Being in sports teams for such a big portion of my life, then transitioning to coaching teams, I realized very quickly that a team could not be successful if they were not united, inspired, motivated, and working toward a common goal that they all believed in. I witnessed coaches who had the best teams in the league fail repeatedly because they did not know how to unite and galvanize a team to reach success together. In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the concept of teamwork has taken on new dimensions. The shift to remote work has brought challenges, and opportunities, for leaders aiming to build and maintain high-performing teams. Galvanizing a team when leading across a virtual landscape needs time invested intentionally, and when done right, can reap massive rewards.
With the virtual environment, we have lost the physical aspect of relationships. We no longer have the ability to walk past someone, stop to say hello, and check in on how they are doing, or have those coffee break conversations, the lunch get-togethers, and the random chats when someone walks past your desk. We now stare into a computer screen and spend most of our day conversing over Zoom, in dedicated time periods on our calendars. As leaders, if we do not actively seek out time to check in with individuals and dive a bit deeper into how they are doing, what their family has planned over the weekend, or what their personal goals are for the year, we lose a large part of what makes a successful team―relationship-building that leads to trust and motivation.
Galvanizing does not come naturally to all leaders―we all have different strengths and weaknesses. When I took the Working Genius assessment, it was no surprise to me, at all, that my working genius is “Galvanizing.” I thrive in generating enthusiasm and action around an idea or solution, and love building up the others around me. I report to our COO, Rob Seymour, and we have spent a lot of time getting to know each other―how we each think, as well as what each of our different strengths and weaknesses are. Galvanizing is not something that comes naturally to Rob―his strengths lie more in discernment and enablement. I am constantly shown what a good leader Rob is―it was he who recognized my strength in galvanizing, something he was missing in his leadership toolbox. He now brings me in on all of the planning for our in-person team meetings and our virtual meetings, and often asks for my advice or opinion on what we can do to make our team feel more valued and appreciated, and to collaborate even better together. Not only has this resulted in huge improvements to our team morale, team meetings, connections, and motivation, but I have also begun to see Rob take these things that I do to galvanize and implement some of them into his own leadership and day-to-day work life.
How do we make sure that we are galvanizing our teams in a virtual world, and what can we do to intentionally help others feel connected, motivated, and seen?
Add daily, weekly, or biweekly individual check-ins
Adding more meetings to the calendar is hard, but adding the right type of meetings is vital for success. In the virtual world, we do not have random opportunities for daily face-to-face check-ins, and if we do not schedule these frequently, we run the risk of losing the relational aspect in our team. You may need to start with daily check-ins, then move to weekly, biweekly, or monthly, as you feel more connected―but these should never fall away entirely. Allow these check-ins to be informal―ask questions, listen more, talk less. Find out how each of your team is doing, personally and professionally, check if there are any areas where they are feeling stuck or need support, and allow them to feel seen, valued, and heard. These personal connections can be powerful!
During each meeting, spend 5-10 minutes checking in with everyone
Virtual group meetings often begin by diving in immediately to the task or problem at hand. We forget to take some time to get a temperature check and find out how everyone is doing. You can be creative with how you do these check-ins―change them up for each meeting, or rotate who leads the check-in each time. Some examples of effective questions:
- What is one word to describe how you are feeling today?
- Are you feeling stressed or stretched?
- What was your biggest win of the week?
- What are you most looking forward to this weekend?
- What is your biggest block at the moment
Creating a space for a general check-in allows people to be seen and heard, while also giving you an idea of where people are and who may need an extra check-in or some support.
Once a month, have virtual lunch together
In the virtual environment, we have lost the ability to socialize with each other. A great way to bring a more fellowship and lightness to the team is to have a virtual lunch together, once a month. Schedule this in the calendar and encourage everyone to join. If you have the budget, this would be a great way to treat your team to lunch―you could send a DoorDash/Uber Eats gift card for everyone to order in. This is meant to be more social, with little work talk, and a more personal time to simply be with each other and connect as a team.
Give people the ability to shout-out others
Words of affirmation and acknowledgement are key to a successful and motivated team. Where can you add space to a monthly meeting for individual shout-outs? Give 10-15 minutes to the team at the end of a meeting to acknowledge a team member who they are grateful for or who has done a phenomenal job. Make this a monthly habit and watch how this affects your teams’ relationships. Getting recognized and thanked for what you do is powerful―create the space for this to happen more frequently, then reap the big rewards.
Virtual team-building
How can you offer team-building in a virtual setting? There are a lot of books and articles about this and its benefits to your team. This may not be your strength as a leader, but instead of not doing it, find a colleague whose strength this is and task them with doing a teambuilding activity. These can, and should, be fun, and they can build trust and camaraderie. Some examples of fun team-building activities:
- Kahoot
- Scavenger hunts
- Trivia
- Virtual speed breakouts
- Icebreakers
When leading a virtual team, embody the qualities of a great coach. Provide clear direction, inspire your team with a compelling vision, and lead by example. Be approachable and supportive and recognize the efforts and achievements of your team members―your leadership can significantly impact the team’s morale and performance. Do not be afraid to learn and grow in this area―do as Rob has and find the galvanizer on your team, and allow them to help you grow. Make some changes to how you have been doing things to make space for galvanizing your team―your short-term changes will lead to long-term successes.
Looking for ways to galvanize your team and help encourage professional growth? Check out our Signature Select offerings.
About the Author
Seri Kravitz: Former Professional Athlete and Director of the Signature Collective & Marketing
Seri Kravitz boasts a distinguished 12-year career as a professional water polo player, representing both South Africa and Australia on the global stage. Upon retiring from active competition, Seri transitioned into coaching, where she demonstrated a knack for nurturing highly successful teams. Her coaching acumen propelled her to the helm of the South African Women’s National team, where she was a vocal advocate for equality for women in minority sports.
Transitioning from the pool to the digital realm, Seri played a pivotal role in the inception and exponential growth of the online community for JEFF Fitness, a South Africa-based startup. As one of the cornerstone members of the company, Seri contributed to its remarkable expansion from a modest team of 15 to a robust workforce of over 100 within a year. Under her stewardship, the JEFF community grew from the ground up to a thriving network of over 70,000 members. Seri was instrumental in developing a unique platform, revolutionizing the approach to health and wellness.
Now serving as the Director of the Signature Collective & Marketing, Seri is dedicated to supporting the 3,000-strong alumni of Signature leaders, fostering a vibrant community of trailblazers.
Seri now calls Franklin, Tennessee home, where she enjoys a fulfilling family life with her spouse, two young children, and a beloved dog.
