How to Create a Positive Collaborative Culture

We’ve all experienced those team meetings that don’t go as planned.  But what if I told you there’s a powerful way to turn things around? That power is respect. I once had a team divided over a project’s direction. Instead of choosing sides, I decided to listen. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 listen. I gave everyone my full attention and showed them that their opinions mattered. What happened next was incredible. The anger melted away. People started building on each other's ideas instead of tearing them down. We found common ground and suddenly, we weren't enemies. We were problem-solvers working towards the same goal. Respect isn’t just about being polite. It’s about truly valuing each other’s viewpoints, even when you disagree. It connects different perspectives and turns conflicts into opportunities for growth. So, the next time tensions rise, try this: 1. Create a safe space for open discussion. 2. Listen without interrupting. 3. Validate feelings, even if you disagree. 4. Look for shared goals. 5. Build on ideas instead of shooting them down. Lead with respect, and watch how it transforms your team. It’s not just about resolving one conflict. It’s about creating a culture where creativity and collaboration thrive.

Changing the academic world starts with changing how your academic family interacts. What does that mean? 1. Train your PhD students to work together, not compete. Create a culture of collaboration. Encourge co-authorship. Reward shared wins. By teaching students to develop and support personal networks, you prepare them for the academic long game. 2. Be understanding of life’s small bumps—as long as the greater objectives are met. Life happens: illness, caregiving, burnout, loss. Support your students through it. Productivity is stronger and sustainable when people feel seen and supported. 3. Model respect, humility & curiosity in disagreement. Your students are watching how you engage. Show them that ideas can be challenged without egos being bruised. Show them how to stand their ground without tearing others down. 4. Treat your research group like a team, not a hierarchy. Yes, you’re the PI. But. Own when you make mistakes. Honesty, transparency & shared accountability go a long way in building trust—and trust builds a foundation for great work. 5. Protect your students from toxic systems—but don’t insulate them from reality. Help them navigate academic politics without losing themselves. Teach them how to advocate for their ideas & their well-being. Teach them the peril posed by exploiting others. Changing academia doesn’t start with policies. It starts with people. It starts with building culture. And the academic family you build—day by day, email by email, meeting by meeting—sets the tone for what your field becomes. #academicjourney #PhDlife #researchculture #academicfamily

I know schools are operating with less—less funding, less staffing, more stress. But the one thing you can control? How you develop your teachers. The hard part? Thinking creatively about that while juggling a million other things. So, let me share two practical and actionable ideas. When I was a high school principal, I didn’t have a curriculum team or a talent development department. But I still needed a team that could execute with clarity and consistency across classrooms. Because here’s the thing: once you’ve taught the basics—your vision, your systems, your expectations—the real work begins. That’s when you need your team to: ✅ Apply what they’ve learned ✅ Pick apart the nuance ✅ Think through what it looks like in practice And that’s exactly where most PD falls short. Here are two low-lift, high-impact strategies that helped us bridge the gap between theory and action in summer PD and beyond (and if you're not a school leader? These 100% translate, with a few alterations) ✅ Lesson Study + Problem-Solving Protocols- Don’t just ask teachers to “collaborate.” Give them routines that help them plan, look at student work, and tackle shared challenges together. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s collective learning. (see link below with a few) ✅ Case Study PDs- Your team won’t master your approach to transitions, discipline, or culture after one session. At the end of every PD, I started asking: “What do you anticipate being hard about doing this?” “Where do you still feel uncertain?” Then I used their responses to create case studies we could workshop together. Real dilemmas. Real conversations. Shared judgment. None of this required a budget. Just time, intention, and a commitment to learning in community. 💬 What’s one move that’s helped your team turn vision into practice?