Writing Guidelines for Respectful Team Interactions

Ever been on a team that's too quiet? Not focused-quiet. But hesistant-to-speak-up quiet. I once worked with a leader whose motto was: "Silence is 100% agreement." We would chuckle politely. Our silence wasn't agreement. It was fear. Here's what I've learned after nearly two decades coaching people leaders. People don't need to find their voice. They need to feel safe using it. Here are 6 ways to create that safety, without forcing anyone to speak before they're ready: 1. Listen to learn ↳ Pause before responding: "Help me understand your thinking on…" ↳ Reflect back: "Here's what I heard, did I get that right?" ↳ Let people know when their input reshapes your thinking 2. Build confidence before the spotlight ↳ Pair teammates as "thinking partners" to test ideas before meetings ↳ Use 1:1s to help less vocal members frame input as exploratory questions ↳ Normalize iterations. "What if we considered…" often sparks breakthroughs. 3. Model transparent communication ↳ Share your thinking: "Here's my view and why I see it this way…" ↳ Be open about uncertainty. It gives others permission to speak ↳ It's okay to change your mind in public when presented with strong alternatives 4. Facilitate solution-building sessions ↳ Ask: "What would success look like for everyone involved?" ↳ Use "Yes, and…" to build momentum, not shut it down ↳ Try brainstorm rules: build on others' ideas before introducing new ones 5. Disagree without making it personal ↳ Start with: "We're debating the approach, not anyone's expertise" ↳ Use neutral framing: "There are different perspectives here" ↳ Keep feedback focused on outcomes and impact, not personality 6. Make space for the quiet thinkers ↳ End with: "Let's reflect for 24 hours before deciding" ↳ Send pre-reads with clear reflection prompts ↳ Start key conversations with a few minutes of silent thinking When you shift from demanding participation to designing for it, you're not just changing meetings. You're redefining how power flows through your organization. How do you create space for insight that isn't loud? ♻️ Feel free to share if you're working toward conversations where every voice has room. ➕ If you lead people, this space is for you. Follow me, Michelle Awuku-Tatum for insights on: ↳ Human-centered leadership, resilient teams, and intentional culture.

I regularly work with leadership teams to help them be more effective with their team dynamics and/or culture. One topic that comes up frequently? Nearly every team I work with wants to be great at giving and receiving feedback. Here’s what I notice about teams that have great feedback cultures: When something goes wrong, they don’t have side conversations. Many times, we get in the habit of venting to one of our peers about something challenging going on within the team. Why is this harmful to team dynamics? When we don’t openly talk about challenges with the whole team, it creates invisible barriers for others on the team. If we don’t tell someone we’re frustrated about something, we don’t give them the opportunity to make a needed change. We vent to a peer, feel slightly better, then let it go. We don’t share it, so nothing changes. Inevitably, the pattern returns and we get frustrated again. We go back to venting. We seemingly let it go. But it builds our frustrations and deteriorates trust. Rinse and repeat this vicious cycle. Now that trust is low, we have a hard time opening any feedback. We build walls and the team starts to operate with less efficiency, transparency, and information. So how do we break this cycle? The healthiest and most effective teams have built-in places for open feedback. They regularly talk about challenges. They know that talking about challenges, even when it’s hard, builds trust in the long run instead of breaking it. Instead of going to people within the team to vent, they openly talk about the challenges with the whole team. They hold each other accountable to not having side conversations or meetings-after-the-meeting. Here are three ways to build in regular, safe spaces for feedback into your team operations: 1️⃣ Build in questions to your 1-on-1s to ask things like: “What is one thing I could be doing differently to support you right now?” 2️⃣ Put retro conversations into your team meetings. Regularly ask the team - “What should we be starting, stopping, or continuing right now?” (Google retroactive meeting templates to get more ideas on questions you can ask!) 3️⃣ Instead of focusing on how to GIVE feedback to people as a leader, focus on how you RECEIVE feedback. Do a leadership skill gap analysis. Write down: When someone shares something challenging with you, how do you currently react to feedback? Then write down: How do you want to react when someone gives you feedback? Where’s the gap and what’s one step you could take toward closing that gap? What do you think? What do you think the best teams do to create great feedback cultures?

Here is a note I shared with our Tealium Managers and Leaders . . . I thought I would share it within our network. Hello, Leaders and Managers, This note is directed primarily to our U.S.-based managers and leaders but also recognizes that our work spans regions, meaning the impact of current events can resonate across our entire organization. As we approach the final stretch of one of the most contentious U.S. presidential elections in recent history, I wanted to share some helpful tips for us as leaders of teams for navigating the heightened emotions and tensions during this time, especially given how this environment may affect team interactions and collaboration. Foster a Respectful Workplace: - Reinforce our WOWs culture, emphasizing the importance of valuing diverse perspectives and maintaining professionalism, regardless of personal opinions. - Set clear expectations that conversations should remain respectful and avoid political debates that could cause division or discomfort. - Encourage empathy and active listening among team members to promote mutual understanding. Be a Role Model for Neutrality: -Maintain a neutral stance in our work environment and avoid expressing political preferences to prevent influencing or alienating employees. As leaders, our role is to create a safe and inclusive environment for all. -Model appropriate behavior and redirect conversations if they veer into sensitive political territory. Prepare for Potential Conflict: -Proactively address any signs of conflict or discomfort related to political discussions and step in early to de-escalate situations. - Contact HR to partner to help resolve disagreements fairly and impartially if you find issues escalating and need assistance. Acknowledge the Climate but Stay Focused: -Acknowledge that the election season can be intense, but emphasize the importance of remaining focused on the team’s objectives and responsibilities. -Offer employees gentle reminders that the workplace is a space for collaboration and ...productivity, not political advocacy. By each of us leading the way in fostering a respectful and inclusive environment, managers can help their teams stay engaged and focused during this period while supporting a positive work culture. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further support. Together, we can navigate this with empathy and professionalism. If you have any more tips, please share them here. Regards, Adrianne