If this is your time, your time to finally create a thriving workplace culture for your team, I’d like to suggest you begin with a few bite-size steps.
We love transformation, big change and lofty goals – often you hear teams say, "THIS YEAR is going to be the Best Year EVER!!!"
And is it?
Depends on what you do every day.
Just as with any big endeavor, break it down into bite-size steps. For example, if you were going to have your entire team wow the world with a flash mob, you’d have to choose the music, nail down the rhythm, create the choreography and learn the steps and practice, practice, practice.
To support your team building efforts, here’s a list of bite-size team building exercises at work to begin to improve your workplace culture (pick 3 to start):
- Do a Temperature Check with someone on your team
- Tell someone a sincere thank you
- Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know well in another department
- Pause and notice what’s working
- Ask for help
- Ask how you can help
- Sincerely apologize
- Do the 10 minute task that would make someone’s day
- Ask someone what they’re most excited about right now
- Show up smiling
- Share a bad PG joke
- Ask, “What do you think?” (need, want, hope for)
- Let someone know how much you appreciate them and their contribution
- Create a lunch and learn (TED Talk, Storyswap, interesting business article discussion, share lessons learned/best practices)
- Assume good intentions
- When things feel wonky or mistakes are made, come from a place of curiosity and wonderment rather than assumption and judgment – compassionately ask questions to learn and understand
- Give everyone bubbles or silly putty
- Share a story of something that made you laugh
- Celebrate a small win
- Stay present, pay attention and really listen
This list of small actions can have a meaningful ripple effect.
However, if your culture challenges require a tango choreography rather than a two-step, then we've got your back. Reach out to us.
Here's more team building exercises at work...
