What this picture is
This is a picture of me holding my sister Sheila. Sheila is the baby on my lap. Next to me smiling for the camera sweetly is our brother Kevin. The boy Kevin is hugging is our brother Pat. Pat most likely had been quickly picked-up and put on the couch in a fun happy way. He has just released a toy truck and is laughing with whomever plopped him on the couch.
It's the day Sheila was baptized. She's wearing the same baptismal gown the others on the couch wore when we were baptized in our church, St. Mary's, in Appleton, Wisconsin.
We have just gotten back from church and are about to have a party to celebrate our sister joining our family and community of faith.
We are at home and sitting on the good couch. Behind it is the piano that my mom knew how to play. Also, behind the couch is a bookcase that has glass doors protecting the contents. It looks like it has law books in it. Our dad who was an attorney liked this type of bookcase with the glass doors because it was "the kind lawyers had." Later it would house our encyclopedias.
Why I saved this picture
Getting together with extended family was a regular punctuation mark in my life as a child. I loved seeing my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
When we gathered, we kids were told to go play. And we did.
Over the years, we came up with games we looked forward to playing again together. We also would share new games and we make up some.
We also learned how to fight and make up. We knew if things got out of control, an adult would step in and we would need to explain ourselves. This did not happen that often.
It was fun, and I always looked forward to the next occasion-especially when it was welcoming a new family member to the larger family in an official special way.
Welcome People
When a new person enters your group, stop and celebrate it with a special gathering. Provide sufficient notice (and pressure) so everyone can attend to personally acknowledge the newest addition to the group. It's important for the new person to know they are welcomed and valued. But it's perhaps even more important for your team to engage in the act of welcoming and supporting others. These are moments that matter in the workplace, and they will be remembered for a long time to come.
Key Points
Being intentionally welcomed helps people feel valued and secure — moments of inclusion create belonging that lasts far beyond the gathering itself.
Leaders who pause to welcome new members strengthen teams by modeling care, shared responsibility, and the importance of supporting one another.