Crumbling connections: 5 ways high performing teams fight back
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Building a high-performing team can feel easier said than done.
We often talk about the Pyramid of Trust, based on Patrick Lencioni’s '5 Dysfunctions of a Team' model. Simply put, teams which have TRUST as a foundation upon which the ability to CHALLENGE, BELIEF in the outcomes, and ACCOUNTABILITY for your part can be built, will see the best possible RESULTS.
While many aspects of the workplace have moved on since Lencioni’s book was published in 2002, recent research by psychologist Ron Friedman in Harvard Business Review confirms that these fundamental building blocks to high performance still ring true. And in exceptional teams today, it is rarely just about the work.
Thanks to the explosion in remote and hybrid working, a constant push for ever greater efficiency, and the proliferation of tech designed to make life easier, it is actually harder than ever to connect to your colleagues.
It’s understandable that teams today are struggling to build the TRUST we know is crucial to getting the results you want.
In his research, Friedman identified 5 key ways that high performing teams fight back and make the connections that count.
1. Remember the telephone? Having a conversation is never as awkward as people think and can save time, avoid misunderstanding, and build that all important connection. And don't forget, video is optional!
2. It could have been an email? Not on our watch. Avoid the unproductive meeting quagmire and make sure time spent together is productive by doing the necessary pre-work, setting an agenda and timings, and by making space for a check in at the start.
3. Watercooler moments are back. Getting to know what else lies below the surface of our colleagues (ICEBERG alert!*), whether that’s their sport team, beauty regime, Netflix recommendation, or pet peeve, creates bonds around shared interests. It encourages interaction outside work, fosters genuine connection, and leads to better outcomes.
4. Put your hands together and show your appreciation. Actual applause might not be necessary, but showing appreciation is a vital part of making people feel valued. And it is even more important when it comes from people we respect, whether that’s a peer or a business leader. Giving thanks also gives us a huge boost, so it’s a win, win situation.
5. Express yourself. Feeling safe and supported to be 100% authentic at work frees up significant energy and cognitive load to do your best work. Expressing negative emotions as freely as positive ones (where helpful and appropriate) is a key indicator that your team has built the trust foundation needed to smash your business goals.
How can you use these ideas to benefit your team performance? We’d love to hear, so get in touch!
*For those familiar with our programmes, lowering the water level helps you avoid being sunk by the iceberg you can’t see, or the parts of a person you don’t know and understand.
Communication is King!
The Internal Comms Platform – cascading messages from the top down has never been easier and gone are the days where a message needs to be circulated from CEO to Directors, from Directors to Area Managers, from Area Managers to General Managers - in the vain hope that it makes it to the operators driving your business.
Social Leadership Communication Platforms akin to user-friendly social media platforms can be easily installed into any business and onto any smartphone to ensure that when the CEO speaks, everyone hears them. More importantly, it becomes a two-way conversation with the opportunity to engage, comment and voice opinions.
Leadership teams receive invaluable feedback instantly, and operators feel valued, listened to and part of a decision-making process. The platforms allow for the gamification of sales and performance incentives where your teams can review live progress reports to encourage friendly competition and to drive performance. Recognition can be delivered instantly, via private message to the shining star in your team, or by shouting about them publicly in a forum where everyone else can share in the success of a team member.
Data is your Super Power!
Operational Excellence Platforms Critically appraise your business in minutes with technology that tells you everything you need to know about your business, and what you need to change in order to do better. Operations Directors & Area Managers no longer need to spend hours observing ‘on the shop floor’ to understand what’s going well and what should be a focus for change because, in this digital age, your customers have already told you. The answers are there and can be found instantly. They are at your fingertips.
Mindset is your Secret Weapon!
Installing technology platforms does not make you a Social Leader. Imagine the gym membership that you sign-up for in January and then wonder why it’s not working in March (because you never went!)
It’s what you do with the technology and the data that makes the difference and for that you need a leadership team with the right mindset and the right set of behaviours to back it up.
As we learnt from the pandemic, we don't know what might be round the next corner, and technology is the game-changing tool which will help organisations make quicker, faster better decisions through quantitative and qualitative feedback.
Technology & Data + Mindset = Operational Excellence & Competitive Advantage
You install the tech, and Purple Story installs the mindset
Purple Story is championing the Social Leadership Revolution and partnering with tech platforms to provide the perfect solution for any business. When you invest in technology, you want to succeed and see a return on your investment. But unless you remember to install the mindset to go along with your tech, you’re gambling on that success. Onboarding the mindset is as important as learning which buttons to press to turn it on
If we plug the gap between data and behaviour by understanding the sentiment of how our customers feel, our teams can deliver operational excellence.
The social revolution uses tech to power communication to deliver operational excellence.
Being future fit through embracing tech will be the key to thriving.
Don’t install your tech and forget to switch it on!
Contact us to find out more about The Social Leadership Revolution & how we can support your business
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