The SSC team has four short weeks to accomplish some very aggressive goals. With a unified vision and shared mindset, they are making significant progress that their non-profit clients will benefit from long after the mission is complete.
The entire SSC team after volunteering with the UN Refugee Agency
Before leaving for Ankara, we asked the 2015 Symantec Service Corps (SSC) team members what they thought their biggest challenge would be. Many responded that it would be learning the organization, setting the scope of work, and delivering on aggressive goals in only four weeks. They knew upfront that they would need to come together, united as a team, to leverage each other’s strengths for the greater good. They also knew that while their time in Turkey is limited, the work they were doing would set their three non-profit organizations up for success, well after the team was back home.
"We only have a month in Ankara, Turkey,” says Sohini Nathoo, partner success manager. “However, having conducted a couple of calls with our client, it was clear they have some big expectations of what they are looking to us to deliver. We’re from different parts of the world, in different roles and with varying work styles. If we can work together as a unit then it makes delivering the client’s needs easier, it makes the environment in which we work more pleasant and allows us to learn from each other’s strengths."
Recently we looked at how the team is accomplishing their collaboration and teamwork goals; this week we will dive into their experiences working towards unity and progress, which include building positive working and personal relations with the local clients and looking for long-term solutions that can be sustained over a period of time.
These goals—combined with their team name and motto—emphasize the importance of a common vision and purpose as well as keeping a long-term perspective in mind, despite the short time frame.
Raising awareness of nature conservation
For Patty Christofferson, Shantanu Gattani, and Rachel Yokum, the SSC team supporting Doğa Derneği (Nature Society), the project involves assessing the current status of the organization’s Annual Raptor Census project, and providing a strategic marketing plan to build awareness for the conservation society and increase volunteer participation. These guidelines will help the organization over the long-term in its mission to defend the rights of nature by conducting scientific research, providing solutions for conservation, establishing partnerships, mobilizing volunteers, and driving policy change.
"Team Bird" with Doğa Derneği clients.
The three-team members were new to the Turkish culture and language, and had no ecology or environmental science background.
"This organization is both intimidating and exciting,” says Rachel Yokum, senior product marketing specialist. “Their passion is unparalleled. Their team is simultaneously working around local barriers to raise awareness for biodiversity and doing key conservation research in active war zones. In short, they’re an incredible organization that, with limited resources, is putting forth Herculean efforts to save the fragile ecosystems. I think unity is integral to our success because we only have four weeks to achieve some pretty ambitious goals and as strong as we all are individually, the only way we can be successful is to lean on our teammates and learn from each other, too.”
The team spent the first week ensuring they had accurately scoped the work and set expectations on what they could deliver in a month. During the second week, they dove into specific aspects of the project and conducted additional meetings with staff members and check-in meetings to ensure they were on track.
"Our team works really well together and we are able to balance our skills and backgrounds well,” notes Patricia Christofferson, director of North America marketing. “We recognize each other’s strengths and draw upon them to accelerate the team output. The team name and motto reflect our approach in how we are working with our clients and collaborating with each other.”
Creating a lasting impact
The SSC team is conscious that – with such an abbreviated timeline – there is a danger of addressing the organizations’ most immediate needs while neglecting long-term potential. They’ve carefully crafted their working strategies to take this into account.
“For the Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants, we are trying to recommend systems that they can use to solve problems that they have now and can use with their future plans for expansion,” explains Mirabel Ramos, principal program manager.
With just one week to go until the mission ends, all three SSC teams are deeply engaged in their assignments, trying to accomplish as much as possible and set their clients up for long-term success.
Next week we’ll take a look at the Turkish culture, including some of the experiences that are sure to change how the team approaches their jobs once they are back. We’ll also spotlight Team Flying Broom, sharing an update on their efforts to empower women in this growing region.
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.
Related articles:
- Travel Log Turkey—Week 2: Teamwork in Action
- Travel Log: Turkey—Week 1: Welcome to Ankara
- Making an Impact in Turkey: Announcing 2015 Symantec Service Corps Volunteer Partners
Lora Phillips is Symantec's Senior Manager, Corporate Responsibility.