How to Build Team Cohesion Through Conversation

Helping your team identify their core values is essential for building a strong, cohesive, and aligned group. Here's how I've done it based on my experience: 1. Open Discussions: Start by having open and honest conversations with your team. Ask questions like: "What matters most to us as a team?" and "What principles should guide our actions?" 2. List Common Themes: Encourage your team to share their thoughts and ideas. As they speak, jot down common themes or recurring words that come up. This helps identify potential core values. 3. Prioritize Values: Once you have a list, ask your team to prioritize the values they believe are most important. You can use a voting system or a ranking exercise to do this. 4. Discuss Scenarios: To make values more tangible, discuss real-life scenarios where these values come into play. For example, if "Integrity" is a potential value, talk about situations that require ethical decisions. 5. Craft Statements: Work together to craft clear and concise statements for each core value. These statements should describe what the value means to your team. 6. Feedback and Refinement: Share the draft core values with your team for feedback. Be open to refining and clarifying the statements based on their input. 7. Finalize and Communicate: Once everyone is on the same page, finalize your team's core values. Make sure they are easy to understand and remember. Communicate them to the entire team. 8. Incorporate into Daily Work: Integrate these core values into your team's daily work. Discuss how they can guide decision-making and behavior. 9. Lead by Example: As a leader, embody these core values in your actions. Your behavior sets the tone for the team. 10. Regularly Revisit: Core values may evolve over time. Schedule periodic check-ins to ensure they still resonate with your team's identity and objectives. 11. Celebrate Values in Action: Recognize and celebrate when team members exemplify these core values. It reinforces their importance. 12. Address Misalignment: If conflicts arise or behavior doesn't align with your core values, address it promptly and use the values as a guide for resolution. Identifying core values is a collaborative process that requires ongoing commitment. By involving your team and consistently integrating these values into your work, you'll foster a culture that reflects your shared beliefs and principles. This can lead to better teamwork, decision-making, and overall team satisfaction.

Ever feel like your team meetings are just a bunch of talking heads? You're not alone… But what if I told you the key to unlocking better collaboration, higher engagement, and stronger results lies in something often overlooked? Active listening is more than just keeping quiet while someone speaks… It's about truly paying attention, understanding the speaker's intent, showing the speaker you understand them, and responding thoughtfully I recently coached an David (an engineering manager) on this His team was brimming with talent, but constantly missing deadlines, struggling to collaborate, and fixing mistakes that were caused by misunderstandings David noticed frustration and a lack of engagement, and after digging a little deeper, we identified a core problem… Team members weren't actively listening to each other! Ideas were interrupted, and some felt their voices weren't valued, which created a culture of hesitation and hindered creative problem-solving But changing a team culture starts at the top… Through coaching, David honed his active listening skills and implemented these practices with his team: **Give Full Attention:** David learned to silence distractions, make eye contact, and truly focus on the speaker. This simple act communicated respect and encouraged open communication **Practice Reflection and Paraphrasing:** David began summarizing key points to ensure everyone was on the same page, which clarified understanding and fostered trust **Ask Clarifying Questions:** David encouraged questions to delve deeper into ideas and build upon each other's thoughts, which fostered a more collaborative environment **Embrace Silence:** David created space for thoughtful responses instead of jumping in to fill pauses, which allowed for deeper reflection and richer discussions **Active Listening for All:** David encouraged team members to practice active listening with each other, which fostered a culture of mutual respect and understanding These simple practices produced remarkable results! Communication improved dramatically, deadlines were met, innovation soared, and the team thrived on collaboration because everyone felt empowered to share ideas freely, knowing they would be heard Implement these active listening techniques in your next team meeting and see the difference! #Leadership #CivilEngineering #SoftwareEngineering

Have you ever been part of a team that just clicks? 🔥 Where collaboration flows effortlessly and goals are achieved with ease? As a seasoned life coach, I've had the privilege of witnessing the magic that happens when individuals come together to form a cohesive unit. Here's a breakdown of how you can cultivate that same synergy within your teams: 1️⃣ Clarify Roles and Responsibilities: 🎯 Define each team member's role and what is expected of them. When everyone knows their part, collaboration becomes seamless. 2️⃣ Encourage Open Communication: 🗣️ Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns. Transparency is key to building trust and resolving conflicts effectively. 3️⃣ Promote Diversity and Inclusion: 🌈 Embrace different perspectives and backgrounds within your team. Diversity sparks creativity and innovation, leading to breakthrough solutions. 4️⃣ Set Clear Goals and Objectives: 📈 Ensure everyone is aligned on the team's objectives and understands how their contributions fit into the bigger picture. This clarity keeps everyone focused and motivated. 5️⃣ Celebrate Achievements Together: 🎉 Recognize and celebrate both individual and team successes. Acknowledging accomplishments boosts morale and reinforces a sense of camaraderie. What strategies have you found most effective in building strong and successful teams? Drop your insights in the comments below and let's keep the conversation going! 💬    #Teamwork #LeadershipDevelopment #BuildingBetterTeams #TinaMarieandCo #TinaMarieStCyr #BonfireCoaching #BusinessCoaching #CareerCoaching #ExecutiveCoaching #LifeCoaching

In my 35+ years of experience, one key takeaway is clear: success in the business world hinges on effective communication. Clarity, simplicity and precision reduce misunderstandings, paving the way for streamlined collaboration. 👉 Active listening is paramount. Engage attentively in conversations, absorbing insights before responding. This cultivates a culture of respect within the team. 👉 Openness is key. Encourage an open-door policy, creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. This fuels innovation faster than you’d think. 👉 Leverage technology wisely. Embrace tools that facilitate seamless communication, from project management platforms to video conferencing. Consider the global context. Tailor your message to resonate with diverse audiences, understanding cultural nuances. At the end of the day, effective business communication is a strategic asset, fostering strong and collaborative connections. #effectivecommunication #tech #businesscommunication #smartData #collaboration

Getting a team to come together is no small task. One of the biggest multipliers I have found is clear and transparent communication within the team. What does that mean practically? 1. Share documents openly with as few secrets as possible. Some things can’t be shared, but most things can. Common vacation schedules, specifications, design validation methods, almost anything you can think of - the whole team needs to be able to get to those things. Easy to do with tools like Office365, or whatever tool set you use. 2. Communicate clearly in multiple channels. Email, slack, teams - send the message multiple ways, multiple times. People will miss things. Someone will learn something and require a slight tweak on some downstream or in-flight piece of work. As the leader, keep constantly communicating. 3. Operate asynchronously. This is probably the most important for team productivity. Don’t wait for a meeting if it can be helped. Get the information out and share it widely. IM team channels are great for this - because 2 or 3 people can have a chat and the whole team can read it later. I also think this is so important because people are coming and going in all directions at all times, sick, family, remote work, etc. This is why an “open book” of documents is so important - the free flow of information is vital to getting the team humming. Do you have some other tips for running a team? Comment / share below.

Reminder: Do not forget about the power of being intentional and present with your team, beyond being physically present. A truly cohesive, collaborative and supportive team is built through moments where each person sets their intentions to be present and engaged with each other. I can’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for the moments when our team can be together, whether that’s in the same room or remotely, and maybe over a scoop of ice cream or simply having fun together. At Clementine's Naughty and Nice Creamery, we have seen firsthand how the irreplaceable magic of being fully present fosters a culture of growth, unity, trust, and yes, fun. ♦️ GROWTH happens not just when we sit in the same room but also when we’re mentally engaged. Whether it’s a training session or an impromptu brainstorm, our gatherings are not just about work — it’s a family reunion of sorts. We learn from each other’s experiences, perspectives, and even our mistakes. ♦️ UNITY is essential for a harmonious work environment. Working in the same space allows team members to learn each other’s work styles, deepen relationships, and make changes that sets every member of our team up for success. ♦️ TRUST is the cornerstone of a successful team, and it’s not built in large conference rooms or shared documents — it’s built through genuine interactions, making eye contact, and listening with intention. Simply sharing a laugh can go a long way in strengthening team bonds. ♦️ FUN is not just a bonus or afterthought; it’s a necessity. Taking time to enjoy each other’s company over lunch or team outings infuses an invaluable sense of joy and camaraderie. A team can’t only talk about business every minute of every work day. Adding intentional moments of fun creates a workspace where everyones feels and knows that they belong. TL;DR: The bonding that happens when we’re given the space to be fully present — sharing casual conversations, enjoying a coffee break together, or chatting over lunch — are valuable and irreplaceable moments that require intentionality. Do you agree? #Entrepreneur #Team