From a summary of ‘The Culture Code’

“Belonging cues always send the message: “You are safe here”.
Group performance depends on behavior that communicates one thing: We are safe and connected.
It’s a misconception that highly successful cultures are happy, lighthearted places. At their core, they are about solving hard problems together. People don’t just let their guards down; they use the group to find their vulnerabilities and strengths. That’s what builds trust and resilience.
It takes time for a new team or culture to be comfortable with vulnerability, but it is absolutely essential for success. Creating an atmosphere of safety and trust enables people to open up and share freely. “

Tonight, I am thinking up ways to make this a reality in Innovative Arts.

I need to follow through and make the cultural affirmations that have been backburnered for too long.

Example: “In this room we {support each other} {see the big picture} {Support each other’s journeys} etc. A good conversation and reminder.

I think I’ll need to find some ways to model this, make it a simple routine that makes me the ‘target’ so that I can model how to accept criticism or talk them through thinking as a creator.
Giving students past projects so that they can practice hearing feedback with less emotional investment. I’ll make a document with the words to practice saying.

We could also break into ‘brainstorming teams’ that will help their ‘Project #2’ get completed. Instead of students who are skipping project #2, One project of each type will be made in the group, once they are all finished, they will have them to be able to brainstorm their custom project of the quarter.
Here is hoping that this is it!

~ Peter