever stand alone, it's all about the holistic package for every leader. Having said that, it's important for everyone to understand where their strengths lie and where they have weaknesses in their abilities so that they can seek to improve some or mitigate others. 

Now. Go get building those damn bridges. They ain't going to build themselves!

~Tsu~

Report Post Tips: 2 / Total: $70,000 Tip

BlackJack paitiently sits through the class and takes notes about the different strategies for building relationships with fellow crew leaders. At the conclusing of the lesson he approaches TsuDhoNimh to ask a few questions"

"TsuDhoNimh, you have referenced the techniques of a few well established leaders in Chicago and the methods that they use in order to build relationships. As a fairly new crew leader in our parts, would you suggest that I use a combination of all of the techniques you have discussed today? Surely if some of the well established crew leaders only use one, it would be beneficial for newer crew leaders to fit in with their techniques in order to make them more comfortable getting to know you? What are your thoughts on this? I know I personally find it successful."

Report Post Tip

Personally, I wouldn't suggest using them all... I'd insist on it.

A good leader will always be able to use every tool at their disposal, not simply the one they're most comfortable with using. It's vital that they understand their own style and are aware of it, so they can better utilize their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses, but they also must understand that each option that is open to us in this world of ours, whether we're talking about communication or anything else, will have a time and a place to be the best option.

Just as killing isn't always the best or the only option for punishing a mistake, there is no single silver bullet when it comes to conversation. The examples I choose to illustrate various styles from here in Chicago show someone that excels in a specific area. They perform at an exceptional level at it. However, each of those leaders mentioned are talented individuals and have many strings to their bows. So while I would say 'Yes', it's great to be able to interact with a specific leader in a way they're comfortable with, I'd also say that anyone that has reached that position and is capable of filling it will be relatively comfortable with any of them so it's perfectly fine to let the topic of the conversation dictate the method too.

I enjoy nothing more than a great debate on the streets and would always find a capable and willing adversary in Daniella should we disagree on a topic. There are a huge number of topics where neither of us would want our views public or a discussion to take place with open doors on though, so in many cases they would occur in mails rather than in the streets.

So it's a case of knowing your strengths, knowing your weaknesses and then making informed decisions on how to address a specific topic once you've gathered the information about it and about who you're trying to reach or influence about it.   

Report Post Tip

“I always know that when TsuDhoNimh is out on a corner giving a speech, the content is bound to be amazing and this time is no different. There’s so much I want to comment on so bear with me a bit while I break down some of what you’re teaching about today.

To start, I couldn’t agree with you more, even if you did go off on a little rant about the topic. A leader is a leader from day one; they aren’t sitting in a corner sulking until they’re handed the opportunity to lead. You don’t demand leadership and then say you’ll prove you’re a good leader – you earn it.

And just like you, Tsu, I don’t believe that street presence alone means someone is a good or bad leader. Could you imagine a leader who is present on the streets every day but never speaks to their crew one on one? Who can give the most thrilling, debatable topics in public but doesn’t bother with the private interactions? And as you said, being able to speak on the streets and needing to speak on the streets all the time are some very different things.  

You honor me by naming my style in your discussion here. I have been told in the past that I wear my heart on my sleeve; I believe that being blunt, when done tactfully, has its advantages.

Blackjack, you ask a fantastic question and I think Tsu’s reply is right. You have to use a combination, not just of the ones named here but of others that exist and that I’m sure could be named at a later time. I will say my weakest area, of the three that Tsu mentioned today, is the Chatty Cathy. I don’t hang around coffee shops much or have idle chit chat around the headquarters. But it’s something I work on, every day. Idle chatter is good for morale, it keeps people engaged and gets people to know each other better.

Last but not least, I would love to find a topic that we disagree with Tsu, because right now I can honestly say that I’ve been in near complete agreement with most of what you’ve said out on these streets recently. But if it were to happen, I do imagine it would be a delightful challenge."

Report Post Tip

This Forum Is For 100% 1950's Role Play (AKA Streets)
Replying to: Spanning the Gaps - Building Bridges 102
Compose Body:

@Mention Notifications: On More info
How much do you want to tip for this post?

Minimum $20,000

(NaN)
G2
G1
L
H
D
C
Private Conversations
0 PLAYERS IN CHANNEL