Suggestions
Jonathan Steiman
Jonathan Steiman is an accomplished individual with a diverse professional background. Currently serving as the Director, Planning & Analysis at Teach For America, Jonathan is highly skilled in developing comprehensive resource plans, particularly in real estate and technology. Prior to his role at TFA, he held key positions at various organizations such as Founder and CEO at Peak Support, Director of Operations at Path, and Operations at Talkto, Inc.
Jonathan is a well-educated professional with a Master of Business Administration in Finance from NYU Stern School of Business, a Master of Arts in Business Economics from New York University, and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northeastern University. His academic prowess complements his extensive hands-on experience in finance and business operations, making him a valuable asset in strategic planning and decision-making processes.
In addition to his current and previous roles, Jonathan has also contributed to organizations like Datamonitor as an Analyst in Financial Services Technology, The Doe Fund, Inc. as a Project Manager, and Auricle as a Co-Founder. His diverse experiences have honed his leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills, positioning him as a versatile professional with a keen business acumen.
Highlights
Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting Tony Won on a webinar. He shared his unique management framework inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, a game many of our team members at Peak Support know and love.
Tony is founder of Player Support and former Director of Support at Epic Games. What struck me was how closely his approach mirrored the principles we’ve implemented in managing our gaming support teams.
Just like in D&D, where each character’s unique strengths contribute to the success of the group, our team members' diverse skills and dispositions are what make us formidable. This alignment of game-based strategy and real-world management is key to our exponential growth.
Tony’s management framework breaks down into a few key elements:
𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Just as each character in D&D has a defined role, our team members need clear job descriptions to understand their responsibilities and goals.
𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬: In games like Overwatch, knowing each character’s strengths is crucial. Similarly, identifying and leveraging the core competencies of our team members enhances overall performance.
𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬: Whether you're forming alliances in Fortnite or collaborating in a raid in World of Warcraft, strong relationships are essential. Building trust and rapport within our team fosters a more cohesive and effective work environment.
𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Celebrating victories, much like earning achievements in games, boosts morale and motivation. Recognizing our team’s hard work and successes creates a positive and productive atmosphere.
𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 '𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐭' 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Just like off-the-record strategy talks among teammates in any game, informal, candid conversations with team members and collaborators help address concerns and build stronger connections.
Implementing this framework at Peak Support ensures that our team is aligned, motivated, and ready to tackle any challenge, driving us toward continued success and growth.
