On our recent trip to Greece, my husband and I fell completely, head over heels in love with the Greek people. And maybe that’s because we’re alike in so many ways. For one, they seem to share the same joie de vivre, or love of life of the Cajun culture.
Like the Cajuns, they are a very passionate people. I noticed that it’s very commonplace to see a group of older men sitting in a taverna drinking strong Greek coffee and talking loudly and gesturing wildly. When I asked our guide what they were arguing about, she said, “Oh, they’re not arguing, they’re talking about politics.”
On other occasions, I heard the kitchen crew having what sounded to me like a heated argument, and it turns out they were talking about routine restaurant operations.
Good leadership teams are much the same.
Let me unpack that.
A high-performing leadership team really airs it out. When you’ve got a team of incredibly talented people working hard on something they’re passionate about, they’re not quiet and passive. They’re focused on a common goal, they have disagreements, they make noise, and together they refine ideas and take actions to come out with the desired result.
Peace is not synonymous with passiveness.
Sometimes conflict can be a good thing in teams.
As one of my clients articulated recently, assembling a group of talented people is the easy part. Getting them to gel as a leadership team to focus on a common goal is the real challenge.
For that to happen you need to create a culture that embraces and encourages that passion about their work to come out. Like my Greek friends, there must be a level of trust that allows team members to express their opinions and ideas.
I know the last few years have been challenging, to say the least. For all of us. And there’s still so much uncertainty out there.
But your employees are counting on you to lead them through the shifts and upheaval of this constant change.
So what can you do? Rely on best practices? Sorry, Charlie. Best practices are so 2019. There are no best practices for dealing with stuff you’ve never encountered before.
Sure, you’ve probably had strategy sessions, and that’s good and important. AND… as Peter Drucker said,
Culture eats strategy for breakfast.
Strategy that is developed outside of a culture of trust, mutual respect, ownership and accountability are just some nice-sounding words on paper.
Your leadership team sets the course for the organization. So how, pray tell, can that happen when each member of the leadership team is going in a different direction?
In times of constant change, and in some cases, chronic crisis, AND to combat “The Great Resignation,” you need to go back to the basics. Double down on fundamentals like building and reinforcing trust, getting buy-in and ownership on strategies, and practicing clear and transparent communication.
The best way I know to do that is to collectively, as a team, take a step back. Get away from the “day-to-dayness” and work ON the team. Your leadership team is the engine that runs the organization, and like any motor or engine, you’ve got to do regular maintenance on it. A team retreat is a time where, together, you can reflect on the business, get aligned, and chart a path forward.
Ask yourself if the following statements are true. Ask your leadership team members too – IF you’ve got the kahunas to hear their honest answers:
- Everyone is not on the same page – some are not clear about priorities or direction.
- Our team meetings are boring.
- Office politics are happening behind the scenes.
- There is no strong feeling of trust or commitment amongst team members.
- We have very little conflict or disagreement amongst team members.
- There is at least one member who does not contribute and is deadweight.
- Our team leader is our sole source of accountability.
- We tend to lose achievement-oriented members.
- Team members are more focused on their own careers and individual goals than they are the team or the organization as a whole.
If these statements ring true about your leadership team, then Houston, you may have a problem.
All is not lost, though. You need to invest in some maintenance, (okay, some of you may need a complete engine overhaul), to get your team back in alignment and running like a well-oiled machine.
If you’d like some help, let’s talk! The framework and process that I use has been proven to achieve results. This is not about telling you what to do or how to do it. I don’t tell you what to discuss, rather, I teach you how to have healthy and productive discussions. I facilitate your conversations and help you build trust and commitment so that you can deal with the constant change and challenge in today’s business environment.
It has been a rough few years. And spoiler alert: I don’t think the pattern of constant change will change any time soon. Equip your team to deal effectively with it, and you’ll not only survive, but thrive through it all.
If you’re a woman in mid-career – or beyond (or know someone who is), stay tuned for upcoming announcements about my innovative women’s program. You don’t want to miss out on the early bird pricing!
You might also like:
The Best-Kept Secret of High Performing Teams
Lead Yourself and Your Team Out of the Land of Stuck
Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication. In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she guides leaders to live and lead by choice, not chance.
