One principle is to adopt a workplace culture that puts people first and encourages colleagues to embrace, trust and support each other. “Referred to as shared empathy, this state is a leading indicator of effective teams,” Cannon Thomas and Laura Delizonna write for HBR. “Leaders and teams cultivate shared empathy when they learn and care about each other’s deeper experience and take interest in each other’s lives—celebrating birthdays and inquiring about people’s children, spouses, and hobbies.”
Other principles include rallying around shared goals, modeling humility and curiosity, celebrating wins and helping employees to connect the dots. “Knowing that one’s work has impact and feeling that the work is meaningful are two of the top five predictors of a high-performing team,” write Thomas and Delizonna. “Always connect the dots between the work and the greater purpose or goal, and help every individual understand how their own work contributes to the collective success.”