How often do you find yourself working in a team? For most of us, even in this more virtual world in which we live, team collaboration is a key part of our experience and when we get it right the results speak for themselves.

We’re a social species and we’ve evolved to come together with others to collaborate and innovate and when it works well, and we collectively perform at our peak, it’s an enjoyable and rewarding experience. In fact, for many of us, whether in the boardroom or on the sports field, this is our ultimate state being deeply focused, innovative, in tune with others and deeply alive.

Scientists refer to this state as group flow. From a biological perspective, when in group flow we get rewarded by some of the most potent and feel-good neurochemicals available. This cocktail of neurochemicals makes us want to experience flow again and again.

Think of the teams that you are part of and consider whether your teams could benefit from more group flow. For most of us, there’s no shortage of opportunity but how do we do it? Well, scientists and researchers have studied this long and hard and here’s some of the top ways you can build more group flow into your teams.

1. A shared ambition you all believe in

Does your team have a sense of purpose that you are all connected to? For many teams their purpose is rarely, if ever, discussed and is often separate from the day-to-day activity of the team. The best teams invest a tremendous amount of time and energy into shaping a purpose that they believe in and place it at the heart of everything they do.

Could you sharpen up your team’s purpose, so you are all connected to it? Or would it be helpful to put a clear and meaningful one in place at the centre of your team?

2. Moving in one direction

When in flow, our sense of self disappears as we focus on the needs of the group. Having a common purpose helps individual members to drop their own agenda focus on the team. When our individual agenda is at the forefront and we bring it into a group setting we struggle to work as a cohesive unit, feeling more like individual entities pulling in different directions.

Before a team meeting or activity, could you refocus on your team’s purpose and consider what the team needs from you and its other members right now?

3. Knowing each other

How well do you know the other people on your team? Whilst the last couple of years have presented challenges for getting to know colleagues, the benefits are huge. You don’t have to know all of their intimate details but focus on knowing how they work best. Consider whether you know the strengths of your team members, how they like to work, what they need from their colleagues and anything else that brings out the best in them. The more you know about each other, the more able you are to work as a cohesive unit.

Think about the teams that you are in and consider what questions you could ask to help you to bring the best out in each other?

4. Complete concentration

How focused are the team in meetings? Does anyone happen to be tapping on their phone or gazing out of the window thinking about everything they have to do that day? To get into group flow we need to be deeply present in our interactions, focused on the task at hand. This might seem increasingly challenging in today’s technological age but with commitment and building good habits, change is possible.

How could you be more focused in your team meetings? What are the biggest attention zappers for you and the team? What habits could you create to build more focus in your life?

5. Open communication

How openly do your team communicate? Many teams struggle to create the environment in which everything can be discussed in a clear and candid manner. We often tip toe around others, worry about hurting feelings, withhold information we think helps us and on it goes. Yet if we create a system for and commitment to open communication with the aim of serving the team, the potential for the team to excel drastically increases.

How could you help the team to create a system for open communication? What steps would you need to take?

The benefits of group flow are huge both within and outside of work, so is 2022 going to be your year of reaching our species’ ultimate state of group flow more of the time?

If you would like to find out more about Group Flow and how to access it consistently, we’d love to talk to you. We offer individual and group programs to step by step build individual and group flow in your life and organisation. Please reach out to amanda@wellineux.com

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