A Coach's Diary

Cliques and the division that they cause are a quick way to separate teams. Great teams have great cultures, and great cultures are inclusive cultures where everybody feels like they belong, valued, and safe. When you have teams that are divided, they are more likely to break down when they face adversity, but when teams are together and invest in each other, they have what they need to fight through any storm, together. Diversity is the variety that makes up a team or community. Inclusion is how much the team and the community feel like they belong, valued, safe, and included. Most of our communities are growing more and more diverse, and it is important and valuable to find ways to use that diversity as a strength. When you have people on the team who look and think differently and have different skill-sets, you can avoid groupthink and find ways to maximize what each teammate brings. Plus, recognizing and appreciating diversity and inclusion is Biblical. In Matthew, chapter 22, the ...

If you want your team to perform better, create an inclusive culture and climate. Research shows that when team members develop a shared understanding of the team's goals and align each team members' contributions to the shared goals, those teams outperform teams that don't. Research also shows that when all team members feel like they belong and when they feel valued for the uniqueness that they bring to the team, and when they feel safe, the team members are work harder, smarter, and more together. When a team has the right climate and culture, it can outperform other teams. How do you know if you have the right culture, what do you do if your culture needs to improve, and what do you do if you already have a strong and inclusive culture? Assess Your Current Climate The first step to shaping an inclusive culture and climate is to assess the current levels of inclusiveness of your climate. Observe your team so that you can plan your strategy for how you can communicate inc...