Belle River Automatons 4920

Me: slowly starts whispering, week 6…week 6… while also curled in a ball rocking

A positive culture is the holy grail of many FRC teams. Here are four crucial steps towards creating a good working environment for your team.  

1). Develop a sense of history

History is important to people, giving them a sense of identity and belonging. Tell stories about the history of your team to your new members – that funny time when nothing seemed to work because of a typo in the code, or the match where your robot drove up the wall. Connect the best of the past to the present and in doing, so create the future.

2). Create a sense of one-ness

Leaders who bring people together talk about ‘us’ more than ‘I’. They propagate the stories of history and present stories that create a sense of togetherness. They also create objectives for the team that ensure that team members have to work together.

3). Promote a sense of membership

Belonging also comes from the benefits that people gain, so work on the reward and recognition system. More than anything else, the most important process in an organization is selection. Creating a meritocracy means this is done fairly, with a focus on the best person for the job rather than on favoritism. When people join, have a very deliberate process of socialization, where they learn the culture and the present organization. Having past team members and leaders present to the new recruits sends a very powerful message. Likewise in training and throughout the Build Season, a consistent promotion of the culture through all things sustains the message and the meaning.

4). Increase contact and exchange

Help people stay in touch with one another. Work to create inter-group cooperation and collaboration. Have subteam-exchange programs and move people sideways so they spread ideas and get to understand the bigger picture.

So what?