March 29, 2024
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Everyone knows about the “Trust Fall” – The old hackneyed team-building exercise. And then there’s the rope courses that simulate the feeling like you could lose your life if you don’t depend on your teammates. But as my mentor said, “It all goes out the window when you get back to the office.”
Here are a few tips to building stronger teams that actually work:
1. Shared Adversity
We actually tend to bond more when we’re struggling through something together. But the challenge is making it work-related. Here is a team-building example from the founder of Pictionary. Even if it’s being together through drudgery, that’s where some of the best (and funniest) conversations can happen.
2. Get in Movement
There’s a reason the armed forces march in synchronization, for hours. My team and I used to go for hikes together. My current client is now doing group walks around the office building. We all could use a reason to get out of our chairs, and plus – the best ideas come when we’re away from our computers.
3. Shadowing
There’s no better way for team members to both understand and appreciate what others do than having them sit down for at least an hour and watch someone work. This can also be used to help team members understand people’s roles outside of their own departments. Organizational empathy goes a long way to building company culture.
As always, don’t believe me.
Just try it and see what happens.
December 22, 2023
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These days everything seems to be political. As we create open and safe workplaces, where does the discussion of politics come in? Short answer? It doesn’t.
There’s been a disturbing trend where employers are constantly trying to please employees. This is not great leadership. To use an analogy, is spoiling your children the best parenting?
The truth is the company exists to do a job, and to serve a customer. And by all means that means taking care of workers needs. But political discussion is not one of them.
If you’re worried that people will leave if you don’t create space for politics, then I have to assume the vision and culture are simply not strong enough to retain talent. And if that’s the case, let’s talk.
October 13, 2023
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Would you like your people to have a breakthrough?
October 5, 2023
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You can’t actually control people, so what can you control? I reveal it in this interview…
January 27, 2022
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You used to have the upper hand… Your job post, and so many candidates that you can have the pick of the litter.
But now the tables have turned. There are so many opportunities that it’s not only harder to find talent, it’s hard to know if you’ll get talent that actually stays.
So here’s the hack to make sure that you do.
BEFORE you give them the offer, pause, and ask them this question:
Honestly, how interested are you in this position on a scale from 0-10?
If they say 10, then ask why it’s a 10. Now you know what’s motivating them, and make sure that keeps motivating them.
What if it’s less than a 10?
Then ask what would make it a 10. Maybe you can offer it right away. Maybe they can earn it. Maybe you’ll never provide it and they should know before they accept the offer (and that could be a flag for you as well).
This way you learn the truth BEFORE you welcome them in. Wouldn’t you like to know?
October 26, 2021
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I learned a simple and surprising way to hack the Great Resignation (the trend of workers leaving in droves).
Ready for it?
Pay them more. Say 15%.
Of course your first reaction may be, “I can’t do that.”
But what happens if people simply… leave?
Who will fill in that work?
How long will it take to a find new people?
What if you have to find those new people more anyway?
And how many customers will you lose if there’s a big disruption in your delivery?
Then how much does revenue go down?
Be pro-active.
Stay future-proof.
