Want to foster trust in your team? Then it's time to get naked—kind of. This is a professional post, after all! Author Patrick Lencioni advocates for "getting naked," or being vulnerable with your team in order to create a foundation of trust. Trust is the foundation of any cohesive team. It leads to healthier conflict, which produces better decisions, more accountability, and, ultimately, better results.
Read MoreDid you know that there is a kind of nuclear reactor that actually produces more fuel than it uses? It’s called a breeder reactor. Conflict on your team can be like a breeder reactor for trust; you need a solid foundation of trust for healthy, productive conflict AND healthy, productive conflict produces more trust. That’s because every time you settle differences respectfully, people grow to trust that you care about them individually, and you both care about what’s best for the organization.
Read MoreThere’s a really good chance that you and the other members of your leadership team are not having nearly enough conflict. I get it—the harmony that comes from no one stepping on anyone’s toes feels nice: everyone likes one another, you have fun together, things are running smoothly. And, you probably aren’t nearly as good as you could be as a company. There are tough decisions being made without all the relevant information. There are people who are not feeling (or being) heard. There are people who aren’t bought in on some key decisions.
Read MoreEstablishing clarity on these things doesn’t mean your leadership team will never experience conflict, but it will give you a reference point to come back to when you disagree. It gives you a chance to say, “How are our actions helping us achieve our goals? How do they match what we agreed we would do?”
Read MoreIn my experience, no process is more essential for your team than a consistent, constructive flow of feedback. There is an idea that feedback should always be delivered in private unless it’s praise, but that mindset prevents teams from performing at peak levels because it limits collective ability to learn together. Teams with a solid foundation of trust can be honest with each other, and honest teams are more likely to be trusting teams - it’s a virtuous cycle. However, don’t equate honesty with brutality. You can give honest feedback, even in front of teammates, and do it with kindness and respect.
Read MoreThroughout the month, we’re talking about how to build a cohesive, diverse leadership team. Last week, we talked about the value of diverse teams and the difficulty of building the trust necessary to support them. Over the next several days, we’ll be sharing foundational steps to begin building organizational trust and team cohesion.
Read MoreFebruary is Black History Month. The racial turmoil of 2020 led to widespread commitments to racial equity and a broader conversation about the value of diversity in the workplace. Let’s be clear - we didn’t discover in 2020 that diversity is good for business - we’ve known for some time that companies led by a diverse team are more successful. What’s different going into Black History Month 2021 is a certain amount of momentum that could lead to real change. The road ahead is not without its obstacles; merely inviting others to the table is not enough. For any team to thrive (even homogeneous groups), there must be structures in place to make cohesion more likely.
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