Team connection habits that are light as a feather

Most people recognise the importance of team connection - but then defer ‘it’ until the holiday party or Susan’s leaving party in favour of focusing on the priorities at hand. The reality is Susan, (much beloved) was statistically more likely to stay if she had felt a sense of belonging and connection.

Connection is a habit - not an event.

Here are the 3 things I would do to boost connection on your team next year. I’ve tried all of these on teams I’ve been a part of, and they genuinely make a difference in how connected and engaged people feel.

Weekly: Questions of the Week
Start team meetings with questions that shortcut small talk. At work, you want to avoid surface-level chit-chat, but you’re also not going for deep emotional sharing. Aim for what I call medium talk — thoughtful, light questions that help people connect without overstepping. (I’ve shared a list of great ones in another post.)

Monthly: Learning Hour
Put one hour a month on the calendar to learn together. Keep it relevant and useful. If you’re in marketing, have someone share the top three trends they’re seeing. If you’re in sales, revisit something from your last buyer-focused workshop. Or talk about how your team can start using AI more effectively. Learning together is both fun and functional, and it works best when it’s consistent — not once a year.

Quarterly: Content Club
Once a quarter, pick something to read, watch, or listen to as a group — a podcast episode, an audiobook, an article — and come together to talk about it. Share what you liked, what didn’t land, what you learned, and what you’ll apply.

I’ve found these rhythms keep teams connected, curious, and inspired beyond the business as usual.

If you’re planning ahead, now’s the perfect time to pop these on the calendar in 2026.