Author Archives: David Burkus

About David Burkus

Dr. David Burkus is an organizational psychologist and best-selling author. Recognized as one of the world’s leading business thinkers, his forward-thinking ideas and books are helping leaders and teams do their best work ever. David is the author of five books about business and leadership and he's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and more. A former business school professor turned sought-after international speaker, he’s worked with organizations of all sizes and across all industries.

Three Ways Teamwork Can Fail

Leave a reply

Three Ways Teamwork Can Fail

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Teamwork is a constant in organizational life. You will work on teams for the majority of your career. Some of those teams will be an uplifting, engaging experience—but most will be an average or even a draining experience. Because most teams aren’t high-performing ones. Most teams fail to achieve a level of performance above the average of each individual’s capabilities. Most teams lack what Stephen Covey would call “synergy” but what organizational psychologists call “collective intelligence.”

Collective intelligence happens when a team’s performance on tasks exceeds what would be predicted by averaging the capabilities of each member. Collectively intelligence teams find a way to bring out more from each other than they even expected of themselves. And the inverse is true as well. When teams fail, it’s often because they fail to achieve collective intelligence.

In this article, we’ll outline three different reasons teamwork fails—or at least fails to achieve collective intelligence.

1. Social Loafing

The first reason teamwork fails is social loafing. Social loafing is a phenomenon that can seriously undermine the effectiveness of a team. It refers to individuals who do not fully commit to tasks or deadlines, taking advantage of the interdependence of work in teams. This lack of commitment can lead to missed deadlines, incomplete tasks, and a general decrease in team productivity.

The key to addressing social loafing is accountability. By holding each team member accountable for their assigned tasks, it is possible to remove the opportunity for social loafing. Regular check-ins can also be beneficial, as they allow team leaders to monitor progress and ensure that everyone is pulling their weight. By fostering a culture of accountability, teams can minimize the impact of social loafing and ensure that all members are contributing effectively.

2. Unequal Sharing

The second reason teamwork fails is unequal sharing. This occurs when certain individuals dominate conversations, preventing the full range of ideas from being expressed. When this happens, the benefits of all the team’s diversity are not fully utilized, leading to sub-optimal decision making.

To address unequal sharing, it can be helpful to introduce structure into team meetings. This could involve using timers to ensure that everyone gets a chance to speak or breaking larger teams into smaller groups to facilitate more balanced conversation. Encouraging conversational turn-taking can also be beneficial, as it ensures that all voices are heard.

3. Lack of Social Sensitivity

The third reason teamwork fails is a lack of social sensitivity. This is a less obvious, but equally damaging, issue that can affect team performance. It refers to the inability to perceive and empathize with the emotions and beliefs of others. This lack of empathy can lead to misunderstandings, conflict, and a lack of cohesion within the team.

Increasing social sensitivity within a team can be achieved in several ways. One effective strategy is to add more women to the team, as research has shown that teams with a higher proportion of women tend to have higher levels of social sensitivity. Additionally, taking steps to better understand and empathize with team members can also be beneficial. This could involve team-building exercises, training in emotional intelligence, or simply taking the time to listen and understand each other’s perspectives. By modeling behavior and teaching empathy, teams can become more socially sensitive and therefore more effective.

Building collective intelligence within a team is not always straightforward. It requires careful management and a commitment to fostering a positive team culture. By addressing issues such as social loafing, unequal sharing, and lack of social sensitivity, teams can become smarter and less likely to fail. The strategies outlined in this article provide a starting point for teams looking to improve their effectiveness and achieve their goals.

Image credit: Pixabay

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on December 10, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Six Keys to Effective Teamwork

Leave a reply

Six Keys to Effective Teamwork

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Teamwork is the secret that makes common people achieve uncommon results. However, effective teamwork doesn’t just happen; it requires careful planning and implementation. This article provides six keys to effective teamwork that will help you build a high-performing team. These keys are not just theoretical concepts, but practical strategies that have been proven to work in real-world settings. They are designed to address the common challenges that teams face, such as lack of clarity, poor communication, personality clashes, fear of taking risks, lack of diversity, and lack of motivation. By addressing these issues, you can create a team that is not only effective but also enjoyable to be a part of.

1. Set Clear Goals

Setting clear goals is the first step towards effective teamwork. Goals provide direction and purpose, and they help team members understand what they are working towards. It’s important to set goals at both the team and individual levels. Team goals help to align everyone’s efforts, while individual goals help each team member understand their role and contribution to the team.

Setting clear milestones is also crucial. Milestones are like signposts on the road to success. They help you track progress, identify issues, and celebrate achievements. So, don’t just set goals, but also define clear milestones to guide your team’s journey.

2. Communicate Activity

Communication is the lifeblood of any team. Effective teamwork requires regular communication that keeps everyone on the same page and fosters a sense of camaraderie. One way to facilitate communication is through daily huddles or standups. These meetings provide a platform for team members to share their completed tasks, upcoming focus, and potential obstacles.

Regular check-ins also enhance collaboration and teamwork. They allow team members to share their progress, ask for help, and offer support to others. So, make communication a priority in your team, and watch as it transforms your team’s dynamics and performance.

3. Understand Differences

Every team is a melting pot of different personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and behaviors. Understanding these differences is key to effective teamwork. By recognizing and utilizing individual strengths and weaknesses, you can create a team that is greater than the sum of its parts.

A “manual of me” can be a useful tool in this regard. This is a document where each team member shares their preferences, strengths, weaknesses, and support needs. It helps team members understand each other better and work together more effectively.

4. Create Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is a state where team members feel comfortable taking risks, speaking up, and sharing failures. It’s a culture where people feel safe to be themselves and express their thoughts and ideas. Creating such a culture requires encouraging a safe environment for interpersonal risks and disagreements, embracing failures as learning opportunities, and modeling vulnerability and trust as a leader.

Remember, a team that fears making mistakes will never innovate. So, foster a culture of psychological safety, and watch as your team becomes a hotbed of creativity and innovation.

5. Disagree Respectfully

Disagreements are inevitable in any team. However, it’s how you handle these disagreements that determines the success of your team. Encourage your team members to disagree respectfully and value diverse ideas and opinions. This not only prevents conflicts but also leads to better decisions and solutions.

Active listening and asking questions instead of making statements can be a powerful tool in this regard. It helps to explore the assumptions behind differing ideas and promotes understanding and respect. So, don’t fear disagreements, but use them as an opportunity to learn and grow.

6. Celebrate Small Wins

Finally, don’t forget to celebrate small wins and milestones. Celebrations not only boost morale but also foster a sense of achievement and appreciation. Regularly share and celebrate individual and team wins, recognize contributions, and create a culture of appreciation and motivation.

Remember, a team that feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected. So, make it a habit to celebrate small wins, and watch as your team’s motivation and performance soar.

Effective teamwork is not a destination, but a journey. It requires continuous effort, commitment, and learning. However, with these six tips, you can make this journey smoother and more enjoyable. So, start implementing these tips today, and watch as your team transforms into a high-performing, cohesive unit that is capable of doing their best work ever.

Image credit: Pexels

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on December 4, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

3 Keys to Improving Leadership Skills

Leave a reply

3 Keys to Improving Leadership Skills

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Great leaders aren’t born, they’re made. While it’s tempting to look at stories of great leaders and just assume they’re received some divine or genetic gift that turned them into exemplars, the truth is much more nuanced. Leadership is a skill that can be honed and improved with practice and the right guidance. This article will explore three key habits that can significantly enhance your leadership skills: creating clarity, establishing safety, and speaking purpose. These habits are not just theoretical concepts but are based on well-researched findings on what constitutes an outstanding team culture.

Creating clarity involves setting clear goals, milestones, and expectations for the team. This is crucial in a world where teams often operate in an unclear and volatile environment. Establishing safety, on the other hand, means creating a climate where team members feel comfortable taking interpersonal risks, such as disagreeing or sharing ideas. Finally, speaking purpose involves regularly communicating the importance of the team’s work and how it benefits others. This is not just about performance objectives or bonuses but about connecting the team’s work to a greater good.

Let’s take a deeper look at all three.

1. Creating Clarity

In a world where teams often operate in an unclear and volatile environment, providing clarity is a vital leadership skill. This involves setting clear goals and milestones that the team can work towards. It’s not just about setting a big goal, but also about breaking it down into manageable milestones that the team can achieve.

Moreover, creating clarity also involves ensuring that individual roles and expectations are clear. Each team member should know what is expected of them and how their role contributes to the overall goal. This not only helps in avoiding confusion but also ensures that everyone is on the same page, working towards the same objective.

2. Establishing Safety

Establishing safety in a team is about creating a climate where team members feel comfortable taking interpersonal risks, such as disagreeing or sharing ideas. This leadership skill results in teamwide psychological safety. When team members feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to share their ideas, disagree constructively, and contribute to the team’s success.

Leaders play a crucial role in establishing this safety. They can do this by modeling active listening and asking questions when disagreeing, rather than dismissing ideas outright. Furthermore, leaders should enforce respectful behavior and teach team members how to respect each other. This creates a culture of mutual respect and trust, which is essential for a team’s success.

3. Speaking Purpose

Speaking purpose is about regularly communicating the importance of the team’s work and how it benefits others. This leadership skill goes beyond just focusing on performance objectives or bonuses. Leaders should speak to the individual about the meaningful contribution of their work and how it connects to a larger purpose.

By connecting the team’s work to a greater good or benefit for others, leaders can inspire and motivate their team members. This focus on pro-social purpose can drive engagement and commitment, leading to better performance and a more positive team culture.

Conclusion

None of these skills come from genetics, they’re learned. Leaders can significantly improve their leadership skills by focusing on creating clarity, establishing safety, and speaking purpose. These habits are not just theoretical concepts but are based on well-researched findings on what constitutes an outstanding team culture. By focusing on these three areas, leaders can create an environment where everyone can do their best work ever.

Image credit: Pixabay

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on November 20, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Four Keys to Building Psychological Safety at Work

Leave a reply

Four Keys to Building Psychological Safety At Work

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Psychological safety is the bedrock of a high-performing team. It’s more than just trust; it’s about fostering a climate of mutual trust and respect. Building psychological safety at work is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires conscious effort and commitment. It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels safe to take risks, voice their opinions, and be themselves without fear of judgment or punishment. It’s about creating a culture of openness, transparency, and inclusivity.

In this article, we’ll explore four key strategies to employ when building psychological safety at work. These strategies include admitting weaknesses as a leader, asking for feedback regularly, celebrating failures, and amplifying unheard voices. By implementing these strategies, you can contribute to a cycle of psychological safety that leads to higher performance.

1. Admit Weaknesses

Admitting weaknesses as a leader is a powerful way to demonstrate trust and inspire trust in return. It shows that you are human, vulnerable, and authentic. Leaders are not perfect, and admitting weaknesses is a way of acknowledging this fact. It sends a message to your team that it’s okay to make mistakes and that you value honesty and authenticity over perfection.

When leaders admit their weaknesses, it encourages team members to trust and respect them more. It creates a culture where people feel safe to admit their own weaknesses and mistakes, fostering a climate of mutual trust and respect. So, don’t be afraid to show your vulnerability. It’s a strength, not a weakness.

2. Ask for Feedback

Asking for feedback regularly is another effective strategy to build psychological safety. It shows that you are open to criticism and eager to improve. By regularly asking for feedback, you can understand how to better serve your team as a leader and meet their needs.

Don’t just ask for feedback, though. Ask specific questions to get constructive feedback. This will show your team that you value their input and are committed to improving. Applying the feedback you receive not only helps you grow as a leader but also builds trust and encourages open and honest conversations within your team.

3. Celebrate Failures

Failures are often seen as something to be avoided at all costs. But in reality, failures are opportunities for growth and learning. By celebrating failures, you promote transparency and emphasize the value of learning from mistakes. Discussing failures and what can be learned from them creates a culture where people are not afraid to take risks and make mistakes.

When you celebrate failures, you send a clear message to your team that it’s okay to fail. It’s okay to try something new and not succeed. What’s important is that we learn from our failures and use them as stepping stones to success. This fosters a climate of psychological safety where people feel safe to take risks and innovate.

4. Amplify Unheard Voices

On any team, there are voices that are not heard often. These could be individuals who are introverted, less confident, or simply overlooked. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to identify these voices and actively seek their input. This not only makes them feel valued and included but also brings diverse perspectives to the table, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving.

Amplifying unheard voices is about creating an inclusive team environment where everyone’s ideas are considered and valued. It’s about recognizing and valuing the unique contributions that each team member brings to the table. By amplifying unheard voices, you foster a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect, which is key to building psychological safety.

Building psychological safety at work is crucial for high performance. It’s about building trust and respect, which contribute to a climate of safety. By admitting weaknesses as a leader, asking for feedback regularly, celebrating failures, and amplifying unheard voices, you can foster that climate on your team. This will lead to higher performance, better team dynamics, and a more positive and inclusive work environment—one that helps everyone do their best work ever.

Image credit: Pexels

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on November 13, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Five Secrets of Team Motivation

Leave a reply

Five Secrets of Team Motivation

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Every team leader knows the importance of keeping their team motivated. The more motivated your team, the more productive they are, and the better results they deliver. Research suggests that the more powerful form of motivation is intrinsic, flowing from an individual’s desire to do the work or achieve the outcome for their own reasons—not bonuses, awards, or other extrinsic motivators leaders often use. But that doesn’t mean leaders are out of options.

While your team will still be best motivated through reasons that are individual, there are still a few tactics you can use to motivate your team by creating a culture and climate where intrinsic motivation is most likely to develop.

In this article, we’ll explore five effective ways to motivate your team, ensuring they remain focused, engaged, and driven to achieve their goals.

1. Describe the End Goal

The first way to motivate your team is to describe the end goal. Leaders achieve this by giving them a clear and tangible objective to work towards. By describing the end goal, you provide a big objective that motivates individuals and gives them a sense of purpose. This is particularly useful in ambiguous and volatile times when the path forward may not be clear.

One valuable concept to consider is letting the team know the “Commander’s Intent.” This is a clear and concise statement that defines what “done” looks like and keeps people focused. This military term refers to the practice of clearly communicating the desired end state of an operation, allowing individuals to adapt their actions to achieve this goal. This not only motivates individuals but also fosters a sense of autonomy and responsibility.

2. Set Milestones

The second way to motivate your team is to set milestones. Milestones are the smaller objectives that signify progress toward the end goal. Milestones provide checkpoints for teams to use to measure progress, a potent motivator in its own right. And milestones help the team see see how their work contributes to the larger objectives.

Additionally, deciding on the order of tasks can give individuals a sense of autonomy over the overall project, further boosting their motivation. You may not have been able to choose your end goal, but teams can still look at their expected deliverables and create their own series of checkpoints or milestones that help them feel more in control of the project—and autonomy and control help create intrinsic motivation.

3. Celebrate Small Wins

The third way to motivate your team is to celebrate small wins. This involves acknowledging and appreciating the progress made by individuals and the team, no matter how small. Celebrating small wins helps to motivate the team and signify progress, fostering a positive work environment. And obviously, this method is difficult without establishing milestones in the previous method. Achieving those checkpoints is a perfect time to celebrate small wins.

But wins can be even smaller, like having a good day, completing a task, or receiving help from someone else. Celebrations can be done in various ways, in person over food or drinks, through a round of emails praising the win, or simply just acknowledging the achievement in a team meeting. The key is to make sure the team feels appreciated and valued.

4. Learn from Failures

The fourth way to motivate your team is to learn from failures. Failures are inevitable in any team or project. However, the way you handle these failures can greatly impact your team’s motivation. Instead of blaming others, it’s important to learn from these mistakes and use them as opportunities for growth.

Leaders and influential teammates can help extract lessons from failures and encourage transparency. This creates a psychologically safe environment where individuals feel supported and are more willing to take risks. This not only promotes learning and increases performance, but also fosters intrinsic motivation because learning—even learning through failures—helps people tap into a sense of growth and mastery, both of which are powerful triggers for intrinsic motivation.

5. Turn “Why” into “Who”

The final way to motivate your team is to turn the “why” into “who.” This involves focusing on the individuals or groups that benefit from the team’s work, instead of just relying on the organizational mission or vision statement to motivate for you. Leaders who create a sense of this “pro-social purpose” find themselves leading teams who are more motivated, but also more bonded. Pro-social motivation and purpose are key to intrinsic motivation, helping individuals see the impact of their work.

Knowing who is served by the work helps individuals and the team stay motivated. The specific “who” can vary for each team and individual, but the key is to make sure everyone understands the value and impact of their work.

By implementing these five strategies, leaders can create an environment where team members feel intrinsically motivated and can do their best work. Remember, motivation is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires ongoing effort and attention—a process that leads everyone to do their best work ever.

Image credit: misterinnovation.com

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on November 6, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Building Trust for High Performing Teams

Leave a reply

Building Trust for High Performing Teams

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Trust is the bedrock upon which successful teams are built. High-performing teams are characterized by an elevated level of trust. This trust in high performing teams manifests in four distinct ways: teams trust each other to deliver, they trust that they can share new ideas, they trust that they can disagree, and they trust that they can make mistakes. Each of these aspects of trust contributes to the overall success and productivity of the team.

As a leader, it is your responsibility to set the tone and model trust within your team. This involves creating an environment where team members feel safe to share their ideas, voice their disagreements, and admit their mistakes. By doing so, you can foster a culture of trust that drives your team towards high performance.

In this article, we’ll review each type of trust in high performing teams and offer ways leaders can build each.

Teams Trust Each Other To Deliver

Trust in a team begins with the belief that each member will deliver on their commitments. This trust is built on clarity and understanding of each person’s role within the team. When team members understand how their work contributes to the overall team goals, they are more likely to feel accountable and deliver on their commitments. Lack of trust can manifest when people don’t know how their work fits into the team. This can lead to confusion, miscommunication, and ultimately, a failure to meet team objectives.

Regular team huddles can improve clarity and accountability, thereby fostering trust in the team’s ability to deliver. In huddles, the team meets at regular intervals to review progress, set new priorities, and discuss any potential roadblocks. Doing so as a team not only keeps everyone on the same page, over time it can instill a belief in each person that their teammates can deliver on their promises (assuming, of course, the teammates are actually delivering on their promises).

Teams Trust They Can Share New Ideas

High-performing teams are often characterized by their ability to generate and welcome new ideas. This requires a culture of trust where team members feel safe to share their out-of-the-box thinking. Diversity of experiences and perspectives can lead to innovative ideas that drive the team forward. But only if team members feel safe enough to share the innovative ideas that stem from their diverse perspectives.

Leaders play a crucial role in fostering this culture of trust. By modeling active listening and creating an environment where new ideas are considered and valued, leaders can encourage their team members to share their thoughts and contribute to the team’s innovation. When leaders demonstrate how to respect the new ideas of others, hearing them out fully, and discuss them, they not only teach the team how to do so but they send a message to everyone that “crazy” ideas are welcome here.

Teams Trust That They Can Disagree

Disagreements are a natural part of any team’s dynamics. As teammates from different backgrounds, perspectives or experiences discuss their problems or plan out critical tasks, they’re going to disagree on the best way forward. In low-performing teams, this conflict is often avoided, and ideas suppressed. However, in high-performing teams, disagreements are viewed as opportunities for growth and improvement. Team members trust that they can voice their disagreements and have their ideas challenged in a respectful and constructive manner.

Leaders can foster this trust by setting the tone for disagreements. When teammates speak up to disagree with a leader, it’s an opportunity to model respectful dissent and discussion. When teammates disagree with each other, it’s an opportunity for the leader to “referee” the conflict and establish ground rules for keeping conflict task focused. By welcoming disagreements and ensuring that everyone feels heard, leaders can create a safe space for constructive conflict and continuous improvement.

Teams Trust They Can Make Mistakes

Mistakes are inevitable in any team. Teams will make assumptions about the environment or get hit with unexpected changes. Failure on a team is unavoidable even on the highest-performing teams. In low-performing teams, failures quickly turn into blame sessions, which each member trying to save their own skin. However, in high-performing teams, mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities rather than failures. This requires a culture of trust where team members feel safe to admit their mistakes and learn from them.

In dysfunctional teams, people often hide their failures due to fear of judgment or exploitation. Leaders can counteract this by modeling vulnerability and admitting their own mistakes. This can help to build trust and create a safe environment for team members to learn and grow. When a team witnesses a leader taking responsibility for failure or admitting a shortcoming, they’re more likely to trust that leader in the future—and to trust each other.

Trust is the cornerstone of high-performing teams. It manifests in the team’s ability to deliver, share new ideas, disagree constructively, and admit mistakes. As a leader, it is your responsibility to foster this trust within your team. By setting the tone and modeling trust, you can create an environment where your team can thrive and do its best work ever.

Image credit: Pixabay

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on October 30, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Overcoming Team Conflict

Leave a reply

Overcoming Team Conflict

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Conflict on a team is inevitable. On diverse teams, where individuals come from varying backgrounds and possess differing opinions, those opinions will clash often in the form of disagreements and conflicts. Understanding the types of team conflict that can arise in a team setting is crucial for effective management and resolution.

In this article, we will delve into the four types of team conflict: relationship conflict, task conflict, status conflict, and process conflict.

Each type of conflict has its unique characteristics, causes, and potential solutions. By understanding these conflicts, leaders can respond appropriately in the moment, setting the team up to harness the benefits of conflict rather than letting it become a destructive force.

1. Relationship Conflict

The first type of team conflict is relationship conflict. This is a type of conflict that arises from differing personalities, experiences, and identities. This type of conflict can undermine trust and belonging on the team, creating a negative atmosphere. It’s crucial for leaders to address relationship conflicts promptly and effectively to prevent them from escalating.

Resolving relationship conflict requires empathy and understanding. Private discussions between conflicting individuals can help identify triggers and allow for open communication. It’s important to focus on specific behaviors and their impact, rather than making accusations or assuming motives. By addressing the behavior rather than the person, leaders can help individuals understand how their actions affect the team and encourage them to adjust their behavior accordingly.

2. Task Conflict

The second type of team conflict is task conflict. This is a positive type of conflict that arises from differing opinions on how to complete tasks. This type of conflict can be harnessed to encourage discussion and find the best plan of action. It indicates that the team is leveraging diversity for better performance.

When dealing with task conflict, it’s important to avoid personal attacks and assumptions. Instead, leaders should encourage team members to ask intelligent questions about the assumptions behind ideas. By discussing different perspectives openly, the team can increase the chances of finding the best way to achieve tasks. This type of conflict, when managed properly, can lead to innovative solutions and improved team performance.

3. Status Conflict

The third type of team conflict is status conflict. This involves power struggles and hierarchy within the team. Unlike task conflict, status conflict has no positive outcome and can create a toxic work environment. It’s crucial for leaders to address status conflicts promptly and effectively to prevent them from escalating.

Status conflict is about people’s opinions of their position in an invisible hierarchy within the team. To address this type of conflict, leaders can create rituals and experiences that signal equality and discourage status games. It’s also important for leaders to lead by example and send the message that everyone’s opinion is valued equally, regardless of their position in the team.

4. Process Conflict

The final type of team conflict is process conflict. This conflict arises from disagreements about how tasks are delegated and the best process for achieving them. This type of conflict can be resolved by getting to know team members’ strengths and weaknesses and explaining decisions that may go against their preferences.

Process conflict can occur when there are differing opinions on who should do a task or when someone tries to avoid responsibility. By understanding team members’ strengths and weaknesses, leaders can delegate tasks more effectively and prevent process conflicts. It’s also important to explain decisions that may go against team members’ preferences to prevent process conflict from turning into status conflict.

As a leader, understanding the different types of team conflict is crucial for effective conflict management. By responding to each type of conflict in the moment and setting the team up to harness the benefits of conflict, leaders can foster a positive and productive work environment. Remember, conflict isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When managed properly, it can lead to team’s having their best ideas and individuals doing their best work ever.

Image credit: Pixabay

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on October 23, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

The Duality of High-Performing Teams

1 Reply

The Duality of High-Performing Teams

GUEST POST from David Burkus

High-performing teams are often perceived as having extraordinary talents and capabilities, but they are not that different from regular teams—at least in terms of composition. Research indicates that high-performing teams are not just about having exceptionally talented individuals. Instead, they excel in understanding how to collaborate effectively and harness the diverse talents within the team.

In other words, talent doesn’t make the team. The team makes the talent.

The foundational quality that turns everyday people into members of a high-performing team is common understanding, sometimes called shared understanding or collective intelligence. Common understanding encompasses a shared grasp of the team’s collective expertise, assigned tasks, personality differences, work preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. This understanding can be broken down into two crucial aspects for leaders: clarity and empathy.

In this article, we’ll outline the importance of common understanding and provide practical ways to build clarity and empathy on any team.

1. Clarity

Clarity within a team is about ensuring that every member comprehends their roles and responsibilities, tasks, and deadlines. When team members have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and their teammates, they are more engaged, more productive, and even more collaborative. Clarity also allows individuals to operate within their sweet spot of capabilities, avoiding boredom or feeling overwhelmed.

One activity that can establish and maintain clarity on a team is the regular huddle. A huddle is a short, sync-up session where team members answer questions like, “What did I just complete? What am I focused on next? What’s blocking my progress?” These questions help everyone stay aligned, distribute tasks, set deadlines, and offer support when needed. Huddles promote transparency and keep everyone accountable, making it easier to identify issues and slackers without micromanaging.

2. Empathy

Empathy within a team means understanding the perspectives, strengths, weaknesses, work preferences, and factors that influence each team member’s behavior. This deeper understanding leads to reduced conflicts and enhanced collaboration. Team members who empathize with one another can tailor their communication and actions to suit the needs and preferences of their colleagues.

A powerful tool for building empathy in a team is creating “Manuals of Me.” In this activity, each team member provides insights into themselves by answering four fill-in-the-blank questions: “I’m at my best when_____. I’m at my worst when_____. You can count on me to_____. What I need from you is_____.” These manuals shed light on individual characteristics, strengths, and preferences, helping team members understand each other better.

The Manuals of Me exercise is an invaluable tool for addressing conflicts and on-boarding new team members. By sharing these manuals with the entire team and discussing how they can adapt their behavior based on the information, a team can build empathy and trust.

Building common understanding through clarity and empathy is the foundation of high-performing teams. It fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose, helping team members leverage each other’s unique skills and talents to achieve common goals. By fostering clarity and empathy in your team, you can build a strong common understanding that drives collaboration, reduces conflict, and helps everyone do their best work ever.

Image credit: Pixabay

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on October 16, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Best Team Building Exercise Around

3 Replies

Best Team Building Exercise Around

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Team building is a crucial element of creating a strong team culture. Understanding each other’s differences and preferences is a vital step in becoming a high-performing team. But many leaders struggle to find and deliver effective team building exercises. There are many too choose from, and many fall short. So many exercises focus solely on getting teammates to understand each other’s differences—often expressed as personality, identity, or experiences.

But for team building exercises to work, teams can’t just understand each other. They need to understand each other’s behavior.

And that’s what makes the “manual of me” activity the single best team building exercise. Instead of assigning different letters or numbers to different team members based on personality. It focuses on having teammates share their different work preferences. This tool allows team members to gain a deeper understanding of each other’s strengths, weaknesses, preferred environments, and working preferences. And over time, teams become be able to coordinate and even predict each other’s behavior.

In this article, we will delve into the concept of a Manual of Me, how to construct one, and the benefits of sharing and collecting these manuals within the team.

The “Manual of Me”

The Manual of Me is a powerful tool that enables team members to gain insights into each other’s behavior and preferences. It consists of a core of four, fill-in-the-blank questions: “I’m at my best when _____,” “I’m at my worst when _____,” “You can count on me to _____,” and “What I need from you is _____.”

By discussing these questions, team members can understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, preferred environments, and working preferences. This understanding is crucial for creating a harmonious and productive team culture.

Constructing a Manual of Me

Constructing a Manual of Me involves a conversation within the team where each member shares their answers to the four core questions. Before starting the activity, it is important to inform the team about the purpose and provide them with the template and questions ahead of time.

The first question, “I’m at my best when _____,” focuses on identifying individual strengths, preferred activities, and environments for optimal performance. This question allows team members to understand how they can bring their best selves to the team.

The second question, “I’m at my worst when _____,” helps identify tasks and environments where individuals may struggle or under-perform. By understanding these limitations, team members can provide support and create an environment that minimizes challenges.

The third question, “You can count on me to _____,” highlights each person’s contributions and areas where they can provide help to the team. This question promotes collaboration and allows team members to leverage each other’s strengths.

The fourth question, “What I need from you is _____,” identifies areas where individuals need support or assistance from others. This question fosters open communication and helps team members understand how they can best support each other.

Additional questions can be added to the Manual of Me based on the team’s industry and level of familiarity with each other. These questions can delve deeper into specific aspects of work or personal preferences that are relevant to the team’s dynamics.

Sharing and Collecting Manuals of Me

Once each team member has shared their answers, there should be time for discussion and clarification. This allows team members to gain a deeper understanding of each other’s perspectives and preferences.

The completed Manuals of Me can be in various formats such as PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoints, or videos. It is important to choose a format that is easily accessible and can be stored in a shared folder or platform where the team can easily access them.

The ongoing conversation and understanding fostered by the Manuals of Me can lead to improved collaboration and performance within the team. By referring back to these manuals, team members can ensure that they are effectively supporting each other and leveraging their strengths.

When new team members join, they can be introduced to the Manuals of Me and encouraged to share their own once they feel comfortable. This helps integrate new members into the team and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

The Manual of Me is a powerful team building exercise that promotes understanding and collaboration within a team. By discussing strengths, weaknesses, preferred environments, and working preferences, team members can create a strong team culture and enhance their performance. The ongoing conversation and understanding fostered by the Manuals of Me can lead to improved collaboration and performance within the team.

Image credit: Pexels

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on October 2, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Daily Practices of Great Managers

1 Reply

Daily Practices of Great Managers

GUEST POST from David Burkus

Managers make the difference. Middle managers especially play a crucial role in employee engagement and performance. However, many managers lack proper preparation for their role, and companies often fail to invest in robust leadership training. Great managers understand that their actions have a direct impact on their team’s success. In particular, great managers improve their team through four daily actions.

In this article, we will explore four things that great managers do daily to separate themselves from poor bosses. By implementing these daily practices, they not only improve team performance and development but also create a positive and trusting work environment.

Run Smooth Meetings

The first thing great leaders do daily is run smooth meetings. And whether they’re in meetings daily or just planning future meetings, great managers know that meetings can either be a waste of time or a productive forum for collaboration. They ensure that meetings run smoothly by having a clear purpose, inviting the right people, and having a plan of action.

Having a clear purpose for each meeting is essential. It helps everyone stay focused and ensures that the meeting is not just a gathering without any tangible outcomes. Great managers also invite the relevant people based on the meeting’s purpose. This ensures that the right expertise and perspectives are present in the room.

Furthermore, great managers create a plan of action for each meeting. They outline specific topics to be discussed and attach relevant questions to guide the conversation. This helps keep the meeting on track and ensures that all necessary points are addressed.

Give Fair Feedback

The second thing great managers do daily is give fair feedback. Great managers understand the importance of providing fair feedback to their employees. They know that feedback should be proportionate to employees’ actual performance and should balance praise and constructive criticism.

When giving feedback, great managers avoid fixating on areas that need improvement and instead acknowledge employees’ strengths. They understand that recognizing and appreciating employees’ accomplishments motivates them to continue performing at their best.

Moreover, great managers maintain a proper proportion of praise and constructive criticism based on performance. They provide specific examples to support their feedback and offer guidance on how employees can further enhance their skills or address any areas of improvement.

Check Capacity

The third thing great managers do daily is check their team’s capacity. Great managers understand the importance of checking the work capacity of individuals and the team as a whole. They know that overloading employees can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. Regularly assessing capacity is crucial to ensure a healthy work-life balance and optimal performance.

Great managers check individuals’ energy levels and offer support if needed. They are attentive to signs of stress or exhaustion and provide resources or assistance to help employees manage their workload effectively.

In addition, great managers assess the team’s commitments and goals to avoid overloading. They ensure that the workload is distributed evenly and that everyone has the necessary resources and support to accomplish their tasks.

Holding regular huddles is another practice great managers adopt to check capacity. These huddles provide an opportunity to discuss the team’s focus, review completed tasks, and identify areas where assistance may be required.

Build Trust

The fourth thing great managers do daily is build trust on their team. Great managers understand that trust is the foundation of a successful team. They prioritize building trust by creating a sense of psychological safety and fostering a culture of trust and vulnerability.

Encouraging open communication and diverse perspectives is a key aspect of building trust. Great managers create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns, and feedback without fear of judgment or reprisal.

Great managers also celebrate failures and extract lessons for the whole team. They understand that failure is an opportunity for growth and learning. By openly discussing failures and encouraging team members to share their experiences, great managers create a culture that values continuous improvement.

Furthermore, great managers reciprocate trust by being vulnerable and responsive to employees’ needs. They actively listen to their team members, provide support when needed, and ensure that everyone feels valued and respected.

Great managers play a vital role in driving employee engagement and performance. By running smooth meetings, giving fair feedback, checking capacity, and building trust, they create an environment where employees can thrive and contribute their best work ever.

Image credit: Unsplash

Originally published on DavidBurkus.com on September 25, 2023

Sign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.