The team that plays well together will succeed together.
I agree with that statement fully and completely.
If you want to achieve great success, then your team must interact with each other in a fun, healthy, and strategic way. They can’t just be seen as widget makers on an assembly line who exist for only one purpose.
These individuals who show up every day are people with dreams, disappointments, families, and stresses.
Treat them as such.
As a leader, a wise thing to do is provide them with some kind of support system within the organization. I’m not saying to hire a therapist. But people need a place where they can build friendships and talk about things other than the projects and tasks they accomplish.
Never forget that people need people.
Allow them to have those friendships.
Encourage it.
How can you do that?
First, build teams across departments.
Put a person from finance, design, and beverage on a team project. They’ll learn about one another, and you’ll start to see friendships grow organically.
Team members will also begin to see the world from a different perspective. This will encourage dialogue as they learn what’s important to others.
Second, if your team is in one location, give them time to interact with each other.
I’m not saying you should have recess daily. But a quarterly dinner or luncheon is a good idea.
If you can, put conversation starters on the table so people will chat about fun and interesting things.
A bonus idea is to suggest a seating chart. Have people sit with those they don’t work with daily.
People will grumble and complain, but it really is a great way to allow friendships within the company to flourish.
Third, highlight team members.
If you’re small enough to have a weekly team meeting with everyone, take a moment and ask one person to give three updates from their life.
It’s a fun way to introduce people to the entire team. When the team interacts with that person later, they’ll have a few things they can discuss with them.
By doing this, you’re helping people learn about each other, which can lead to easier and more organic conversations.
Finally, you can’t force friendships, but you can set the stage for the magic to happen.
Announce birthdays, work anniversaries, engagements, weddings, births, and hardships. These events open a door for people to enter the lives of others.
As the world has gotten more comfortable with digital “relationships,” we’ve grown uncomfortable and awkward with real in-person friendships.
It’s almost like we’ve forgotten how to be a person on a planet with others.
As leaders, you can put all the right pieces in place and then hope interactions will lead to genuine communication.
As people build stronger relationships with their co-workers, their enjoyment of their work will grow.
Friendships are a perk you can’t advertise but can certainly encourage.
People want to belong and feel they are part of a larger cause.
Give them that, and you’ll see loyalty and longevity increase.
By doing so, there’s a good chance you’ll create an unparalleled work experience.
Creating Unparalleled Experiences,
Chris Adams
Ellis Adams Group is always updating our blogs with the latest and greatest, view more below.
Whether you’re developing a new hospitality concept, refining an existing brand, or expanding into new markets, our team is ready to collaborate and create custom solutions to fit your project.
