CULTURE
“A STRONG OFFICE
CULTURE REQUIRES
HAVING AN ALIGNED
SET OF VALUES THAT IS
SHARED BY THE ENTIRE
TEAM.”
Team, with over six million copies sold. In the midst of all this, he
is offering a series of webinars I’ve had the pleasure of sampling.
During a recent webinar, Lencioni talked about how everybody
is on a roller coaster right now. Everybody is struggling to
balance home and work, doing their best to just get by.
In terms of office culture, we need to understand that
everybody’s roller coaster is different because this reminds us
we really have to be patient with each other. We have to
acknowledge that just because today is a high point for us
doesn’t mean it’s a high point for everybody else, and vice versa.
With so many struggling to strike a balance between work and
other top priorities, it can’t be reasonably expected at a time like
this that your whole team be working a standard 8 am to 5 pm.
Because everybody’s roller coaster is different, the rate and
frequency of strain for each person is going to be different.
Some colleagues stuck at home entirely alone may be happy to
continue working their usual hours, while others may be
providing care for loved ones or taking part in “home schooling”
and unable to commit to an eight hour work day every day.
Check in with your team often to see where everyone is at and
assess how the day might look based on this. Plan accordingly
and be prepared to adapt as needed. Remind everyone
constantly that you are all in this together and that you are
there to support them.
Take advantage of digital platforms such as Zoom for online
meetings. Don’t underestimate the value of tuning in just to
say hello, to see how everyone is doing and where they’re at.
Visually experiencing each other’s situation will also help
colleagues and management feel more empathetic towards
those who might be shuffling work-life hats.
Be mindful that some of us are simply struggling to navigate
life without face-to-face contact, and that’s okay too.
A strong office culture requires having an aligned set of values
that is shared by the entire team. There should be a standard
for how colleagues interact with each other that is upheld by
everyone in the workplace.
Translating these values into digital communication may
require some creativity using the unlimited online tools at
your disposal. Ask for team input on which software would be
most effective in your team and industry setting.
The key to Team Tulip culture is our daily huddle. This is where
we all check in to take the temperature of the day and figure
out what everyone is working on. Where these used to take
place in the office, we now hold them every morning on Zoom.
We also have a Beer O’Clock on Fridays at 4 pm, which was
formerly in the office and now taking place via Zoom. This is
where we do a relaxing debrief of the week and find out
everybody’s plans for the weekend. It’s a great way to send
everyone off.
Our team has experienced firsthand the shuffling of jobs
between people, in our case accommodating colleagues having
to care for children during certain times. Some work is going
on in the morning and some in the evening instead of just
during regular working hours. Everyone has been really
understanding of that and made adjustments as needed.
When everybody knows they are valued, it makes a massive
difference. We all trust each other and believe that each one of
us is giving all that we can at this time. We just need to be a bit
more flexible with our hours and our attitudes.
We’re really proud of how everyone has handled the situation
and had each other’s back. All of us have gone above and
beyond to support one another and our clients during this
time, and we cherish that.
EVEN THOUGH WE’RE APART, WE
ARE EXCITED TO SHARE OUR
SECRETS OF SUCCESS WITH YOU
FROM HOME. GET IN TOUCH WITH
ONE OF OUR TRUSTED EXPERTS TO
LEARN HOW TO KEEP YOUR TEAM
COHESIVE IN A DIGITAL SETTING.
YOU’LL FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED
TO GET STARTED AT
WWW.TM.MEDIA.
Erika MacLeod is the Managing Editor/Publisher at Tulip
Media Group. With over 15 years of organizational
experience, Erika works closely with Client-Partners and is
Tulip's liason with their renowned national contributors.
Erika's first book, co-authored with Stacey Cowperthwaite,
on culture is set to be released this summer!
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