Your team is struggling to work together. How can you build camaraderie?

Imagine your team as a ship navigating stormy seas. To build camaraderie, you don't just hand them life jackets – you become the lighthouse guiding them home. Start by fostering trust through open communication, then steer them towards shared goals with team-building activities. Recognize their efforts as you would the crew who keeps the ship afloat. Together, weathering every challenge becomes not just a duty, but a shared triumph.

Get to know something about each of your team members' lives outside work. Build connections through common interests and have a good feel for what challenges they're facing in life.

In my view, to build camaraderie within the team, initiate team-building activities, encourage open communication, and provide opportunities for shared experiences that promote mutual understanding and collaboration among team members.

In my experience, the best way to build camaraderie and communicate effectively with team members is by identifying common ground - whether it's through a casual coffee chat or an icebreaker activity. Encouraging team members to bring their whole selves to work fosters a sense of connection. It's essential to communicate respectfully and support one another when facing challenges, while also celebrating achievements together.

Building camaraderie boils down to one thing: talking and listening like humans. It's about sharing ideas, listening to each other's quirks, and hashing out disagreements with respect. When we communicate openly and genuinely, we're not just avoiding drama, but we're also building a tribe of trust and support. As a leader, I've seen the magic that happens when teams communicate as friends, driving us toward our goals with ease and plenty of lot of laughs along the way.

Although we all understand that not everyone will like one another due to different factors, such as different personalities, temperament etc, the leader of the group or organization has an obligation to clearly set the tone and create an environment where there is mutual respect for one another. That usually comes from top down. Also, by celebrating the wins and addressing challenges in a positive manner can create a more inclusive teamwork culture within the organization. I find that if there is a common goal and vision that everyone is working towards, the personal nuances tends to dissipate slowly, by themselves. The common vision usually takes the lead, as long as the leadership is one of encouragement & positivity.

Team bonding activities play a crucial role in fostering strong relationships, trust, and collaboration within a team. These activities provide opportunities for team members to connect on a personal level, build rapport, and develop a sense of camaraderie. Whether it's through fun social events, team-building exercises, or shared experiences, team bonding helps break down barriers, enhance communication, and create a positive work environment. By participating in these activities, team members learn to appreciate each other's strengths, work better together, and support one another through challenges. Ultimately, team bonding strengthens the cohesion of the team, leading to improved morale, productivity, and overall performance.

A little levity never hurt anyone… On the other hand, a big levity could do quite a bit of damage. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 1000 times… Humor is the great connector. It builds trust, it diffuses situations, it can endure you to others, and it can alleviate tension. This is all great for teambuilding, making connections and building relationships. this is why I devoted an entire section in my book to humor. #GivingCandyToStrangers.

Post covid this became a very real issue for many of us. Of the many things we tried to rebuild cohesion, introducing a sense of selflessness worked the best. Starting meetings by asking people to call out something another person had done to benefit the group, taking turns to bring in the morning tea (instead of simply buying biscuits), trying not to use the word "I" when we talked and being vulnerable enough to identify at least one thing the group could to help you and your team in the coming month all made a difference.