The Cost of Underestimating the Small Moments

As Uncharted turns one year old, I've been reflecting on the big and small moments that make up an organization's story. Rebranding on July 25th, 2017 felt like a big moment for our organization, and there are other "big moments" I can point to over the years. I'm learning how organizations are built on a million small moments too. Those moments, when added together, form something that is far greater, more human, and more impactful than any one big moment could ever achieve on its own.

Organizations are built on boring moments, moments no one sees, moments we don't get credit for, moments that define our character and deepen our culture and advance us just one more step. The moment sending that fourth follow-up email to a potential investor, the moment of writing that inefficient handwritten thank-you note, the moment of deciding to make an introduction to someone who requested one.

Thinking about all of this, I fell in love with all the small moments needed to build an organization and how our team is extraordinary at the small moments. I started to cry at my desk last week as I considered how each member of our team is a master at the small moments, and how there is perhaps nothing more important in building an organization of integrity than to build a team with people who are masters of the small moments.

Of course, I recognize that leveling-up as an organization requires not just incremental improvements, and I spend most of my time preparing to seize that next big opportunity for Uncharted. But in between those big moments, there are so many small ones to acknowledge, to celebrate, to struggle through, to fall in love with.