Do you want to:
- Use new collaboration strategies to improve communication?
- Increase respect in the workplace?
- Reduce conflict and stress?
- Re-energize your team?
If you said “yes” to even one question – Please continue reading! All teams need a wake-up call from time to time – an energy boost or an attitude adjustment.
How do you know when it’s time for your team to get re-energized?
- Look at them. Is there energy in the team?
- Are they communicating with respect?
- Do your teams make time for stress relief exercises?
- Are people excited about work?
- Are employees talking to each other?
- Is there laughter and fun in the air?
If you answered “no” to even one of these questions, then it could be time for you to initiate your team for ideas on how to use new collaboration strategies, increase respect, and reduce stress. It helps if you are open and will use some of their ideas.
For many companies, it’s the “same old” routine day in and day out. People grudgingly go through the motions of work, but they don’t have their heart into it. There’s so much stress or negativity in the air that you can cut it with a knife. The silence is deafening, and when someone does talk, it’s laced with sarcasm and retaliation – there is an overabundance of conflict in the workplace.
But work doesn’t have to be this way. You can help your team learn new facts about stress so everyone is focused and having fun again.
Here’s how:
Collaboration Strategies #1: Create a stress relief committee 
Ask for volunteers to head a stress relief committee. Typically the people who want this role are the overly optimistic people who are full of energy anyway, but that’s okay.
You need someone to take the lead. Empower the committee to determine when the team needs to do various stress relief exercises and allow them to organize a group break so everyone can recharge.
Collaboration Strategies #2: Ask the group for their input
Ask them the question – What does respect mean?
You can’t mandate what the team “should” do to reduce stress and re-energize. That approach will always backfire because someone (or maybe everyone) will think the activity is “dumb” or a “waste of time.” Therefore, have the stress relief committee find out what each person would like to do to reduce stress and increase respect in the workplace.
It could be anything from:
- Bringing in a chair masseuse once a month
- Getting everyone to dance to some upbeat music
- Having a 15-minute silence break.
There are numerous collaborations strategies and I will include more examples in the next article. The possibilities are endless so long as you get everyone’s input.
Collaboration Strategies #3: Address the nay-sayers
Invariably you’ll have at least one person who won’t want to go along with the group’s activity. The key to winning this person over is to find out what he or she needs to do to reduce stress. Whatever you do, don’t let the nay-sayer sit out from the designated activity. That will only cause others to look down on him or her and erode the team’s spirit and increase workplace gossip.
Instead, say to the person, “As the manager, it’s my job to make sure everyone has some stress relief. Tell me what will help you re-energize.” Listen to what the person says and do that activity next (as long as he or she participates in the current activity).
Let’s Get Real
Everyone needs a fun break from time to time – an escape from the stresses of work and life. So give your team the opportunity to discuss how to reduce stress and which collaboration strategies work for them. By doing so, they’ll have the strength and creativity to get more done in less time – and with better results.
Was this helpful?
Send me an email or add your thoughts in the comment section.
Feel free to share these collaboration strategies with your team.
This is Joyce Weiss
Corporate Communication Strategist and Career Coach
Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”
P.S. Read more articles and listen to podcasts at our Team Building Strategies Knowledge Base.
You Really Like Going to Work…Except For: 
Glad that you decided to find out the answer which is…It Depends! Some bosses are open and welcome constructive feedback while others are so full of ego and don’t encourage an open dialogue. I just returned from presenting several workshops at the US Chamber Institute in Madison WI. It was a real privilege speaking with men and women who work in chambers or associations throughout the USA. 