Eight steps to establishing a culture of any engagement
- Show up as your best self
- Remain neutral
- Establish guidelines of engagement and communication
- Create emotional safety which allows people to be more open with ideas
- Build trust
- Be more creative
- Be inclusive; hear all voices
- Decide how everyone should talk with one another
How to bring your best self:
- Honestly assess where you are now – mood, feelings, body
- Step back and ponder processes
- Upend conventional thinking
- Be more creative
- Be able to receive and value input from others
- Be open to positive and negative scenarios
- Be aware, keen and agile
- Invest in self-care, balance and self-regulation
- Self-reflect, find quiet or a less distractive space
- Prepare yourself – rest, envision the dynamics and the possibilities
- Connect with nature -remove or limit unnecessary stimuli to allow space to think; reduce mental traffic
Tips to remain neutral
- Be transparent and inclusive
- Put own opinions aside
- Trust the other opinions around the table
- Listen attentively
- Limit reactions, or pause and think before reacting
How to deal with complex issues
- Create a safe place for other people to share without judgment and criticism
- Environment may challenge interpersonal relations
- Stay in the game to do the hard work together
- Stay present, engaged and committed
- Welcome and trust new ideas
