[Excerpt from The Culture Question]  In organizational culture, interdependence refers to the extent to which team members rely on each other for the functioning of their teams. Although every team is different from moment to moment, on a fundamental level, it is the interdependence of team members that makes a group of coworkers a team. As they come to realize … Read More

I recently had the opportunity to reengage as a school board superintendent for three months after several years of retirement. In that work, I interacted daily with school and board administrators at a very large school board (60,000 students) in Ontario. During my time on the board, I was impressed by the capacity of so many caring leaders to learn, … Read More

[Excerpt from The Culture Question]  Team-building retreats and workshops have become the norm for organizations seeking to foster team spirit. Team-building days typically include some combination of the following: a game to break people out of their everyday roles, an exercise that helps build trust among team members, a challenge that requires everyone’s participation to be successful, and a fun … Read More

When’s the last time you used the phrase, “Classic ______,” to describe someone’s behaviour? “Did Bob just run into a stationary object? Classic Bob.” “Did Karen just demand to speak to the manager? Classic Karen.” These are fun because there is usually just the right amount of truth to them. In fact, the more you say them, the more true … Read More

Stress at work is nothing new. Whether it’s a result of heavy workloads, organizational change, or long hours, stress at work happens, but it can also be managed. However, when workplace stress gets in the way of our communication with colleagues, it can lead to further anxiety, miscommunication, and outbursts. How can we navigate high-stress situations at work without alienating … Read More

[Excerpt from The Culture Question]  We are often told to avoid following the crowd. In words often attributed to George Bernard Shaw, “The minority is sometimes right; the majority is always wrong.” But sometimes a crowd can provide insights that an individual cannot. Francis Galton, a brilliant researcher in the early 1900s, demonstrated this point perfectly. He came across a … Read More

[Excerpt from The Culture Question] If you have worked in an organization with more than a few people for long enough, you may have witnessed an office romance – or maybe you’ve been part of one yourself. Statistics vary, but a quick web search pulls up multiple sources suggesting that approximately 40 percent of workers have dated a coworker at some … Read More

[Excerpt from The Culture Question] Although we want to encourage relationships, we also want to actively discourage the formation of cliques in our workplaces. When cliques do form, leaders need to deal with them promptly and effectively. Cliques are exclusive groups of people who share common interests. They are surrounded by thick relational walls that are difficult to penetrate. Cliques … Read More

“Dream a dream, form a team.” This was the mantra at an organization where I used to work. Teams were the answer to every question: Have an idea? Form a team. Need to solve a problem? Form a team. Want to create an event? Form a team. Need to change the coffee filter? Form a team. Although I have great … Read More

Consider how many times you have approached a colleague and asked them how they are only to be met with the automatic response the vast majority of us have – the typical “Good,” or “Fine, thanks.” Sometimes these exchanges can leave us feeling as if something was left unsaid. Or our intuition may be tingling because we know their answers … Read More