Here’s how a few index cards can strengthen your team
In case you’re wondering, the answer is no. You don’t need to be an expert facilitator or a miracle worker to bring out the strengths and tighten the bonds of your work group. But you do need to try new things – and that’s what this quick group activity is all about. It works great with any team numbering up to about 15 people. It uncovers everyone’s strengths in a constructive and co-creative way. Best of all, the benefits are powerful and long-lasting. In terms of materials, all you need are small envelopes, index cards, and a pen or marker for each person. Before the group meets, put one blank card in each envelope. When the group is together, give each person a quantity of envelopes/cards matching the total number of people in the team. (If the team numbers 10 people, give each person 10 envelopes, each containing a single index card.) Now give these simple instructions to everyone: • Write your name on the outside of each envelope in your stack. Leave the index card inside and untouched. (If there are 10 people in the group, you’ll write your name on all 10 of the envelopes.) • Keep one of the envelopes (with your own name on it) for yourself, then circulate all the other envelopes to everyone in the room – so that each person gets one envelope from everyone else. (Back to our example group of 10 people: Each person would end up with a new stack of 10 envelopes, each addressed with the name of a different team member, including one envelope with their own name.) • Now for the heart of the activity: Take one of the envelopes, noticing the name that’s written on it. Think positively about this co-worker. Reflect on some of your positive interactions with them – and some of the positive things you’ve seen in their interactions with others. Look for words that capture their positive qualities. Then take the index card, write down what you view as their greatest one or two strengths, put the index card back in the envelope, and seal it. • Take a second envelope from your stack, with the name of another person written on it, and repeat the activity. Do this for all the envelopes/people, so that you’re thinking positive and documenting the strengths of everyone in the group. • Take enough time...
Read MoreA loud lesson in team motivation
If you want to motivate a group, you’d better be all in. I learned that lesson the hard way some ten years ago – at a July 4th parade, of all places. After the parade had passed by, I slowly followed on my bicycle with 10 or so other riders. Our ranks grew as more bikers joined us. So did our enthusiasm as we rode past festive crowds. In fact, my enthusiasm grew so much that I endeavored to lead the crowd in a group cheer. This was in Columbus, Ohio, home of the Ohio State University, where Buckeye football fever runs strong year round. For Buckeye fans, the easiest sure-fire cheer involves a solo shout of “O-H” – which is always followed by a fervent response of “I-O” from anyone within earshot. Well, almost always. When I tried the cheer with a big group of parade enthusiasts, my “O-H” got dead silence in return. The crowd just stared at me like I had quizzed them in some foreign language. After riding on for a block, I managed to recover – enough to try the cheer again, this time a little louder. “O-H.” Again, silence. Painful silence. Ego-bruising silence. Two city blocks later, I decided to try the cheer one last time. But this time, I didn’t just tweak up the volume. I turned my bike to face the crowd, I looked left and right to get their attention, and I cued the crowd with a high-volume “Hey, everyone!” Then I unleashed an “O-H” that was full-throated, full-commitment, and fully heard by all Buckeye fans within a fifty-yard radius. The crowd went wild. “I-O!” “O-H!” “I-O!” “O-H!” “I-O!” In years since, I’ve repeated this drill every time I’ve been in Columbus on July 4. It always reminds me that group motivation can’t be a half-hearted effort. Whether you’re in a parade or in a workplace, people respond best when the leader lets loose with confidence and conviction. The bicycle is optional. By Tom Terez •...
Read More90 minutes to better ideas and easier consensus
The next time you work with a group to generate improvement ideas, don’t do anything until you get these items: butcher-block paper, tape, sticky notes, fine-point Sharpie markers, and sticky dots. These items can work wonders. They’ll prevent one or two people from dominating the discussion. They’ll enable even the quietest in the group to unload their ideas. They’ll allow everyone to see all the ideas at once. And they’ll help the group contract in and move toward consensus in terms of which ideas to pursue. Yes, those basic office items can do all that! Here’s the step-by-step process for putting them to work: • Before the session, cut a long section of butcher-block paper and tape it to the wall. (If you don’t have butcher-block paper, tape up adjoining flip-chart sheets.) • When the group is together, give each person 12 or so sticky notes and a marker. • Clarify the the prompt that people should have in mind when generating and documenting ideas. It’s typically phrased as a question. Examples: “How can we increase satisfaction among our walk-in customers?” “How can we ensure that applications come in with all needed information the first time around?” “What can we do to strengthen communication across departments?” It’s important that everyone in the group understands the prompt before proceeding. • Now, put on your team facilitation hat. Instruct everyone to write down their ideas in response to the prompt. This is to be done individually, in silence, with each person writing each idea on a separate sticky note. (With 12 notes per person, each will generate up to 12 documented ideas. If you feel that more ideas per person are likely, supply more notes, being sure everyone has an equal number.) • Encourage everyone to be sufficiently detailed in their writing, so that a person reading each sticky note will fully understand what is meant. • Emphasize that people should avoid talking with other team members while doing this. It’s intended as a silent activity at this point, to be done individually. There’s plenty of time to talk about ideas later on in the process. • Let the room stay quiet while individuals write their ideas. • When everyone is done, instruct team members to leave their seats, walk over to the stretch of blank paper on the wall, and randomly tack up all their sticky notes – while maintaining...
Read MoreReality check: Are you doing all you can to earn trust?
5-page self-assessment – 1.1MB We know that trust is crucial to teamwork. We know it’s reciprocal: When you give it, you get it. We know that trust-building takes time. But what about you when it comes to trust? Are you doing everything you can to earn trust and build a trust-filled work environment? Click here for a self-assessment that can serve as a quick reality check. It’s in PDF format, so feel free to print it and fill it out for your own benefit. Too often, trust is talked about in vague generalities. And sometimes our thoughts about trust are all about what we wish others would do to earn our trust. This self-assessment is different. It gets specific, it focuses on behaviors, and it serves as an important look in the mirror. So take a few minutes for this – and get practical insights into what you can do to turn up the trust at work. Download the 5-page self-assessment (PDF 1.1MB) This download is for e-letter subscribers • Sign up for the free Next Level...
Read MoreThese 7 simple questions will transform your meetings
If you’re tired of the same old slow-going meetings, crack open these 7 questions. Ask them each time you have a meeting, keep at it for a month or two – and we guarantee your meetings will be time better spent. What will we accomplish? State a clear intended outcome for every meeting. “Decide on…” “Create…” “Brainstorm…” “Reach agreement on…” “Determine…” “Establish a timetable for…” If you have multiple agenda items, do this for each. If there’s no tangible end in mind, show mercy for your colleagues and skip the meeting. Why is this important? Link the intended outcome to some larger project or goal or other purpose. If there’s no real connection, then revisit the “what will we accomplish” question. You might need to refine your intended outcome – or maybe you need a couple one-on-one conversations instead of a multi-person meeting. When will this meeting end? Set an exact time, and stick with it. If the meeting request specifies an end time, affirm it when the group convenes. This might sound like a statement of the obvious, but the truth is, too many meetings go on too long because there’s no carved-in-stone end point. What proven practice will make this a better meeting? Pinpoint something that you or someone else did that made a past meeting more successful. Put this practice to work at the current meeting. This is the surest way to improve your meetings steadily over time. As the meeting winds down: Did we accomplish what we set out to accomplish? Circle back to your intended outcome for an important reality check. If necessary, do some meeting triage to decide how you’ll make the most of your remaining meeting time. What are our next steps? On a flipchart or whiteboard, list all upcoming action steps decided upon during the meeting – along with who will do what and when. What will I be sure to do for the next meeting? Maybe it’s a “do” based on something that went well. Maybe it’s a “don’t” from something that fell flat. Either way, this question is all about getting smarter and making good use of everyone’s time going forward. By Tom Terez •...
Read MoreCivility At Work: 20 Ways to Build a Kinder Workplace
People who get along at work get more done and have more fun – and who doesn’t want that, right? So scan this list, share it with colleagues, and bring it to life. 1. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. There’s no substitute for authentic communication. 2. Be less inclined to give advice – and more inclined to seek it. 3. Resist the urge to jump to conclusions about people and their motives. Go to the source, get the facts, and then decide. 4. Identify the biggest redeeming quality of that person who’s always driving you crazy. Keep it in mind the next time the two of you interact. 5. When greeting a colleague, skip the mindless how-ya-doin’. Ask a question that shows genuine interest. 6. Go out of your way to say thank you. Sincere appreciation is powerful stuff – it’s feedback, recognition, and respect all wrapped in one. 7. If you’re overdue in showing gratitude, make up for lost time. Contact everyone who’s owed thanks, and let them know how much you appreciate their help. 8. When credit and compliments come your way, spread them to all who helped. If you think you’re solely responsible for that honored achievement, think again. 9. Promise only what you can deliver. If what you deliver falls short, explain why. 10. When things go wrong, resist the urge to assign blame. It’s the system that usually fails, so fix the system, not the people. 11. Widen your social circle. If you always go to lunch with the same group, invite someone new. 12. Give a gift for no reason. If you work with nature lovers, order some plants or flowers. If the group has a chronic sweet tooth, get a few candy dishes and keep them full. 13. When a rumor reaches your ear, let it go out the other. 14. Step down from the treadmill of daily tasks and have an inefficient chat with a colleague. If it’s someone you rarely engage in conversation, all the better. 15. Show interest in someone else’s interests. Okay, maybe you’re not dying to hear about Pat’s passion for stamp collecting, but Pat will be thrilled you asked. 16. When you take a stand and later realize it’s the wrong stand, be honest enough to say so. 17. Involve more people in weighing options and making decisions. There’s incredible brainpower all...
Read MoreAre you crushing creativity with your nonverbals?
If a face can launch a thousand ships, can it also kill a thousand ideas? My guess is yes. Some time ago, my work path crossed with someone we’ll call Helen. She seemed plenty nice, but whenever she heard an idea that didn’t fit her way of thinking, she’d say so with her face. Her lips would tighten. Her mouth would twist to one side. Her eyebrows would knit together. Sometimes her head would tilt. Without any words, Helen seemed to be saying: Your idea stinks. When she went on to speak, her words often matched her expression. She would begin with skepticism. I can’t say that Helen sunk a thousand ideas – I wasn’t keeping count. But she sunk some of mine, and she kept other ideas from setting sail. I became so intent on avoiding her negative expression that I stopped coming forward with new ideas. The whole experience got me thinking about the signals I might be sending. It reminded me to turn up my self-awareness. Facial expressions are like pictures – they’re worth a thousand words. Let’s use them for good. By Tom Terez •...
Read MoreSherlock knows: Communication isn’t the problem
Ask people in any workplace where there’s big room for improvement, and nearly all of them will point to problematic communication. We don’t communicate well. Leadership nevers tells us anything. If people would communicate, we’d be a better team. The fact is, communication breakdowns (real or perceived) aren’t problems in themselves — they’re symptoms of problems. It’s an important distinction. If you’re going to effect real improvement, you need to get to the root of what’s really going on. So the next time you hear that “there’s not enough communication around here,” put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and begin to ask questions. “When you say communication, what exactly do you mean?” “In what way is communication breaking down?” “Why is this happening?” Just be ready for the answers, because you might hear some heavy stuff. When I ask the same question to two managers, I get two conflicting answers. Our workplace is divided by status, and I feel like a second-class citizen. My job is seen by management as being unimportant. People don’t value my opinion. Management is trying to hide something. There’s a serious lack of trust in our workplace. It’s not easy being a Sherlock Holmes type who tries to decode what’s being said when people talk on the surface about “communication problems.” But meaningful improvement depends on it. By Tom Terez •...
Read MoreWant more trust at work? Then make it visible
Trust can’t be seen, heard, or touched. It can’t be booted up or turned on. It can’t be crisply measured or defined. Yet trust is the foundation of good dialogue, great teamwork, and true community in the workplace. It’s that important. So how do you turn this elusive intangible into an everyday reality? By making it visible. Here are four practical actions: Talk about it Words have their own creative power — to such a degree that what we talk about is often what we become. So start a conversation about trust with your colleagues. Try to make this an ongoing dialogue that keeps trust on everyone’s radar. You might have to wait for the right opening to get people talking. For instance, the start of a new team project can be the perfect springboard for dialogue. Have team members describe what strong trust would look like, then brainstorm specific ways to make it happen. Go for it Back up your words with action. Take a leap of faith and show greater trust in more people, even if you have to grit your teeth while doing it. Delegate that task you’ve been holding onto for years. Ask for help from that co-worker you’ve been keeping at arm’s length. Hand out that data you’ve been keeping so close to the vest. Push for a wider sharing of decision-making responsibility. Encourage people to pursue and develop their own ideas. As you show greater trust, you’ll get more in return while inspiring others to follow your lead. Assess it Make a point of evaluating the extent of trust in your workplace. Do this with colleagues on a regular basis. If you have a monthly meeting, for example, make it a 10-minute item on the agenda. One approach is to have people share recent examples of trust in action. Simple storytelling is a great way to make trust visible while figuring out what works when it come to building trust in the workplace. Reinforce it Underscore the importance of trust and trust-building by writing it into job descriptions, performance evaluations, team evaluations, values statements, and elsewhere. Include it in criteria for making hiring and promotion decisions. Make it the focus of specific questions in employee surveys. Added up, all these references remind people that trust is integral to their success as individuals and to the overall success of the organization. By Tom Terez...
Read MoreYou know your meetings are terrible, so try this
Yes, painless meetings are possible. Here are 6 ways to make it happen — starting with NOT having a meeting.
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