Building Team Connections for Culture Change

If you’re trying to change culture in your department, small things that help team members feel seen and valued can go a long way. Try these strategies to build stronger, more meaningful connections between your team members:

Leader as Learner

Send a short note each month reflecting on one thing you learned from your team, insights gained from them, or when they inspired you. Encourage reciprocity.

Curiosity Moment

Dedicate 15 - 30 minutes every month to exploring one challenge with no expectation of solving it immediately. Just ask questions, gather information, and notice patterns.

Reflection Pairs

Devote 15 minutes in a staff meeting to pair team members together to answer a question such as, “What personal accomplishment are you most proud of?” or “What’s the hardest thing you ever had to do?” Then debrief to learn and notice shared values.

Stories and Glories Board

Create a bulletin board section where team members can place a post-it note highlighting something they’re proud of. It can be personal, such as their son making the winning tackle in the football game, or professional, such as obtaining a certification.

Strengths Word Cloud

Have each team member share a short story about a personal or professional success, then identify the strengths they used. Using a Word Cloud Generator App, create a word cloud of the team’s collective strengths and experiences and post it in a visible location on your unit.

Emotion Mapping

At the start of a meeting, ask team members to place a sticker or dot on a shared chart indicating how they feel. Use it to tune into the team’s energy with curiosity and without judgment. Click here for a free downloadable Mood Check Poster.

If your team connections are struggling because your unit culture needs work, consider exploring the Creating Culture Toolkit. It has everything you need in it to start shifting the culture and work environment in a different direction.