Rapport and Belonging

Happy Thursday!

This week feels like a blur.  I want to start by offering all celebrating Durja Puja a wonderful festival.  In reading about the celebration, I am uplifted as I too believe that no matter what occurs, good will always prevail. 

Next, it is quite a blur as the construction distraction outside my office has subsided and the house has officially been approved by the city.  

Now that doesn’t mean it is really done as the outdoor kitchen and road are still not finished, but the idea of moving from the trailer to the house is an amazing feeling.  

This weekend, that is what we will be doing, beginning the process of moving into the house.  As many of you know, this is an exhausting but rewarding process.  Plan for me to be mostly broken on Monday for not lifting with the legs.  LOL.   

Rapport and Belonging

When we think about living our company expectations, one thing that often gets overlooked is how essential it is to build rapport within the team (and across organizational boundaries).   

Rapport by definition is a close relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other’s feelings or ideas and communicate well. 

One can see rapport in a team as there are personal connections that are evident.  The team knows each other, hobbies, family, favorite programming language 😉 maybe even career goals. There is laughing at team meetings.  And, when new members join, they are acclimated quickly.

Rapport is important as it is a foundational step in moving to Belonging.  NOTE:  I know I sent information out a few Thursday Thoughts ago about Belonging but will reshare it here.

Belonging is being part of a team where opinions are respected and valued.  Where team members feel seen and heard.  And there is trust in the team.  A trust that leads to team members being able to share freely their thoughts.  Imaging collaborative sessions where everyone contributes equally, knowing their input matters.  That is what belonging is. 

And, honestly, don’t we all want to be part of a team where we belong?  Where we, as members of the team, are valued?  Where the team lift other team members up rather than pull them down?   I do.  My best years at the company were the times when I worked with a team without ego.  Where I belonged and knew that the team valued my contributions.  Times when the team helped me through difficult professional and personal times. 

Rapport is essential as it leads to belonging.  Belonging is key because it enables an environment where team members can:

1. Embrace Candor
2. Do What’s Right
3. Be Great at Execution
4. Learn and Grow
5. Champion Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

All five are equally essential in living our company expectations.

Take a moment and think about rapport and belonging.  If you are comfortable sharing, please let me know where our team can improve on building rapport and ensuring belonging.

Happy Thursday all,

-srt