Bringing Your Team Back to Work? First, Create “Shared Diligence”

Lately, when the Live Bright Now team talks with clients about creating bright company culture, we’ve been using a new term: shared diligence. We talked about this concept in a previous post, and, since then, people have been asking what we mean. Here’s more on why it’s so important.

With so many companies contemplating reopening their physical offices, we believe that businesses must foster a culture of shared diligence to move forward safely and successfully.

One reason business leaders light up when they hear this term is that it describes the shift from “me” to “we” thinking. When we replace singular commitments with shared promises and priorities, everyone benefits. Creating collective agreements strengthens feelings of compassion and caring. Doing what’s convenient becomes secondary to doing what’s right. And tying personal values to broader company values inspires employees to stop thinking, “What’s in it for me?” and start asking, “What’s in it for us — and for everyone else?”

Let’s think about the new reality of wearing masks at work as an example. Sure, companies can create iron-clad policies about personal protective equipment, and most people will comply. But instituting strict rules and meting out punitive measures for rule-breakers is a limiting solution. Instead, business leaders should aim to enforce health and safety policies based on a “Namaste” philosophy. The Sanskrit salutation means, “The Divine in me bows to the Divine in you.” In the context of shared diligence, an apt translation might be, “I wear my mask for you, and you wear yours for me.”

We recommend all leaders work with their returning teams to create a simple set of collective agreements. The pledge should cover individual- and company-wide commitments in at least these key areas:

1. Personal responsibility. I will be 100% responsible for my actions.

2. Safety and protection. What I do affects you, and what you do affects me.

3. Respect. I respect your boundaries.

4. Concerns. If I see something, I’ll say something.

5. Constant improvement. I am open to doing things in new and better ways.

Creating a culture of shared diligence is essential for bringing people back to work safely. Investing in this intentional effort also helps leaders dial-up clarity, communication, and commitment — all the things that make a culture bright.

Need culture guidance as you prepare for going back to work? Live Bright Now can help. Drop us a line. Plus, sign up to get our newest posts about bright culture, leadership, and more.

Candra Canning is the founder of Live Bright Now. She’s been coaching corporate leaders + teams to brighten their performance for 20 years. Candra believes a bright company culture creates bright leaders + bright communities — even a brighter world.