The Power of...Checking-In

‍Three years ago, stressed and in need of an adventure, I jumped on a flight to France (simpler times) to do a 10-day hike into the Alps. Experiences with fellow hikers reinforced for me the value of 'Checking In' with teammates. I hope this piece may be of use to some remote teams out there...

Passport ✓ Tent ✓ Boots ✓ Sunscreen ✓ Fresh Underpants ✓ Laptop ✘

Our Mission

I joined forces with a group of seventeen hikers in Chamonix, our starting point. The group consisted of professionals, students, and wanderers of all ages, from five continents. Our route was a 180km loop of the towering Mont Blanc, which wound through the French, Swiss and Italian glacial valleys. Breathtaking in every sense. Each day at dusk, we would arrive at a new campsite, set up the tents, refuel our aching bodies, gaze into the fire, hang our smelly wet socks out to dry, then bedtime.

Morning Rendezvous

I have been on hikes before, which were more of a singular pursuit than a collective one. At sunrise, people would get up, pack, then split up. This way, you'd rarely encounter each other until the next campsite. This trip was different. Each morning at 7 am, packed and ready to go, our guide Alizee would gather us together for what she called, 'Rendezvous'. People would sit on their backpacks in a circle facing inwards. Once she had everyone's attention, she'd look at us all and ask the same question in her husky french accent, "ca va everybody?" The equivalent of 'hows the form' in Cork. How it worked was, one by one, people spoke for a minute about how they were arriving into the day.

On day one, I wasn't too keen to have a spotlight shone on me, so I gazed into the distance with a puzzled expression as if figuring out some complex equation. Others nervously twisted pieces of grass in their fingers, some filled the silence with nervous giggles. As the days went on, the silences were replaced by authentic contributions. "Homesick and I want to go home...Pumped about today...Missing my partner...Grateful to be here...Anxious...Up all night with a tummy bug...Pissed off..." It was fascinating. Here we were traversing the same trail each day, and having wildly different internal experiences of it. Amidst the honesty were the odd misty eye, waves of laughter, and many nods of agreement.

When we all had our turn, the focus shifted from 'feelings' to 'function'. Alizee would roll the map out to plot the next route. We'd stick pins in it to mark natural water sources and areas requiring extra care and attention. Finally, a big green pin to flag our next campsite. This piece was alive with people sharing their suggestions, concerns, and learnings from the previous day. Then, the final inventory. Water? Bandages? Bag adjustments? Sunscreen?

What's the Point?

I had done similar exercises with my job at the time, working with the mighty Soar Foundation. However, being up a mountain with relative strangers, the purpose of the Rendezvous was particularly apparent. Rolling out the map helped us get on the same page regarding our plans. We became clear and aligned on our route, things to be aware of, and any specific responsibilities for the day.

Digging a little deeper, I felt safe. I felt valued. I felt connected to others.

'Ca-va everyone' was a framework for us all to check-in with how we were showing up that day. It may sound clichéd, but for me, I don't recall what I said, but I can recall how I felt. I felt apart of something. Digging a little deeper, I felt safe. I felt valued. I felt connected to others. Hearing one another speak honestly galvanised us. We became invested in each other. For some, it made their backpack feel "5 stone lighter".

Our Storm

Day eight epitomised it all for me. It involved an unexpected thunderstorm, our fellow hiker Paulo breaking an ankle, and a steep decline. You'd expect such an accident would send us into a fluster, but on this day, there wasn't even a panicked shriek. Instead, with the minimum of fuss, we kicked into action. One called the emergency helicopter, another fashioned leg support, another applied an ice pack, two others knelt down to offer words of calm. The rest prepared drinks, snacks, and makeshift shelter for everyone. An hour later, when the helicopter arrived, one lady spontaneously burst into the chorus of Bob Marley's 'Don't Worry', to which we all joined in (including Paulo). At that moment, I distinctly remember stepping back and observing the scene, as if taking a mental snapshot for myself. We had each other's backs. We trusted one another. We understood our roles. We were connected to our mission.

We had each other's backs. We trusted one another. We understood our roles. We were connected to our mission.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all roses over the 10 days. We had our moments where things got heated, frustrating, and disjointed. There were personality clashes, times when we strayed off course, and everything that comes with being away from home at a high altitude with a bunch of strangers. But in general, things flowed, and we seemed cohesive enough to weather any storm that crossed our paths. We started off as a 'group of hikers'. Soon afterward we became 'a team'. For me, 'Rendezvous' was the ignition that sparked our team into life.

We started off as a 'group of hikers'. Soon afterward we became 'a team'.

Weekly Check-Ins

Each week, sports and corporate teams navigate unforeseen landscapes. Remote workers are doing so from separate locations. Research tells us that roughly one-third of those working remotely feeling disconnected from their colleagues and their organisation (1). Carving out time for a weekly Rendezvous can help teams stay connected to themselves, their colleagues, and their shared mission. Here are some benefits of check-ins:

• ‍Psychological Safety - Research tells us that psychological safety is the primary predictive factor of an effective team (2). It is a belief that one won't be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. Such environments encourage a free flow of information, cross-pollination of ideas, and allow people to own errors along the way (3). When safety is absent, things feel stuck. When safety is present, teams can focus purely on the work.
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• ‍Alignment - Before an orchestra performance, musicians tune their instruments to a common pitch. Check-ins are a moment of pause for teammates to tune into one another, both personally and professionally. By getting on the same page, teammates can avoid getting wires crossed, share the same vision and understand their role within the bigger picture.
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• ‍Cohesion - Two-thirds of remote workers are spending less time socialising with colleagues, one study found (4). Check-ins provide a 'long lunch table effect', where colleagues can build camaraderie and socialise as 'mates', as well as 'workmates'. They can maintain trusting relationships or, in the case of new starters, build new ones. Social distance makes the heart wonder if we don't tend to our work relationships.
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• ‍Transparency - In the days of the water cooler, colleagues could regularly catch up on what others are working on. In remote work times, weeks can pass by with workers feeling 'out of the loop' with decisions, actions, workloads, etc. Kept in the dark for too long, trust can dissolve unless deliberately tended to. According to research, remote teams will experience a 'crisis of trust' in 2021 if transparency isn't made a high priority (5).
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• ‍Our Ritual - Check-Ins are rituals. Just like the Haka or weddings, check-in rituals have a deeper meaning than the event itself. Dedicating time solely to the team reinforces the fundamental purpose of why the group exists. It amplifies the culture the team aspires for; who WE are, how WE interact, what WE value. Check-ins bottle the unique spirit of the team.

Hoping that this was of help to people or teams out there.

All the best for now!

Bibliography:

1. Leesman, Your Workplace of the Future, 2020
2. Google, Aristotle Research, 2012
3. Edmondson, A. Fearless Organisations, 2018
4. Clutch, Team Culture During the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020
5. Leesman, Your Workplace of the Future, 2020