Building Bonds in a Crisis

May 15, 2020

It is biologically proven that we form bonds under stress. 

Prolactin (PRL) is a peptide hormone primarily secreted by the anterior pituitary gland and influences both maternal and paternal behaviour. It is thought to contribute towards the formation of strong social bonds, with the most recognised being between mothers and their infants. 

The levels of prolactin in human bodies increases during socially stressful situations, as proven by the the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST).

This is why team away days swinging from ropes, driving fast cars around a track, doing trust-falls or building rafts from barrels and logs to get over that green pond, work so well in creating a bond between team members. 

If you are under stress together, the release of prolactin in your system makes you much more likely to make a social bond with your teammates. 

Of course this could go the other way...people lose tempers, things are said, names are called and the day becomes less-productive…but let’s stay with the positive option here. 

This thought process could now go in MANY different directions (especially for family units and how much tighter those bonds are), but because of the business I’m in and the people I have been talking and listening to over the last few weeks, I’m focussing in on Client Teams and Agency Teams, and the relationship between them. 

It is a simple point, but the resounding consensus has been that people have rarely, if ever, felt so connected to their immediate teams and are acting as ONE TEAM with their agency, instead of two separate entities. 

A few quotes (of many) from marketers that really highlight this:

“It isn’t’ agency and non-agency, it is one team” (Mitch Oliver, Mars)

“We are a lot more collaborative, with ideas coming from everywhere” (Katie Laviolette, AkzoNobel)

“One team all in it together” (Sara Bennison , Nationwide)

There are clearly many awful things happening now, but I want to take a moment for us to celebrate one of the positives that has come from this: Strong bonds have been created and we should look forward to what more can be achieved as a result.