How would you like an entirely new way of preparing for the trading week? I know I would like that, so I'm creating a new approach to teamwork for independent traders. It's a way of joining a team and benefiting from the insights of others no matter where you live or how you trade.
I encourage you to take a look at my most recent Forbes article, where I explain that the virtual environment from the past year is going to impact teamwork well after we've put the pandemic behind us. (May that time come soon!) The restrictions from the COVID period have led traders and trading teams to generate innovations that will be carried forward to help us work better, individually and in groups.
One thing this past year has taught me, personally as well as professionally: isolation does not bring out the best in us. Many traders I work with have felt isolated, lonely, bored, and burned out. This has taken a toll on relationships, and it's made it difficult to trade with the kind of energy and enthusiasm that we need for perceiving and pouncing on fresh opportunities. What I observe in the Forbes article is that there are very creative ways in which we can achieve teamwork, even when we are trading from home.
Last month I proposed the idea of a virtual happy hour for traders, drawing upon the success of craft beer outings that I have hosted for money managers prior to the pandemic. The idea is to enjoy good food and drink, share ideas and experiences, and build relationships that accelerate our growth as traders. (See also my Three Minute Trading Coach video on the topic). The feedback was positive, so now let's give it a go!
The first virtual happy hour for traders will be at 7 PM Eastern time this coming Sunday, May 9th. It will be a one hour event via Zoom. I will share my observations and plans for the trading week and participants will share their ideas and learning lessons with each other. There is no fee, there won't be any collection of email addresses for marketing, and I'm not looking to build a large community. The happy hour is for experienced traders who are looking to take their trading to the next level and who are willing to help others do the same. This latter point is key. I'm only looking for people who will share best ideas and best practices. Traders who feel a need to keep their trading ideas and methods to themselves would not be appropriate for this kind of teamwork.
And bring something fun to eat and drink! It's a Happy Hour!!
So here's how you "register" for the event:
Send me an email to the address located at the top of the TraderFeed home page, the "Contact for Trading Firms and Media". The email should *briefly* introduce you, your trading experience/markets/strategies, and the specific idea or strategy you would like to share with the group. You'll be sharing your idea via the chat function of Zoom, so you should have a brief writeup of the idea ready to go and share when you come to the session. If it looks as though there's a good fit, I'll then email you the Zoom link for the session and further details. As noted above, I will not be collecting, selling, or using the email addresses for any kind of marketing. I also will not be inviting people who show an interest in promoting themselves or who simply want to share generic ideas about controlling emotions, managing risk, having a positive attitude, etc. The idea is for each participant to share one specific, unique idea or practice they have found helpful.
I'll also ask every participant to share their contact information with each other via the chat function. That way, if you have a question about an idea proposed by a group member, you can reach out for discussion. The sharing of contact information will promote networking and sharing of ideas beyond the happy hour.
This Traders' Happy Hour is definitely not for everyone. It is based on a radical notion of teamwork and sharing, where we learn from each other in a fun environment. It should be a fun experiment; thanks for your interest!
Brett
Further Reading:
Radical Renewal: Spirituality and Trading - free blog book
Trading Psychology 2.0 - How we can adapt to change, build on our strengths, cultivate creativity, and develop best practices
The Daily Trading Coach - A cookbook of evidence-based techniques for improving our trading psychology
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