1/ To build something new...
Look beyond what’s immediately around you.
When building the altMBA, Seth and I didn’t look at edtech. That was too narrow.
We studied what makes ppl feel *zealous, committed & becomes part of their identity*
Here are groups I analyzed (THREAD)
Look beyond what’s immediately around you.
When building the altMBA, Seth and I didn’t look at edtech. That was too narrow.
We studied what makes ppl feel *zealous, committed & becomes part of their identity*
Here are groups I analyzed (THREAD)
2/ Religion
External signals of group belonging:
- Dress codes
- Can’t eat certain foods
- Religious holidays
- Church on Sundays
All great ways to bring up your religion w/ outsiders.
“Do you have kosher options?”
Inspired reasons for students to mention altMBA w/coworkers
External signals of group belonging:
- Dress codes
- Can’t eat certain foods
- Religious holidays
- Church on Sundays
All great ways to bring up your religion w/ outsiders.
“Do you have kosher options?”
Inspired reasons for students to mention altMBA w/coworkers
3/ Military
- Easily identifiable: haircut, uniforms, internal lingo
- Strict process, no exceptions
- Basic training is grueling on purpose
Breaks then rebuilds you. Struggle leads to transformation.
Inspired the altMBA challenge coin, grueling projects, mandatory schedule
- Easily identifiable: haircut, uniforms, internal lingo
- Strict process, no exceptions
- Basic training is grueling on purpose
Breaks then rebuilds you. Struggle leads to transformation.
Inspired the altMBA challenge coin, grueling projects, mandatory schedule
4/ CrossFit
Opposite of Fight Club: The first rule of CrossFit is always talk about CrossFit. Builds word of mouth & brand awareness.
“Paleo this, paleo that...”
“Ppl like us work out until we puke. We don’t need a fancy gym.”
Inspired ways to increase altMBA’s word of mouth
Opposite of Fight Club: The first rule of CrossFit is always talk about CrossFit. Builds word of mouth & brand awareness.
“Paleo this, paleo that...”
“Ppl like us work out until we puke. We don’t need a fancy gym.”
Inspired ways to increase altMBA’s word of mouth
5/ Tough Mudder
Anyone who’s done ToughMudder started telling their coworkers 6 months before actual event.
Intentional extreme factor: mini electric shocks while crawling in mud.
Creates conversation topic in the kitchenette. Makes participant look hardcore, elevates status
Anyone who’s done ToughMudder started telling their coworkers 6 months before actual event.
Intentional extreme factor: mini electric shocks while crawling in mud.
Creates conversation topic in the kitchenette. Makes participant look hardcore, elevates status
6/ Danceathons
Popular in the US in the 1920s & 1930s. Concentrated endurance contests, gathered community in one spot for an intense sprint. Some for 100+ hours straight.
Attracted people who were slightly masochistic. Inspired altMBA workshop structure of intense sprinting
Popular in the US in the 1920s & 1930s. Concentrated endurance contests, gathered community in one spot for an intense sprint. Some for 100+ hours straight.
Attracted people who were slightly masochistic. Inspired altMBA workshop structure of intense sprinting
7/ Cults
[Analyzed using an ethical lens.]
Love bombing to overwhelm a student with support if they’re feeling down.
Inspired leaning into the altMBA’s internal language:
- what is it for
- who is it for
- people like us
- ruckusmaker
- shipping
- tension/fear
- change
- leap
[Analyzed using an ethical lens.]
Love bombing to overwhelm a student with support if they’re feeling down.
Inspired leaning into the altMBA’s internal language:
- what is it for
- who is it for
- people like us
- ruckusmaker
- shipping
- tension/fear
- change
- leap
8/ Startup Weekend
A 54 hour weekend event, during which groups form teams w/strangers and develop a working prototype to present by Sunday evening.
Inspired the intense deadlines of shipping a project within a day with your altMBA learning group of the week.
A 54 hour weekend event, during which groups form teams w/strangers and develop a working prototype to present by Sunday evening.
Inspired the intense deadlines of shipping a project within a day with your altMBA learning group of the week.
9/ Landmark
- Social pressure to conform (i.e. everyone is raising their hand so you raise yours too)
- Crying bc tears bond ppl
[Check out The Book of Est by George Cockcroft. I attended an actual Landmark course for research but the book describes most of the experience.]
- Social pressure to conform (i.e. everyone is raising their hand so you raise yours too)
- Crying bc tears bond ppl
[Check out The Book of Est by George Cockcroft. I attended an actual Landmark course for research but the book describes most of the experience.]
10/ Fraternities
- Shared struggle results in social bonding, cohesion, solidarity
- Cognitive dissonance kicks in (“if I scarified I must want this”)
- Status of pledges vs actives
altMBA students feel closest w/learning groups from their first week
bit.ly/30Z8grd
- Shared struggle results in social bonding, cohesion, solidarity
- Cognitive dissonance kicks in (“if I scarified I must want this”)
- Status of pledges vs actives
altMBA students feel closest w/learning groups from their first week
bit.ly/30Z8grd
11/ Harvard
- Prestige, affiliation
- Harvard’s site doesn’t look like a Udemy course landing page
- Not optimizing for direct response or immediate conversion
Inspired picking long game of building a respected institution, website aesthetic w/good taste, application process
- Prestige, affiliation
- Harvard’s site doesn’t look like a Udemy course landing page
- Not optimizing for direct response or immediate conversion
Inspired picking long game of building a respected institution, website aesthetic w/good taste, application process
12/ Alcoholics Anonymous
[This one gets multiple tweets bc it was a big influence on my thinking]
- Physical tokens are symbols
- You stay forever. This means current members find new recruits and never “graduate” or leave
- Members stay connected to community
[This one gets multiple tweets bc it was a big influence on my thinking]
- Physical tokens are symbols
- You stay forever. This means current members find new recruits and never “graduate” or leave
- Members stay connected to community
13/ AA: Controlled anarchy
Each AA group could set its own rules as long as they didn’t conflict with the traditions or the steps.
Inspired deliberate looseness and ambiguity in certain parts of the altMBA. Posture of co-creation with students
Each AA group could set its own rules as long as they didn’t conflict with the traditions or the steps.
Inspired deliberate looseness and ambiguity in certain parts of the altMBA. Posture of co-creation with students
14/ AA: Group = key
AA’s effectiveness may have nothing to do w/ actual steps.
Stanford research showed “members develop close bonds w/other members & are deeply influenced by their acceptance and feedback.”
Inspired ways to normalize positive, generous behavior in students
AA’s effectiveness may have nothing to do w/ actual steps.
Stanford research showed “members develop close bonds w/other members & are deeply influenced by their acceptance and feedback.”
Inspired ways to normalize positive, generous behavior in students
15/ AA: Driven by peers
AA meetings aren’t led by professionals so fosters sense of intimacy btwn members. Participation is associated w/ increased sense of security, comfort, mutuality in close relationships.
Inspired peer-driven stucture of altMBA and psychological closeness
AA meetings aren’t led by professionals so fosters sense of intimacy btwn members. Participation is associated w/ increased sense of security, comfort, mutuality in close relationships.
Inspired peer-driven stucture of altMBA and psychological closeness
16/ AA: Idea of fragile sobriety
Fragile newfound affinity for freedom versus cage. Could relapse though.
Create need to being around like-minded alumni to continue shipping creative work and keep up momentum
Fragile newfound affinity for freedom versus cage. Could relapse though.
Create need to being around like-minded alumni to continue shipping creative work and keep up momentum
17/ AA: Rituals and routines
Frequent meetings were important for AA. If meetings were only offered once a while, it would be too easy to lose the habit.
Inspired various rituals, habits, and routines for students during 4 week workshop & after as alumni
Frequent meetings were important for AA. If meetings were only offered once a while, it would be too easy to lose the habit.
Inspired various rituals, habits, and routines for students during 4 week workshop & after as alumni
18/ To build something new, find new sources of inspiration.
Analyze examples then make it your own.
If you liked this thread you’ll like my newsletter:
bit.ly/2HodKSv
Analyze examples then make it your own.
If you liked this thread you’ll like my newsletter:
bit.ly/2HodKSv
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