Recently, while scrolling through Instagram, I came across a captivating reel showcasing the evolution of pit stops in car racing from 1990 to 2023. The remarkable progression caught my attention, with pit stop times decreasing significantly over the years – from 8.95 seconds in 1990 to an astonishing 1.78 seconds in 2023.

In the 2023 reel, what stood out to me was the precision and synchronization of each individual’s role in the pit stop process. Every team member had a distinct and intricate task, working collaboratively to remove and replace wheels. It was evident that each person had a specific purpose, contributing to the seamless 1.78-second pit stop they had tirelessly practiced throughout the year.

This level of performance is achieved by a team with a shared vision and mission. When a small group of individuals has to change four tires, refuel, make rapid adjustments to the suspension, and get a car back on the track within seconds, teamwork becomes absolutely essential.

Behind the scenes, there’s an entire team of people – mechanics, engineers, specialists, and marketing strategists – working together under intense time pressure. The team is carefully selected based on individual strengths, and each member is placed in a role crucial to the team’s success. Take Jeff Gordon’s early crew, for example; it consisted of a chief mechanic with a background as a former truck mechanic from a car dealership in New Jersey and a parts guy who, in his full-time job, sold plumbing supplies. This diverse team shared a hunger for victory and aligned with the leader’s vision and mission.

With the right people in the right positions, the focus shifts to the processes in place. Everything from analyzing “game films” of the previous race and identifying areas for improvement to the physical training of the crew and the high-speed choreography of the pit stop is meticulously planned and executed. This approach proved so valuable that competitors later adopted these methods, attesting to their effectiveness.

NASCAR’s nearly ten-month season is the longest in professional sports, making it challenging to keep the team engaged and prevent burnout. Despite the pressure, this particular team stayed together for six years, emphasizing the importance of unity and continuity. Every member understood their role’s significance, whether it was a seemingly small task like removing a tire, and they recognized how their contribution directly impacted the team’s success or failure. The team practiced relentlessly to stay in sync, all for those fleeting moments in the limelight during a race weekend.

Recently, the CEO of a $12 billion company invited my colleague and I to the new office building to discuss some issues he was having with his executive team. They were not “jelling” as they should. Something was off. Everyone was busy but not headed in the same direction. That’s when we got to work. First, we needed to know where to focus our attention, so the team took The Team Assessment Survey (TAS). The CEO was right; they were all headed in different directions, and the results illustrated that. As a team, they scored 30% on the TAS. We debriefed the results and chose the areas to focus on for the year as an executive team. The definition of success was imperative for this team. They needed to be one team with one goal. So we worked with the team quarterly for a year on vision, mission, communication, and conflict. The leader knew his vision for the team and just needed to articulate it in a way that gave the team purpose. After working on this with him, the leader was able to communicate his vision, and the team had their definition of success. After the year of working with them, they reassessed themselves as a team and scored in the 80s on the TAS. This was a phenomenal improvement. The feedback from the executive team as well as people in the organization stated that culture and morale had changed for the better.

Leaders can learn a lesson from this story about articulating a vision and mission to their team that illustrates how essential each person’s roles are for the short-term and long-term success of the team. Take the time to articulate your vision and mission to the team so they can move in the same direction. One team, one goal!

As I was boarding the flight, I was filled with anticipation to see my family. Every year, I fly back to the Middle East to enjoy some time off with family, enjoy good food, and relish in traditions and customs. I look forward to unplugging from all work-related items and concentrating on being around the people I love. This comes with a lot of traditions and customs that are followed. Growing up, my immediate family moved from one country to another. This accompanied different norms, ways of life, and customs. As a kid, it was difficult for me to weave in and out of different cultures. As an adult, I love experiencing different ways of life. One tradition that has been passed on to me and my siblings is teatime. I remember drinking a small cup of mint tea after lunch or dinner. This is the tradition I anticipate every year. My family and I would have a small cup of tea at the end of the day, sitting around outside as we closed out the day. The small teacup would be laid out on the tray with the tea in a teapot perched on a mount with a small candle to keep the tea hot.

As my time came to a close with visiting family, I knew exactly what I wanted to get everyone back home as a souvenir. A traditional tea set. This was the ultimate symbol of my gratitude to each person who would get a tea set. The tea set had traditional colors in the small cups and saucers. I was so excited to share this gift with my friends and co-workers. It was not only a symbol but a reminder to each person that they are like close family to me. So with each set, I told them the story of why the tea set is such an important tradition to me. It reminds me of the simple times when family would gather around to talk, laugh, and tell stories. What does this tradition have to do with an organization’s culture?

When I got back to work, I was given the time to tell my story and share the tea sets with everyone at work. Everyone listened with enthusiasm, asked questions, and made me feel valued. I was proud to share my customs and traditions with everyone at work. They each picked out the set they wanted, and it made me feel heard and appreciated. Sharing my story and tradition with them made me feel valued at work. Our amazing leader and CEO has always encouraged me to share my stories with her and my co-workers. This has always made me feel appreciated for my background.

There has been extensive research around measuring inclusion at work in the past few years as diversity and inclusion efforts have increased in companies and in society. In a study based on more than 30 DEI executives and an extensive review of the academic literature, there were seven key dimensions of inclusion: fair treatment, integrating differences, decision-making, psychological safety, trust, belonging, and diversity. The study included a survey of nearly 10,000 employees around the world, asking them to rate their level of engagement. This is now known as the Gartner Inclusion Index, which utilizes a broad definition of inclusion and addresses the related concept of diversity. While diversity and inclusion are different concepts and can stand alone, when combined, they are a powerful source of engagement for a team. This survey can create a baseline measure of employee perceptions and look for gaps or inconsistencies on a team or in the organization.

I can say that the simple act of allowing me the space to tell my story made me feel that the company integrated my differences. I had enough psychological safety to tell my story as well as give my perspective on decision-making according to my experiences. Trust is high enough that I can bring this story to the table and know that not everyone shares my views, but everyone listens, and we have great conversations about the topic. I feel that I belong on the team by the provided time and space to be myself and share experiences. I also enjoy being a part of a diverse team of people of different races, cultures, ways of doing things, and experiences.

Here are the top 7 dimensions to measure inclusion in the workplace:

1. Fair treatment: Employees at my organization who help the organization achieve its strategic objectives are rewarded and recognized fairly.
2. Integrating differences: Employees at my organization respect and value each other’s opinions.
3. Decision-making: Members of my team fairly consider ideas and suggestions offered by other team members.
4. Psychological safety: I feel welcome to express my true feelings at work.
5. Trust: The communication we receive from the organization is honest and open.
6. Belonging: People in my organization care about me.
7. Diversity: Managers at my organization are as diverse as the broader workforce.

Remember to establish a cadence in your organization or on your team for pulse checks for your culture of inclusion after your baseline is established. An action plan after the survey is essential to illustrate transparency and consistency to your employees. When there is diversity AND inclusion, engagement on your team will increase.

As the leader walks into the room, people were greeting him with handshakes and smiles. You could feel his amazing presence the second he walked into the room. Everyone was anticipating what he was going to discuss. As I glanced around the room, I noted the dynamics of the different pairs and people on the team. Everyone was very cordial as they spoke together.

The ornate conference room was set up meticulously for the 24-member team. They were meeting together for the first time since several new individuals were hired. Team members started to arrive, and I could hear people greeting each other and mentioning their excitement that the whole team will be at the retreat. Mostly, they were excited to hear from their leader about their progress and looking forward to working together into the future.

The leader proceeded to kick-off the meeting with a brief story about himself – how he grew up and how he got started in the business many years ago. He had a PowerPoint deck prepared with numbers and statistics to back up his story.  However, the very inspiring moment came when he started to articulate his past, present, and future vision for this team and the organization. He then told the story of how this team consisted of only 3 people jotting down ideas of how to expand on his very ambitious long-term goal in the industry. He took his idea and consistently prodded the stakeholders to invest in his idea and him. It took several years for the stakeholders to finally buy in, but he was relentless.  The stakeholders finally accepted his challenge, and the team of 3 grew to the 24 individuals in the room.

One of the activities of the day was to share journey lines. They each discussed 8-10 life events made up of personal and professional events that have now shaped them into who they are today. You could feel the excitement around the room as the leader discussed his own life events. The theme was that of tenacity and perseverance. He set the tone for the rest of the team as they illustrated and spoke of their own journey lines. This was the “past” portion of the meeting.

He then proceeded to talk about the journey line of the business.  He honored the past, spoke of the challenges they have endured along the way, and shared what it took to become the strong business they are today. Lastly, he shared his own vision and articulated what he sees for the future of the work and his team. He discussed how every single person fit into the bigger picture, what they needed to accomplish, and why the work is important. Looking around the room, I saw people taking notes and listening in awe to this leader’s words.  It was inspiring.

The day progressed with some strategic milestone benchmarks and ended with an exercise of how the team is expected to collaborate and break down silos in order to achieve this ambitious goal that had been laid at their feet. A month later, and the update following the retreat is amazing. The 24 individuals have reported improved collaboration and productivity in addition to reaching one of their benchmarks goals within one month after meeting. It’s incredible!  Everyone knows the vision and why they do what they do. It is clearly engraved into their own vision of how they need to work together to achieve this common goal. They walked in cordial to each other and walked out as if they were old friends.

Remember, leaders bring the weather! Clearly articulating the vision and core purpose of the team enables everyone to understand their role and provides guidelines of expected behavior to achieve the larger goal. This leader started his team on their individual and collective journeys.  By sharing his own story, they were able to follow the signs he had clearly posted along the way that allowed them to gain alignment and ensure a clear path forward.

What is your story? Steople consultants are ready to begin the work of articulating your vision through storytelling. Will you accept the challenge?

Standing outside on the balcony, feeling the hot rays of sun on my face, and catching the breeze coming from the north, I could see the Pacific Ocean just a block away. As each wave rolled in, I saw figures bobbing in the water – easily flowing back and forth. I realized they were surfers out to catch a wave before they started their day. It was at that moment that I gained clarity on my North Star. “Why am I doing what I am do every day?”  It’s because one day I want to be on the water with my kids trying to catch the perfect morning wave!

The Steople team gathered in sunny California to enjoy time together and gain alignment on our goals and rallying cry moving into the end of the fiscal year. Our annual strategic planning offsite event was booked several months ago, and we were all excited to spend time together. We started out the day with air travel. Not surprising to say that everyone’s travel was eventful with cancellations and delays. Nonetheless, we all got to Los Angeles in one piece and met for a late lunch at a restaurant on the beach. We enjoyed a team building activity that night talking about what drives us and what drains us as individuals and as a team. This provided much needed insight to the team and how to work better together. Even though most of us have worked together for a while, this activity helped us realign on each individual value. Apparently, my drainer is “enjoyment.”  Of course, the team found this revelation quite funny!  However, it wasn’t a big surprise to me. When I am tasked with work, all I want to do is put my head down and get it done. Go ahead and think it… Layla’s the buzz killer (smile)!

We spent the entire next day aligning around goals and reviewing Steople’s core ideology consisting of our core purpose, core values, mission/vision statement, and SWOT analysis. In reviewing our core values, we provided examples of how we “walk the talk” every day in our behaviors and work product with our clients and our own team members. These core values provide guidelines for us of how we want to behave in our own Steople culture. By knowing your core values, it allows you to get you through challenging times because the strong foundation is set and clear for all. This sets the culture in an organization. Talking about our vision statement enables each of us to see how our roles guide us collectively into the envisioned future.  We asked ourselves, “Why are we doing what we do?”  Client meetings often take us away from our families and, sometimes, we even have to face the challenges of working across global time zones.  Indeed… why do we do this kind of work? Simply put – we love our team, the work we do, and the clients with whom we do it!

I gained the most clarity during our talks of core ideology, metrics, feedback/recognition session, and strategy discussion.  As a team, we strategized around how we will achieve our BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) during our session on our one big commitment. Before I reported out on my own One Big Commitment to the team, I walked back to the balcony, looked out to the ocean, and asked myself again, “Why do I get up every day and get excited about the work that I do?” Because one day, my kids and I will be on the beach at sunrise to “catch the perfect wave.” How do I achieve that? I need to be aligned with my teammates and on the same page with my vision for the upcoming year.  Getting alignment may require difficult conversations; this is where the turning point was for our team. Being able to have healthy conflict on a team enables the team to gain trust and become more open to innovation and creativity instead of being reactive to a situation or person.

As we faced the last day in sunny California, we packed our bags and piled into a Jeep laughing about funny moments from our time here.  We broke bread together one more time at a restaurant on the pier before heading back to the airport. As a reminder of the clarity I achieved, my mentor – who happens to by the CEO of Steople – gave me a ”Surfing the Wave” sticker that I have in front my computer as a daily reminder of my WHY.

Remember to invest in your business and your people by ensuring your strategic planning offsite happens so you can realign around your core ideology.  Make it a priority as this will help guide individual team members through challenging times and help them find the focus and desire to work as one team.  Allow Steople to be your compass as you find your North Star.