It turns out how we perceive our attitude towards our teams and talent is everything. Do we believe they have the ability and can do the task at hand? Seeing others as capable allows for appropriate feedback and appreciation. If we begin with a negative view of our team, we will never get to where we wish to go here.
If your team does not have the ability and capacity for the task at hand, own it and make the adjustments required for success. You are responsible for working with your superiors to assemble a team for success. Not to beat up your thirty percenters and confuse your fifty percent-er players.
If this work must be done to achieve next-level success, I suggest stopping complaining about it and getting to it. The sooner the better for all involved.
As a leader of people and the manager of systems, your team's performance and culture are directly related to the lowest level of engagement and behavior you tolerate. There is the truth of it right there. From here capability, capacity, performance, feedback, and appreciation all begin. Add to this list stress or lack of it.
To visualize your team as capable, I believe a few fundamentals are required. Take a look here:
JRCI Capability Foundation Elements
- I believe the best results are not all up to me.
- I believe my team can and will break it down and figure it out.
- I trust my team to determine the results and land expectations.
- I accept my teams' challenges are not necessarily my challenges.
- I promote my team to exit comfort zones and enter uncomfortable spaces to expand capacities.
- I fully accept innovative thought to solve challenges.
- As supervisor or manager, I own the outcomes of my teams' efforts.
Above are the fundamental principles I believe in to demonstrate confidence through acting as a supervisor or manager. I will add in the concept of consistently monitoring for success as well. The KPI here is required to report to all for clarity on our direction. Here, the rubber meets the road.
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My idea centers around what you give directly correlates to what you get as a manager. Highly functional teams have a strong appreciation for each other, share that appreciation generously, know the score in real-time, and are willing to go the extra mile to accomplish their goals. If that does not sound like your team, well, there is your goal. What can you do right now to shift in that direction?
"If that does not sound like your team, there is your goal. What can you do right now to shift in that direction?"
JRCI Cultural Aspects Impacting Engagement and Performance
- Full appreciation for a job well done.
- Feeling connected and "in" on things organizationally.
- Empathy with personal matters.
- Job security and good compensation packages.
- Growth and opportunity for advancement.
- Commitment and accountability.
- Trustful behavior at all levels.
- Positive physical work environment.
As leaders of people, your ability to drive positive engagement and performance centers on these specific items, but wait, there is more! Personal behavior matters.
Intuition is required as a manager. Being informed and willing to share important information even before it is required for success will set you apart.
To make mistakes is to be human. We accept this as true. Perfect what? But few intentionally work to help individuals learn from mistakes and move on with additional knowledge and approach. Be that supervisor and manager.
If you work with me, you know I believe systems do the heavy work in any organization. Systems drive 80%, and we manage the variable 20% of workloads. That said it is no surprise I drive systems in this discussion. Good supervisors and managers help connect individual team member goals with organizational goals. This is how true alignment is accomplished. Few do this, be the exception. This of course suggests you take time to learn about and personally know your team.
Continuing this idea, a leader assists each team member in establishing goals and measuring individual and team progress. This way, everyone understands the score in real time, and there are no surprises and disappointments are minimized. With good awareness, a solid manager can reassign available resources to head off difficulties "at the pass", rather than "kick the dog" when all fails.
An elite managerial system allows individual team members to achieve their personal and organizational goals. An elite system promotes development rather than the assignment of blame, and this is by design.
"What are the team dynamics you are building in your teams currently?"
Many leaders take what they get and regularly complain about all of what they get. They take no ownership of the situation and suffer in mediocracy or even less. Which are you?
I believe we all can control our destiny, and you can influence the outcomes you are looking to achieve. If the current systems are no longer working, change the systems. Change the team if the current team is no longer getting it done effectively. Find new customers if your customers no longer align with you and the product or service you provide. It is that simple, not easy, but that simple. You must do the work to earn trust and the best results.
This begins with your ability to drive capability, build capacity, and demonstrate appreciation for best performance. I am confident you have identified a few solid action steps here. Get on it and get it done!
