A small dose of big thinking.
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Last week, I shared part one of my conversation with my teammate Aly Solly from Inventium. We unpacked some of the lessons from 2024 - our toughest year yet.
After the cracks and burnout of 2024, this episode is all about how we rebuilt trust, reset our culture, and found our way back to being a team again.
Aly and I talk about the offsite that changed everything, the small rituals that reconnected us, and how we learned to speak openly - even when it felt uncomfortable.
We also discuss:
The “Deal or No Deal” moment that clarified who was really in for the rebuild.
Simple but powerful rituals - like our Team Health Monitor and Monday meeting questions - that strengthened connection.
The pivotal offsite that helped the team confront the past and name the elephants in the room.
How the team rebuilt trust through shared ownership and reflection instead of blame.
Signs that things had genuinely changed.
Why rebuilding trust starts with leaders taking emotional risks.
KEY QUOTES
“Trust isn’t rebuilt by policies or posters. It’s rebuilt by people taking small emotional risks again and again.”
“Your vulnerability allowed us to be vulnerable. It reminded us that we were all on the same boat again.”
Every Monday, we start our team meeting with one random question to break the ice and reconnect as humans. Here are a few of the questions we’ve loved:
If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be?
If you could swap jobs with anyone for one week (realistic or not), who would you pick?
If you were arrested for a crime, what would your friends assume you’d done?
If you suddenly woke up as a billionaire, what would be the first completely unnecessary thing you’d buy?
If you could instantly learn any new skill, what would it be?
What’s a habit or routine you’ve recently picked up that’s working for you?
What’s a hobby or activity you’ve always wanted to try but never got around to?
If you missed part one, I recommend listening to that first so you understand how bad things got before we began to rebuild. Listen here.
Connect with Aly Solly on LinkedIn.
A small dose of big thinking.
Every week, I share my favourite science-backed hacks, ideas, and strategies to make work (and life) a little better. Join 40,000+ readers who like their advice practical, proven, and easy to steal.
Promise: No spam. No selling your data for a packet of Tim Tams.