How to develop a welcoming team workshop: Key Takeaways
We recently had the pleasure of hosting an in person workshop in Edinburgh, titled "How to Develop a Welcoming Team: Understanding, Perspective, and Doing as Key Ingredients," led by Dr Cakil Agnew, Programme Director of our online MSc Business & Organisational Psychology, and Dr Anna Sedda, Associate Professor at Heriot-Watt University.
Held on Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 November, the dynamic workshop provided Upskilling Scotland Scholarship learners with a safe and inclusive space to challenge their ideas of what makes a team welcoming. Together, participants delved into how we perceive others, and the skills needed for respectful and productive collaboration and engaged in developing action plans to make their own team more welcoming.
For our online learners, this workshop was not just a chance to meet and network in person, but also an opportunity to meet some of the experts responsible for shaping their online learning.
Dr Anna Sedda emphasises: “Human beings are social creatures by definition. While online interactions are great to ensure inclusivity, they do not provide us with an overview of the individuals we are working with. Understanding how individuals move, where they look, and how they approach others is crucial in comprehending their perspectives and identity.”
Key Takeaways
Why is it important to develop a welcoming team?
Research highlights the impact of creating a welcoming team on long-term success. Managers who take into consideration staff strengths and psychological characteristics, instead of purely focusing on available staff, tend to be more successful in maximising team strengths and overcoming challenges. A welcoming team that values diversity also prevents workplace burnout and fosters a positive working environment. Dr Cakil Agnew said, “A team where people feel respected in their identities, where different perspectives are taken into account, is a team that works well together and overcomes obstacles.”
We often misunderstand other people's perspectives
When it comes to working as part of a team, we often overlook the less visible aspects - thoughts, feelings, values, beliefs, and unmet needs. Dr Agnew and Dr Sedda caution against attributing intentions and motivations without exploring these hidden facets. Misunderstanding perspectives can hinder effective collaboration, leading to negative reactions and minimised emotions.
According to Anna, “People have internal motivations and intentions. Even neutral sentences can be misunderstood, as we often interpret them following our own reality filter. We are not machines who can stick to facts, we always bring our own views into every interaction.
“Understanding other people’s perspective can be different from ours, and exploring internal motivations and intentions explicitly helps create a safe space where people feel welcomed”.
Communication and compassion are key ingredients to build a welcoming team
During the workshop, Anna and Cakil highlighted that explicit understanding can only be achieved via transparent communication among team members. This kind of communication can only be achieved when both the people who hold authority and team members equally take time to stop and reflect and ask themselves the right questions. According to Anna, “The right questions are always related to motivations and intentions, to checking own biases and reactions, and are grounded in the current interaction.”
No one is born with teamwork skills, we have to train them
Contrary to popular belief, teamwork skills are not inherent. While people show different levels of empathy and compassion in daily life, everyone can enhance these skills with deliberate practice. Dr Cakil Agnew highlights the fact that training teamwork skills is a central part of any job and as such should be prioritised. Dropping one process task to create time for teamwork reflections will pay off in the long term, therefore it is worth the short-term loss.
Cakil said: “Training teamwork skills requires reflection and support from others, as no one possesses all perspectives. Training these skills is not an individual task, it only flourishes through interacting with others”.
Conclusion
This workshop was held for our Upskilling Scotland Scholarship learners. As part of our commitment to fostering professional growth, our Upskilling Scotland Scholarship fund provides eligible students and organisations in Scotland the opportunity to pursue our online MBA and MSc business courses for free. This initiative, funded by the Scottish Funding Council, aims to kickstart your professional journey.
Find out if you are eligible for our Upskilling Scotland Scholarship and apply.
Otherwise, you can browse our full list of programmes to find one that will help you on your professional development journey.