Tired of thinking about the election? Same. So let’s talk about some leaders you can tolerate – your team. We talk a lot about building a culture on your team where everyone feels welcomed, connected, and engaged. But to make that happen, the leadership must have their own positive team culture. And it’s not as difficult as it sounds to foster teamwork, camaraderie, and effectiveness within your e-board.
Roses and Thorns
This one is easiest to institute as a tradition. Every time your team meets, spend five minutes taking turns sharing your top high and low points of the week. I really appreciate that this activity focuses on both the good and the bad. It gives each person a chance to receive sympathy over that bad test score, as well as congratulations for a great week in the dance studio. You set the team up for real friendship and collaboration when you allow this sort of conversation to enter the “professional” setting. Just make sure to keep the team on track. Don’t allow this section to take over the rest of the agenda.
Have a brainstorming meeting
Set a date, grab a pizza or twelve, and set up the dry erase board. Each team member has probably come up with a bunch of great ideas for your organization, but never got a chance to put them into action. Now is the time! Tell your team to bring their ideas to make next semester even better, and let everyone be heard. You never know, you might end up with a brand new event idea like organizing a first aid training session for the whole team. Why not take a look at the options to find out how your team can come together over learning to save lives? New traditions, anyone?
Check out these articles for brainstorming techniques:
7 Things You Should Never Say When Brainstorming
12 Brainstorming Techniques for Unearthing Better Ideas From Your Team
Use Elon Musk’s “First Principles” Method for Better Brainstorming
Clean out your storage closet.
Remember the last time you walked into your organization’s storage area? Did you just walk back out because you could barely open the door, let alone find that one sign you were looking for?
Before finals and the holidays hit, get your team together on a Saturday and commit to cleaning up and organizing. There’s always that Type A on the team who has been dying to put their skills to work. Give them the reins, and work together as a team to make actual use of your stuff. I have seriously bonded with a member of my team when we both hunkered down and made our room look better. At the end of your cleaning session, go out and grab dinner and bask in the glow of productivity you’ll all feel.
Trust me, when your Christmas Jamboree comes around, you will be so thankful to not spend four hours looking for your decorations.
Voila!
Each of these activities will leave your team feeling heard, fulfilled, and productive. You can’t beat that type of momentum. How do you build team culture?
