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As a rule, everyone in an organization is talented in some form or fashion, but fully extracting that talent is a separate matter. Getting the best version of the people around you means facilitating a group effort to build a healthy relationship with every member of the team…which is easier said than done, and so this sit-down with MindTeam Solutions explores strategies for bridging the gap between team members.
[0:20] Get Real About Social Media
Social media reflects society, but the resulting image can sometimes be compared to the experience of looking into a funhouse mirror. Behaviors and interactions that seem perfectly reasonable online–informing neighbors and work associates of your everyday activities, regularly sharing pictures of meals–would be perceived as bizarre in a real world context. With social media forming such a central element in our modern social lives, it can be instructive to ask ourselves how our online and offline lives shape one another.
[1:22] Emotional Intelligence
For Generation Z, individuals born after Y2K and just entering the workforce, there has never been a world without social media. This unique position in history has demanded of them a set of social skills unlike that of any other generation, with abilities formerly considered innate, such as reading body language, de-emphasized in favor of the emotional intelligence required to navigate public forums effectively. This means many members of Generation Z are extraverted in online forums, but more subdued and apprehensive in everyday spaces.
[3:36] Tangible Time
Human beings are social animals at the core, and so thousands of years of evolutionary history suggests there is no true substitute for in-person bonding. This makes dedicated one-on-one or small group meetings essential to fostering a sense of camaraderie among team members, particularly those who may not have worked together for long. Something as simple as a cup of coffee or casual lunch between people slated to work closely together can make the office a more productive and enjoyable environment overall.
[6:28] Break the Walls Down
Most people instinctively gravitate towards those with the most apparent similarities in any environment, but in a team dynamic incorporating individuals with vastly different backgrounds and areas of expertise, this can greatly impact the group’s cohesiveness. It is important to ensure that all members of an organization feel comfort with and respect for their colleagues, even those unlike them, and for team leaders that means encouraging free exchange of ideas, and open lines of communication among the people you trust most.
[10:31] What is Diversity?
There is a common misconception of diversity as chiefly driven by factors such as race, gender, or nationality, but the most powerful form of diversity involves individuals with vastly different ideas coming together in the name of a common interest. The challenges of today cut across our self-definitions to affect each of us uniquely, and our experiences overcoming them can be valuable in unexpected ways. Seeing a problem from many angles as possible offers the best chance of devising the right plan of action in practically any scenario.
[12:03] Experience: The Gift that Keeps on Giving
A formal or informal mentorship program in your organization can help more members of your team unlock their full potential. Seasoned employees should be encouraged to reach out to newer faces finding their way, giving them the comfort and confidence to make everyone’s job easier by using the skills that brought them in the door to their fullest effect.
About the Shuler Group:
Dawn and Mark Shuler
The Shuler Group, LLC, is a 100% woman-owned consulting and training business specializing in strengths-based workplace and culture, communication, employee engagement, leadership and team development programs, as well as training to improve communication, sales, and performance in all areas of a company.
Website: https://www.theshulergroupllc.com
Email: https://www.theshulergroupllc.com/connect-with-us/
Phone: (301) 842-8970
Connect with MindTeam Solutions:
Website: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/mindteamsolutions
Email: Info@MindTeamSolutions.com
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/mindteamsolutions