Dear Friends,
Our last two newsletters followed Emily and her team along the 5 Steps of Bridging. Each step helped them build genuine connections with one another, so they are empowered to move from being dissatisfied, untrusting, and siloed to feeling psychologically safe and accomplishing more for themselves and their company.
Step 1: Purpose saw the team examine the why behind their work. They agreed to ground rules for working with one another, and they documented what they wanted to accomplish as individuals and as a team. Step 2: Exploration was a bit more intense. They aired frustrations and concerns, discussed what worked and didn’t work, and were able to see themselves and each other from multiple perspectives. This step allowed them to own their feelings and their roles in their shared outcomes.
In the next step of Bridging, Imagination, Emily will use specific questions and the creativity of every member of her team to help her team chart a better way forward…TOGETHER.
Step 2 of Bridging: Imagination
Envision
For this step of Bridging, Emily started with the question: “What does GREAT look like for us?” It took a few minutes for the team to get started, but once they did, the floodgates opened. Everyone shared their thoughts on what a great team looked and felt like, what types of work a great team produced. Emily jotted down every reply—words, phrases, adjectives, even emotions.
Behave
Emily then asked, “What NEW behaviors do we need to embrace to make the GREAT we just described a reality? What existing behaviors do we need to practice more often, and which should we abandon?” These questions required more reflection. The team referred to their GREAT list often, reminded each other of their ground rules on a few occasions, and made sure every suggestion was clearly understood, captured, and posted where everyone could see.
Needs
Next, Emily asked each person, individually, what they needed to behave in these new ways. Though some responses were expected—i.e. information, training—more vulnerable answers like “respect,” “mentorship,” “autonomy,” and “the grace to make mistakes” were also offered.
Articulating and agreeing on the team’s unique version of great. Listing behaviors to stop, start, and continue to bring their great into existence. Having each person identify their individual needs to help them overcome real and perceived barriers. Step 3, Imagination, was not easy, but it was simple.
At the beginning of this journey, Emily uncovered dis-ease on her team. They didn’t know each other. They didn’t trust each other. They didn’t go the extra mile for themselves, their colleagues, or the company. The first three steps of Bridging—Purpose, Exploration, and Imagination—helped them better understand their current state and create common ground. That common ground is the foundation for connectedness. And as our CEO, Tara Jaye Frank, stated in the Waymakers book: “Connectedness… inspires curiosity. Dispels stereotypes. Broadens perspectives. Creates value. And nurtures respect.” Connectedness expedites success and gives teams specific goals and behaviors to work toward together, ensuring all people have opportunities to be seen, respected, valued, and protected at work.
In our next newsletter, we’ll learn how Emily encourages her team to act by exploring the fourth step of Bridging, Commitment.
Until next time, friends, keep making a way.
The Waymakers Change Group
