I had the pressure of visiting Melbourne last week, there was a little work and a whole lot of pleasure. And, when in Melbourne let’s Melbourne I say. So visiting small bars and cafes was in order and what surprised me was the correlation between work and play.
I was sitting in an Asian fusion venue in the middle of the CBD and it was flat out. Noisy, crowded and full on. The food was superb and the drinks were divine. The service was outstanding, and this is where the correlation appeared. Team work was so obvious, yet smooth enough to be invisible to the average diner.
It started when we lined up for a seat. As one waiter greeted us another checked our needs and another seamlessly seated us at the right time and in the right place. There were clear sections assigned to each staff member, yet when ‘our’ waiter appeared occupied another took over. No communication, no request, just a need recognised and enacted with little commotion or fanfare.
It got me thinking about the team I’m a part of and how this plays out for us. We’ve had a need recently and our leaders seamlessly listened to understand, consulted, devised a plan and assigned tasks. Yet when an additional need arose someone stepped in at the right time to fill the gap and get the job done. The communication was not obvious, yet it was perfect and enabled everyone to be in tune. And at the end of the day, when the job was done, the gratitude and congratulations flowed.
Teams don’t just happen, they are created, monitored and maintained. Their culture purposefully built. Their leaders create an environment where members are respected, acknowledged, celebrated and trusted. Their members participate with genuine care and commitment. This is built on a value of high expectation and not walking past what is not accepted. And, when things do need addressing, they are addressed quickly and quietly through a restorative lens in a way that repairs harm and restores the working environment.
When this happens and you have all the stakeholders on the same page, there is magic. Magic that creates the laughter, the commitment, the vibe that gets the job done. Looking after our culture enables amazing outcomes to be achieved.
Check out other articles Candice has written here.