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As many on the team will attest to this day, it was the most difficult challenge of their corporate careers.

They were a team of eleven – the wind-down team chosen to close out a 16,000-employee company through the process of bankruptcy. Each knew that, in the end, they would be letting themselves out the door as well.

It was a grueling two-year period, with long days that ran into long evenings. They each went home dead-tired, but often unable to sleep. They shed tears as coworkers who were like family, one by one, walked into the parking lot with their little boxes of belongings in hand.

They wrangled through the litigations, sorted through warehouses of records, and sold off billions of dollars in assets. As their executive office furniture was sold off, they worked around folding tables. As their headquarters location was sold, they moved into a small, humble facility that remained from the company’s early days. They took the calls of bondholders who had their life savings invested.

You would think that, under such incredibly hard circumstances, the team would dread coming to work every day.

But you would be wrong.

On the contrary, they looked forward to going to work. They had become close friends on a mission to finish well. Their tiny team goal was very ambitious. They would ensure that all creditors, down to the bottom of the list and including those special bondholders, would receive their money.

Even amid such challenge, their shared mission created a reason to go to work each day.

Another thing happened as well. They laughed…a lot! Just about the time the tension seemed unbearable, someone would say something funny or play a practical joke.

And food. Often, they shared meals together and created special food days “just because.”

There were honest conversations, where they would share their concerns about the current work and their own futures. And, together, they helped each other find solutions and discover their new, divergent paths.

In the worst of times, as Charles Dickens alluded, they also found the best of times.

Now, this is an extreme example that, thankfully, doesn’t happen every day. But the principles apply.

If this team, under these circumstances, could find a way to bring fun and positivity into their workplace, what can you do?

Follow their blueprint.

1. Center your team around a mission so strong they will want to come to work each day.
2. Set clear and ambitious goals that serve others.
3. Let each person lead from their strengths.
4. Find positive focus, even in negative circumstances.
5. Encourage team communication, both professional and casual.
6. Find something to smile and laugh about each day.
7. Encourage hospitality. A meal shared around a table or donuts and coffee in the breakroom helps create a team that feels like family.
8. Help each other. Pitch in where needed, even if you are the leader; in fact, especially if you are the leader.

In the end, this little team created a spirit that did, indeed, accomplish a goal others deemed impossible. They were able to pay off all the levels of creditors, right down to the 90-year-old man whose retirement savings were in their hands.

Take your work seriously. But, also, make it positive and fun. A positive team is a powerful force.

Curious how your company measures up in this area, with real data you can take to the bank?  Connect with us or take the assessment here (https://www.orgiqsuite.com/). Get your Culture Scorecard today and get back on track to success.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!