The Root Cause and Cure for Most Team Conflict

 

 

 

 

 

Recent research into team dynamics by the Quantum Group has led to extraordinary revelations about the root of conflict--in particular, the morale-sapping and productivity-killing kind that develops within teams. You know what I mean. You assign a group to a project, and the next thing you know, World War III has broken out in your conference room. Or people start knocking on your door to complain about one another. Or you observe that one of two people are carrying the whole effort and running themselves into the ground, getting more resentful and burned out by the day, while the rest of their so-called team order pizza and surf the Internet. 

Teams in conflict cost millions of dollars a year in lost productivity and generate untold ill will among coworkers.

In the Quantum study, high conflict teams were asked to identify the source of their conflict. Nearly 100 percent of them said that the main problem was other people.

Two root causes emerged from these conversations. The first root cause of conflict that people reported was personality clashes: that some people are difficult to work with. They're jerks, basically. The second root cause of conflict that people identified was that some people on their teams--although perfectly nice--just had no idea what they were doing. For sake of simplicity, let's call them idiots. (You will already be familiar with jerks and idiots from your commute--jerks are the ones driving faster than you, and idiots are the ones driving slower than you. [Thank you George Carlin!])

Let me back up for a moment: in all fairness, it is completely human, and natural, that when we meet someone new, within minutes we try to label them. We want to know: Does this person like me? (Is this person like me?) Do we agree? When we find someone who agrees with us, we label them immediately. (We call those people geniuses.) And when we meet somebody who does not agree with us, very quickly we have to figure out whether the person is a jerk or just kind...flawed in some way. So, it's not at all strange taht we heard people attributing conflict to the personalities and incompetence of others.

There's only one problem with this theory that the roots of conflict are personal. It sets up a paradigm in which there is no real solution. If the root causes of conflict could be reduced to jerks and idiots, then there would have to be a way to nicen up jerks and smarten up idiots. I'm not sure if you have ever tried that, but my attempts have not been very successful. The Quantum research would uncover a truth more heartening than that. There is indeed a way to help teams resolve conflict.

AMBIGUITY IS THE SOURCE OF MOST CONFLICT

The researchers solicited more information from the groups in conflict, asking them to rate their level of clarity around three categories of work: their team's goals, roles and procedures. The teams in conflict had a high level of ambiguity in all three categories. The researchers concluded that the root cause of conflict is very rarely personality or incompetence. The breakthrough understanding that resulted from this research is that most conflict comes from ambiguity.

There are three basic types of ambiguity that can derail a team. First is ambiguity about goals--a lack of alignment of a lack of clarity that causes people to work against each other without realizing it. The second ambiguity is about roles. When people don't have a clear understanding of who is doing what, and where the boundaries between the roles are, it leads to conflict. Finally, there is ambiguity about procedures--a lack of agreement as to how to get the work done. When we operate in the state of nonalignment, it's no wonder we judge each other as jerks and idiots. That's why, when we work with other people, we really have to get clear on what we want to create, what each person's role is, and how we are going to proceed. Those questions drive much more professional conversations, prevent conflict, and move us toward our ultimate goal a lot more efficiently.

Ambiguity About Goals

Think about how your staff's lack of clarity on goals affect your department and organization. I guarantee you that some of your people have no idea what your main goals are or how their efforts can fit in and support those goals. You have to tell them. Never take for granted that everyone is on the same page. At times, you will have to negotiate with other teams or departments to coordinate your goals in a way that's respectful of everyone's time, expertise, and effort.

Ambiguity About Roles and Procedures

The same kinds of conflicts erupt around roles and procedures. We all make assumptions about what other people should be doing or what their roles encompass. But instead of of discussing our expectations with them, we usually save it for the agenda after the meeting, talking about them only after they have left the room. In addition to being unfair, it's unproductive. Many of us, in order to avoid having to talk to or confront each other, look to job descriptions. But these are not fixed---they're always changing, and people's interpretations vary. So making assumptions leads to conflict, whereas talking about roles ensures that everyone is in alignment. When roles and procedures are transparent, teams rum much more smoothly and efficiently.

Once leaders learn to facilitate clarity around goals, roles, and procedures, and people get used to initiating those conversations, they can't understand why they had conflict at all. So why don't people come to it intuitively. Why does conflict keep happening?

It takes a lot of courage to ignore our visceral emotions and instead have a professional clarifying conversation. It's easier in the moment to come up with a story to justify not taking the initiative: we just tell ourselves it wouldn't make any difference, because other people are unreasonable or incompetent. But the moment we make it personal, we are no longer dealing with reality. And when we start making decisions out of that kind of story, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If I see someone as a jerk, I only collect evidence that proves my point. That story feels safer than stepping and providing real leadership: having to clarify, to reach out, to communicate, to empathize and respond. In the long run, though, it's much easier and more efficient to have that honest conversation than to live with the long-term conflict. When you finally figure that out, it is life changing.

We tend to think that clarity is a byproduct of a highly functioning team, but it's the reason why they function well. As a leader, you do not have to resolve conflict--just provide clarity about goals and roles. Clarity gives employees the freedom to operate within their roles and be as effective as possible. And it stops conflict in its tracks.

Communicate consciously. Make sure everything you are asking people to do ties back into a strategic plan that you have shared with them. Never assume people will fall into place. If you are a leader at the managing director or vice president level, you should be spending a significant of your time with people clarifying goals and roles. If you're doing your job correctly, you should not--brace yourself---have to get very involved in the procedures piece. People who are clear on their goals and roles should--and will---devise their own procedures for getting the job done.

Finally, the best things you can do do for building an effective team is teach you people one key question: "How can I help?" This question, and the spirit in which it is asked, are the heart and soul of a healthy group dynamics. In most workplaces, both the question and attitude are all too rare.

I suggest that you adopt the golden rule of teamwork for your group: 
Stop Judging and Start Helping.

To your greater success and harmony,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

7 Simple Ways to Boost your Internal Networking Skills

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many people think, mistakenly, that since they do not have to go outside the company walls to do their job, then they do not need to network.

Even if your job rarely requires you to interact with other people outside your company, you still need to know how to interact and network internally with your colleagues.

This is nothing to do with the scope of your job and your responsibilities, and it is actually a must behavior within organizations, small or large.

I believe that your ability to network internally will make your working environment much more pleasant and will influence dramatically the teamwork spirit within the organization and your career.

Moreover, internal networking means creating value, caring and giving authentic attention to others.

The 7 simple ways to boost your internal networking skills:

1. Have lunch with others

Lunch is a great opportunity to try your internal networking skills.

Make a plan to  regularly have lunch with another colleague or colleagues.

This short time can be very valuable in building strong relationships with your colleagues, discover what are they busy with, add value to them and try to help solve their needs. Try not to eat lunch with the same people each time.

I guarantee you that if you are sincerely interested in your colleague stories, you will often find these lunch meetings the most enjoyable and interesting part of your week.

Remember, to be interesting be interested.

If lunchtime can’t work, do not try to find excuses, schedule a coffee/tea break together with your colleague.

2. Participate in internal and external training and events

Try to participate in any training programs and events that the organization offers.

In a case of a large organization this training is usually a great opportunity to meet colleagues from other departments, divisions or geographies.

If your organization is small and no internal programs are offered. I consider joining with other colleagues in a external event or training also as internal networking.

During the intense days of participation in the event, you will see your colleague much more often than in the office and you will interact with him also on a personal level.

This will help you to learn much more about your colleague and it definitely part of the internal networking process.

3. Become a project leader

Many people do not embrace the golden opportunity given to them by their employer and develop a unique project within their company.

Start your own project within the company and involve as many colleagues as you can to support you and take leading roles.

In the first instance, it seems like a time-consuming activity with no immediate benefits.

But this kind of volunteering has many benefits to you and the organization.

For me, as far as I remember, I developed new projects in most of the companies where I worked. Thus, I got to learn more about my colleagues and was much more appreciated by my colleagues as well as my employer.

4. Be a supporter

Some of your colleagues have other activities outside of the office, e.g. volunteering in a non-profit organization; helping special institutes etc.

You should try to find it out and support your colleagues' good causes by attending, volunteering or donating to the other nonprofit organizations.

This behavior surely shows commitment and real interest to build a relationship with your colleague.

5. Be a connector

An easy and rewarding way to practice networking internally is to act as an internal connector.

 I  believe that contacts you share you do not own.

Take every chance to introduce people from different parts of your organization.

You can also introduce your colleagues to your external network and vice versa.

It’s amazing how many relationships will deepen once you have helped people to connect.

I want you to understand that these connections do not need to have a direct link to your organization or job.

For example, you may introduce your colleague to a great doctor to take care of her health problem; you may help your colleague’s son land an interview for a job.

Your connecting efforts will be highly valued and surely remembered!

6. Be the first during moments of joy and sadness

Celebrate with your colleagues their moments of joy! And be with them in moments of sadness.

When your colleague is promoted, receive an award, got a new child or got married, send congratulations.

While on the other hand, if your colleague experiences a very sad moment in his life, be there for them. I mean physically, in real life (not only via social networks).

A quick hand-written card to someone (even if you don’t know them well) will go a long way towards showing that you care, you are paying attention
 

7. Praise others.

 How many people in your organization talk about other people’s accomplishments?

Most of the people talk naturally about their own achievements. But what if you start to praise other colleagues’ achievements and really mean it?

As a matter of fact, if you turn it into your habit your will create yourself a name as a real team player and everybody would seek your company.

Learn not to be afraid to share credit.

Remember – your internal network and the authentic relationships you build within your company will go with you forever!You will probably develop a different sort of relationship with them than with external parties.

If you keep others’ interests in mind, you will be seen as genuine relationship builder; an authentic attention giver; someone who’s willing to lend a hand.

The well-connected person creates value for all.

Many of my ex-colleagues and clients are still a great source of continuing friendship and inspiration. These are relationships that I will always cherish.

Remember, it's called net-working, not net-setting. Set a goal and go for it.

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Why We Micromanage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Micromanagement. We have all experienced it – and if you are a leader, you have mostly likely done it. Yet no one ever says that great leaders are micromanagers. If it isn’t effective and we don’t like it done to us, why do we micromanage?

The Pressures to Micromanage

Not all the items on this list will affect or afflict all leaders in the same way, but all are among the reasons why we take over, step in, or “try to help.”

·        We are trying to exert some control. Yes, some people have a greater need for control than others, but leaders are held responsible for things they don’t personally do. Leadership success is more about influence and less about control. As individual contributors we had more control – as we transition to leading successfully, we must make this mental transition.

·        We micromanage things we know well. Much of micromanagement happens as leaders focus too much on the tasks they know well. It makes sense that we would rather focus on what we know (and perhaps got us promoted) than the unknown roles of leadership. Why would we want to give up what we know?

 

·        We micromanage things we are good at. There are things we were good at in the past. Things we have done hundreds of times and could do in our sleep.  Why would we want to give up these things, especially if someone on the team is struggling with them?

·        We micromanage highly visible things. Because as leaders we often don’t have control – we may try to take more on specific projects that are visible or especially important. In these cases, there likely is a role for us, but taking the reins from those who have been assigned those tasks cheats them of their development, shows them you don’t trust them, and keeps you from other important work.

·        We value short term results. Because we know the work and are good at it, we will be more efficient at it. We micromanage when we convince ourselves that speed is more important than allowing others to learn, grow and have higher commitment and accountability for their work.

·        We like the tangible. It is always gratifying to see our results. If we are writing the report, solving the problem, handling the Customer complaint, we see a result immediately. Much of the work of a leader doesn’t have that tangible, immediate reward. Sometimes we micromanage because we want to feel like we accomplished something.

·        We really do want to help. There is nothing wrong with helping. In a pinch, when there is a backlog, or someone is on vacation. But you’ve experienced someone “trying to help” that felt like they were taking over.  Be careful your desire to help is desired by the team and not misunderstood.  A good rule of thumb is to offer help when they request it, and not before.

 

·        We confuse showing with coaching. Coaching is an important part of the job of leader. But too often leaders do the work, and assume people are learning through observation. Demonstration can be a powerful part of coaching but should be used sparingly.  People learn by doing, not my solely watching. And if they aren’t learning by watching, they are feeling micromanaged.

·        Few of these are bad things. They are understandable, and doing them doesn’t make us a bad leader or a bad human being – unless they are how we always work.  While this may not be a complete list of why people micromanage, it includes the biggest and most common reasons.  When we see ourselves in this list it should help us better understand why we might micromanage, help us overcome that habit, and importantly, reduce our guilt or feelings of inadequacy when we do.

The Big Truth

Micromanagement is in the eye of the beholder. A leader can lead/manage two people in exactly the same way, and while one loves the approach, the other feels micromanaged.  This means that to succeed in this area we must balance the pressures on this list and be flexible in our approach to leading and coaching each person on our team.  It also means that despite our best efforts and intentions, there will be moments that we are seen as micromanaging. We (and our team can live with moments of micromanaging.  And when we understand why we micromanage, it will be moments, not our standard approach to leading our team.

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

7 Things Leaders Can Do to Immediately to Boost Employee Retention

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retaining top talent should always be a focus of leaders and organizations. However, during times of high employment, or an historic Great Resignation, the topic gets more attention. While there many facets to talent retention, too often individual leaders look to the organization and/or HR to find solutions that keep the best talent onboard. Yet, there is much individual leaders can do to improve employee retention.

The Leader’s Role

There are many things people look for when choosing their work. Of course, they want to be fairly compensated, but that is just the start. Too many leaders assume retention and turnover hinge solely on factors like pay, benefits, and policies that lie outside of their individual control. While all those things matter, the experience people have with their boss plays a large role in their desire to stay – or willingness to look elsewhere and leave.

 The Seven Simple Things

What can leaders do to improve talent retention? Here are seven specific and immediately implementable ideas.

• Say please and thank you. After we teach children their names, “please” and “thank you” are among the first words we want them to learn. We know these words show respect and appreciation for others. Just because you have positional power doesn’t mean you must (or can) demand things. And just because “it is their job” doesn’t mean we can’t (or shouldn’t) say thank you when they do something well. If you appreciate what people are doing, are you letting them know?
• Ask for opinions. Your team members have a perspective on the work that you don’t have. In many cases, they are doing work you never did. Even if they are doing your former job, if you have been the leader for any length of time, things have changed. When you ask for the opinions of others, you will show respect and appreciation to them – and arrive at better decisions.
• Listen. When you ask for those opinions, then you better listen to their ideas! Asking doesn’t mean you always have to implement what you hear, but asking without really listening to understand might be worse than not ever asking. Work to be a better listener in all your interactions with team members.
• Trust more. One way to show your trust is by becoming a more active and effective listener. But there are plenty of ways to show your trust in your team. Here are two other examples that will show your team members you trust them – delegate more responsibilities and micromanage less.
• Provide feedback. Feedback needn’t be all negative and saved for the annual review or in emergency situations. Let people know how they are doing. Show them what is working and encourage them to continue. Help them see where they can make corrections and adjustments. We all want to do good work and know how we are doing.  Regular feedback allows both to happen.
• Ask for feedback. Who better to give you feedback on your as a leader than those you are leading? And what better way to show your trust than by asking those same people how you are doing? Asking for feedback is one of the best things you can do as a leader. It will show you want to improve, and give you input so that you can.
• Communicate the big picture. People want more than a paycheck; they want to do work that makes a difference. When we as leaders help them see where the work leads, who it helps, how they are making a difference, they are less likely to leave. People find their own meaning in work, but not in a vacuum. Make sure people see how what they do matters and is making a difference.

Read this list again and ask yourself two questions:

• Do I want to work for a leader that regularly does these things?
• Everything else equal (or even close), would I more likely stay to continue to work for that person?

Assuming your answers are like mine, then there is just one more question …

Where Will You Start?

There is nothing on the above list that is shocking or new. Just because they aren’t new, doesn’t mean they can’t improve talent retention. All are things you have done and can do – starting today. Doing any of them will help, doing all of them will make a bigger positive difference than you can imagine. You will get better relationships, you will get better results, and you will improve retention of your most important asset – your people.

While all will help, you must start somewhere. Resolve to work on one of these suggestions immediately. The beauty of the list is that none require a new policy, a decision from senior management, or additional training. Pick one, and start right now.

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

How to Be a Better Leader in 9 Minutes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to be an even better leader? Not just one that develops employees, but one that gets results as well. Leadership and motivation specialist James Robbins book, Nine Minutes on Monday,  is based on the theory that it's the little things -- done consistently -- that bring the biggest results. I agree based on 25 years of coaching and training leaders.

The purpose of a leader is to lead a team to great results. This is not an innate skill and many people have experienced the pain of having a bad manager. Additionally, many people get thrown into a manager role without proper training and understanding of what they should be doing. Robbins has 9 questions you should ask yourself each Monday morning. They are:

1. Whom will I show a genuine interest in this week?
2. Whom will I give feedback to?
3. Whom will I recognize?
4. How will I connect purpose to pay for someone?
5. Whom will I help grow this week?
6. Whom will I help feel autonomous?
7. What can I do to foster team unity?
8. Where can I inject some fun?
9. What do I need to model for my team members?

Note how none of these are connected to the typical worries of managers -- productivity, budgets, project timelines and any of the other million problems that land on a manager's plate. Instead, they focus on the key purpose of managers -- getting their team to perform at a higher level. All of those other things are necessary, but they go better when you have good people.

Of course implementing these things take a lot more than 9 minutes, but not so much more that doing them will take away from the rest of your work time. After all, how long does it take to give feedback to one of your employees? Or recognize good performance?

All 9 are critical however, number 6 intrigues me the most. Asking yourself, Whom will I help feel autonomous? flies in the face of so many managers who think they must control every aspect of their employees' performance. If they are managing the department, they must have their hand in every little thing.

But, this level of micro-management tends to destroy morale and results in your good employees leaving and your bad employees doing just enough to not get fired. This isn't successful for anyone. Robbins points out that we crave autonomy and the ability to make choices. Having flexibility to do it your way typically results in more engaged and more productive employees.

In today's inflationary environment and the resulting tightening of budgets and headcounts, leaders need every trick in the book to get the most out of their employees. Perhaps Robbins' strategy of these 9 steps each Monday will allow you take your team to the top.

Click here to read our related post: How Leaders Who Ask More Leverage The Power of The Brain

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Elevate Your Work Culture By Having Better Conversations

 

 

 

 

 

 The quality of your workplace culture depends on the quality of the conversations. The stories about the past, present, and future shape the identity of your organization. From watercooler conversations to passionate meeting debates, how people engage with each other (or not) is a true indicator of your company culture.

Poor conversations are frustrating, keeping your team stuck in the past.

Better culture starts with better conversations. Teams create better solutions via dialogue. Transform your company culture with effective conversations.

Everything your team members do is facilitated through conversations. They envision the future through dialogue. They uncover new possibilities to move the organization forward. Conversations bring culture to life – both what's working and what's not.

Crucial conversations lie all around us – all the time.

Curiosity starts conversations. Conversations spark action. Action drives change.

From performance appraisals and brainstorming solutions to making decisions, conversations are the foundation of effective team collaboration.

Your organization's culture is created and reflected in the conversations people have – and the ones they avoid.  

How to Have More Effective Conversations

Defining moments in the workplace are the result of crucial conversations – they shift our mindsets and behaviors.

Facilitating candid conversations is not easy. It requires courage. You must be able to work with people rather than through people. Take the first step. Listen more than you plan. Reflect, learn, and explore possibilities.

The purpose of conversation is to grow as a team, not to win an argument.

Better conversations are built on the four most important core skills, according to research by The Center for Creative Leadership:

Listening to understand: There are multiple levels of information we must tune in to during conversations. Move beyond the facts. Listen to the values at play and understand the other person's perspective.

Asking powerful questions: Great questions spark curiosity, opening new paths for more interesting conversations. Open-ended questions drive clarity, promote critical thinking, inspire reflection, and challenge assumptions. Often beginning with 'Why,' 'How,' or 'What do you think about…,' they set the stage to uncover new perspectives.

Challenging and supportive: Successful teams embrace cognitive diversity by challenging underlying assumptions. Psychological safety is vital to encourage candid conversations – to challenge the idea, not the person. Providing support is about ensuring that people have been heard. Find the right balance between challenge and support.  

Establishing next steps and accountability: Great conversationalists go with the flow – they focus on the journey, not the destination. However, regardless of their relentless curiosity, they always wrap up with concrete next steps. Your team should walk away from a conversation with a shared understanding, clear agreements, and next steps.

Check out a related post: How to Get Clarity, Accountability, and Results In Five Minutes.

Fortunately, the four conversational skills can be developed. You can use them one at a time or together.

Building a strong company culture starts with candid conversations. Which conversations are you avoiding? Which ones harm or nurture your culture?

We help organizations facilitate better conversations through our leadership programs and performance consulting.

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Ten Sure-fire Ways to Build A Team of Winners

 

Want to be an excellent leader? A truly inspirational, effective agent of your team’s success? There is literally nothing harder – or more important – in the world of work. That’s why effective leaders are so rare in real life.

If that discourages you, them maybe you don’t have what it takes to lead after all. If it motivates you instead? Well, then, here are a few tips to take it from “in charge guy/gal” to “excellent leader !”

1. Repeat after me (to your team): “My job is to help you be successful by making your job easier.”

No, your job is not to give them the day off to shop while you finish up their work for them. But your job as leader – your only job, as leader – is to remove impediments and provide the tools for your people’s success. Take the obstacles out of their way and give them the resources so they can do the important work of your company: serving your customers and stakeholders!

2. Foster friendships among your staff.

After work socialization is important – it is! But nothing builds camaraderie and team spirit like shared success as the result of shared struggle. What’s your team’s greater goal? What significant challenges are you confronting that all of you can be proud of overcoming together?

3. Reward for the big things. And the medium things. And even the itty-bitty little things.

We like praise. We want recognition. One winner-takes-all vacation or mega-bonus for the year’s top performer is great and all, but how about a $5 Starbucks, or even a made-up certificate from your printer, because someone filed her report on time? 

4. Coach them.

People of quality want to be good at their jobs. Kindly help them to improve. …Kindly, but maybe not gently.

5. Release the “Just Enoughers” to other “opportunities.”
We all know the “Just Enoughers.” Employees that do just enough to avoid getting fired. No one likes to work with slackers – except other slackers. Redeploy them sooner than later. As the old saying goes, “If it’s inevitable, make it immediate.”

6. Hire slowly and caaaaarefully!

Show your current team members and your new recruits that not just anybody belongs on your team. If you want to build an elite group, hire top performers. You’ll have to kiss a lot of frogs as you vet the talent pond.

7. Give them something important to get up for in the morning.

Remember number 2, with the part about shared challenges? Pick a lofty goal. Then make pursuit of that the rallying cry of your team. Change lives, change how business is done; don’t just settle to change who wins this year’s sales contest. 

8. Talk up your people to others.

Talk your team up to your peers, to their peers, to your boss and her boss and heck, to the security guard, too. Be proud of each of them, and share that pride with anyone who’ll listen. Word will filter back to them, and as it does, it will have have a major impact. 

9. Expect the world of them.

Establish with your team how highly you respect and admire them. Expect big things from them. They will live up to your image of them, no matter what it takes.

10. Be worthy of their effort.

Want to really be the best, most effective leader ever? Work to improve yourself every day, in every way that is important to your team’s success. In order to lead a group of champions to new heights, you as leader must be worthy of the team’s time and energy. And that’s a lot more than we have room for in one blog post.

You will never be as good as you can be as a leader. But every hour of every day, if you’re sufficiently devoted to the success of your team, you can improve. Keep at it, and your people will start bragging about you – to their peers, your peers, your boss and her boss. And yes, even to the security guards.

When it percolates back to you how admired you are by those you serve as leader… you’ll be infinitely prouder than if they told you themselves! 

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

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Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.