Notes and takeaways from The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups

Culture is a set of living relationships working toward a shared goal. It’s not something you are. It’s something you do. My notes and takeaways from The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups

Behaviors that demonstrate team cohesiveness are:

  • Eye contact
  • Short energetic exchanges (AKA no long speeches)
  • Members talk with each other and not just the team leader
  • Few interruptions
  • Lots of questions
  • Active listening
  • Humor and laughter
  • Attentive courtesies such as saying thank you
  • Balanced talk time between participants
  • Members break, explore, and then bring back information to the team

Group performance depends on behavior that communicates one powerful overarching idea: We are safe and connected.

They succeeded because they understood that being vulnerable together is the only way a team can become invulnerable.

Three questions to ask your direct reports:

  1. What is one thing I currently do that you’d like me to continue doing?
  2. What is one thing I don’t currently do frequently enough that you think I should do more often?
  3. What can I do to make you more effective?

Name and rank your priorities while being tenfold as clear about your priorities as you think you should be.