MODULE 4: BELONGING

FACILITATOR’S GUIDE

MODULE 4: BELONGING

Facilitator’s Guide: Belonging - Module 4

Slide: Belonging

Slide Goal: Introduce the module topic

Content Notes: The belonging module focuses on the extent to which a team has a strong

personal bond. This module will help identify ways to form and maintain strong, stable

interpersonal relationships

Adapting to Team’s Needs:

High Medium Low/Mixed

Coach Notes:

Slide: Prior Session Recap

Slide Goal: Revisit goals and commitments to action from last session. If applicable, discuss

facilitators and barriers to goal related to theme.

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: Team Experience Modules

Slide Goal: Remind the team where they are and where they are going.

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: Where do we go next?

Slide Goal: Briefly explain how whole self from the previous module sets the foundation for

Belonging and creating improved relationships.

Content Notes:

This module will discuss the ingredients that go into fostering a climate of belonging in which

individuals feel connected to their team members in a unifying manner.

In previous sessions we discussed the ingredients of a psychologically safe team (review these as

a team) (1) conversation equality (2) social sensitivity & empathy (3) humanity & unconditional

respect (4) positive intent & curiosity (5) adopting a growth mindset. The loyalty, cooperation, &

trustworthiness associated with psychological safety have been found to enhance the security of

individual members. This sense of security within a group often facilitates a sense of acceptance,

connectedness, and ultimately belonging. This module will discuss the ingredients that go into

fostering a climate of belonging in which individuals feel connected to their team members in a

unifying manner.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Warm Up Activity

Slide Goal: The goal of this activity (“The Mystery of Belonging”) is to explore perceptions and

experiences of inclusion and exclusion as it relates to belonging

• Content Notes: Exercise Title: The Mystery of Belonging

• Exercise Objective/Debrief Points: team members experience the satisfaction of

contributing to the process, decision-making, and outcome of the task (simulating

belongingness). Simultaneously, some team members experience the sense of exclusion

when their contributions are not valued or incorporated in the decision-making or the

final product.

• Goals: The goal of this activity is to explore the perceptions of inclusion and exclusion as

it relates to belonging.

• Instructions:

• Facilitator hands out notecards with facts about the mystery object (e.g., an

elephant, a hot air balloon) –-one fact per notecard

• Each person receives one notecard

• If the team is 4 people or less, each person gets two notecards.

• Within the facts, there are up to 3 notecards with false information that do not

accurately depict the mystery object

• The participants must work together to figure out what the mystery object is, as

well as figure out which notecards have the false facts on them

• Process: The participants are encouraged to collaborate and share their ideas in order to

identify what the mystery object is.



Coach Notes:

Slide:

Slide Goal: Facilitate discussion around the warm-up activity

Content Notes: The average workplace can often be a struggle. Work moves at the speed of

light, priorities change constantly, and we must “do more with less.” In addition, each individual

is unique, has different skills to offer, different temperaments, knowledge, and abilities. Humans

are social animals. We are hard-wired with a need for belonging and connection. Most of what

we do and our need to belong drives our behavior. At times, we may define ourselves and

measure our self-worth through our connections to others.

If your fact was not true/relevant, what did it feel like not to have something to contribute?



Coach Notes:

Slide: Heat Up

Slide Goal: Transition to module-specific information

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: Module Objectives

Slide Goal: Introduce learning objectives for Belonging

Content Notes:

• Learn what Belonging is and the components to fulfill the need of Belonging

• Understand the importance of Belonging for creating an inclusive environment.

• Consider our learnings in the context of our current team’s behavior – How is

our level of Belonging?

• Create action plans to apply today’s learnings to our daily individual and team

activities.



Coach Notes:

Slide: The Science of Belonging

Slide Goal: Provide brief education about the neuroscience of feeling connected to others

Content Notes: A sense of belonging is a human need, just like the need for food and water.

Findings from social cognitive neuroscience suggests that bringing out the best in people in the

workplace depends at least as much on optimizing a person’s social well-being as it does on

their cognitive processes. Sometimes we think people should simply “get over” their hurt

feelings, despite the face that we would never think someone should “get over” their broken leg.

Evidence suggest strong similarities in the way the brain reacts to social and physical pain.



Coach Notes:

Slide: What is belonging?

Slide Goal: We will now start discussing what Belonging means

Content Notes: There is a brief 1:21 minute video, if time permitting. It is titled “Diversity,

Inclusion, and Belonging” that highlights the uniqueness and benefits of a Belonging culture.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+build+belonging+in+the+workplace&docid=

608039355567509485&mid=F9CBA28691F152BBFE26F9CBA28691F152BBFE26&view=detail&F

ORM=VIREHT



Coach Notes:

Slide: Marilynn Brewer quote

Slide Goal: Provide definition of Belonging

Content Notes: To satisfy this need, people need to have frequent and affectively pleasant

interactions in a temporally stable group.

A sense of belonging gives us a feeling of being valued and respected within the group.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Belonging and Assimilation

Slide Goal: Describe the difference between belonging and assimilation.

Content Notes: You do not need to change who you are to belong.



Coach Notes:

Slide: What is Belonging?

Slide Goal: Introduce and explore the two-dimensional model of inclusion that incorporates

Uniqueness and Belongingness

Content Notes: This framework of inclusion suggests that uniqueness will provide

opportunities for improved group performance when a unique individual is an accepted

member of the group AND the group values the particular unique characteristic. We will spend

more time addressing the uniqueness factor in the next module, the Whole Self.

INCLUSION:

There is support in the literature for experiencing belongingness and uniqueness

simultaneously. For instance, minority members (who are unique) with develop networks (thus a

sense of belongingness) report a high level of career optimism.

At the team level, diverse work groups that incorporate uniqueness (viewing diversity as a

resource) and belongingness (members feeling valued and respected) are able to facilitate

effective cross-organizational collaboration, and allow individuals within the group to enhance

their skills (Ely & Thomas, 2001)

EXLCUSION:

When the need for belongingness is attenuated, there can be harmful cognitive, emotional,

behavioral, and health outcomes. Studies have found that exclusion was particularly detrimental

to work attitudes and psychological health (Hitlan et al., 2006)

ASSIMILIATION:

This reflects situations in which an individual who is unique is treated as an insider when he/she

conforms to the dominant norms of culture. Stigma research suggests that people may choose

not to disclose information that highlights a stigmatized characteristic they possess in efforts to

be accepted by others. (i.e., religion, disability, sexual orientation).

Even when a unique characteristic is readily apparent (i.e., race, gender, or age) some individuals

opt to downplay the ways that they may differ from the group. For instance, women attorneys

have been found to adopt more masculine behaviors in order to fit the mold of a successful

attorney (Ely, 1995).

DIFFERENTIATION:

Organizations have increasingly emphasized the unique capabilities of their employees as a

form of human capital and a source of competitive advantage. In some organizational settings,

there may be employees who offer unique and rare capabilities who are not considered or

treated as organizational insiders. For instance, some work groups may value diversity as a way

of reaching particular markers, but minority members were not considered to be part of the

larger culture of the organization and were subject to isolation and race-based stereotypes.



Coach Notes:

Slide: What does it mean to us?

Slide Goal: Through open discussion, explore what belonging means to our organization

Content Notes Culture is something LinkedIn takes pride in. For LinkedIn, culture is more than a

set of guiding principles; it is brought to life by the employees who exemplify it on a daily basis.

At LinkedIn, they place a great deal of emphasis on internal relationships. LinkedIn is in the

business of building relationship, and this extends into the relationships created in the

workplace. Part of the culture embedded in LinkedIn is managing compassionately. In other

words, they recognize that people have differing experiences and perspectives and they foster a

place of trust and collaboration where all can succeed.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Indicators of Belonging

Slide Goal: Specify the indicators that suggest belonging in the workplace is present

Content Notes: Employee perception of inclusion-exclusion is conceptualized as a continuum

of the degree to which individuals feel a part of critical organizational processes (in our case, the

thermometer!). These processes include: access to information and resources, connectedness to

supervisor and co-workers, and the ability to participate in and influence the decision-making

process. (Mor Barak, 2000).



Coach Notes:

Slide: Why is belonging important?

Slide Goal: Transition into discussing why Belonging is important

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: The Benefits of Belonging

Slide Goal: Review the research findings associated with Belonging

Content Notes: As a result of social identification, people become attached to one another

through their common connection to the social group. It is suggested that people choose social

identities with particular groups and acceptance into those groups. Acceptance, and the sense

of connection with others it creates (BELONGINGNESS), prevents the isolation that may occur if

one becomes highly individuated.

There are many advantages associated with being an accepted member of a group. Individuals

opt to socially identify with a particular group when it allows for satisfaction of needs for

both belongingness and uniqueness. The balance between belongingness and uniqueness is a

critical component to building social inclusion in the workplace.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Verna Myers quote

Slide Goal: Some minor differences between diversity and inclusion.

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: Fostering a Sense of Belongingness

Slide Goal: Begin exploring what needs to happen/change in order to facilitate Belongingness

Content Notes: The research indicates there are many positive effects from having inclusive

teams that foster a sense of belongingness. Yet, there is less known information about how to

do so.

What do you think needs to happen in order to establish a sense of belonging?



Coach Notes:

Slide:

Slide Goal: Before discussing our Belonging score and how we work towards creating that

environment, we must revisit the concepts of psychological safety and implement those skills

into our conversation around belonging.

Content Notes: Before we dive into where we think we are in terms of creating a sense of

Belonging, lets brief review the importance of vulnerability and psychological safety.

(1) Conversational turn-taking and empathy create psych safety.

• They are also part of the same unwritten rules we turn to when we want to

establish a bond.

• We should encourage equal speaking time (don’t monopolize the conversation

AND speak up) and be sensitive to one another’s moods and share personal

stories and emotions. This is how we make the whole greater than the sum of its

parts.

(2) Establish a starting point.

• Any group can create psych safety by encouraging emotional conversations and

discussions of norms among people who might otherwise be uncomfortable

talking about how they feel.

• By putting things like empathy and sensitivity into charts and data reports, it

makes them easier to talk about. It’s easier to talk about our feelings when we

can point to a number.

• When it’s tangible and described in common language, it’s easier to interact with.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Let’s have the conversation: Our starting point

Slide Goal: Discuss reactions related to our team’s IHI score for Belonging

Content Notes: Having data and language around something makes it easer to discuss

Practice on ourselves! What is our belonging number? What do you think about that?

Get initial reactions first, then talk about the behaviors.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Practicing Belonging

Slide Goal: Shifting into practicing skills related to Belonging

Content Notes: To build a sense of belonging requires active effort and practice.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Activity

Slide Goal: Start with an activity

Content Notes: Activity details on next slide



Coach Notes:

Slide: Building Connections

Slide Goal: One way to work on increasing your sense of belonging is to look for ways you are

similar with others instead of focusing on ways you are different.

Content Notes: For instance, someone is much older than you? Maybe they have wonderful

stories to tell and you love to listen to their experiences. Maybe you value making a difference

and can contribute to their lives with your youthful strength.

[introduce activity]

Purpose: provide a simple introductory activity that helps members identify commonalities

Procedures:

• Pair up with someone, preferably someone you don’t know well (or as well as

someone else).

• Take turns interviewing each other. Find out what interests the other individual,

what their values are, what preferences they have, what they enjoy doing in their

free time. Interview each other for five minutes.

• Take the next ten minutes identifying connections. What did you learn about

each other? What similarities do you have?

• Reconvene in the larger group and discuss 4 main questions listed above.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Yes, but… Yes, and…

Slide Goal: One way to foster a sense of belonging is to build on each other’s ideas to create

something – like a story – together.

Content Notes:

The principle of Yes And is the basis of all collaborative teamwork and group creativity. It is a

fun exercise and allows team members to experience each other in a light, creative way. Players

sit In a circle and build a story one sentence at a time. Each sentence must begin with "Yes,

And..." Each sentence must refer to one statement from the previous sentence. For example, if I

say "Once upon a time there was a blue rhinoceros", then the next person might say "Yes, and

the blue rhinoceros liked to drink tea (or wore reading glasses, or whatever)”. And the person

after that could say something like "Yes, and that tea contained persimmons" and so on. Since

you don't know what the person ahead of you will say, you can't plan ahead. If someone forgets

to start their sentence with "Yes, and..." then the group functions as a friendly human buzzer,

saying "Buzzzz" The person then just tries again this time beginning his/her sentence with "Yes,

and..." At any time, a participant has the choice to say “pass” if they get too stuck.

Because this is an exercise on accepting offers and building on them, these behaviors are

to be avoided. It is best to alert the group to these No Nos up front:

• Do not argue with the what was just added to the story. Example: "Yes, and it

wasn't really a blue rhinoceros, it was a green fly."

• Arguers may actually say “Yes, And…” but they do not add, but instead block or

deny the previous story addition.

• The group should be encouraged to Buzz an arguer to encourage them to try

again with a true Yes, And…. Statement.

Do not question what was just added to the story: "Yes, and what kind of blue rhinoceros was

it?". Questioning in this game is really a kind of argument because the action stops cold and

nothing is added. The moderator should encourage people to say the first thing on their

minds, the sillier the better.

Do not hesitate. The moderator should encourage people not to hesitate by trying to find the

perfect thing to say. Jump in by saying Yes and... then repeat an element and let the first thing

that comes to mind come out to add to the story.

The moderator begins the story by saying "Once upon a time there was a (talking truck tire, or

whatever). For best results, stay in the imaginary realm, not the business realm. The moderator

can also assist by pointing at who is next and by encouraging people to speak up so others can

hear. The moderator ends the story by saying "The End."



Coach Notes:

Slide: Activity Debrief

Slide Goal: Reconvene in the larger group and discuss 4 main questions listed above.

Content Notes: Emphasize the importance of shared interests in developing new ideas, not on

our conflicting positions



Coach Notes:

Slide: David Steindl Rast quote

Slide Goal: Introduce the importance of gratitude in belonging

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: Express Gratitude

Slide Goal: Identify ways to improve, enhance, and demonstrate gratitude

Content Notes: Gratefulness is rooted in “beholding,” taking time stop, consider, and

appreciate experience, if even another breath, a lesson, another possibility, recognition of

strength and resilience. Gratitude is also a key to both connection and to belonging—the

moment one feels gratitude, one is often pointing to someone or something else. For example,

grateful for food on one’s plate and for the people who provide it. In other words, gratefulness

can group people in an appreciation of connection and interdependence.

• Individuals who have a higher gratitude quotient or a regular practice of expressing

gratitude have stronger social bonds and tend to be more generous and generative

• Gratitude is shown to boost people’s willingness to reach out and connect with

others

• Gratitude can be contagious



Coach Notes:

Slide: Activity

Slide Goal: Gratitude activity (Snap Jar)

Content Notes: Everyone write down three things (either about the team as a whole, or three

different people on the team) they are grateful for on a notecard.

These are intended to be anonymous so do not write your name on the note card. Everyone

adds their notecard to the jar. Team leader reads off all of the gratitude notes from the snap jar.

• Reflection Questions:

• What was it like to hear the things others are grateful for?

• What was it like to be thanked for your contributions?

• What was it like to write down/deliver expressions of gratitude?

• How are we currently doing at expressing gratitude to one another?



Coach Notes:

Slide: Use Empathy

Slide Goal: Explore mechanisms which facilitate empathy

Content Notes: Feeling understood and not judged really allows a person to feel like they

belong. This doesn’t have to be a constant state; just a touch point. A moment in each

interaction where you ask yourself, what does this feel like for them? What would it be like to be

standing in their shoes?

When empathy is improved, we become better humans. Empathy is associated with stronger,

more meaningful relationships; increased success in the workplace; and better health and quality

of life.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Video

Slide Goal: Share a video that highlights the difference between empathy and sympathy

Content Notes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw



Coach Notes:

Slide: Treat others’ as insiders

Slide Goal: Discuss opportunities that allow others’ to feel like insiders (i.e., involved in

decision-making, informed of relevant issues).

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: Influence in Decision-Making

Slide Goal: Explore different thinking styles

Content Notes: When we are constantly butting heads with a co-worker it can interfere with

our feeling of belonging. The issue could be due to different thinking styles influenced by each

of our unique perspectives. To better understand our own style of thinking and that of our

colleagues, we must look at two dimensions.

First, focus. Focus refers to the factors that we pay most attention to-- Ideas, process, actions,

relationships.

Next, orientation refers to the scale at which you approach the situation—do you like lots of

details? Or the big picture?

By combining these dimensions, we can begin to identify the thinking styles that influence the

way we work and make decisions.

Explorers—all about generating creative ideas

Experts—all about achieving objectivity and insight

Planners—design effective systems

Optimizers—focus on productivity and efficiency

Energizers—like to mobilize people into action

Producers—prefer to achieve completion and momentum themselves

Connector—think about building and strengthening relationships and networks

Coach—prefer to work one on one and cultivate individual potential

Once you understand which style feels more natural to you, it will get easier to see other

peoples’ strengths and weaknesses, including your own.

By understanding your teams’ thinking styles, you can better see where communication breaks

down, and how team members compliment each other.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Thinking Styles Reflection

Slide Goal: Reflect on the thinking styles to facilitate self-awareness

Content Notes: Write down responses in your workbook.



Coach Notes:

Slide: Peter Block quote

Slide Goal: Emphasize the importance of building relationships and rapport before being able

to effectively work with one another.

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: Fire Up

Slide Goal: Transition into commitment to action

Content Notes: Plan: Write down three things you’d like to try before our next module and

share with an accountability partner



Coach Notes:

Slide: TAG Check-In

Slide Goal: TAG Check-In

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Slide: TAG Check-In

Slide Goal: Discuss current state, desired future, and immediate action to take.

Content Notes:

How does whole self currently affect our team action goal?

How would increased whole self improve our ability to reach our TAG?

What can we do TODAY to improve the whole self of our team?


Coach Notes:

Slide:

Slide Goal:

Content Notes:



Coach Notes:

Documents

MODULE 4: BELONGING