The workplace tends to be a fusion of different ideas, talents, and personalities. As humans, we all have different strengths and weaknesses that we bring with us to each environment we find ourselves in and the workplace is no different. For any group of people or team to be successful there must be a blending of these strengths towards a common goal. This is how cohesion begins to happen.
Conformity, while not necessarily a negative thing, is often matching or going along with the group norms or behaving in a way so we can fit in. Often conformity is unconscious, we imitate the close. As talked about in the previous article “The Power of Proximity,” as people are afraid of rejection, and they want to be a part of the group so they will often conform to the norms of the people they spend the most time with.
So, what happens if you are conforming to the norms being put on you by a poor boss or manager? The very controversial Milgram experiments in the 1960s were a great example of how people conform to authority figures. 65% of the participants would deliver what they believed to be a high-level shock to other people who had answered questions wrong. Conformity is often more about the fear of not fitting in or the consequences of not doing what you are told. We want to build an organization were people feel they can stand up against something that feels wrong, and they are aligned with the others they are working with.
Cohesion is different; it must be centered on the common goal or North Star of the organization. When people on a team share a common purpose and values they are aligned. A lack of cohesion significantly contributes to our misalignment, and it usually stems from a lack of trust that trickles down, turns into conflict, a lack of productivity, and eventually turnover. Cohesion is developed through the elements of psychological attachment, interpersonal liking, group affiliation and trust.
Psychological Closeness
This is about connection and attachment with other people, closeness includes feeling liked, appreciated and a sense of belonging. It may be shown through great conversation and communication as people begin to feel more secure. It also relates to actual proximity to other people. The propinquity effect principle talks about how people are more likely to form close relationships when they spend lots of time around each other.
As leaders, we should build in time and space to allow moments for our team to become closer. We should place focus on making team members feel appreciated and telling them when the work they are doing is making a difference. Celebrate wins and accomplishments together, and closeness will grow.
Interpersonal Liking
Liking someone else transcends just having shared hobbies, interests, values, or even having the same employer and often revolves around common goals, projects, or a shared purpose. This lies in an ability to foster a sense of connection or camaraderie, often times through achieving something great together. This is why working as a team is so valuable because people that accomplish things together have a higher tendency to like each other.
Trust
Trust between people is what builds cohesion and it is always evolving and changing over time as we have different experiences that can either build that trust or violate it. Mary Jo Bouchard’s ASC-DOC Trust Model shows the six elements that impact how much we trust someone, those elements are:
Relational Trust (ASC)
1. Authenticity- “I believe what you mean what you say, and you have no hidden agenda.”
2. Safety- “Your speech and actions make me feel safe and protected.”
3. Consistency- “Your behaviors and responses are predictable.”
Task Trust (DOC)
4. Dependability- “You keep your promises and honor confidentiality.”
5. Ownership- “You carry the weight of what happens to what I entrust to you.”
6. Competence- “You have skills and experience necessary to do what’s expected.”
You trust the people around you. You expect the best from them. You get the best from others because nobody wants to let each other down. This is when organizations have found cohesion. Bonds become tighter from going through experiences together, and these experiences become the shared stories that become the texture of an organization.
It should be uncomfortable to row against what the rest of the organization is trying to accomplish, and at the same time, be comfortable and expected that you use your voice when you do not like the direction things are going. Rowing together is not conformity; it is cohesion or the idea of sticking together towards a common purpose. It is trusting that your teammates will do their job, valor the process it takes to get there, and ultimately achieve the state of “swing” or working together towards something bigger than oneself. Read more about this in my article Harmony in Motion.
I want my team’s workplace experience to be a positive one. That does not necessarily mean it is going to be an easy one. People want to learn and grow, but people also need to be challenged. It means working towards a common goal or outcome. Building cohesion enables leaders to effectively work together to solve challenges, quickly and effectively. Leaders need to provide purpose and direction and allow space for their team to struggle, grind, and achieve things together.
In our organization, we have been very intentional about building something bigger than ourselves. We have created something that is unique. We are not perfect, but our success has come from fostering a community that values accountability, and individual contributions combined with a sense of community. We have tried to make our city a great place to work, and we believe that leads to it being a great city for our residents to live in.
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