"That's just the way things get done here..." How often have we heard this, usually mid-gripe, as a descriptor of workplace culture? While this may be a succinct definition of culture, it's not particularly helpful. Although upper management usually has the strongest levers for changing organizational elements like goals and processes, every single person can play a role in shaping the ever-present but elusive beast we call "culture."
If you aim to cultivate a work environment that fuels collaboration, drives impact, and fosters a sense of belonging, consider these five scientifically supported tactics that anyone can employ to transform their organization's atmosphere:
🤝 Friends @ Work
A recent Gallup study shows that coworkers with a best friend at work are more than twice as engaged and effective. Let that sink in. It's simple, really: the better we feel, the better we perform. When we love the people we work with, respect and trust naturally build. To cultivate this, we can:
Prioritize shared values during the hiring process, thus increasing the probability that the folks in the organization are mission aligned.
Initiate social rituals that forge deeper bond. On the daily, this could look like a dedicated Slack Channel where people share gratitudes. On the weekly, this might look like intentional time during a team meeting for personal check-ins. On the monthly, this could take the form of a social outing. On the yearly, this should look like a team retreat that tends to both the personal and professional.
🌱 Safe & Supportive Environment
In today’s remote and hybrid environment, personal connections are crucial. Safe and supportive relationships are the first step in creating safe and supportive environments. Relationships are built one-on-one, over time. By creating time to connect with your colleagues in smaller configurations (e.g. a group of three goes to coffee vs. a whole team lunch meeting), we are watering the seeds of safety and support. In larger meetings, we can increase the sense of safety and support by inviting bravery and truth telling. One simple way to accomplish this is by breaking into smaller groups for the meatier conversations.
Another effective way to foster this type of environment is to create a dedicated place for these types of conversations to transpire. Perhaps it’s a WhatsApp Group or a Slack Channel solely for personal updates, requests for support, and posting of individuals’ many of facets. Making space for people to share more personally is always appreciated as it lets people know it is safe to talk about their favorite subject: I/Me/My/Mine!
😊 The Positive Pandemic
Emotions are viral. A jubilant janitor or an ecstatic executive assistant can shift the energy of an entire team. Research shows that Positive Intelligence (PX) (perhaps more commonly dubbed “Abundance Mindset”) is a core contributor to an individuals well-being and ability to drive impact. Given that moods are more contagious than COVID, by being happy, or being next to someone that is, we can propagate whatever amount of PX is in your organization’s petri dish into a full-blown outbreak of awesome. Here are some simple ways we can all infuse our daily rituals with positivity:
Celebrate everything. Celebrate new ideas. Acknowledge milestones. Give it up for the new hires. Cheer for the departing members. Give flowers to the individuals who went above and beyond. Celebrate the failures as what they are - First Attempt In Learning (shout-out to Satonya Fair for teaching me this!)
Creating space for your people to provide personal and playful demonstrations of themselves is a win-win-win. All will have something to offer, all will have the chance to increase their understanding, and all will enjoy the process (as it’s sure to involve music, food, movement, and/or great stories).
Invite moments of laughter. Make a meme contest, Share funny client/vendor stories. Have dress up days. Do a Zoom call with those ridiculous avatars. Break down the construct that work has to be super serious.
Convene with food, music and movement. Embedded in our DNA is a deep connection to rhythm, motion, and food. Use the power of the prana in these practices to plant the seeds of positivity.
💪 Embrace Vulnerability
For a true sense of belonging to flourish, vulnerability must be welcomed. Sharing what;s really going on gives others the context they need to be supportive and, enhances team cohesion. That word - “vulnerability” - might bring up ideas of deep sharing or displays of raw emotions. It doesn’t have to. Sharing with your folks that, "I'm going through something, please grant me some grace" can do wonders. Whether you share what’s going on or not, your emotional state is impacting those around you. By naming it, we support those around us in more effectively navigating and supporting our inner truths and trials.
🎁 Compete on Kindness
Make kindness a competitive advantage. This isn’t just me be a softy, it’s science. Incentivize positive social connections - be it offers of support, generosity extended, and/or moments of gratitude. It can be more formal, like a 'White Elephant' type gift-giving thing, or a 'Random Acts of Kindness' week. When I say, “Incentive,” I’m not talking about monetary incentives, I’m talking about social incentives, such as public acknowledgements, private appreciations, and incorporating kindness into performance reviews.
Implementing these five tactics will land on the recipients like you're offering the most priceless gift: the gift of belonging. So go ahead, adopt some of these practices and watch the ripples of change extend far beyond your point of origin.
