3 minute read
At Scott Bradbury we set about thinking what makes our team a happy one.
We’re a small team, so it’s often more obvious when one of us is looking frazzled, uncertain and veering towards the unhappy state. Picking up on these nuances early is key, and often in a team meeting it will be the ‘What’s Up?’ conversation that then sparks the honesty that tumbles out…a home issue, frustration with a task, a deadline looming. We celebrate the sharing of these feelings. There is empathy and concern. Discussion. Support. Then there is a resolution shared. And finally, a follow-up, either later that day or the next day. We don’t leave a problem to fester but ensure the issue is settled and resolved.
We respect the right to a bit of unhappiness and know that we can’t all be joyful all of the time. But I can truly say that there are very few meetings that haven’t ended up with some laughter, a giggle and a gentle amount of banter. In a team meeting the other week our director asked us to all share something that made us feel happy. Maybe that’s a bit contrived, but it works. Sharing something you feel good about releases those endorphins. Hearing some good news is infectious. But we respect, appreciate, and allow the space for some to have quiet and thoughtful times.
Change can often lead to employee unhappiness. Recently there have been some internal team changes at Scott Bradbury which could have led to disgruntlement and frustration. But instead of private behind closed doors conversations and decisions being led from above, we’ve all been involved in the change process. We’ve contributed to discussions, we’ve been listened to, and therefore we’ve felt valued. Whilst ultimately, it’s our director that makes the final decision, we respect her judgement. Involving the whole team in a change process leads to a happier team.
Provisioning space for wellbeing during the working day is important. Find a stress release activity that all your team can participate in. Whilst some may be reluctant to be involved, ask for open-mindedness and visibly watch as shoulders relax, and your colleagues find some peace and inner calm. We recently invited Julie Bristow, a health and wellbeing vocal practitioner, to run a couple of sessions on breathing techniques for the team. During these sessions we talked about how our wellbeing and happiness are intrinsically linked. Following on from the session we asked Julie to be involved in our Sound Advice podcast series. And if you’d like a practical take-home experience now follow this link to our website where you’ll find Julie’s podcast featured. Just listening to Julie’s voice makes me feel happy. What do you think?