Creating an "In-Crowd"

In reading "Hanging With the In-Crowd" on Psychology Today, I was struck by one particular statement:

"...this network of smart people hangs out in one another's offices to get the job done".

Wouldn't it be great if all of the "in-crowds" were this productive? The article goes on to comment that

"Not every in-crowd makes excellent problem solving its ticket of admission. There are just as many companies or departments whose in-crowds are of the backbiting, rumor-mongering variety—where who you know is way more important than what you contribute, and sometimes how much you drink matters most of all."

 In the spirit of problem solving, rather than just lamenting the problem of negative in-crowds, here are a few suggestions on how you can help make sure that your "In-Crowd" is of the first variety, rather than the second.

1. Endorse Clubs - when you see a club or clique forming, wherever possible, endorse it. A group that has been publicly or officially recognized by senior management is more likely to feel that their efforts are aligned to the organization, and will be less likely to engage in destructive activities.
    
2. Enlist Co-Worker Champions - companies will often look for corporate or product champions (e.g. that guy in development that just *loves* the new version); these champs can be great for new product launches, but if you want to help foster positive engagement, look for those employees that give positive feedback to their peers, celebrate their peers' successes and sign all the birthday cards (and yes - it helps if you're using a great tool like TribeHR to track kudos and feedback). These employees champion their co-workers rather than the company, and are better able to share their enthusiasm with others when tackling a problem. Engaging them in productive activities helps ensure they are working to help improve the company rather than detracting from it.
   
   
3. Create Temporary Task Forces - when tackling important company problems (e.g. internal communications, strategic planning, green initiatives) be sure to create temporary task forces that reach across departmental boundaries. They key here is to be temporary in the appointment. By maintaining a temporary nature, employees that want to be engaged will realize they will have future opportunities. Mirroring this policy with a policy of soliciting applications to participate will let you seed future task forces with positive influences and new contributors, helping to spread a positive trend.
   
   
4. Reward Successful In-Crowds. If you have an internal newsletter, activity stream, be sure to recognize the individual members of a group when positive change is effected. This not only helps reward the participants but also sends a clear message to all employees that positive contributions are welcomed and recognized!

 If you have any other suggestions on ways to foster a positive in-crowd within your organization, feel free to share!