Connection Happens in the Moments We Share 

There’s something powerful about stepping outside your everyday environment and experiencing life alongside other people. 

Not just working together. 
Not just collaborating on deadlines or projects. 
But genuinely sharing moments. 

Over the last few years, Gallup’s research has consistently reinforced something many leaders already feel intuitively: connection matters more than ever. In fact, Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace report asked employees a direct question: 

What’s missing from your current work experience that would make you feel more connected to your employer? 
The answers were telling. 

• 32% described their workplace as isolated or impersonal  
• 29% said they lacked clear, honest communication from leaders  
• 25% felt organisations underinvested in people, tools, or support  
• 14% cited a lack of recognition, feedback, and development opportunities  

At the heart of every one of those responses is the same human need: 
people want to feel connected. 

Connected to purpose. 
Connected to leadership. 
Connected to each other. 

And while strategy, performance, and productivity matter enormously, the strongest teams are often built in the quieter moments… the conversations, the shared experiences, the laughter, the stories, the trust. 

Recently, after our Vietnam trip, our team member Romela shared her reflections and memories from the experience with us. Reading them made me smile deeply and reminded me how much team connection is often built in the in-between moments – the unexpected adventures, the cultural experiences, the times where you simply experience life together. 

I absolutely loved hearing the experience through your eyes, Romela. It made me smile and be so grateful you were there. 

Reading those reflections reminded me that connection isn’t built through perfectly polished moments. 

It’s built through shared experiences. 
Through navigating uncertainty together. 
Through laughter. 
Through curiosity. 
Through vulnerability. 
Through seeing each other as humans first. 

And interestingly, we’ve been hearing very similar themes in conversations with leaders participating in our Group Leaders Coaching Program (GLEP). 

What’s stood out most in those conversations is that many leaders didn’t realise how much they needed connection until they experienced it. 

Not another course. 
Not more “content.” 
But space. 

A rhythm. 
A sounding board. 
A community. 
A place to think clearly again. 

Some of the reflections shared recently included: 

• “I didn’t realise how much I needed the space.”  
• “It keeps me on task.”  
• “You hear the same challenges across industries.”  
• “There’s psychological safety outside your organisation.”  
• “Fresh perspectives.”  
• “Leadership PD gets deprioritised otherwise.”  

That’s the beauty of leadership communities. 
You realise you’re not carrying leadership alone. 

And honestly, that same principle applies to teams. 

When teams feel connected: 

• communication improves  
• trust deepens  
• healthy conflict becomes easier  
• collaboration increases  
• wellbeing strengthens  
• performance follows  

That’s why team connection and strategy development workshops are such an important investment… particularly at this time of year as businesses prepare for a new financial year, shifting priorities, and evolving challenges. 

Sometimes the most valuable thing you can give your team isn’t another process. 

It’s the opportunity to reconnect. 

To pause. 
To reflect. 
To realign. 
To understand each other more deeply again. 

We’ve even created a free Team Connection Activities Guide filled with simple activities, reflective questions, and exercises designed to strengthen trust, communication, and connection within teams. 

Because sometimes one meaningful conversation can completely shift the energy in a room. 

You can also read more about why connection matters in our previous blog: Connection is the Cornerstone of Wellbeing – including past stories of our own team game night and the power of creating shared experiences together. 

And if you’re planning ahead for the new financial year, our Strategy Development Workshops and Team Strength Sessions are designed to help teams align, reconnect, and move forward with clarity and momentum. 

Whether it’s: 

• facilitated strategy planning  
• team strengths development  
• leadership workshops  
• communication and collaboration sessions  
• or creating stronger connection within your team  

we’d love to help you create the kind of culture where people feel seen, supported, and genuinely connected. 

Because leadership was never meant to be done alone.