Why Company Merch, Table Soccer and Fancy Retreats Won't Make A Great Team...

Happy Friday!

Guys, it's been two days since I published my last newsletter and let me tell you, I'm back in flow. Sending high-vibes on this wonderful Friday, last day of March. Tomorrow is April's fool day, so be aware of the pranks around you!

Today's topic is not a prank, actually it is a very serious topic which is often neglected and overlooked by organizations: the importance of team identity.

Team identity is something you might wonder what it all is about. As consultant, coach and as well in my leadership roles I often heard the CEOs saying: 'We need to establish a team culture. Well, this said, culture is something that can by no means be established as part of an OKR. In best case we can foster it through a team identity, yet it is impossible to force people to 'buy in' to something.

Working with different teams on independent start-up projects and ideas, there is always a different team culture. The team identity and the belonging that is built based on the collaboration of the group that is forming around a topic, product, mission and vision, brings about always a new set of how to interact. Where does it leave us with the idea of 'establishing' a certain set of rules, as the fundament of a team culture? Is that even possible and if so, is the outcome what we expect it to be?

It's not about the sweaters and fun activities

So, let's start with the overarching definition that the Meriam Webster suggests: Culture: 'customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group' or 'the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization'. Wow! A lot of fuzzy words, that describe something that we easily want to establish by hosting team building workshops, role an office golf lane, a table-soccer or a pool in our offices, set-up a retreat to artificially get people to have fun together or come up with the unique hoodies, t-shirts and merch, to create a sense of belonging. I mean, it works in sports and at the large silicon valley tech giants, so it should work as well in all other spaces, right?

Ok, but all jokes aside, culture is emerging not forced. If you want to force or in softer terms encourage culture and create a sense of belonging, it will collapse with the next change of strategy, or it will result in a superficial 'yay, we are all in one boat' feeling, without any real community and experienced identity.

The aforementioned definition of the Merriam Webster describes culture with words such as 'attitude' and 'values'. Both of which are linked to an understanding of identity - more individually rather than collectively.

Attitude and values are linked to identity and the individual person's approach of the way of life.

Why sweaters and retreats won't bring about a culture

Let me disillusionize you for a moment: Have you ever experienced that there was any kind of team building initiative, such as an off-site, a team event, a fun night at the office, a special party or activity, perhaps a team movie or anything that suggested to have a common ground and grow together as a team? Do you remember, how blessed you felt, having these wonderful team colleagues around you, being really in love with work, the team, the company's mission, vision and values. When after a short period, maybe after one week, three weeks, maybe even 90 days, there was this challenge, where the dream team was slowly but steadily fading away. All the hype vanishing bit by bit. The picture of the triumphant superheroes becoming nothing but a picture in a high-school yearbook, a memory of a distant fun night or event. What had happened?

I'm sure, we all been there before. As team members and leaders alike. We ask ourselves, what did we do wrong? Was it the wrong venue? Do we have to do it regularly, do we have to really come up with a team building plan to get the people more engaged and push them to collaborate more? Do we need caps and scarfs instead of sweaters? Maybe, we should opt for a more colorful collection next time, or more challenging activities, or more white space for the people to interact and get to know each other better? Should we as well include a certain KPI or KR to the single team leads have more commitment?

Won't help. Because it is a construct that you are building, no depths, no common ground that is linked to life's goal and purpose of the individual. The team is still a group of individuals and not acting as ONE organism. No matter how much you invest in launching your own company's fashion brand or pay for expensive off-sites and coaches.

The core of who we are

I experienced it in so many of my past positions. My masters in cultural studies in the back of my head. Leaders are often desperate to find a way on how to create this sense of belonging to a construct. A constructed and not self-created cultural identity. Each team member has their own individual values and attitude as well as understanding of ethics. To create a coherent culture, it is key to give each team member a voice in creating this team identity together. Belonging can only occur inherently. It is part of who you are - don't want to be too philosophical here, but in a nutshell: it's the most philosophical topic we are addressing here.

Once this belonging in there, voluntarily, by choice, by feeling it and becoming it, a new 'team identity' emerges. It simply becomes and makes people who identify with that team, want to contribute and make the team as ONE organism successful. Sweaters, activities, communication, is something that comes naturally through the feeling of belonging. Belonging, because of shared values, shared goals and shared attitude. We start to communicate with one voice and know how to leverage each of the team member's qualities best - without really thinking about it. It comes natural, because it is our new 'home', 'family', part of our identity.

So, what is the solution?

The solution is simple. A team building initiative can only thrive if you address the topic of team identity. Only if the team finds a common ground - and not some artificially created venue that forces them to work together - but a real common ground and understanding on shared values and shared attitude, you have the fundament for a thriving team culture.

Once you have this you created a basis for a movement and the group of individuals become ONE and speak with one voice and aspire one goal, contributing each with what they have to offer.

You'll see, the team will be the most creative then, by cultivating their identity, their language, their brand and positioning. That's the logic underlying a culture. Think about the subcultures, that emerged in our societies. It is exactly how it comes about - a common cause and the team makes the rules and creates culture. Belonging is created from the inside out and can't be forced.

If you are interested to learn more on that new approach to team building. Let me know. Happy to hop on a zoom call and discuss further.

Bring it on!

Danny

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Words that stuck with me ‘The strength of the team is each individual team member. The strength of each team member is the team.’ Phil Jackson. This shows what identity really means and how this belonging drives to inspired action.

Reads that inspire me 

It's a somewhat older book, yet it is not any less relevant to get it back from the shelves and look at it. Adam Lashinsky's Inside Apple. 'I don't know anyone who wouldn't say it's the most fulfilling experience in their lives. People love it. Which is different from saying they have fun. Fun comes and goes. - Steve Jobs'

Chasing you inner Superhero ‘There's that moment every morning when you look in the mirror and ask yourself, are you committed or are you not.' - Lebron James