Fall in Love with Your Team Again
There are two types of people: those who dread the fall with its shorter days and cooler weather, and those who are completely stoked for Pumpkin Spice season. As summer fun winds down we can find ourselves in a bit of a slump, which negatively affects our relationships. If you’re feeling a little “bleh” toward the members of your team, this is for you! We’re gonna talk about how to fall in love with your team all over again!
Rekindling the Magic with Your Team
Butterflies in your stomach. The excitement of newness. Your thoughts always turning to that special someone (or that pumpkin spice latte; I’m not here to judge). There’s nothing like the feeling of a new relationship, and that includes your work team. But just like romances, your office relationships can get stale and require some revitalization to keep the good vibes flowing.
This can be a real problem. Your team feeds off of your energy, and if you’re not feeling it they won’t be either. Processes can get sloppy, creativity will go down, and that can endanger deadlines. But even worse, it can make your work environment less pleasant.
So how do you revitalize the love you have for your team, and get everyone working well together again?
Do Something for Them
Your team works all day for you, and while you pay them competitively, there’s always room for more expressions of appreciation. They say the best way to get over yourself is to focus on others, so give it a try. It can be something small, like just thanking someone for good work on a project. Or you can show that you remember details about their life, asking after a loved one, etc. Make this a regular part of your routine, especially with employees you might be having a hard time connecting with.
Another option is to start even simpler. Write down all your teammates' names and list all of their good qualities. Then let each one know you appreciate those characteristics when you get a chance. It can be in-person, on Slack, or in an email. A kind word really goes a long way, and the better you know someone the easier it is to care about them.
Team-Building Exercises
Once you’ve got a handle on how you appreciate your team, it’s a good idea to let them continue building each other up. You can regularly have them participate in exercises like short questionnaires that let them tell each other a bit more about themselves, and there are a variety of tools that let them give each other kudos. Everyone gets so caught up in the details of daily work that sometimes you have to encourage them to express gratitude for each other.
Group Lunches
Sometimes the simplest methods work the best, and maintaining a good social relationship between employees is a surefire way to improve your interpersonal mojo. Having a regular office-sponsored lunch is a great way to help you connect with your people (yes, this only works if you eat with them) and ease any tensions you might be feeling. It will cost a few bucks, but chances are you’ll more than make up for it with improved productivity. And you can do this remotely too! (Ask me how for some bonus tips.)
Hold a Retreat
We talked about this back in May, but it’s worth repeating. If you’re really struggling to love your team, try a dedicated retreat for a couple of days. Getting everyone together and engaging in team-building exercises can work wonders for the collective spirit. Just make sure to include some free time so they have a little time apart too. Having the occasional retreat is the perfect way to get everyone realigned and dedicated to the same goals. We like to say it's people over pixels.
You have to do things on purpose to maintain a good relationship with your team, but as with so many other business investments, you’ll get out of it what you put in. And it just might help you all love coming to work together a little bit more.