Hey there!
Today I’m overjoyed to announce our third Puttytribe Huddle, which will take place on Wednesday, February 22 at 5:30pm PST.
What the Heck is all of this Huddle/Puttytribe Business?
The whole concept of these Huddles and the Puttytribe may seem like a big mystery, since it’s all been happening behind the scenes here at Puttylike. Lets see if I can demystify it a bit, for those who aren’t yet on the inside.
Really, I’ve been approaching the whole free Huddle & Puttytribe membership site as an experiment. By bringing in eight new multipotentialites every two weeks, I get to see what’s working and what isn’t, and tweak it as I go.
Right now, the Puttytribe is a micro version of what will eventually be a large, thriving community. But it’s easier to try things out, get feedback and develop the features, when starting with a small group.
How it Works
The eight participants who are invited to the Huddle, get a special invitation link to join the Puttytribe. They log in, and each start two discussions in the forums: they introduce themselves (and all their lovely interests) in one section, and post about their particular goal and obstacle in another.
Then something magical happens. For about a week before the Huddle even goes down, new Puttytribe’rs begin to see support, resources, and friendly replies start to pour in.
They begin meeting other multipotentialites, and making new friends. Sometimes they even arrange barter agreements, (like a hypnosis session in exchange for some business coaching, or a graphic design arrangement for another multipod’s website– true story).
They also get to use all of the features in the PT, and can go ahead and start new discussions or respond to other people’s discussions. In the last week alone, there have been discussions about the anxiety around quitting your day job, raising multipotentialite children, and a website launch.
The Huddle Itself
About a week later, the new Huddle group meets up on Google+ Hangouts for an hour, where avatars transform into real humans. There we are, a small group of multipotentialites from all over the world, in one “room,” brainstorming and collaborating together.
Each person gets five minutes, where the sole intention of the group is to help that person make progress on their goal. This might mean suggesting resources or just helping them get past perceived obstacles like fear, time management, or coming up with those crucial first action steps.
Here’s what one of the current PT’ers had to say about the last Huddle:
“Prior to tonight I’d never met anyone who understood what I was talking about when I described my interests and challenges. It was so refreshing to step into a conversation with 8 people who shared some of my struggles. A safe community where people can open up and really discuss problems is a rare and special thing. I was surprised at how quickly we reached a comfort level with genuine openness between the members.”
This is a Brainstorm, not a Lecture
Please remember that this isn’t class or group coaching. It’s a brainstorming process where we smoosh our heads together and try to provide support and resources to each person in the group. So make sure you come to the Huddle with a positive, collaborative attitude.
Important: On “Overarching Themes“…
I have to be very aware of time constraints during these Huddles. Everyone gets five minutes. That means that if you apply with a goal as massive as: “I’m having trouble coming up with an overarching theme,” you may not get picked.
It’s unlikely that we’ll be able to figure out your personal motivation in life in five minutes. I know this because it’s the bulk of what I do in coaching, and yes, it usually takes longer than five minutes.
However, that’s not to say that overarching theme issues are out altogether. If you’ve already gone through the exercises in Renaissance Business, put in a lot of brainstorming time on your own, and you have a pretty clear idea of your OT, but would simply like some feedback or a bit of quick refinement, then please apply!
The Cost? Free
Yup. You just have to join the conversation in the Puttytribe, and I might ask you for some feedback on what’s working and what isn’t.
The Date
The Business Huddle will take place on Wednesday, February 22 at 5:30pm PST / 8:30pm EST.
Important: Before Signing Up
Before signing up, please take a read through these tech “best practices.” At the last huddle, we were held up because a couple people had tech problems and hadn’t bothered to try Google+ Hangouts first. It was unfortunate, and completely avoidable. So please, read through that before applying.
Important: Commitment
Since it’s going to be a very small group and the success of the brainstorm depends on everyone being there, please do not apply if you’re not serious about showing up.
Trust me, we’ll notice if you’re not there.
If You Don’t Get in, Don’t Worry
Spots are very limited for these G+ Hangouts. The small size of the group is what makes the format so much fun. However, it obviously also means that we won’t be able to fit in everybody who applies.
The good news is that we’re planning on running a few more free Huddles, so if you don’t get picked for this one you’ll still get a chance to jump in on another.
How Participants will be Chosen
Rather than taking things on a first come, first serve basis, I’ll be looking at the quality of the applications (hint: one sentence responses don’t usually get picked, but five paragraphs are annoying to read through. Be detailed, but concise please). I’ll also be trying to ensure that there’s a diverse mix of goals in the group and that they’re appropriate for the topic and time constraints.
Priority will go to those who have not yet participated in a Huddle. I’d like to get as many different voices in the Puttytribe as possible.
Registration closes on Sunday, February 12 at midnight.
Ready to Throw in Your Hat?
Here’s the sign up form:
Woot woo!
Got any questions? Feel free to ask them in the comments below.
