How to Strengthen Team Bonds with Direct Interaction

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

“Work Friends” When done right – like any relationship where time is invested can become the best lifelong friends you will ever have. When taken for granted… can sting like 9-volt battery to the tongue. If you’ve experienced it… you know what I mean. You get along great, you hang out – you both show up to things when invited, there is some bonding… Then one of you does not work there anymore and it’s either an immediate and abrupt silence, or the slow gradual turning down the volume on the relationship. Work friends can be a valuable asset in your life. I have so much Gratitude for the work friends I have made in my life. Those who are still checking in and those who made an impact. Building and nurturing relationships with colleagues can enhance your overall job satisfaction, we should want to at least enjoy the people we work with. Being happy at work can increase your productivity, and even open up new career opportunities. To maximize these relationships, consider the following tips: Initiate Interaction: Don't wait for others to reach out; take the initiative to start conversations and build rapport with your coworkers. Common Interests: Discover shared interests, both inside and outside of work. This can be a great foundation for bonding and maintaining a connection. Active Listening: Be an active listener when your work friends share their thoughts and concerns. Offering support and empathy can deepen your connection. Collaboration: Look for opportunities to collaborate on projects or tasks. Working together can strengthen your bond and improve teamwork. Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your work friends' accomplishments. This fosters a positive and supportive atmosphere. Lunch and Coffee Breaks: Take advantage of breaks to socialize. Grabbing a coffee or having lunch together can provide valuable time to connect. Conflict Resolution: If issues arise, address them openly and constructively. Resolving conflicts can actually strengthen your relationship. Even if you change jobs or departments, make an effort to stay in touch. These relationships can continue to be beneficial throughout your career. Work friends can offer emotional support, career guidance, and a sense of belonging. By investing time and effort into these relationships, you can maximize their positive impact on your professional life. Be grateful for the present moment you're in and don't let opportunities to build relationships slip away.

Hey everyone, I mentioned last week that Kimberly Anderson-Mutch 💡 is working on a pretty cool series for Textio about how to build great teams. She's collecting best practices from all kinds of managers and will cite all contributors. This week's exploratory topic: how to improve team communication. One of my common leadership failings is to default to the hub-and-spoke model of communication. In this model, I as the team leader am at the center of most team communication. This has organizational advantages -- it's very clear to others how the system works. But it can also be extremely inefficient and cause people to feel like they need their manager in too many conversations. To combat this, I've had to find workarounds for my own natural style. For instance, a couple of years ago I led a revenue leadership offsite where I assigned people into pairs at the end of the event. Each pair looked at the problems we'd identified as a team during the event, and as a pair, they chose one issue for which they wanted to lead a team-wide solution over the upcoming quarter. Most of the pairs did an outstanding job solving their chosen problem. But even more than that, working as a tight duo for a full quarter created new relationships and lines of communication that hadn't previously existed. This paid off longer term too. What have you done to improve communication on your teams, especially as a manager? #management #leadership #communication

“We’re a FAMILY.”  - Me… a young manager talking about my work team. 👀 Ever said this to your team? Usually, it comes from a place of kindness and sincerity, *and* in my experience, it can actually be a little dangerous. While the sentiment can foster a sense of camaraderie and support, it took me a while to realize work teammates are not your family in the traditional sense because it’s HEALTHY to have professional expectations and boundaries at work.** **However, you can still forge meaningful relationships with them. 🤗 For example, I’ve been at my colleagues’ weddings, watched them become parents, had co-workers drop by with food and coffee when I was laid up, and even had a co-worker watch my sweet little cat (thanks Nate! 🐈). That's the beauty of a close-knit work environment. The key, in my mind, to building a solid bond with your teammates without overstepping boundaries is: 🗣️ Communication Whether it's sharing ideas, giving feedback, or even just checking in on how someone's day is going, open communication lays the foundation for a strong team dynamic. I love starting the first 5 (let’s be honest… 15) minutes of a meeting with personal chat. 🤝 Trust and respect Trusting your teammates to deliver quality work and respecting their expertise fosters a sense of camaraderie. Remember, teamwork is all about leveraging each other's strengths to achieve collective success—and if you have a team as talented as Team Accelity (yes, I’m biased 😇), that success comes easily! ☕ Taking the time to get to know your colleagues personally Whether it's grabbing a coffee together, joining a team-building activity, or simply engaging in casual conversations, I’ve seen these moments form lasting connections. So, while I learned a long time ago that, no, our teams are not our families—we truly can create fulfilling bonds that last. Here's to building strong relationships with your teammates! 🌟