Why We Need More I In Team
On the eve of the Create Space Survey, Hannah Sturrock (below), National Head of Engagement, Advertising Council of Australia, argues creating space for inclusion is an essential part of agency Land’s future.
Team leadership, team player, team spirit, team management, team meetings, team dynamics, project teams and our favourite conference platform ever, Microsoft teams.
Most of us work in a team. But what constitutes a genuine team united by shared purpose and values, as opposed to a disparate group of coworkers, collected via the cc line on an email thread?
A feeling of inclusion
Inclusion is the only ‘I’ that exists in every great team.
Working in the advertising industry for almost 20 years, I’ve experienced great teams and also some less exemplary teams where politics thrived, and resilience was rewarded.
Over the years, I’ve wrestled with workaholism and perfectionism and probably flirted dangerously with burnout. I’m certainly not alone in this. In agencies, we’re engaged in a Sisyphean battle where achievements are regularly erased by a change of strategy or moment of executive doubt. The bar is raised, targets revised, assumed capacity limits increased. I learned that to outrun the wolves, I needed to be driven, tenacious and inexhaustible.
On those teams, inclusion was not a cultural touchstone, but a special treat for personal sacrifice and stoicism. Inclusion was manufactured when we needed to boost morale, but like the signature whiff of a Subway store, the scent of inclusion dissipates quickly when it doesn’t come from within.
Think about the teams you work with for a moment.
Are they a cohesive and dynamic flock that is productive, communicative and supportive, or a group of high-flying solo performers, wired for personal success at any cost?
What could be achieved if you were able to access the collective intelligence of everyone in your teams? Could you solve problems faster and come up with better solutions, driving results and profitability? Would teams be more courageous? More loyal?
Entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan’s TEDWomen talk ‘Forget the pecking order at work’ is a clever summary of why high-performing individualists aka ‘Super Chickens’ are counter-productive if your team’s performance is to exceed the intellectual and technical capabilities of individual members.
Heffernan describes a study by evolutionary biologist William Muir, where a group of unusually productive chickens, brought together as a “super flock”, pecked each other to death rather than producing more eggs.
This scientifically curated team of uber fowl-stars became a hotbed for aggression, resentment and mutually assured destruction!
Comparing this poultry deathmatch to many corporate team environments, Heffernan highlights empathy, generosity and diversity as ingredients in high performing teams, and the real secret sauce being something she dubs ‘human capital’. In other words, what happens between people rather than the people themselves – what we’d also recognise as a feeling of inclusion.
Sadly most corporate cultures encourage, reward and promote the individual super chicken/alpha personality, downgrading the power of inclusion to drive performance, ideas and profits.
By neglecting inclusion, we foster teams that support self-preservation over collective achievement; members adopt a “fight or flight” mentality, either burning themselves out or becoming disengaged, even destructive.
So how can we codify a culture of inclusivity?
Diversity is a numbers game. Inclusion is about impact. You can mandate diversity but you have to cultivate inclusion. And it has to start at the top with inclusive leadership.
Inclusive leadership means people are treated respectfully and fairly, are valued and sense that they belong, and are confident and inspired.
The behaviours of leaders (at any level) can drive up to 70 percentage points of difference between the proportion of employees who feel highly included and the proportion of those who do not, according to research by Deloitte Australia.
What were the trademarks of Inclusive Leadership? They all begin with C:
- Commitment: Inclusive leaders are deeply committed to diversity and inclusion because it aligns with their personal values, and they believe in the business case. They articulate their commitment authentically, bravely challenge the status quo, and take personal responsibility for change.
- Courage: They are humble about their own capabilities and invite contributions by others.
- Cognisance of bias: They’re conscious of their own blind spots as well as flaws in the system, and work hard to ensure opportunities for others.
- Curiosity: They have an open mindset, they’re curious about others, listen more than they speak, and ask questions in order to gain understanding.
- Culturally intelligent: Alert and sensitive to others’ cultures and identities and adapt as required.
- Collaboration: They empower others and create the conditions, such as team cohesion, for diversity of thinking to flourish.
I will add one more C to this list.
Inclusive leaders Create Space.
In the conversation. In the credits. In the Cap Table.
We need to stop racing the clock, testing our stamina, only to do it all again tomorrow.
We must all create space for inclusion. The life of a Super Chicken is lonely. And short.
Latest News
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.
Entries For Five Decades Of Advertising Graduates Awards Close On Monday
Entries for the Five Decades of Advertising awards close Monday. And no extensions! Any bribery is open til Wednesday.
Cadbury Extends Commitment To Women’s Sport With Sweet New Wallaroos Deal
Rot your teeth, get fat and support women's sport all at the same time with this sweet new sponsorship arrangement.
Campfire X & Nando’s Partner To Acknowledge Traditional Land Owners Across Australia
Chicken chain unveils important First Nations initiative. The actual chickens more concerned with the Adani coal mine.
Lisa Ronson, Naysla Edwards & Ben Hill Join MFA Awards Signature Judging Panel
MFA Awards adds some serious clout to its judging panel. Still no confirmation Paulini will be performing on the night.
Connect Hearing ‘Sounds Good’ Platform Via Bread Agency
Every office has that one hard of hearing person that's oblivious to the fact. Ramp up their insecurities with this.
Ipsos Iris Data: Australians Prioritise Entertainment & Sports Over Serious News In March
Data shows Aussies prioritising light entertainment over hard news. And who can blame them if you've seen the hard news!
Fur Media Partners With Mad Paws To Support Advertisers
It's never good if your office smells like faeces & brine chunks in aspic. Not if you're pet-friendly agency Fur Media.
MAXIBON Drops Epic Flavour Collaboration Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
There are few pluses to be had with global warming, except the extension of ice-cream eating season.
Sling & Stone Scrubs Up With Lush Account
Got friends at Sling & Stone? Expect the dreaded loofah and bath bomb for birthdays/Christmas this year.
SBS’s The Cook Up With Adam Liaw Produces ‘Fewer CO2 Emissions Than Industry Average’
SBS could go full vegan for Adam Liaw's seventh season and reduce its TV audience and emissions by 99 per cent.
GumGum & Playground xyz To Merge Media Portfolio, Creating “Powerhouse” Ad Suite
GumGum & Playground xyz tap into consumer mindset. B&T prefers tapping a keg, but whatever works.
All The Winners & Grinners From The TikTok Young Lions Awards Night!
Last week saw every part of the human experience: Exalted, devastated, exhausted & stuffing sausage rolls in the corner.
TV Ratings (21/4/24): Farmer Wants A Wife Wins Sunday Prime Time
Farmer Wants A Wife does make the country life seductive. Apart from the manure stench & the bleating roosters at 5am.
Australia’s Automotive Industry Shifts Gears With CTV
How much was CTV responsible for Australia's record car sales in 2023? Or those horrible oversized American utes?
Australia’s C7EVEN Communications Launches Services In Japan With New Tokyo Office
Aussie comms agency unveils its Tokyo plans. Confirms it's still getting the hang of the toilets over there.
Daniel Goldstein Promoted To Head Of PR At Example
Try as he may to surreptitiously blend in with the wall in his photo, this PR fellow still relatively easy to spot.
Marie Claire & Volvo Partner For The Planet: Nominees For The Inaugural Marie Claire Sustainability Awards Announced
Fashion bible Marie Claire unveils its Sustainability Awards. Yet still refusing to recycle 2023's maxi skirts trend.
Sefiani Unveils A Wave Of Promotions & Appointments
Life's good in PR/comms as Sefiani unveils new hires. Well, bad news for media sites obsessed with redundancy stories.
Yahoo Launches Identity Solutions For CTV
Connected TV just got a whole lot more exciting with this innovation. Bar the incessant Friends re-runs.
Infosum Launches Data Clean Room Solution With Samsung Ads Australia
Infosum & Samsung Ads launch a data clean room solution that's a lot more than a Wettex & squirt of Ajax.
Fast 10: Bread Agency’s Amaury Treguer On Its “Unrivalled” Social Commerce Focus
Bread Agency's Amaury Treguer takes B&T's Fast 10, as he reveals why he won't be sandwiched up against the opposition.
X And Elon Musk To Sue Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Over Sydney Stabbing Takedown Order
If this all wasn't traumatic enough, Elon weighs in to prove he's the world's richest man & world's biggest dickhead.
CRA Siren Award To Be Presented At B&T Awards 2024!
Often attend award nights & think "I wish this night would never end"? Well, B&T's just got that tiny bit longer.