The Elements of a Healthy Team Culture
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The Elements of a Healthy Team Culture

The culture of a team — the habits and behavioral norms among its members — has a big impact on its performance. Every leader knows they need to build a strong team culture, but what does that actually entail? There are three key elements you need to develop and protect, according to research.

  • Psychological safety. Do team members feel safe expressing themselves, speaking up when they have questions or concerns, disagreeing with each other, and making mistakes? When they do, diverse perspectives emerge and people are more likely to intervene and state their opinions or concerns before errors occur.

  • Common goals. Everyone should understand how their own expertise and responsibilities contribute to the team’s overall performance and its place within the broader organizational context.
  • Prosocial purpose. Knowing the purpose of their work isn’t enough; employees also want to know who their work is serving. When team members know that they’re making a valuable contribution to the world and producing work that positively impacts others, they feel prosocial purpose, which, in turn fuels collective focus and motivation.

Read the article: "What Makes Some Teams High Performing?" by David Burkus


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Learn more:

Keep Your Team on Track Amid Cost-Cutting, Layoffs, and Uncertainty


Create Stories That Change Your Company’s Culture


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Fostering a healthy team culture is crucial for success. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and motivated to do their best work.

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Ian Chamandy

Over 400 CEOs have used Blueprinting to rally employees, leadership teams, boards, vendors and other partners around a shared vision by creating a clear, concise and compelling purpose in 7 words or less.

5mo

Here is a simple model for infusing your culture with purpose.

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michael kane

Lost and Found Clerk | Columbia College Graduate

7mo

Last add and or word of mouth i hers from my former company was merly this! I should and i quote "get a lawyer" Target auidence i will be subitting my licence tommorw and returning and companey proerty still in my home! You do not deserve me as an employee! So those who kmow and read this from me! I leave you with this statement! I am done amd you can take the done and mike street any day of the week! Because your done and brad street offer foe me has long since expired its welcome! Not to leave out last i checked with the owner (s) i was told there was no room im the budjet for a conaultent! Best of luck im q1 2024 you have more then enough of the people i trained for you in your staff roster! I for one am not intrested in being a security guard no longer. So consider this my digital resignation! Happy whatever you celeberate!

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Michael Ferrara

🏳️🌈Solutions Consultant | Technology | Science | Life | LinkedIn Influencer | Author, Tech Topics | My goal is to give, teach & share what I can. Featured on Kunato.Ai | Upwork | Salarship.com

7mo

This thought-provoking article misses the mark for me. I question whether its elements truly define a healthy culture, especially the emphasis on a prosocial purpose, which seems more peripheral than central. I haven't encountered convincing data, including in the article, to show a strong link between prosocial purposes and a positive team environment. While social responsibility is commendable and increasingly important in businesses, equating it with job satisfaction might be misleading. It risks overshadowing what employees genuinely seek: psychological safety, involved leadership, autonomy, growth opportunities, and fair compensation. While employees appreciate a socially responsible employer, genuine job satisfaction stems from effective support, leadership, and a workplace that values their contributions.

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