From the course: Teamwork Foundations

The right environment

From the course: Teamwork Foundations

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The right environment

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- Before a team can work well together, even if it's got the perfect mix of people, it needs to have the right physical environment where we can truly feel like a team. Are there communal areas and times when people are allowed, or even encouraged to go there? Do the communal areas make people feel valued by providing free tea and coffee? Maybe even fruit or snacks? Are there enough meetings, but not too many? And are they well-run? Are there any fun events which make people talk to and really get to know each other? Setting up this environment stuff is really the boss' job, but any team member can suggest activities that will make this happen. Things like games, competitions, short trips. Celebrations of any kind from birthdays and births of colleague's babies, to big orders received, and projects being completed. One place I visited recently has a thought of the day written up on a white board. And anyone who has a good one can write it up there. I told them I thought it was a great idea. And they surprised me by asking if I'd like to write up the day's thought. And I felt really honored, actually. By the way, I just put be yourself. That was the best I could come up with, but I thought it was a good one. The thought of the day board is just a small thing, but it's fun, and it's also another team communication activity. So, a question is, can you encourage more of these environmental things? Can you suggest to your team members, or maybe to your boss, that you meet every week? That you have meals together every now and then? Or that you work nearer to each other? Is there anything else that will make your working area feel more fun and more team-y?

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