Melissa Kay Jones

3-part series on Unity: Leadership | Mindset | Operations

How do we chart a path towards unity? It doesn’t require everyone to be like-minded. But it needs everyone to share the vision and believe in the mission.

Define Vision & Mission

First, define the vision and mission. Communicate it to your team. Include it in your messaging: marketing, website, packaging, etc. Make it visible with office posters or 4×6 prints to post near each desk. Visual cues keep it top of mind. Reminding your team of their purpose and guiding their actions.

Facilitate Connection

Next, create opportunities for connection. How do you facilitate conversations?

Does everyone have the opportunity to speak and be heard? Pay attention to those who are silent and invite them to speak up.

If someone has a challenge, who can mentor them? Mentorship encourages team camaraderie, better learning through shared nuances, and leadership.

If someone has an idea, who has the resources to help them start?

A rich conversation allows you and your team to create connections. When people work through challenges together it creates relationship deposits. Deposits are investments in trust and unity.

If a company wants to be high velocity it must be one built on trust. A company where intent is clear, decision making transparent and leaders are accountable is one where speed, innovation happens and “cover your ass deck writing” and meetings to prepare for meetings are minimized.

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Encourage Growth

Then encourage respectful dissent and constructive feedback. It’s uncomfortable at first. When you empower your team to address elephants in the room, it encourages everyone to stretch. This stretching, like a muscle, is where growth occurs.

If you only make room for agreement, it stifles innovation, creates resentment, and exacerbates problems. Your team will hesitate to come to you fearing your response. This breakdown in communication doesn’t help anyone. Further, it encourages behavior where agreement is the only option.

Address Detractors

Finally, be aware of individuals who sow discord, create drama, and gossip. These behaviors stem from insecurity and fear. It creates division and must be addressed. Talk with the individual(s) and figure out the “why” behind the behavior. Gossip starts because people lack clarity. They are speculating about what happened.

Discuss the action needed to make positive change and the repercussions if it continues. Then hold them accountable. If left unaddressed, it creates a toxic culture and destroys teams.

1. Define your north star
2. Create opportunities to work together on the journey
3. Empower course correctors
4. Hold people accountable

You’ve got the compass. Let’s go!