Attract Effort., Commitment.,Talent.,Engagement.,Feedback.,Accountability..

We know the power of questions when it comes to shaping team dynamics and guiding new behaviours. They spark interest, dismantle groupthink, and get the brain ready for learning. It's why our FAQs don't get buried in footnotes.

• How would you explain Uncommon Norms to me if I was 5 years old?

  Imagine if we had a magic guidebook that tells us the best way to behave so we can play together nicely, even in tough times like when we're arguing over toys or feeling frustrated.

  That's what Uncommon Norms^TM does. It helps your team understand how to act so everyone feels safe and understood so they can do their best work.

  As a leader, it offers a "magic guidebook" that aids in managing the behaviour of the team, leading to better cooperation, improved communication and less conflict.

• How does Uncommon Norms differ from traditional Core Values or Vision & Mission statements?

  Values and mission statements are like the destination on a map; they tell us where we want to go.

  Uncommon Norms offers the road signs and traffic rules on that journey. It shows your people how to behave on the way to your destination so that everyone can get there safely and happily.

  As a leader, you’ll be equipped with practical steps to navigate the journey to your organization's goals, improving the overall journey towards achieving the vision and mission of the company.

• How will Uncommon Norms help with the growing pains of my rapidly expanding team?

  Uncommon Norms^TM act like a compass. As you add people, teams can lose direction. This tool shows everyone the right behaviour to follow, helping them stay aligned and reduce the 'bumps' on the road as you grow."

  This offers you the ability as a leader to maintain a harmonious and aligned team, even during periods of rapid growth.

• How can Uncommon Norms help integrate a new executive into our existing culture?"

  Think of it as a language guide for a foreign country. It teaches the new executive the 'language' of your team's behaviour, helping them fit in more smoothly and reducing the risk of misunderstandings.

  This allows both you and your new leader, the unspoken cues you can use to more easily gel into a cohesive leadership team, reducing potential conflicts and misunderstandings along the way.

• How will Uncommon Norms help me handle the interpersonal issues in my organization?

  It’s is like a translator that converts everyone’s individual language into a shared one that is understood by all. It helps everyone understand how their actions might be seen by others and suggests better ways to act that everyone will appreciate.

  As a leader, it allows you to take an active and constructive role in dealing with interpersonal issues. Not only do your skills improve, you will deal with conflict more effectively, leading to a more harmonious working environment.

• How can Uncommon Norms help me reduce turnover?

  By aligning behaviour to create a supportive environment where people understand and respect each other better. When people feel understood and appreciated, they are more likely to stick around."

  Uncommon Norms represent complex social science what we’ve distilled into simple language. It’s what empowers you as a leader to foster a positive workplace environment that encourages employees to stay, reducing turnover - even after our engagement with you ends.

• What makes Uncommon Norms reliable? How does it work?

  The entire framework was built using evidence-based theories studied by organizational psychologists for decades. Since 2014, we have tested and validated it in hundreds of real-world scenarios.

  Like any scientific process, we’ve run the  ‘experiment’ many times and always gets the same good result.

  As a leader, you can expect increased effectiveness and trust in your leadership, adopting a scientifically backed tool to align your teams.

• How quickly can I expect to see changes after implementing Uncommon Norms?

  When it comes to improving your hiring - you’ll see the difference in your very first interview.

  Overall, it's like planting a seed and watching it grow. Some changes you'll notice quickly, like better communication in your teams, and better insights when you hire.

  But the real magic, like improved trust and reduced conflict, those grow the more you use the tool.

  We feel that adds to the value you get as a leader. You can expect both immediate and long-term improvements in team dynamics and performance.

• What kind of training is required for my team to use Uncommon Norms effectively?

  Each team is different, and because there are so many applications this tool fits, the needs of the business also factor in.

  The analogy we like to us is it’s like learning a new game. It’s easy to pick up the rules, but mastery requires playing multiple times.

  The good news is, we'll guide you through the rules until everyone knows how to play. It's designed to be simple and easy to understand.

  The advantage this gives you as a leader is that once you master this, you can easily get new members to your team up to speed as you grow, without needing to rehire us for a full engagement.

• As a leader, how can Uncommon Norms help me balance my work and personal life?

  By helping your team work more effectively, there will be less need for you to put out fires at work. You'll be able to trust your team more and therefore have more time for your personal life.

  We have proven this in our own lives as well as those of our clients.

  In fact - Uncommon Norms was never meant to be a “product”. It was a framework built to help us navigate the complexity of scaling a business while growing a family.  It just worked so well, others asked to borrow it too.

Maximizing Potential:

Uncommon Norms^TM has the potential to make a significant impact on your leadership. Originally designed to improve emotional intelligence, redefine cultures, and improve hiring, its impact has only grown. Today it helps leaders like you solve a wide range of challenges, including:

• Optimizing Employee On-Boarding:

  • Rapidly growing businesses continually face the challenge of integrating new talent into their teams.
    
    
  • Without the guidance of Uncommon Norms, these businesses may resort to generic onboarding programs that can fail to align new hires with the company's unique culture and values.
    
    
  • The key struggle often starts with the initial interactions with new employees, when creating a strong, positive first impression is vital.
    
    
  • Uncommon Norms presents a revolutionary approach to onboarding, enabling businesses to design a bespoke process that's rooted in the principles of their unique culture and the behaviours that support it.
    
    
  • The defining feature here is the "contrast of positives" in norms, which serves to align new employees with desired behaviours while helping them steer clear of seemingly acceptable, yet potentially detrimental behaviours, in their new roles.
    
    
  • The result is an enriched onboarding process that encourages connection, builds trust, and ensures alignment from the very beginning.

• Aligning Remote & Hybrid Teams:

  • For businesses adapting to the current reality of remote or hybrid work models, creating a thriving team dynamic is a complex and ongoing task.
    
    
  • In the absence of Uncommon Norms, communication mishaps and feelings of disconnection can become commonplace, especially during virtual meetings.
    
    
  • Uncommon Norms provides leaders with an innovative tool to navigate these challenges by helping to establish norms that foster connection, trust, and effective communication. The differentiation between Common and Uncommon Norms, particularly in high-consequence areas like reacting to pressure, is instrumental in this process.
    
    
  • The outcome is a harmonious and productive remote or hybrid team dynamic where everyone feels understood and valued, irrespective of their location.

• Improved Performance Reviews:

  • Regular performance reviews are an essential instrument in maintaining alignment, identifying growth opportunities, and addressing performance issues.
    
    
  • However, without the guidance of Uncommon Norms, these reviews can become generic, leading to missed opportunities for growth.
    
    
  • The struggle becomes more apparent during feedback sessions, where the absence of clear behavioural expectations can lead to misunderstandings.
    
    
  • With Uncommon Norms, performance reviews become a transformative experience, focusing on individual strengths and areas for growth in the context of the company's unique culture and values.
    
    
  • The "contrast of positives" in norms, specifically in areas such as giving and receiving feedback, drives this capability. Consequently, leaders can provide more meaningful, culture-aligned feedback, promoting improved performance and higher job satisfaction.

• Reducing Interdepartmental Conflict:

  • In fast-growing organizations, interdepartmental conflict can be destructive, particularly where clear communication and collaboration are critical.
    
    
  • Without Uncommon Norms, these conflicts can spiral, often occurring during critical project collaborations.
    
    
  • Uncommon Norms offers a strategic approach to mitigating these challenges by identifying and promoting behaviours that reduce conflict and promote collaborative problem-solving.
    
    
  • At the heart of this approach is the "contrast of positives" in norms, enabling teams to understand and adopt behaviours that align with the shared future, while avoiding those that may be common but can potentially harm the culture over time.
    
    
  • The result is a more harmonious interdepartmental dynamic, fostering a culture of collaboration, and thereby boosting overall organizational effectiveness.