Co-elevation isn’t just another management buzzword. It’s a fundamental shift in how we approach teamwork, one that prioritizes teamship and shared success over individual achievement. In my experience curating thousands of team building events, I’ve seen firsthand how this mindset transforms not just productivity, but genuine employee satisfaction.

What is co-elevation, really?

At its core, co-elevation is about going higher together. It’s the commitment a team makes to their mission and to each other, rooted in the belief that everyone wins when we push each other to grow.

Too many teams operate in what I call “polite coexistence.” People do their jobs, stay in their lanes, and avoid stepping on toes. It’s cordial, it’s safe, and it’s leaving massive potential on the table.

Co-elevation flips that script. It asks team members to embrace their interdependencies, seek wisdom from peers, and forge co-creative relationships built on candid feedback and mutual accountability. The resulting outcomes almost always exceed what could have been accomplished through regular channels within the org chart.

I’ve watched this play out countless times during our programs. When people shift from coexistence to co-elevation, something magical happens: they stop waiting for permission and start leading without authority.

Leading without authority: The secret sauce

Here’s something I learned early in my career: titles don’t make leadership, influence does.

When I started TeamBonding back in 1988, I didn’t have a massive team or a fancy org chart. What I had was a belief in the power of play and a willingness to collaborate with anyone who shared that vision. I built partnerships, listened to feedback, and created experiences that brought people together.

That’s leading without authority in action, and it’s exactly what co-elevation demands from every team member, regardless of their position. In traditional hierarchies, people wait for their manager to give them the green light. But in a co-elevated team, leadership is fluid and moves to whoever has the expertise, insight, or energy to drive the mission forward in that moment.

This doesn’t mean chaos. It means trust and recognizing that the best ideas don’t always come from the top, and that shared goals matter more than individual territory.

Five ways co-elevation transforms teams

Let me break down how co-elevation actually works in practice. These aren’t theoretical concepts but behaviors I’ve observed in high-performing teams and principles we build into our interactive team building experiences.

1. Focus on interdependency

Most teams have a leader, and that’s fine. But in co-elevation, the real power comes from interdependency, not top-down authority.

Each person becomes responsible for their area of expertise, skill, and productivity, but instead of working in isolation, they work in sync. When one person’s work feeds directly into another’s and everyone understands how their piece fits into the bigger picture, teams move faster and smarter.

I see this every time we run our charity team building programs. Participants quickly realize they can’t succeed alone and need each other’s strengths, perspectives, and energy to complete the mission. That shift toward interdependency creates something beautiful.

2. Share critical information

Here’s a tough truth: most people avoid conflict and hold back negative feedback because they don’t want to rock the boat.

Co-elevation demands something different. It requires teams to address the elephants in the room and share information that might be uncomfortable but is critical to success. This isn’t about being harsh or critical for criticism’s sake—but recognizing that withholding information, whether positive or negative, hurts the team.

During our problem solving activities, we build in moments that force this kind of honest communication. Teams that embrace it always perform better, making faster adjustments and avoiding repeating mistakes.

3. Increase collaboration beyond the usual  

Collaboration is great, but co-elevation asks us to think bigger. It’s about creating what some experts call a “collaboration stack,” a series of different modes of working together that include diverse thinking and a broader network of insight.

When we design custom team building events, we’re always thinking about how to maximize meaningful collaboration. How do we get the quiet voices heard? How do we break down silos? How do we create space for unexpected partnerships? The answer is almost always through shared experiences that level the playing field and create new contexts for connection.

4. Increase awareness of impact

One of the biggest barriers to co-elevation is tunnel vision. When people operate in silos, they’re often unaware of their peers’ challenges and needs.

Co-elevation requires us to think beyond ourselves, to consider how our work affects others on the team and beyond, and to anticipate obstacles we might inadvertently create for colleagues. It’s not about being selfless to the point of martyrdom but about expanding your field of vision to include the whole team’s success.

5. Act your way into new thinking

Here’s one of my favorite principles: we don’t think our way into new ways of acting, we act our way into new ways of thinking.

You can’t sit in a conference room and lecture people into co-elevation. You have to create experiences where they practice it, where they take small steps toward vulnerability, collaboration, and mutual accountability, and where they see the results firsthand.

That’s why shared experiences in learning matter so much. When teams participate in our icebreaker activities or tackle a creative challenge together, they’re not just having fun but practicing the behaviors that lead to co-elevation. They’re learning to trust each other, communicate more openly, and celebrate wins together while supporting each other through setbacks.

The co-elevation effect on satisfaction and productivity

So what happens when teams embrace co-elevation? The results speak for themselves.

Research shows that teams practicing co-elevation see a 79% increase in candor, a 46% increase in collaboration, and a 44% increase in accountability. Those aren’t small numbers but fundamental shifts in how people work together.

Beyond the metrics, I’ve witnessed something more profound: people actually enjoy their work more. They feel more connected to their teammates and experience the satisfaction that comes from achieving something genuinely meaningful together.

That’s the magic of mutual success. When you’re invested in each other’s growth and committed to shared goals, work stops feeling like a grind and starts feeling like purpose.

Ready to elevate your team?

Co-elevation isn’t a program you can roll out with a memo. It’s a practice, a commitment, and a daily choice to elevate each other rather than compete or simply coexist.

But when teams make that choice and embrace the challenge of going higher together, the transformation is real. They become more innovative, more resilient, more connected, and yes, more productive and satisfied.

At TeamBonding, we’ve spent over 35 years helping teams discover what’s possible when they commit to mutual success. Our expert facilitators create experiences that don’t just entertain but transform how people work together, backed by 200+ customizable programs designed to create the conditions where co-elevation can flourish.

Want to bring co-elevation to your team? Let’s talk. Contact us today to explore how our programs can help your team go higher together.

The post Co-Elevation: Unlocking Team Potential in the Workplace appeared first on TeamBonding.

If you’re wondering how to make your workplace more innovative, the answer lies in how you think and how your team thinks. Let’s look at what it takes to create an innovative culture powered by a growth mindset.

What is innovation in the workplace?

Innovation in the workplace is the process of translating creative ideas into tangible improvements—whether that’s new products, better processes, enhanced services, or novel approaches to old problems. It’s not just about invention. It’s about implementation.

True workplace innovation combines three elements: creativity (generating new ideas), problem-solving (addressing real needs), and execution (turning concepts into reality). You can have the most creative team in the world, but without the ability to execute, innovation remains theoretical.

Innovation shows up differently depending on the context. Sometimes it’s disruptive—completely reimagining how an industry works. Sometimes it’s incremental—small continuous improvements that compound over time. Both matter. Both drive growth.

Why innovation matters more than ever

The business landscape has never changed faster. Technology evolves daily. Customer expectations shift constantly. Competitive advantages disappear overnight. In this environment, innovation isn’t optional—it’s essential for survival.

Here’s what innovation drives:

• Competitive Advantage: Innovation helps you stay ahead of competitors and disrupt markets before you’re disrupted
• Business Growth: New products, services, and processes create new revenue streams
• Efficiency Gains: Process innovations reduce costs and improve productivity
• Employee Engagement: People are more engaged when they can contribute ideas and see impact
• Talent Attraction: Innovative companies attract the best people who want to work on meaningful problems
• Customer Loyalty: Customers stick with companies that continuously improve their experience
• Adaptability: Innovation builds organizational muscle for responding to change

Companies that innovate consistently outperform those that don’t. Look at 3M—they earn around 3,000 patents a year for new products and designs. That constant innovation is how a company stays relevant across wildly different industries for decades.

How to build a culture of innovation

A culture of innovation doesn’t just happen—it’s built with intention. And today, one of the most powerful tools for doing that is fostering a growth mindset at work. In companies where innovation thrives, employees aren’t afraid of failure. They’re curious. They ask bold questions. They challenge “the way we’ve always done it.” And they do that because the environment supports it.

1. Cultivate a growth mindset

A culture of innovation doesn’t just happen—it’s built with intention. And today, one of the most powerful tools for doing that is fostering a growth mindset at work. In companies where innovation thrives, employees aren’t afraid of failure. They’re curious. They ask bold questions. They challenge “the way we’ve always done it.” And they do that because the environment supports it.

Here are a few strategies for promoting growth mindset among employees:

• Celebrate effort, not just outcomes.
• Reward experimentation and learning, even when the result isn’t perfect.
• Provide training opportunities that stretch people outside their comfort zones.
• Encourage reflection. What worked, what didn’t, and what’s next?

2. Encourage Open Communication and Psychological Safety

Innovation is a team sport. But people won’t share their ideas if they fear being judged, shut down, or ignored.

To foster innovation within the workplace, you need an environment where everyone feels safe to speak up. That starts with:

• Leaders modeling curiosity and openness
• Setting norms around listening and respectful debate
• Having dedicated time and space for idea-sharing: whether it’s a brainstorming meeting, a digital whiteboard, or a Slack channel just for ideas

Cross-functional collaboration is especially effective. When people from different departments interact, they bring unique perspectives to the table, often leading to unexpected and exciting solutions.

As Diane Egbers said on the Team Building Saves the World podcast, “What we want to do is help people to see that it takes all types of people to get optimal results… We have kind of one way of looking at the world based on our strengths, style, and genius. But there are lots of other ways to look at it, and we embrace that and welcome that.”

3. Empower Employees to Think — and Act — Like Leaders

Ownership is key. When employees feel responsible for outcomes, they’re more likely to innovate. Connection isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s foundational to influence and empowerment. As Diane Egbers put it, “Until I’m connected to somebody, I virtually have no chance to influence them as a leader.”

You can empower employees by:

• Giving them autonomy over how they approach problems.
• Letting them lead initiatives or pilot new processes.
• Encouraging mentorship and peer learning to spread knowledge across your team.

One example we’ve seen at TeamBonding: our facilitators are encouraged to share ideas for improving events and creating new experiences. Some of our most successful team building activities came from these frontline insights! 

Empowerment also means creating space for employees to bring forward bold ideas, even if they challenge the status quo. One way to do this is by rotating team members into temporary leadership roles during internal projects or off-site activities. 

Programs like Corporate Survivor put these leadership skills to the test in a fun, high-pressure environment, helping teams build resilience, delegate effectively, and think strategically under time constraints. When employees experience what it’s like to lead, even temporarily, they gain confidence, insight, and a deeper sense of ownership,  all of which are essential for creating a culture of innovation.

4. Create Space for Risk-Taking and Experimentation

Innovation doesn’t happen in back-to-back Zoom calls or under constant pressure to be perfect. To foster real creativity, you need to create space for experimentation and risk-taking and a culture that supports both.

Teams need time to explore ideas without fear of failure. Companies like Google famously encouraged employees to spend 20% of their time on passion projects. While not every team can carve out that much space, even a few hours a month can spark meaningful breakthroughs.

What’s equally important is the mindset. Failure can’t be taboo; it needs to be data. Encourage teams to take calculated risks, share what worked (and didn’t), and build a feedback loop focused on progress.

Ways to create experimentation space:

• Internal innovation time: Dedicate regular time for passion projects or experimental work
• Pilot programs: Test new ideas on a small scale before full rollout
• Innovation budget: Set aside resources specifically for experimentation
• Safe-to-fail projects: Designate some initiatives as learning opportunities where failure is acceptable

Encourage teams to take calculated risks, share what worked (and didn’t), and build a feedback loop focused on progress.

5. Invest in Professional Development

While a growth mindset starts with culture, it deepens through deliberate learning. Support your team’s development by investing in skills, stretch experiences, and real-world innovation challenges.

Try:

• Bringing in guest speakers on innovation and mindset
• Offering stipends for classes or certifications
• Hosting innovation-focused team building programs that challenge people to collaborate and solve complex problems

Pro Tip: Programs like Integrity from TeamBonding are designed to help teams practice communication, problem-solving, and adaptability: key traits of innovative teams.

6. Design Environments That Inspire

Physical and digital workspaces impact how people think and collaborate. A cluttered, dull, or isolating environment can stifle creativity.

It doesn’t have to be a radical redesign. Consider simple changes like:

• Open layouts that encourage collaboration
• Spaces for quiet reflection and deep work
• Art, natural light, and flexible seating

In hybrid or remote teams, encourage virtual co-working sessions or idea-sharing channels to spark connection and creativity.

7. Set Goals That Inspire Innovation

Innovation without direction is chaos. Your team needs to understand what they’re working toward and how their ideas align with bigger objectives.

That means:

• Defining your innovation mission (e.g., “Make our onboarding process the best in the industry”)
• Sharing progress regularly
• Recognizing contributions that move the needle

This is especially powerful when combined with a growth mindset. Clear goals give people a sandbox to innovate within.

8. Reinforce Innovation Through Celebration and Connection

Culture isn’t built in a single breakthrough. It’s shaped moment by moment, win by win. To sustain innovation, it’s essential to keep momentum going and recognize the effort that fuels it.

Celebrate the small wins. Share stories of creative problem-solving. Reflect openly on what worked and what’s next. “You can’t just keep pushing for results and think that relationships will manage and cultivate on their own,” says Diane Egbers. Recognition fuels motivation and helps employees feel that their contributions matter.

One of the best ways to reinforce this culture is through shared experiences. Team building activities aren’t just fun. They create a foundation of trust, communication, and collaboration. That’s why programs like Beat the Box and Escape the Mob are popular and transformational. When teams feel connected, they take more creative risks, solve problems faster, and engage more deeply.

Other options include In It to Win It, which adds a playful, competitive edge that brings out problem-solving under pressure, and Go Team, a high-tech scavenger hunt where teams navigate the real world with a digital mission by  unlocking clues, completing challenges, and adapting in real time. It’s creativity in action.

Overcoming Innovation Blockers in the Workplace

Even the most forward-thinking teams can struggle to innovate. That’s because fostering creativity isn’t just about adding new programs. You have to remove the friction that stops it.

Fear of Failure

The biggest innovation killer? Fear. When employees believe failure will hurt their reputation or career, they stop taking chances.

Tip: Normalize failure by celebrating “lessons learned.” Have a monthly team debrief where employees share what didn’t work and what they learned from it.

Micromanagement

Innovation needs room to breathe. If every decision has to go through layers of approval, momentum stalls.

Tip: Build trust by empowering teams to test ideas on a small scale. Use pilot programs and feedback loops to give people autonomy without risking major disruption.

Unclear Direction

Without a clear purpose, even the most creative ideas can get lost.

Tip: Align innovation goals with your company’s mission. For example, if your goal is to improve customer experience, challenge teams to pitch one innovation that simplifies the user journey.

Innovation and the Remote/Hybrid Workplace

If your team works remotely or in a hybrid environment, connection is still possible and still just as critical to innovation.

Use Digital Tools to Drive Idea Sharing

Create space for creativity across time zones with tools like:

• Virtual whiteboards (Miro, MURAL)
• Async brainstorming via Slack threads
• Collaborative docs with voting features for prioritization

Encourage “thinking out loud” even when you’re not in the same room.

Create Rituals Around Innovation

Build consistent rhythms for creativity:

• A monthly “innovation jam” where teams pitch ideas
• Weekly “what if” questions in your team meeting
• Cross-team coffee chats to spark unexpected insights
  

Consider creating a Slack channel called “bright ideas” — a space for casual, no-pressure idea sharing. Let your team share ideas and then follow up on them.

Make Remote Team Building Part of Your Strategy

Virtual team building can be fun and strategic. It helps build trust, improve communication, and strengthen the relationships that drive collaboration.

Explore remote-friendly innovation experiences like:

• Virtual Taskmaster: Work together to complete tasks that are judged by creativity, teamwork, and performance.
• The Official Jeopardy!® – Virtual Game Show: Complete with all the sounds and games you know and love, this can also be completely customized to your company.
• Virtual Escape Room: Teams work together to solve puzzles, persevere through failure, and communicate with each other to escape a virtual haunted house.

These programs put your team’s problem-solving skills to the test, while reinforcing the kind of playful, experimental mindset that innovation depends on.

Building a Culture of Innovation Is a Choice. Make It Yours.

Creating a culture of innovation through a growth mindset isn’t a one-time initiative. It’s an ongoing commitment to learning, experimenting, and evolving together.

Whether you’re a CEO, a team leader, or someone passionate about positive change, your role in shaping workplace culture is powerful.

Want to see what this looks like in action? Explore all of TeamBonding’s experiences that can help your team start thinking outside of the box.

Innovation doesn’t just happen. You create the conditions. And with the right mindset, anything is possible.

The post Innovation in the Workplace: Building a Culture Where Creativity Thrives appeared first on TeamBonding.