How to create a thriving team culture

To say that the last few years have been challenging, is an understatement. The waves of change have been relentless. Since we emerged from a pandemic, it has been one thing after another impacting the workplace.... AI disruption, a world of injustice and ongoing news of layoffs (to name but a few).

Let's be real, by now, if you are surviving right now, you are doing well. That said, we all deserve to thrive, not just survive.

In the past few months, I have been in different companies delivering workshops. It has been fascinating to observe teams impartially and also, invaluable to get a pulse of how leaders, and their teams are doing so that I can provide the tools that will create the most impact for them.

What has struck me the most? In each of these workshop rooms, in spite of all the challenges, each room is full of real passion, peer support and a strong willingness to try something new. Talking to teams, I have heard story after story of people who have been displaced during waves of change and their confidence in their abilities is on the floor, whether that is:

Their job has changed completely, often manager too but their title is the same
They were a high performing IC, who is now thrown into managing a team with no training
People who hid away to avoid the waves of layoffs, and have now lost faith in their abilities

The fact is for each of these people, their abilities have not changed. They need to be reminded of this. (If this is you, come join my next free confidence building workshop).

The pace of change and challenge in the workplace has shaken people's belief in themselves, and in their employers.

In order to emerge out of survival and into a very possible world of thriving, there is some unlearning to be done. Just think of all the wasted potential! It is a high cost to any business and a disservice to your team too. It is time to change your ways of working, if they are not working!

Are you ready to go for it and move a team from surviving to thriving?

Here are some tips and reminders for you to create a thriving, inspired and impactful team.

Stop only listening to the loudest voices
Who says that the loudest person in the room is automatically the wisest? It's easier to hear their opinions, of course but be conscious about collecting input from every person on your team to get the real data set.
Solve the business problem, not the person
In my experience, this is the best lens to get to the right decision for the long term, without being swayed by the short term challenges a decision might bring.
If you are dreading your meeting, your team definitely are too
If everyone is dreading the weekly meeting, it’s a red flag. If it isn't working, acknowledge it and try a new format. An experiment is way more fun than the dreaded routine meeting anyway so the risk is low.
"But we have always done it that way" is a comfort zone trap
As a reminder, the comfort zone is a place to go to rest, not to grow and thrive. Catching this phrase can spark a great discussion on growth mindset!
Practice active listening (It's a skill, not a given)
Active listening is one of the most underrated and valuable skills in creating high performing teams. In my experience, teams that learn to listen to each other are the teams that everyone wants to be part of - respectful, collaborative, innovative and impactful!
"Shake it off" with a change of environment
There is a reason that companies invest big money in offsites. The change of location changes the energy and levels of focus. I see it in my work every week. You don't have to wait for the yearly offsite though. Try a walking 1:1, have your team meeting over lunch, get creative.
Over reliance on one person is not to be celebrated
Is there a team "superstar" or an "expert" on the team? Let them share their knowledge and partner with others. They may get the job done but it’s short-sighted, a single point of failure, and unfair to everyone involved.
Your team will thank you for the tough conversations
As a leader, your job is to address the elephant(s) in the room. If you are avoiding them, well done for admitting it. Find a mentor in the business, an external coach or a training course - It is an essential leadership skill and your team will thank you, I promise (just maybe not to your face)!
No agenda? No meeting
No one will ever complain about getting time back in their day because you cancelled a meeting that lacked a clear purpose. Be the leader that protects time, not fills it.
Don’t be limited by job titles, they do not capture a persons full ability
I believe that job titles can become a blocker by putting people in a box. The best solution often lies with the person you aren't asking because they don't have "expert" in their title. Inclusive problem-solving wins every time. Invite someone from another team into your next meeting and see what happens.