The culture you create within your team is vital to its success and its ability to perform and this has a lot to do with how happy your team are.
I’ve worked in organisations that are so focused on appearing to achieve that workplace fun and banter are seen as a big no no.
However in my experience this is the wrong attitude to take for several reasons.
First and foremost, a team that bonds is a team that succeeds. There has been lots of studies which demonstrate that highly performing teams are those that have created strong bonds and a feeling of camaraderie. Talking and laughing together is an essential ingredient in building this feeling of camaraderie.
Second is the importance of well being. Working with your nose to the grindstone, failing to take breaks or enjoying the company of those around you leads to feels of anxiety, stress and isolation which are all key ingredients in raising blood pressure. So giving yourself and your team the room to have idle conversations have a massive health benefit too.
Lastly, and maybe unexpectedly, finding opportunities to have banter and chat to other around the office will actually help widen your reach and build relationships outside of your direct team. All things which an effective leader needs to develop.
So sit back, grab a quick cuppa and tell someone about what you did last night, tell a joke or just smile.
