How to Heal: Is Your Culture Fueled by a Community or a Clique?
As leaders, one of the most important tasks is shaping the culture of our teams and organizations. The culture we cultivate has a direct impact on team dynamics, collaboration, and overall success. However, not all cultures are created equal. There's a distinct difference between fostering a community and unintentionally creating cliques—and understanding this difference is key to developing a healthy, thriving team.
Communities are welcoming and inclusive.
A strong team culture is built on the foundation of community. Communities are built on mutual respect, trust, and a shared sense of purpose. In a community, every member is valued for their unique strengths and contributions. People feel welcome to share ideas, ask questions, and offer support to one another. Diversity of thought, background, and experience is not just accepted—it’s celebrated.
Communities are inclusive, meaning no one feels left out or isolated. There’s a collective sense of belonging that encourages collaboration, transparency, and engagement. When leaders create communities, they foster an environment where individuals can thrive together, knowing that their voices are heard and their contributions are appreciated.
Cliques are exclusive and divisive.
In contrast, cliques create a toxic atmosphere of exclusivity. They’re formed when small, tight-knit groups within a team create barriers, often unintentionally, that make others feel excluded or undervalued. These groups can become insular, with their own set of rules, expectations, and preferences. This breeds division rather than unity, and over time, it undermines the trust and morale of the larger team.
Cliques thrive on selective interactions and often create a "us vs. them" mentality. This leads to negative behaviors like favoritism, gossip, and poor communication, which ultimately weaken the team’s cohesion and effectiveness. The result is a fragmented culture where individuals are more concerned with fitting in with a particular group than working towards a common goal. For more indicators to determine if you have a clique-y culture, check out this blog post.
What You Can Do
As leaders, it’s crucial to foster an environment that actively discourages cliques and promotes community. Here are a few key strategies:
Encourage open communication: Create opportunities for team members to connect with one another, beyond their immediate groups or departments.
Celebrate diversity and inclusivity: Ensure that everyone feels valued for their unique contributions, backgrounds, and perspectives.
Lead by example: Demonstrate the values of inclusivity, collaboration, and mutual respect in your own behavior.
Build shared goals and purpose: Create a sense of unity by aligning the team around common objectives and a vision to which everyone can contribute.
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