We all know that culture and community are vital components of a thriving workplace. Yet, many organizations fall short when it comes to building a strong team culture.  

Why is this the case?

Well, for starters, creating a robust team culture takes time and effort. It is not something that can be achieved overnight. Just like any relationship, it requires, attention, care, and consistent effort.

To truly cultivate a strong team culture, it’s not enough to host a company Christmas party or Friday night drinks after work. Instead, a strong team culture must be embedded into the daily routines of your organization, including meetings.  

And yet, one crucial aspect of team culture that often gets overlooked is the way meetings are structured.

Meetings can be a game-changer for building a strong team culture, but it’s important to structure them in a way that fosters a positive and productive environment.

Fortunately, Rachel Pacheco’s book Bringing Up the Boss, offers a wealth of ideas for creating a culture of teamwork and collaboration during meetings. Here are a few of her suggestions to get you started:

1.       Assign a devil’s advocate for major decisions. This will help your team think outside the box and normalize dissenting opinions. Speaking up and opposing the views of the group is crucial for any team to grow.

2.       Create a norm where the junior member of the team speaks first. This ensures that every member has a voice, and that all opinions are considered, regardless of seniority or experience.

3.       Encourage team members to ask each other questions. By doing so, thinking becomes deeper and ideas are fleshed out, allowing for ideas that may have otherwise been left unexplored.

4.       Interrupt people if they speak too much. Some people can dominate meetings without even realizing it. We’ve all witnessed it. By interrupting them politely, you’ll guarantee that everyone has a chance to speak.

5.       Warm calling. Directly ask a question to a person who hasn’t shared, such as, “Lauren, what do you think about the last recommendation the presenter offered?” This will give introverted team members an opportunity to speak up and share their thoughts.

6.       Speak last as the manager. To encourage different ideas, the manager should weigh in last. Probing questions are fine but avoid stating any opinions until the end to combat groupthink.  

Before implementing any of these ideas, it is important to communicate the norms and expectations to your team. Explain the benefits of warm calling, for example, so that everyone understands why it’s being done. Setting these expectations beforehand will help everyone feel comfortable and confident contributing to the discussion.

Building a strong team culture does not need to be a big event. In fact, it shouldn’t be.

It should be embedded into the core of everything you do, including how you structure meetings. And these easy-to-implement meeting strategies are a great way to get started.

As a challenge this week, consider what type of culture you’d like to build during team meetings. Create the norms to make it happen, and clearly articulate these norms to your team. Then follow-through.

Consistency and daily practice build habits, and creating a culture is no different. It takes consistent effort and dedication, but you will build a stronger team culture that will benefit everyone.

Best of luck,

Lauren

P.s. Discover how we can help your team build a strong culture. Free 30-minute consultations are available.