Go beyond typical team icebreakers
If you have a team of people who’ve never worked together before, it can be really eye-opening to do an icebreaker that goes beyond the typical get-to-know-you stuff. Sure, it’s fun to learn where someone grew up or who would play them in the movie of their life, but here are some team icebreakers that will help reveal deeper aspects about who people are, what they value, and how they like to work.
Knowing when to raise a flag
Almost all of us have a gut sense when things feel off with the team — like when everyone is working later and later hours but the team still struggles to hit deadlines, or when conversations between team members have an edge to them. While it can be hard to summon the courage to say […]
Keep an inspiration log
In the day-to-day grind of the workday, it’s easy to lose your sense of excitement and purpose. And, when you feel drained and distracted by the demands of your to-do list, you struggle to remember that there’s a deeper meaning to the work you do. And yet inspiration can come from many places: from a productive brainstorming session […]
Stay a step ahead of change
There’s nothing so certain as change, and nothing more dizzying than being caught off-guard by it. You may be focused on powerful, purposeful work — but if your team has tunnel vision, all that time and effort might be undermined. Here’s a question that will help you stay prepared.
Create a story to build belief
Is your team having trouble getting support from key stakeholders? Are you trying to push a larger change within your organization and facing resistance? If so, it’s time to start thinking about your story.
When conflict is slowing the team down
One of the most common team types we see is one we call “Fierce but Fragmented.” This is a team made up of passionate people who all care about doing great work but who have a hard time collaborating together. Often, the source of the problem is weak or broken duos—people don’t fully understand or […]