Keeping the connection lessons alive

 
 

I had the very fun experience of running an online lunchtime session with an organisation last week; we focused on the discoveries made during lockdown and how to keep that fire burning about how we challenge some of the ways we work. Three excellent panelists shared their stories of wins and mistakes, successes and frustrations. The great thing was, the lockdown experience has provided some impetus to already good work this organisation is doing to modernise how they work. It’s helping them have really good conversations that challenge some of the ways of working that have evolved over many years.

One comment in the chat box that I found interesting came from an audience member who said they are missing the connection they and the rest of their team created during lockdown. It got me thinking about the challenge of staying focused on what creates the right environment for people to be at their best, especially as the machine of industry cranks back into life. For you and your team, it might have been the check-in at the beginning of the day, the 3pm coffee and quiz, the Friday theme and [insert your preferred beverage here]. What is clear, is that many teams connected like they never have before. And now that we are moving back to a busier lifestyle, with external demands right on the margins of, or even in the middle of, our working hours, it’s proving hard to keep up those new things we tried out that created great connection.

I’ve got a firm belief that connection sits at the heart of creating belonging in your team. And when people feel like they belong, they do their best, most daring, most impactful work. They stick it out when things get tough and they often go further than the brief.

So here’s my challenge – and I reckon it’s a pretty easy one. Have the conversation about connection with your team this week. Find out from them what they loved most about the way you connected with each other during lockdown. Find out what that connection did for them. And then work out a way you can keep a similar experience going now you’re transitioning back to the office. While the experiment we’ve just run was a forced one, let’s make sure we learn what worked from it and figure out how to bring the great stuff more deliberately into the way we work as teams and organisations.

Jeremy Leslie