[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.17.3″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/1-6.jpeg” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_phone=”” hover_enabled=”0″ padding_mobile=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” title_text=”Multi,Ethnic,Businesspeople,Brainstorming,Company,Ideas,During,Online,Videocall,Conference” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ height=”200px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”72″ text_line_height=”1.1em” header_font=”||||||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”0px||3px|” custom_padding=”||0px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”52″ text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Improve Your Hybrid or Remote Team Culture with Three Connection Activity Ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”25.3125px|0px|0|0px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”1200px” custom_padding=”20px||0px|” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” custom_padding_phone=”” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1200px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Picture1.png” title_text=”Picture1″ show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation=”off” sticky=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#02b875″ text_font_size=”20″ text_line_height=”1.2em” header_text_color=”#000000″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||0px|” global_colors_info=”{}”]SEAN GLAZE<\/span><\/a> The problem is obvious to most remote or hybrid team leaders.<\/p>\n Your people are overwhelmed\u2026 exhausted with stress\u2026 and perhaps feeling a lack of support.<\/p>\n The people that they would have built supportive relationships with at the office are now located in another state.\u00a0 The office conversations that would have happened when people bumped into each other or peeked into a coworker’s office aren\u2019t happening.<\/p>\n And so, as a leader, you have already defined the strategy.<\/p>\n But you know that the implementation and execution of that strategy are being affected by the lack of connection and collaboration that your remote team members are experiencing.<\/p>\n And while the problem has prompted many leaders to try new ways to build relationships on remote teams, those attempts seldom have the intended positive impact.<\/p>\n Maybe the well-intentioned connection activity was held after work and poorly attended.<\/p>\n Maybe your team felt like it was just a one-time band-aid with little real impact.<\/p>\n Whatever the reason, many attempts to strengthen remote team relationships fail because they are missing two important elements\u2026 ALL truly successful corporate teambuilding events<\/a>, whether they are remote or in-person, emphasize the importance of RELEVANCE and REPETITION.<\/p>\n First, RELEVANCE is important because nobody wants to waste their time \u2013 it is far too precious a commodity for your faculty. \u00a0If you want to strengthen relationships and inspire collaboration, you need to be clear about the reason for the event or activity!<\/p>\n So when you make the decision to plan and invest time and energy in putting together a connection activity to improve collaboration and morale, you want to be sure everyone understands why.<\/p>\n Second, REPETITION is vital\u2026 because teambuilding and culture are ongoing.\u00a0 They require constant attention and reinforcement, or they will begin to fade.<\/p>\n A team culture-building keynote speaker<\/a> may improve morale and inspire your people to be winning teammates for a few days after the program \u2013 but you need to plan on continuing with connection activity ideas that will sustain the improved morale and deepen those remote connections.<\/p>\n The answer is that you will want to commit to SIMPLE and CONSISTENT activity \u2013<\/p>\n You cannot just schedule an occasional or annual experience that you hope will be sufficient.<\/p>\n So \u2013 you begin by identifying the WHEN.<\/p>\n Think of an appropriate time when you will have the opportunity to invest in a connection activity.\u00a0 Your initial (and perhaps most meaningful) thought may be about how you could do something in your weekly meeting. That would be fantastic.<\/p>\n In fact, I put together an entire blog article on productive team meetings <\/a>\u00a0(with a useful template download<\/a>) about how you can use your weekly gathering as an opportunity to build relationships and celebrate impressive efforts.<\/p>\n Maybe you have a morning get-together one day each week that you schedule specifically for connections and morale.<\/p>\n Maybe you do something every two weeks.<\/p>\n But you need to set aside the time that you will need to accomplish your goal of improved relationships and collaboration, because a recent study found that\u00a0 80% of employees feel stressed due to ineffective communication\u201d (Go Remotely 2020<\/a>).<\/p>\n And, if you succeed in developing stronger connections, Gallup reports that \u201cconnected teams demonstrate a 21% increase in profitability\u201d (2020<\/a>).<\/p>\n Next, you will want to fil the time you have set aside by choosing one or two of the following useful remote team connection activity ideas below.<\/p>\n And if you maintain your commitment to them over time you will see a significant positive impact on your culture, morale, and collaboration.<\/p>\n CONVERSATION CARDS<\/strong><\/p>\n These are high-quality, colorful, plastic-coated mini-sized cards that you will be able to use (and reuse) for years. Conversation cards<\/a> are a 54-card deck of questions that will spark meaningful and interesting conversations among the people on your team.<\/p>\n To use them with your remote team as a connection activity, you can simply draw a card and have each person in your group answer it out loud.<\/p>\n In meetings with more than 10-12 people attending, simply create breakout groups of 5-6 people and have them share with each other.\u00a0 You can modify the breakout groups each week to ensure that different people get to learn about each other and share information.<\/p>\n The entire activity usually takes less than 10 minutes.<\/p>\n Do this consistently at every meeting, though, to ensure that your people get the benefit of sharing and learning about the people they will be depending on.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f7f7f4″ min_height=”53px” custom_padding=”0||0||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ make_equal=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” module_class=” et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” width_tablet=”100%” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” make_fullwidth=”on” custom_width_px=”680px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/2-6.jpeg” alt=”video presentation” title_text=”Happy,Young,Caucasian,Female,Engaged,In,Online,Training,Or,Course” show_bottom_space=”off” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.17.3″ hover_enabled=”0″ animation=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#efefe9″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/3-6.jpeg” title_text=”Rear,View,Young,Indian,Ethnicity,Employee,Holding,Video,Conference,Web” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.17.3″ hover_enabled=”0″ animation=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|” _builder_version=”4.17.3″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#818178″ text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20%|10%||10%” custom_margin_tablet=”|10%||10%” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Whatever the reason, many attempts to strengthen remote team relationships fail because they are missing two important elements.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#888888″ text_font_size=”12″ text_letter_spacing=”2px” text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||20%|” custom_margin_tablet=”20px||3.1%|||” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}”]SEAN GLAZE RAPID RESPONSE CHAT<\/strong><\/p>\n Another fun and effective way to create connections and build relationships and awareness of others on your team is the Rapid Response and Reply activity.<\/p>\n Then, you explain to all attendees that their job is to respond in the chat with their own answer to the question\u2026 and then spend the rest of the time looking back at responses from others\u2026<\/p>\n The reality is that we can READ faster than we can talk \u2013 so you can learn a lot about the people you work with by scanning their responses!<\/p>\n You will simply take 5 minutes out of your meeting to post a question, such as:<\/p>\n – WHO WAS THE BEST TEACHER YOU EVER HAD AND WHY?<\/em><\/p>\n – IF YOU COULD INSTANTLY CHANGE ONE BAD HABIT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?<\/em><\/p>\n – ONE THING I\u2019D LIKE MORE HELP WITH NOW IS\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n You will find that people refer to the answers that are given \u2013 and remember specific details of their teammates \u2013 the more often you do this.<\/p>\n WHAT\u2019S HELPING \/ HINDERING YOU?<\/strong><\/p>\n Similar to Rapid Response Chats, this activity is an opportunity for you to not only gauge where your people are, but it also allows team members to consider and share ideas.<\/p>\n It begins as a breakout group activity\u2026 but can absolutely lead to helpful and supportive live conversations in your remote meetings if you want to expand to that!<\/p>\n Set aside 10-15 minutes each week and simply ask your people to answer the following questions:<\/p>\n If you have less than 10 people, you can go around and have everyone share with the whole group.<\/p>\n If you have more than that, create breakout groups of 5-6 for the discussion to occur.<\/p>\n Be sure to encourage everyone NOT to limit their answers to work stuff only\u2026 you may find out a little of what Is affecting them may be personal issues that otherwise you would have remained unaware of.<\/p>\n The great thing about this activity is that people are encouraged to share what they are benefiting from (others can steal good ideas!) as well as what they are challenged by (and others can share suggestions and advice to overcome it).<\/p>\n Of course, there are many other ideas you may be interested in using to help build connection and inspire collaboration across your remote team.<\/p>\n But these are tried and effective activity ideas \u2013<\/p>\n And the key to improving your morale and strengthening connections and relationships on your remote team is to commit to consistently including one or more of them in your weekly meetings.<\/p>\n
\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”PT Serif||on||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”16″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”10px||60px|” global_colors_info=”{}”]Sean inspires people to have fun laughing together so they can have more success working together.\u00a0 \u00a0His three books, The Unexpected Leader, Rapid Teamwork, and The 10 Commandments of Winning Teammates are powerful parables for building and leading great teams!
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”720px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nSO HOW DO YOU DO THAT?<\/h4>\n
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”4″ column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”1200px” custom_padding=”0||0px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” custom_padding_phone=”” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1200px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”20″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”5px||0px|||” custom_margin_tablet=”40px||0px|” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”0px|||||” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n\n