Week 5 – Solving Problems

My time with Bionica Labs has been an excellent learning experience. I’ve made new connections, engaged on projects I thought were beyond my depth and I’ve gotten an inside look into the operation of a startup. I didn’t know how the course of this summer would go, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Yet, what surprises me more than the casual work environment is the ability of the Bionica Labs’ team.

I’ve only met two of them, but the team’s process of handling an issue is fascinating. Instead of Casey commanding and controlling his employees, he delegates. He asks for their input and trusts his team to solve whatever problem they encounter. Casey doesn’t want to do things his way, he wants to do the work in whatever way will benefit Bionica Labs and that was very present this week.

I’ve been noticing a personal struggle of mine is staying on task. I’ll be in the middle of writing a sentence or reading a document and quickly zone out for a few seconds. When I snap out of it, I’ve lost my train of thought and any ideas I had or was on the brink of having are gone. I don’t know where to go from there and I feel as though I’m wasting the company’s time. However, Casey sat me down this week and emphasized my leadership role. With his third child due in early August, Casey has been trying to prepare for his extended absence by ensuring that I know what my assignments are while he’s gone. During our discussion, he made sure to tell me that I am in charge of myself. Whatever way I want to approach something, Casey wants to hear. Everything I’ve been doing this summer (market reports, drafting content) has been done my way. I write, I edit, I communicate and I clearly explain my approach on whatever I’m showing to Casey. These lapses I’ve been experiencing sometimes derail my momentum at work, however, they’ve also reminded me of how I operate. I don’t think I can keep my head clear of whatever random thought may pop in, but it doesn’t prohibit my ability to create quality work.

I think solving problems at Bionica Labs is about seeing the big picture. It isn’t my job to tell others how to solve a problem, all I can do is offer my insight and work collaboratively to solve the matter.