Team Work Makes the Dream Work

Now, and I am not trying to be biased, but the Academy has a team culture unlike any other. The only way I can begin to explain our team culture here at the Academy is with the saying “from the outside looking in, you don’t understand it. From the inside out you can’t explain it.” Although I cannot give you a step-by-step manual on how our culture works, I can tell you there are at least three things that help create our team culture and ways you can incorporate them into yours.

Direction – We all work towards the same goals and purpose. How we get there is different for each staff member, but ultimately, we end up at the same destination. Knowing that every team member shares the same purpose creates an environment that makes us excited to go to work each morning!

A great way for you to begin understanding the mindset of your team is by meeting with the whole team and sharing what your goals are for yourselves and for your position. How do your team’s goals relate to each other? If no one’s goals are similar, work together to create a goal that you all can strive for.

Support – The weeks before our semi-annual conferences can sometimes get a bit hectic. We all work hard and efficiently to make sure all of our to-do lists are being checked off before we have to leave for a week. What really contributes to our team culture is the amount of support we have. Everyone is willing to lend a hand to make sure that everything is being completed on time and no one is getting stressed out.

There are other ways that your team can show support to one another. An excellent way to spread support and inspire your team Members is by giving them the opportunity to grow. Let them take on a new project on their own, be open to any ideas they throw out, or even acknowledge their successes whether big or small. Having an environment where there is constant support can be the difference between a phenomenal team culture and a dysfunctional one.

FUN – For people who work a full-time position, they spend 50% of their day in the workplace. Those 40 hours of work for me are 100% fun. I’ll stop with the numbers now. What I am trying to say is that we work hard, but we also know when it’s time to take a step back and have some fun.

Incorporating a bit of fun into the workplace is simple. Set up a monthly lunch with a theme! Mexican, Italian, American, OH MY! Go on daily walks to help you re-focus but also get to know your team Members on a more personal level. Choose a team member every month to come up with and execute a new bonding experience! Having a fun workplace helps to bring people together and provides for a team culture that people would be jealous to have.

Direction, Support, and FUN are the huge contributors to the amazing team culture we have at the Academy. I am proud to be a staff member here and I know the rest of the team can say the same. Now go ahead and make your dream work!

Andrea Vincenty
Peak Performers Program Coordinator
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com