Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • April 22, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 29 OTHER VOICES Local collaboration made Hartford's 'Party on Pratt' a success By David Griggs T he three-day Party on Pratt Street celebration that took place during the NCAA tournament's Hartford stop in late March is proof that when local organizations come together, we can showcase the city as a vibrant urban core, key to our region's economic success. We believe this creates sustainable momentum for our Capital City. No one organization can singlehand- edly put together an event of that mag- nitude and create that much impact on a city. It all started with a simple conversa- tion that sparked a collaboration with local businesses and organizations to serve our com- munity. The Hartford Chamber of Commerce con- nected with the right partners that are doing tremendous work in our city. Julio A. Concepción, executive director of the Hartford Chamber, and Chip McCabe, director of marketing at the Hartford Business Improvement District, gathered local breweries City Steam Brewery, Hanging Hills Brewing Company, Hog River Brewing Company, Thomas Hooker Brewery at Colt and local distillery Hartford Flavor Company and met with the Greater Hartford Arts Council to discuss ways of tapping into the energy around the men's Division I basketball tournament in Hartford. The group's idea to turn Pratt Street into a pedestrian-friendly festival high- lighting Hartford's eclectic breweries, local distillery, and small businesses was a huge success. The idea evolved quickly, and so did the energy. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin helped everything progress on the city side, including co- ordinating the Hartford Police Depart- ment and Hartford Parking Authority. Local organizations were also quick to step up and help coordinate the event. Northland Investment Corp. donated the space for the pop-up brew pub, where a line of local and out-of- state visitors formed to enjoy local liba- tions. Thomas Hooker Brewery covered the insurance costs for the pop-up pub. Comcast contributed TVs for people to watch the games while they were outside partaking in the festivities and patronizing local businesses. Hartford hadn't had this kind of platform in 21 years since the tourna- ment last came to the city. A lot has changed in those two decades. It was important to highlight the city's as- sets and ability to welcome visitors — and show how much fun it can be when we all work together to create this kind of Hartford experience. More than 25,000 people were expected in the city for the tourna- ment, spending nearly $8 million at our hotels, restaurants, bars and other establishments. This was a big-time event for Hartford and proved the city is energized and ready to compete economically on a global level. This is just the tip of the iceberg. We showed what can happen when we collaborate: Our city comes to life. We'll continue with the city's Pratt Street patio program, which takes place at lunchtime during the summer and all day on Fridays with live music. Hartford isn't going to host a basket- ball tournament every year, but plenty of events happen throughout the year in the city that, with true collaboration, can make a significant economic impact. We also want to see these kinds of crowds when there is no event taking place — Hartford is the attraction. If we work together, we can make the city a vibrant place where people want to live, work and play. We've already shown that with more collaboration, we will continue to make Hartford a desti- nation for people all over the world. David Griggs is the president and CEO of the MetroHartford Alliance. BIZ BOOKS A practical guide to leadership that matters By Jim Pawlak "This is Day One: A Practical Guide to Leadership that Matters" by Drew Dudley (Hachette Books, $28). Regardless of the job or rung on an organi- zational ladder, everyone has the ability to be a leader. How do you turn ability into reality? Stop thinking "I'm just an employee." Start thinking as the Chief Empowerment Engage- ment Officer (CEEO) of Me Inc. As the CEEO of your "business," you develop an owner's mindset. You understand you're an influencer and that doing your best work requires self-motiva- tion and connections to colleagues. Dudley identifies six motivate-and- connect values of win-win leadership: 1. "Impact" — Recognizing someone's leadership every day. Complimenting people on jobs well-done tells them you noticed their accomplishment. They get a motivational jolt and remember that you made them aware of their value/contribution. They'll reciprocate. 2. "Courage" — Trying what might not work but trying it anyway. Com- fort zones are danger zones in dis- guise. Doing the same-old-same-old won't get you from where you are to where you want to be. 3. "Empower- ment" — Listen- ing (i.e. really pay- ing attention) and offering advice to make it more likely someone will move closer to a goal. When you become a "sounding board," you solidify connection. They'll listen and help you, too. 4. "Growth" — Personal develop- ment involves becoming a student and a teacher. Continuous improvement depends on thinking about what's new and what's next. It seeks for infor- mation that connects dots between people and ideas. Sharing knowledge propels productivity and creativity. 5. "Class" — Elevate not escalate. Instead of becoming defensive when someone offers a different perspec- tive than yours, search for common ground by asking her/him to explain more about their reasoning. You'll like- ly find some things you agree upon; use those to talk about next steps. 6. "Self-Respect" — "Have I been good to myself?" Brooding about bad things that happened keeps you from looking forward. Instead, think about "lollipop" moments, events and people that put a smile on your face. Then, think forward by answering: "How can I create a sup- ply of lollipops today and tomorrow?" Takeaway: Create questions that tie into the six values. Ask and answer them frequently. "The Right and Wrong Stuff — How Bril- liant Careers are Made and Unmade" by Carter Cast (Public Affairs, $28). Start reading by taking the 25-ques- tion "The Wrong Stuff Derailment As- sessment" in the appendix because the results will help you better understand your strengths, weaknesses and blind spots. Its by-section scorecard prioritizes the chapters on which you should focus. The assessment deals with five types of career derailers: 1. "Captain Fan- tastic" — A legend in their own mind. They define success as "I, me, mine." To a Captain Fantastic, climbing the orga- nizational ladder also means pushing people off rungs and not giving others credit. As a result, the lack of working relationships stalls their ascent and often accelerates a decent. 2. "The Solo Flier" — A "self-staring, self-contained, multi-talented" achiev- er. When promoted to a managerial position, the Solo Flier often becomes a "do as I say" micromanager who can't build a productive team. 3. "Version 1.0" loves routine and resists change. The "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude impedes "new and improved." What was once cutting- edge becomes a dull edge. Change aversion also translates into risk aversion. Those working for a Version 1.0 find their creativity stifled. 4. The "One- Trick Pony" doesn't under- stand that a diverse set of work experiences provides a broad understanding of how other depart- ments interconnect to the organiza- tion's goal. As a result, a subject-matter expert finds upward mobility limited. 5. The "Whirling Dervish" can't dis- tinguish between activity and progress. Lacking planning and a system for prioritizing action, the Whirling Der- vish, while always busy, accomplishes little. When people can't count on you to deliver what was promised on time, they don't want to work with you. The Bottom Line: Not addressing derailing behaviors will stall career advancement. David Griggs Jim Pawlak Book Review

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