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Build a core team

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

Winston Churchill

At this point, it’s highly likely that you're already dissatisfied with the current situation and have ideas for doing things better.

However, one thing is certain: change only happens when enough people care about the problem to act on it.

Being a solitary leader, a “lone prophet”, can lead to change, but it’s often the hardest and loneliest path. The key to creating lasting change is to find and harness the energy of others. If you ever doubt your choices or who you're making them with, the best advice is probably this: go where the energy is.

Of course, complex problems require expert input and solid evidence to tackle their root causes. But without involving those most affected, any solution is bound to fail.

Whether you’re tackling a problem or seizing an opportunity, collaboration with a diverse group of people is essential. This makes building a strong team central to the success of your project.

The answer is simple: you need individuals with diverse strengths, skills and perspectives - optimists and pessimists alike!

A solid team goes beyond just having a variety of members. Each team member should:

  • Believe in and commit to the same goal.
  • Be engaged, listened to and respected.
  • Offer a range of strengths, skills and qualities.
  • Understand their role and how it contributes to the bigger picture.
  • Follow a clear process.

Take action:

Take a moment to assess your project, your project team’s strengths and any missing key roles that need to be filled.

Describe your project size.pdf

Added 19/03/2025 by Robert Woolf
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Describe your project type.pdf

Added 19/03/2025 by Robert Woolf
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Describe who you represent.pdf

Added 19/03/2025 by Robert Woolf
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Who is missing from your team.pdf

Added 19/03/2025 by Robert Woolf
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Natural skills characteristics

Like Walt Disney, who believed that diverse roles enhance creativity and problem-solving, we think strong project teams need varied mindsets for effective planning and brainstorming. If your team would benefit from people with different skills or experiences, check out our member stream to find those who have tagged themselves as:

  • Visionaries & Builders – Dreamers, strategists, designers
  • Thinkers & Problem-Solvers – Analysts, realists, sceptics
  • Doers & Changemakers – Entrepreneurs, social innovators, technologists
  • Connectors & Motivators – Mediators, mentors, advocates
  • Explorers & Inspirers – Adventurers, optimists

Individual

view member profile "Tom Rushby"

Tom Rushby

Senior Enterprise Fellow
6 Activities
7 Connections
5 interests

Senior Enterprise Fellow at the Future Towns Innovation Hub, University of Southampton. Fostering collaboration across sectors and facilitating place-based innovation. I joined the Innovation Hub full-time in March 2024. My role is to build collabor ... 

Individual

view member profile "Robert Woolf"
3 badges

Robert Woolf

Founder of Made Open, co-founder of Time4Good. Coach, writer and creative...
5 Connections
 
  

I conceived this software.

 ... 

P.S. Don't forget to tag your own profile! This doesn’t commit you to a project - it just signals that you have a skill that could help someone, even temporarily.


Next page: Define the problem

 

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