Are you more inclined to offer solutions rather than provide empathy and support as a team member? When was the last time you reflected on your behaviors in your team environment? In our busy lives, many of our work-related actions happen on autopilot, and we only pause to reflect when there are changes in our team dynamic or workplace. However, the workspace is rapidly evolving. In the past five years alone, we have witnessed the exponential growth of hybrid work models, multiple DEI & ESG initiatives and the entrance of Gen Z into the workforce. These cultural shifts highlight the need for building intentional and inclusive workplace cultures, and this does not happen without consistent, sustainable behavioral change. Whether we are team members or leaders, it is crucial for us to constantly engage in self-reflection of our behaviors. Behavioral awareness serves as the foundation for this reflection and understanding.
Understanding behavioral awareness
Behavioral awareness refers to recognizing one’s own behaviors and their effects. Originating from psychology, this concept is commonly discussed in organizational sciences and leadership development. By becoming aware of our behaviors, we gain the ability to change them intentionally instead of acting habitually. As individuals, we are shaped by our experiences, and there are times when our habitual and instinctive reactions may have unintended consequences. In team environments, which are constantly evolving, behavioral awareness becomes essential to understand the impact of our actions on others, team dynamics, psychological safety, and collaboration.
Numerous studies have demonstrated how specific behaviors can influence team dynamics, particularly psychological safety. For example, even a single incident of shaming or blaming someone for a mistake can shift the organizational culture and make team members fearful of sharing mistakes. As humans, we learn from others’ experiences, and witnessing a colleague being shamed over a mistake teaches us not to bring up our own mistakes at work.
Behavioral awareness and agility, the ability to adapt different behaviors in order to perform, have been shown to affect innovation and value creation in teams. In addition to their influence on performance, behavioral awareness enables us to develop empathy towards the behaviors of others. By understanding our own actions and their consequences, we can better relate to the experiences and perspectives of our team members, fostering a more empathetic and supportive environment.
Furthermore, becoming aware of one’s behaviors enhances emotional intelligence, leads to improved conflict resolution, and improves leadership skills. Behavioral awareness promotes inclusivity by allowing us to question our biases and intentions, enabling intentional shifts when necessary.
Three ways to enhance behavioral awareness
1. Utilize tools
- Leveraging technology and tools like AI can provide insights into our most frequent behaviors and their common impacts. These tools, seamlessly integrated into our collaboration environments, require minimal effort while facilitating increased awareness.
- Behavior tracking apps can be useful if there are certain behaviors you want to observe over a longer period.
- Use templates. For example the Behavioral Change Plan (Change Management Toolkit, University of Berkeley) calls for writing down the behaviors that your team would like to change and making a plan for sustaining the change.
2. Practice self-reflection
Allocate intentional time for reflection and mindfulness regarding your actions and behaviors. Examine your common reactions, especially in challenging situations. Consider how you respond to bad news or issues that arise. Do you tend to approach them with curiosity or does it feel challenging not to succumb to panic and stress? Reflect on your daily communication with colleagues. Pay attention to whether you demonstrate appreciation and empathy. Be especially mindful of noticing any patterns or common reactions or responses from colleagues.
With consistent reflection it is possible to be aware of the behaviors as they are happening, which makes behavioral change easier.
3. Make it a team effort!
- When delivered with kindness and good intentions, feedback is an amazing tool for behavioral awareness. Choose a trusted colleague for either a structured feedback session or an informal conversation.
- Share your goals. For example, if you’d like to express more empathy, you can share this with your colleagues and you can make an effort to support one another. This is great especially when trying to bring more company values and behaviors from a physical environment to a remote one. We often have a habit of expressing vulnerabilities in 1:1-sessions or in person, but actually embedding vulnerability into remote team environments builds trust and psychological safety.
- Together with your team, reflect on your organizational values and the behaviors that demonstrate them. Making desired behaviors explicit and clear will increase the likelihood of the team displaying them daily.
Start with yourself. Practicing behavioral awareness should be accompanied by empathy and kindness. When identifying the need for behavior change, approach it gently, reminding yourself that you are taking a positive action for yourself and your entire team. Behavioral change within social groups often has a domino effect, leading to collective improvement.
Conclusion
Behavioral awareness paired with intentional action are the main ingredients for sustainable behavior change in teams. In today’s workplace, it holds immense potential for enhancing team dynamics, productivity, and fostering an inclusive work environment. By understanding our behaviors and their impact on others, we can consciously choose actions that create a positive team atmosphere. Developing behavioral awareness requires empathy, kindness, and a commitment to positive change.
