k up (albeit in between sporadic lockdowns), it’s the perfect time for organisations to work on rebuilding team culture and feelings of connectedness. Focusing on high-quality connections (HCQ) is an effective way to rebuild.  The term HQC was coined by Professor Jane Dutton from the University of Michigan. It refers to a short-term interaction you have with someone, virtually or face to face, that makes both people feel lit up and energised. The beauty of HQCs is that they don’t require much time – they can be as simple as a five-minute conversation.  Research shows that HQCs have myriad benefits, including making us more creative and resilient, and even helping us live longer. But beyond helping us thrive individually, they also contribute to a strong team culture. When team members experience HQCs, they become more creative and co-ordinated, and more likely to have mutual respect for one another.   Here are three ways to rebuild your team culture by focusing on HQCs.  Find uncommon commonalities   Looking for things you have in common with a teammate that no one else in your team has in common is one effective method for experiencing HQCs. At the start of a meeting, divide people into pairs and give them 60 seconds to find something they have in common with their partner. The only catch is that the thing they have in common must be something no one else in the team is likely to claim.  At the behavioural science consultancy I founded, Inventium, we occasionally use this activity at the start of a meeting or workshop. One time, I was paired with a new member of our team and within 60 seconds we managed to find out we were both fascinated by serial killers when we were in our 20s and had read many of the same books to understand their psychology. No one else in our team could (or wanted to) claim this.  Perform a five-minute favour  When we do something nice for someone else, it makes us feel closer to them. Another way to foster HQCs with someone in your team is to take five minutes out of your day to perform a favour. It might be grabbing them a coffee at morning tea, offering to help with something they are working on, or even running an errand for them. Ideally, the favour should be something that helps them do their job better or makes them feel happier.  After getting used to doing favours for teammates, you could build this into a daily or weekly ritual. For example, every Monday, all team members could take five minutes to perform a favour for someone on their team.  Ask better questions  What’s the first question we ask at the start of every meeting? Typically, it’s some version of ‘How are you going?’ Boring questions elicit boring answers and do nothing to build stronger connections. Instead, think of a more provocative or interesting question that will elicit a surprising answer or provide further insight into a person. For example, you might ask, ‘What has been an unexpected upside during Covid for you?’ or ‘What was the most surprising thing that happened to you on the weekend?’ Asking better questions makes you feel more connected to your co-workers, and them to you, through sharing something personal. HQCs make us feel energised and lit up, which is important for reconnecting with co-workers after such a long period of not seeing them every day. Focus on creating and experiencing HQCs and you’ll see your team’s culture come back to life in no time. This was originally published in Inside Retail Australia November 2021.