Summer Riptide Reflections (Part One)
Ever experience or feel part of something that was really amazing? What did you then do? You probably felt like sharing it with someone close to you. How did that go? They quickly accepted and embraced what you told them and asked you how they could get involved, right? Rarely. Life doesn’t work like that. So, what does it take to get others involved? Let’s explore this in a multi-part series by looking at what we found in some Summer Riptide reflections.
Summer Intern Testimonials
After a month of interning at Agile Rainmakers’ Summer Riptide program, we asked seven interns to sit and reflect on the month. The following are direct quotes of what they said:
“For myself, this is my first in-person internship, which made me quite nervous at first.”
“During the training with Rob, reading the experiences of the previous interns was definitely reassuring, and on the night of Tuesday, May 31, I felt calm yet excited at the same time.”
“Reflecting back on my first month at Agile Rainmakers, I feel as if the nervousness I once experienced at the beginning of my internship has dissolved and swiftly transformed into growth and confidence that I have developed in a collaborative, enlightening, and empowering internship environment.”
These quotes speak to the natural human tendency to be nervous and anxious about diving into the unknown. We all experience this. Why do you think this is so? Maybe it is confronting to not know what comes next - even though uncertainty is the norm, we keep looking for certainty. There may be so much to learn that one can’t keep up. Maybe failure, disguised as opportunity, lurks. Maybe it is a trust issue. Should I have trusted what was sold to me? Should I have trusted myself to get involved? Worry has countless reasons.
Look, It’s Simple To Eradicate Nervousness
Regardless of the source of the uneasiness and anxiety among all of us when doing something new, the real question is: As the leader of the program, how do you dissolve beginner jitters?
It really is simple. To clear away apprehension, you just have to think through what it took for you to overcome your own doubts when starting a new program. Then work backwards from there. Here are four steps that have worked for me.
First, acknowledge angst is there out loud with the team. As the leader, connect and share how you were or are nervous too, but only if it's true for you. Next, provide facts that allow newcomers to connect their own dots to be soothed: here is what we value, this is the kind of environment you are in, this is how we do things here, and here is a preview of what is coming. Third, as the leader you live true and demonstrate it in real time with your speaking and acting. Lastly, you listen, you observe, and you provide gentle course correction along the way.
Closing
Yes, but what does this have to do with getting others bought in on something extraordinary? Step-by-step in this multi-part newsletter series we will reveal. In the meantime, enjoy your Fourth of July and think about how it all coalesces.
Here's to you and your awesome future.
Until then, keep your feet on the board and keep riding your wave!
Robert J. Khoury
CEO Agile Rainmakers