Encourage informal meetings

Design leaders play a crucial role in fostering the trust that inspires informal gatherings like lunch-and-learn sessions or casual coffee chats. These informal discussions connect teams and nurture the birth of innovative ideas that flourish in a relaxed atmosphere.

Here are a few tips to cultivate a team atmosphere:

• Share your own experiences and voice honest concerns. Begin conversations by discussing a recent challenge you faced and how you tackled it. This openness encourages others to share their experiences and challenges too.
• Actively listen to others' thoughts. Remember what your team members tell you. They may express concerns about meeting deadlines or difficulties with prioritizing tasks. You can offer advice, but more importantly, follow up on these discussions. Asking them specifically about these issues later shows that you're listening and truly care.
• Be genuinely interested in your team members' personalities. Getting to know them on a personal level, like learning about their families, pets, interests, and hobbies, can ease the atmosphere and spark conversations.