Teamership: Thank God You’re Here (Part I)

One of my favourite teams (or network of teams) is Working Dog Productions. Since the time that I was a teenager in the early 90s watching champagne sketch comedy on The Late Show, I have enjoyed many of their projects. Over the decades, they have produced successful TV series, books, feature films and a musical. If you are in Australia and New Zealand, you are probably familiar with their work - even if you aren't familiar with the teams themselves. Working Dog produce shows including Have You Been Paying Attention?, Utopia and The Cheap Seats.

A 2023 reboot of a series that debuted in 2006 has inspired me to write a couple of blog posts - Thank God You're Here!

In which ways do you demonstrate that you are excited to engage with team members? Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Thank God You're Here is a television show that returned to screens in Australia this year. Full disclosure - I haven't yet watched the new series (how good is playback TV!?), so I am talking about the concept rather than specifics here. You don't need to know much about the show for this post to make sense.

As I heard that the show was returning, I noticed that I was excited and looking forward to the opportunity to see the show again. In its previous iteration, it was entertaining and occasionally educational. I couldn't help but think..."Thank God You're Here!" about the show itself. I am genuinely looking forward to re-engaging with it and seeing how it has evolved in the years that it has been off our screens.

That response made me think.

How often do we take that sort of an approach to our colleagues across the teams that we work in? Most of us are busy people working with busy people. It can be really easy to get into a bit of a grind with our work and try to work through our overflowing task list. It is often difficult to recognise the people that we work with and their efforts. It is even harder to take the time and effort to help them feel welcome and wanted.

What might happen if we did?

Brene Brown describes connections as "the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued."

An Oxford Review research briefing on relational energy cited research findings that positive energy significantly increases an individual’s:

• Resources

• Resilience

• Resourcefulness

• Creativity

• Flexibility

• Productivity

• Learning capacity.

That is a pretty desirable list in most teams.

Linking all of these concepts together, it is possible that taking the time to demonstrate "Thank God You're Here" towards the team members you work with is a way that could help them feel seen, valued and heard. This has the potential to have significant benefits for you, them and your teams.

Early in 2024, I will share a second aspect of Thank God You're Here that can be useful in our teams.

A few questions for you to consider this week:

• How often do you look forward to seeing your teammates?

• In which ways do you demonstrate that you are excited to engage with team members?

• What difference might it make if you were able to demonstrate "Thank God You're Here" towards the team members you work with?