The real value of teams is in their ability to effectively leverage each other’s skills and perspectives. To do this well, however, team members must feel safe to challenge each other. And that requires courage - courage to debate, to disagree, and to engage in healthy conflict.
Much has been written about both psychological safety and trust in teams. In many cases, they are described as inputs to effective teamwork. The reality, however, is that they are outcomes of teamwork over time. Trust is built when team members demonstrate integrity, an ability to do their job well and put aside their own interests for those of the team. Psychological safety is built when team members can take risks, express ideas and concerns, speak up, and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences.
A barrier for any team - particularly for teams who want to become high performing - is artificial harmony. When team members always agree, say yes to the boss, or simply go along to get along, they undermine their capacity for effective teamwork.
How do you know if your team lacks courage? One clear sign is too much talk outside the team meeting about disagreements with decisions made in the meeting. And most teams, unfortunately, lack the ability to have constructive conflict. This is especially so for more senior-level teams. When this happens, you can typically count on an egg-timer how long it takes for something to go wrong.
So, what to do if your team lacks courage? The first step is recognizing the problem. The second is having the motivation and determination to fix it. With these two things in place, teams can begin by actively encouraging questions and healthy debate, conducting project after-action reviews, and sharing stories of their personal and professional journeys.
If your team needs more courage, we can help. DM me “AAR” for a team After Action Review or “TJL” for a Team Journey Lines exercise. Each of these exercises can help the team have the kinds of conversations that provide for greater team learning and courageous conversations.
We’re on a mission to help leaders create great teams that get great results. Want to learn more about high performing teams?
Register for our FREE High-Performing Teams Leadership Challenge: https://www.ormondassociates/registration. You'll get 4 hours of 1:1 leadership coaching over 4 days in May. A $2000 value, ABSOLUTELY FREE. Availability is limited, so register today. Learn how to get your team to peak performance faster and with less effort. Specifically, leaders will learn:
• The 8 key elements of high-performing teams.
• How their own team compares against these 8 key elements.
• Concrete actions to significantly improve their team performance & results.
Comments