Teamwork and Collaboration are two goals that most organizations strive for, but sometimes they are easier said than done. Today we take a look at how the SSC15 team is successfully working together in Turkey, despite cultural differences, new clients and challenging projects.
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SSC participants Joe Gifford and Mirable Ramos visit the United Nations Refugee Agency.
With nearly two weeks already passed in Turkey, the Symantec Service Corps (SSC) team is hard at work, moving well beyond the early introductions into strategy, tactics, and execution. Prior to leaving for Ankara they selected “Ilerleme” (Progress) as their team name and “Adam adamaa gerek olur” as their motto, meaning, “We all need each other. We can only do great things through teamwork.”
They also identified four key goals:
- Collaboration—To collaborate openly in order to attain the best possible outcome.
- Teamwork—To work as a diverse team in terms of ideas and leverage each other’s knowledge and experiences.
- Progress—To look for long-term solutions that can be sustained over a period of time.
- Unity—To build positive working and personal relations with the local clients in a short period.
Today we look at how the team is working towards their Collaboration and Teamwork goals, including what they are doing both in and out of the office to connect with their team and clients. Progress and Unity, the two final goals, will be featured in next week’s Travel Log: Turkey article.
Embracing a new culture and fueling collaboration
Despite different backgrounds and thousands of miles traveled, reports of strong collaboration right from the start are echoed across the team.
“I think the biggest surprise so far has been how quickly both my Doğa Derneği (The Nature Society) team and our entire SSC team have bonded and started collaborating. I definitely expected this level of collaboration as a part of this program but the fact that it’s happened so quickly has been very exciting. It has also been surprising to see how interconnected all three projects are, even as different as they might seem.”—Rachel Yokum, senior product marketing specialist
The team has also been impressed by how welcoming, patient and supportive their clients, as well as members of the Ankara community, have been as they get acquainted with the language and culture.
During the first few days in Ankara, Joe Gifford, senior content grader, was practicing his Turkish while at a supermarket close to the team’s hotel. The men appreciated his efforts to speak the language and invited the team that was in the shop to join the supermarket staff for a traditional breakfast of fresh bread, chilies, and an omelet filled with sucuk (Turkish spiced salami) and practice their Turkish language skills throughout the meal. This experience reflects the warmth and openness the team has experienced so far during their trip.
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The SSC team is invited to a traditional breakfast in a supermarket after practicing their Turkish in the store.
Beyond the language differences, the team has been surprised to see how interconnected the work of the non-profits is and how collaboration is occurring during moments where it is least expected. For example, in celebration of International Women’s Day 2015, the entire SSC team was invited to attend an event organized by one of the non-profits, the Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (ASAM). The team was asked to be sensitive as some of the refugees, women and children from two to 60 years old, might not want to talk or have their pictures taken. Yet, as music from the refugees’ individuals’ countries (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria) started playing on the speakers, the young girls began dancing and soon the older women followed, creating one giant dance party.
Instead of a solemn event, the music united the refugees who had come from different parts of the world. It was particularly empowering to see women and children celebrating their own place in their new home, enhancing the meaning and connection the SSC team now feels to Turkey, the mission of ASAM, as well as Flying Broom and their efforts to create an equal society for women.
Small groups, large responsibilities for all
In Turkey, the SSC teams are split into three groups, with three people assigned to each client organization. Because the teams are small and there is only four weeks to complete their missions, each SSC team member has a significant amount of responsibility on their plate and must stretch their own abilities in many directions.
The ASAM team, which includes Sohini Nathoo (Johannesburg, South Africa), Joseph Gifford (Dublin, Ireland), and Mirabel Ramos (Culver City, CA), are working to understand the needs and requirements for an online system to enable multiple users at various locations to track their clients, as well as to provide a simplified reporting system. The team has had a busy week, as evidenced in the slideshow and experiences they shared.
“It’s no surprise that the work expected of a tech company on behalf of any NGO might be technical in nature, but I am amazed at how well my teammates have been able to address the issues we face.”—Joe Gifford, senior content grader
“I have been looking forward to consulting with an organization in a foreign territory, one that does very different work to that which I have been exposed to and working with peers from different parts of the world to put together a solution that brings about a positive change.”—Sohini Nathoo, partner success manager
“Patience and curiosity are the two skills/traits that have benefited me most while working together on this project.”—Mirabel Ramos, principal program manager
Even though team members all bring different personalities, backgrounds, and experiences, they have earned a deep level of trust and respect for one another in a very short amount of time.
A look ahead
As we near the halfway point, the SSC continues to strengthen as a team. Next week we’ll look at the two remaining goals, Progress and Unity, and see how the team feels the team name, which they established well in advance of their trip, is holding up. We’ll also spotlight the other two teams in future articles, sharing some of their favorite experiences and interactions.
Join the team on their journey by following along on the Symantec Service Corps blog, here on the Corporate Responsibility in Action blog, and on twitter using hashtag #SSC15.
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